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MLS FC Dallas

FC Dallas Stuns Atlanta United FC with Two Late Goals to Win, 3-2, in Front of 17,298 Fans

July 5, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas came from behind with two late goals by Tesho Akindele to defeat Atlanta United FC, 3-2, tonight at Toyota Stadium.

FC Dallas nearly had a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute when Michael Barrios played right back Reggie Cannon a pass to compliment the Homegrown defender's overlapping run. Cannon got to the end line and centered a pass to Maxi Urruti. The Argentine forward knocked a first-touch strike on goal but Atlanta defender Franco Escobar stepped in front of the shot to send it out for a corner kick.

Victor Ulloa picked off a pass and quickly put Urruti in on goal again in the seventh minute. Urruti turned and ripped a low shot but Atlanta defender Michael Parkhurst recovered in time to make a sliding block, once again sending the ball out for an FC Dallas corner kick.

FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez came up with a big save in the 18th minute to keep the highest-scoring offense in MLS off the board. Former FC Dallas Academy player, Mikey Ambrose made an overlapping run down FCD's left side and was rewarded with a pass from Atlanta's Miguel Almiron. Ambrose chipped a pass to the back post, where Julian Gressel cracked a volley on goal, but Gonzalez slid across his line to block the attempt with his chest.

Roland Lamah earned a free kick for FC Dallas at the top of the box in the 21st minute. Center back Reto Ziegler stepped up to take the kick, ripping a left-footed shot just over the wall and inside the post to Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan's left side to give the home side a 1-0 advantage.

Atlanta leveled the match, 1-1, in the 41st minute when Hector Villalba received a pass on the right flank, skipped by FC Dallas defender Maynor Figueroa, and centered a pass to the top of the six yard box. Josef Martinez was there to deflect a shot past Gonzalez, who dove to his right side and got a hand on the ball, but could not keep it out of the net. The goal was Martinez's league-leading 16th goal of the season.

Martinez scored his second of the match to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead in the 73rd minute. Almiron received a pass in-behind the FC Dallas midfield, ran at FCD's back line and slipped a pass in for Martinez to hit with his first touch. Gonzalez stepped out to cut down on the striker's angle but Martinez ripped a shot over the goalkeeper's right foot to score his 17th of the year.

FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja responded with two substations, bringing on Ryan Hollingshead and Tesho Akindele. The duo connected on a play up the left flank in the 86th minute that tied the match, 2-2. Hollingshead hit a sharp pass at Urruti, who flicked a pass into space. Akindele grabbed the ball just beyond midfield, raced towards goal and beat Guzan with a hard shot from just inside the area.

Two minutes later, Akindele put away the game-winner following a goal-mouth scramble on a FC Dallas corner kick. Michael Barrios hit an out-swinging corner kick to the top of the six yard box. Hollingshead got a head on the ball, sending it towards FC Dallas defender Matt Hedges. Hedges tried to pound a ball through a crowd of players in front of goal but the attempt ended up at the feet of Akindele. The forward scored his second of the game by sliding to beat Guzan to the ball. The shot deflected off the goalkeeper and settled into the back corner of the net to give FCD the 3-2 win.

Lineups:

FC Dallas - Jesse Gonzalez, Maynor Figueroa (Ryan Hollingshead 82), Reto Ziegler, Matt Hedges, Reggie Cannon, Victor Ulloa (Tesho Akindele 75), Carlos Gruezo, Roland Lamah, Michael Barrios, Maxi Urruti, Santiago Mosquera (Kellyn Acosta 57).

Substitutes not used: Jimmy Maurer, Jesus Ferriera, Jacori Hayes, Kris Reaves.

Atlanta United FC - Brad Guzan, Franco Escobar, Michael Parkhurst, Mikey Ambrose, Leandro Gonzalez-Perez, Miguel Almiron, Jeff Larentowicz, Julian Gressel, Ezequiel Barco (Miles Robinson 83), Hector Villalba (Kevin Kratz 69), Josef Martinez.

Substitutes not used - Andrew Carleton, Sal Zizzo, Alec Kann, Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, Romario Williams.

Scoring Summary:

DAL: Reto Ziegler 22

ATL: Josef Martinez (Hector Villalba) 41

ATL: Josef Martinez (Miguel Almiron) 73

DAL: Tesho Akindele (Maxi Urruti, Ryan Hollingshead) 86

DAL: Tesho Akindele 88

Misconduct Summary:

DAL: Roland Lamah (caution) 14

ATL: Franco Escobar (caution) 45

Weather: Clear, 91 degrees

Attendance: 17,298

Referee: Alan Kelly

Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson, Andrew Bigelow

Fourth Official: Hilario Grajeda

Video Assistant Referee: Edvin Jurisevic

FC Dallas Head Coach Oscar Pareja

General thoughts on the match...

Today I felt the engagement and the commitment from our fans to motivate this group of players and the boys felt it too. They were all talking in the locker about how good the fans were today. So thank you to them. We would like to tell them that we will keep working to put your team where you want them. That's what we can guarantee.

On beating the No. 1 team in the MLS standings...

We beat today the best team in the league. Without a doubt, I have my respect for Atlanta and what Tata [Martino] is doing there. It is very difficult to play against a group of players that are very talented and very crafty. They had a lot of sequences that were not easy to manage or control, but that's what we did in the first half. We controlled their sequences. Our team was disciplined enough. We created chances, which give us the hope to be a team that can compete against anyone.

