FRISCO, Texas — Orlando City looked to have forced added extra time, but Milton Rodriguez' late goal in the game's closing seconds gave Major League Soccer's FC Dallas a 3-2 win over the Lions. Rodriguez' goal came less than 90 seconds after Yordany Alvarez tied the game up for Orlando with his own late-game heroics.
The opening ten minutes saw very tentative play from both sides. As the two sides pieced together their roles, the game began to open up. FC Dallas controlled the pace of the match early, with the Lions looking for opportunities to counter-attack. The opportunity finally came in the 23rd minute.
Midfield general Lewis Neal found space and launched a long, looping ball into the 18-yard box. Kevin Molino got on the end of the pass near the far post. Rather than direct a headed shot, Molino popped a header across the goal to Max Griffin. Griffin coolly finished, giving the Lions the lead.
Dallas immediately went on the offensive, but the City defense held firm. Ricardo Villar nearly leveled the match with a shot from inside the 18-yard box, but City keeper Miguel Gallardo was just able to push the ball out for a corner. When FCD midfielders Brek Shea and Jackson swapped sides, things changed. Villar's long, rainbow pass in the 38th minute found the speedy Jackson behind the Lion defense, giving the Brazilian a one-on-one chance with Gallardo. Jackson fired low and to the far post for the equalizer.
After regrouping at halftime, the Lions looked to wrestle back control of the game. During a Dallas attack, a failed clearance led to Erik Ustruck being called for a foul just outside the 18-yard box. Villar stepped up and appeared to lob his service. He struck the ball flatly, but gave it just enough power to turn the pass into a shot that found both the upper corner and a 2-1 lead.
The remainder of the second half played out as a defensive struggle. Orlando City started suffering the effects of playing two matches since Friday in Antigua. The sweltering heat in Frisco only made matters worse. The Lions received sparks from Jamie Watson and Dennis Chin, but as the clock wound down, it looked as if Orlando City's time in the Open Cup was over. Then came stoppage time.
In the game's final added minutes, Orlando City threw everything they had at Dallas. Attack after attack was beaten back, but each successive try came closer than the previous. Twice Dallas keeper Kevin Hartman was forced to make diving saves to keep his side in front, once on a Yordany Alvarez volley that seemed destine for the net. Alvarez got a second chance not 30 seconds later. He did not miss. Capitalizing on a Milton Rodriguez mistake, Alvarez volleyed home a rocket shot that seemed to put the game into added extra time.
Dallas refused to lay down and accept an additional 30 minutes of play. They too employed the kitchen sink offense, bringing every available player forward. The Lion defense seemed to hold, but forcing a corner kick. Jackson's quick, short corner resulted in 21 players crowding the box. Rodriguez rose above the crowd, unmarked, on Jackson's second service to put Dallas ahead with just seconds to spare. City mounted one final attack, a corner that saw the ball bounce in the Dallas box, but the FCD defense was able to clear, leading to the final whistle.
With Open Cup play behind them, the Lions can now focus solely on USL PRO play. City gets very little rest off this match as they head to Pittsburgh on Friday for a rematch against the Riverhounds. A Sunday trip to Rochester follows before the Lions return to the Citrus Bowl on July 8th to square off against the Dayton Dutch Lions.
WFTV
