FC Dallas looks to extend visiting Sporting Kansas City’s scoreless streak to open the season when the teams meet on Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
FC Dallas (1-1-1, 4 points) allowed an own goal in the 34th minute after taking an early lead in a 1-1 draw against the host Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. Sporting KC (0-1-2, 2 points) has yet to score through three games this season after a scoreless draw against the visiting LA Galaxy on Saturday.
Dallas took the lead in the fifth minute when Nkosi Tafari intercepted a Vancouver clearing attempt a few yards outside the top left corner of the 18-yard box. He sent a cross to defender Sebastien Ibeagha, whose glancing header from about eight yards out from in front of the goal found the bottom right corner for his first MLS goal in his 97th appearance.
“It’s been a long time since I scored a goal, so it is good to be back on the score sheet. For it to be assisted by Kos (Tafari) is great because he’s my guy,” Ibeagha said. “We looked at each other and I told him to put the ball in the box and that is exactly what he did. It was a good goal, and it makes it a little extra special that Kos assisted it for me.”
Vancouver equalized when Javain Brown’s long throw-in from the right wing was headed along the top of the 6-yard box by Ranko Veselinovic. Dallas forward Paul Arriola was guarding the Whitecaps’ Ryan Gauld just outside the far post, but he stuck his leg out and inadvertently knocked the ball into the net past keeper Maarten Paes.
Dallas outshot Vancouver 11-10 but had just two shots on target, while the Whitecaps had four.
“We had a very good game, playing away and dictating the tempo. We knew that they were a good team, they have quality,” Dallas coach Nico Estevez said. “We had a good start and scored a goal. And there was a moment there that we should have been more aggressive, we should have been more determined to score the second goal. And even though we were having the possession and we were dominating, we weren’t creating those goal-scoring opportunities.”
Kansas City unleashed 30 shots, including 11 on goal, in a scoreless draw against the Galaxy.
“I’m incredibly excited about our team,” Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. “I really am. I’m incredibly excited based on what those guys did tonight and the way they played, the way they controlled the game.”
Kansas City, CF Montreal and Colorado are the only teams that have yet to score through three MLS games this season. However, Kansas City has allowed just one goal.
“It’s a little frustrating that we couldn’t score, but it’s coming,” Kansas City winger Daniel Salloi said.
–Field Level Media