On the second half...

In the second half, I thought we gave away the ball too much. They had the initiative. We were down one goal. It was a different energy from the group to come up and push the game to tie the game and then to win it. I saw a different spirit today, which is a characteristic of this team, and it's good to hear.

On tactics...

We came with a 4-2-3-1, which is something that we know. We wanted to neutralize the middle especially, have some options on the flank. I thought in the first half it worked well, but we were having some leaks on the left and that was that's why we brought Kellyn [Acosta] in to balance that side out. And after that, while we were losing, we had just Tesho on the left and had two forwards and Mikey on the right and just two midfielders to have more volume there.

On how the team started the match...

We wanted to neutralize and then counter them- that was the initiative. But definitely, when the boys came- Tesho [Akindele] and Kellyn [Acosta]- that lifted us up. That, for me, was a big part of the game.

FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon

General thoughts on the match...

What a game to come to on July 4. It was a great experience playing out there. It was probably the most intense game I've ever played. One of our subs ended up coming really through for us. We defended well, for those 80 minutes, but we had a couple of slip-ups. Josef Martinez, that guy is a hunter. He knows exactly where to be in the box but we put the goals away and we got win.

On getting the win...

It is one of the best feelings... to win. It was exciting to come back into the locker room. This is one of the best starts we have ever had. With 35 points in [17] games, it is amazing. We just have to keep pushing and we'll be in for a really good postseason.

On getting two goals late...

It's all about believing. We told each other that it was going to be rough out there. Atlanta is a very dynamic team. If you're down, you need to keep going and believing. That is the morale of this team. [Roland] Lamah kept saying - go, keep on going, keep on believing.

On the play of the subs...

Just come in and change the game, that's what Tesho did. All of the subs gave us some fresh air, some time to breathe on and off the ball. Tesho ended up putting those two goals away and it's a good feeling.

FC Dallas forward Tesho Akindele

Process of his second goal...

Ryan [Hollingshead] had the ball. I checked to it. He passed it to the inside and I knew it was going to Maxi. I knew he was going to be able to flick it on somehow so I just turned and took off. When I got the ball, I looked up to see if it was two-on-one, but it was just me kind of one-on-one so I went at the goal and finished it.

Thoughts on team's atmosphere tonight...

It was a combination of things. One, I think we were playing well. Even though we were losing, this was one of the best games we've played all year. There was a lot of energy from everyone on the team. You see people like Maxi [Urruti]. He has played every game almost this season and he's still running as hard as he can on every play. People like [Roland] Lamah, [Michael] Barrios and [Carlos] Gruezo. All of our players are still just giving it all they have and that energy is contagious. I try to come on and add to that.

Thoughts on coming on and making an impact...

[I tried to bring] energy mostly. I try to run offensively, defensively, and then you know they put me on the field to score at the end of the day, I just have to take my chances.

Atlanta United FC Head Coach Gerardo Martino

On tonight's game...

I hope these errors don't affect us for the next match. These kinds of losses hurt. They hurt the most when you don't deserve to lose, but when the rivals are better than you. It's a different kind of feeling because you know that team outplayed you. You are able to accept that loss more even though it still hurts you.. In our case, we did everything we could to win but ended up leaving empty handed.

On if the heat was a factor...

I believe the weather wasn't difficult to play in. If the weather didn't affect us in the first five minutes of the game, then we were fine throughout the rest of the game. I don't think it can affect us all in the last five minutes of the game. We just made errors and lost concentration of the match. We need to talk about the two plays that lead to the goals. I understand this weather takes a toll in your body, and it doesn't let you think right. I would understand if it would've happened in the first half because the heat was worse in the first half than the second half, especially with five minutes remaining in the game with the lead in hand.

Atlanta United FC defender Mickey Ambrose

On the heat being a fact run the game...

It was a factor, but it was a factor for them, too.Two teams were playing in the heat. We had the result 2-1 with five minutes left, and we just all, as a team, have to close it out.

On the second FC Dallas goal...

I think tactically we lost a little bit of concentration. We were tired and really hot, but we all have to be better on the back line. Keep the concentration for the full 90 minutes. All of us.

On the final FC Dallas goal...

Just a few unlucky bounces. Bouncing around the box, people trying to clear it. The ball just squeaked through... I'm at a loss for words for what happened on that goal. A lack of concentration and a lack of discipline in the last five minutes.

Atlanta United FC midfielder Julian Gressel

On the final five minutes...

Not great. To give away a game like that is just frustrating. I don't really know what to say. You do all this work in such a tough environment and such a tough climate, play a great 85 minutes...to give it away in those last five minutes is frustrating and, obviously, something we'll learn from and have to be better, ultimately. It's just frustrating and annoying right now.

On what lessons his team could take away from tonight's game...

The lesson is that you can't give away a game like that. We didn't reward ourselves because we played a good game and came back from a goal down on a set piece, which happens. We fight back in a tough environment, then to give it away...that just can't happen. That's the lesson.

On the final two FC Dallas goals...

On the second goal, we switched to five in the back and we kind of make a couple moves where we don't necessarily have to go after the ball and can just wait a bit, but we made those decisions. The third goal was a set piece and they get three rebounds. It's frustrating and annoying.

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