Petar Musa and Patrickson Delgado produced first-half goals as FC Dallas moved closer to a berth in the postseason with a 2-1 win over the hapless LA Galaxy on Saturday afternoon in a late-season Western Conference match in Frisco, Texas.
Dallas (10-11-11, 41 points) extended its unbeaten streak to eight games (four wins, four draws) and jumped into eighth place in the West standings past Colorado and San Jose (which play later Saturday and Sunday, respectively). Los Toros will still have a game in hand against both those conference rivals once play is completed this weekend.
Los Angeles (5-18-9, 24 points) has the fewest points in MLS and has long been eliminated from the postseason.
The Galaxy stunned the home side when Diego Fagundez ripped a right-footed shot from just outside the box just four minutes into the match that surprised Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi and found the right side of the net.
Fagundez received the ball after a cross-box pass from Harbor Miller, steadied it and moved one step closer behind unleashing his shot. Mauricio Cuevas also was credited with an assist for the pass that began the scoring play.
Dallas applied pressure aplenty in an attempt to respond but didn’t manage a shot on goal until Musa scored in the 35th minute.
Musa got off the ground in the goalmouth to get his foot on a shot by Bernard Kamungo that was deflected out front after a save by Los Angeles goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. Dallas’ Chris Cappis was given an assist for the pass to Kamungo that started the flurry.
Los Toros took the lead in the third minute of first half stoppage time. When Los Angeles turned over the ball near midfield, Kamungo walked into the offensive end before crossing a pass to Delgado, who ripped a shot past Marcinkowski and into the left side of the goal.
The Galaxy had their best chance to add to the lead when Joseph Paintsil tested Collodi from the right side of the box with a shot in the 46th minute that carried a 21 percent goal expectancy but the Dallas keeper was up to the task.
Marcinkowski kept LA’s deficit to just a goal with a sterling save on Musa’s shot in the 84th minute.
–Field Level Media
