Ralph Priso scored the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time and the Vancouver Whitecaps won the ensuing shootout to beat Dallas FC on Saturday night at Frisco, Texas, to win the best-of-three Round One series.
Priso’s late tally was Vancouver’s first shot on goal in the match and knotted the score at 1. The Whitecaps then made four goals to FC Dallas’ two in the shootout to win the series in two games.
Petar Musa scored in the 25th minute for FC Dallas.
FC Dallas was close to evening the series before Vancouver’s Sebastian Berhalter took a corner kick in extra time. The ball went toward Vancouver’s Thomas Muller. He headed it to Priso, who knocked a header toward the net.
Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi made the save and the ball went right back to the lower legs of Priso, who tapped the ball into the net with his right foot.
In the shootout, Vancouver made all four of its attempts as Muller, Berhalter, Kenji Cabrera and Belal Halbouni all tallied.
But Patrickson Delgado hit the crossbar on Dallas’ second attempt to put his team down by one PK. After Halbouni made his kick, Nolan Norris sent his shot well over the crossbar to end the match in defeat.
Musa and Shaq Moore made their attempts for Dallas.
Yohei Takakoa made two saves for the Whitecaps, while Collodi had one for Dallas.
It was a harsh defeat for Dallas, which responded admirably following a sound defeat in Game 1. Vancouver won that match 3-0 and outshot FC Dallas 22-0.
After Priso’s tying goal, the Whitecaps had a chance to win in regulation, but Jayden Nelson’s blistering right-footer was stopped by Collodi in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time.
Vancouver had a chance in the 23rd minute after a steal in the Dallas end, but Emmanuel Sabbi sent a right-footed shot just wide left of the net.
Two minutes later, Ramiro Benetti stole the ball in the midfield and delivered a long pass ahead to Musa. He stayed out of reach from a defender and knocked the ball past Takaoka and into the right corner of the net.
Dallas almost had a 2-0 lead in the 29th minute, but Bernard Kamungo was offside, which nullified his goal.
–Field Level Media
