Petar Musa scored his MLS-leading 14th goal in the 73rd minute to lift visiting FC Dallas to a 2-1 victory over Austin FC on Sunday night.
Musa’s emphatic, left-footed strike off the left post and in from just inside the 18-yard box sealed Dallas’ first MLS win since a 2-1 triumph at Colorado on May 23 in its final match before the World Cup break.
Lalas Abubakar also scored earlier in only his second appearance this season for Dallas (8-5-6, 30 points), which moved above St. Louis and Salt Lake into fifth place in the Western Conference standings.
Ervin Torres scored his first career MLS goal early in the second half for Austin (4-10-5, 17 points) as the 18-year-old built on an impressive showing in the first phase of the Leagues Cup over the past two weeks.
But the Verde were outshot 15-9 overall and 6-3 in efforts on target as they sank to a third consecutive league defeat under interim manager Davy Arnaud.
It was Musa who ultimately gave Dallas its deserved victory with the kind of goal that showed why he made Croatia’s World Cup roster.
Joaquin Valiente helped create the opportunity when he picked up the ball in the attacking half of midfield, made a nice diagonal, right-to-left run, then turned to find Musa near the right end of the penalty arc.
With a defender shading Musa to his weaker left foot, Musa took the space with a touch to his left, then unleashed a powerful shot that left goalkeeper Brad Stuver no chance as it caught the inside of the woodwork on its way over the line.
It was Musa’s second goal in as many starts in all competitions, and moved him back above New York City’s Nicolas Fernandez and Hugo Cuypers — who left Chicago to join Liga MX side Monterrey — into sole possession of the league scoring lead.
Dallas was the superior side in the opening 45 minutes and deservedly went in front in first-half stoppage time.
Santiago Moreno served in the outswinging corner, and Abubakar met it about eight yards off the line to head it back across goal and beyond Stuver.
Torres leveled in the 57th minute on the second phase of an attack.
After Osaze Urhoghide headed Jon Gallagher’s cross clear, Torres controlled the loose ball several yards beyond the penalty area, slalomed past a charging defender and then thumped a low effort beyond goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois and inside the left post.
Stuver finished with four saves, while Sirois made two.
–Field Level Media
