Both host FC Cincinnati and FC Dallas scored late second-half goals Wednesday night in what amounted to an entertaining 3-3 draw.
FC Cincinnati striker Gerardo Valenzuela booted in a go-ahead goal in the 86th minute for a 3-2 lead.
But Dallas answered six minutes later with an extra-time goal by center back Sebastian Ibeagha to draw even at 3.
It was a tale of two halves and in the end, both squads earned a point.
FC Cincinnati (9-4-3, 30 points) dominated the first half, headlined by their two goals from central midfielder Pavel Bucha and striker Kevin Denkey. The latter’s goal came on a penalty kick in the 42nd minute, which seemingly put all the momentum on Cincinnati’s side.
FC Dallas (4-6-5, 17 points), though, completely flipped the script in the second half. It took less than 25 minutes for them to tie the match with goals from striker Petar Musa and left midfielder Anderson Julio.
Playing without defender Nick Hagglund, who sustained two broken ribs and a collapsed lung in Cincinnati’s 4-2 setback at Atlanta United on Sunday night, the hosts turned to its offense to set the tone early in the match. Cincinnati dominated the stat sheet in the first half, holding possession for nearly 65 percent of the time and out-shooting Dallas 9-2 and 3-0 in shots on goal.
Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes, though, kept his team in the game and the door opened for the visitors to mount its second-half comeback. Paes made five saves while Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano made two.
FC Dallas attacking midfielder and captain Luciano Acosta, playing his first game in Cincinnati against his former team, played 90 minutes and completed 31 passes. He did not have a shot on goal or a shot attempt.
With the draw, FC Cincinnati remains unbeaten at home at 5-0-2. They have another home match Saturday night against D.C. United.
–Field Level Media
