MLS FC Dallas

FC Dallas Wins Third Road Game of the Season, 4-2, against New

May 21, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - FC Dallas (8-4-2, 26 points) found the back of the net four times to defeat New England, 4-2, tonight at Gillette Stadium.

For the second week in a row, FC Dallas earned a penalty kick in the opening minutes to take a 1-0 lead. Ecuadoran National Team midfielder Carlos Gruezo generated the opportunity, when he sent a long ball over the top of New England's defense to Michael Barrios. The Colombian won the race to the ball, a split second before being chopped to the turf by Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. Referee Silviu Petrescu issued a caution to Shuttleworth for the foul and sent Tesho Akindele to the penalty spot. The former MLS Rookie of the Year converted his fourth straight attempt, sending Shuttleworth to his right, before burying a shot, high to the goalkeeper's left side.

Barrios attempted to continue, but was forced out of the match in the eighth minute following the foul. Homegrown player Kellyn Acosta took his place in midfield.

New England earned a free kick, 30-yards from goal in the 23rd minute and Lee Nguyen played a perfect cross into the area for forward Juan Agudelo to finish off. The forward beat two defenders and sent a diving header into the far corner of the goal to make it a 1-1 game.

Just two minutes later, Nguyen earned a penalty kick after being fouled by Victor Ulloa in the area. Nguyen elected to take the spot kick, sending Chris Seitz the wrong direction and finishing high to the opposite direction. The goal was the first Seitz allowed via penalty kick since 2011.

FC Dallas returned fire in the 36th minute, after Ryan Hollingshead earned a corner kick. Acosta sent in a right-footed, curling serve to the edge of the six-yard box and Atiba Harris did the rest. The St. Kitts and Nevis international flicked a header near post. Shuttleworth got a hand on the shot, but the powerful header continued on towards goal and looped into the back of the net to make it 2-2 at the half.

Victor Ulloa sent a well-placed cross to the head of Akindele at the back post in the 56th minute. The Canadian international nearly scored his second of the match, but Shuttleworth made a diving save to his left side to hand Dallas a corner kick.

Dallas took its second lead of the match in the 70th minute when Gruezo played another long ball over the top of the Revolution defense. New England's Sambinha had trouble clearing the lofted pass and Fabian Castillo pounced on the opportunity, putting his body between the ball and Sambinha before slotting a shot, low to the back post to make it 3-2.

Seitz stood his ground and made an important save on Sambinha in the 79th minute. On a play similar to the Revolution's first goal, Nguyen lofted a ball into the area and Sambinha touched it on, but Seitz was in perfect position to make a difficult save look easy.

Akindele put the game away with his second goal of the match in the 90th minute. The forward started the play, chesting a pass to Mauro Rosales. The Argentine midfielder moved the ball quickly to Acosta, who timed his pass back to Akindele, perfectly. Akindele arrived just ahead of Shuttleworth and sent a first-touch shot low and to the corner of the net to make it a 4-2 final.

It was the second two-goal game of Akindele's career and the first two-assist match for Acosta.

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