Fafa Picault and Jesus Ferreira scored in consecutive minutes to end a three-match scoreless stretch, and FC Dallas weathered some second-half turbulence to preserve a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United on Saturday evening at Toyota Stadium.
Reto Ziegler converted a penalty deep in second-half stoppage time to give the hosts some breathing room. Jimmy Maurer made three saves in the victory, including a diving stop after halftime to deny Mason Toye's bid for an equalizer from distance, as Dallas won for the first time since a 2-0 triumph over Philadelphia in the season opener back on Feb. 29.
Ricardo Pepi made his first career MLS start for Dallas. Picault left the match in the 67th minute with an apparent hamstring injury.
Hassani Dotson struck from distance five minutes after the break to cut Minnesota's deficit in half, after entering the game as one of four halftime substitutes by manager Adrian Heath. Raheem Edwards struck the post and Jan Gregus' service was deflected off the crossbar, but the Loons couldn't find a leveler before Ziegler's penalty — drawn when James Musa brought down Michael Barrios — put the match away.
Goals
- 11' - DAL - Fafa Picault | WATCH
- 12' - DAL - Jesus Ferreira | WATCH
- 55' - MIN - Hassani Dotson | WATCH
- 90'+6' - DAL - Reto Ziegler (PK) | WATCH
Three Things
MOMENT OF THE MATCH:
After Picault got
Romain Metanire
1-on-1 on the left flank in the 11th minute, he still had a lot to do to carve out a clear look at a goal. Once he did, what a strike he took.
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Fafa Picault. He scored and created the first, beat Metanire down the line on the sequence leading to Ferreira's second, and was a general problem on the left flank until injury cut his night short.
Up Next
- DAL: Wednesday, Sept. 2 at Sporting Kansas City (8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and DAZN in Canada)
- MIN: Wednesday, Sept. 2 at Houston Dynamo (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and DAZN in Canada)
