COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Fabian Castillo’s 81st-minute goal handed FC Dallas their first win in three months Saturday night as the visitors beat Colorado 2-1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Castillo followed up a Carlos Rodriguez header, drilling his effort top shelf and handing 4-9-7 Dallas their first win in 14 matches.
Colorado suffered their fifth loss in six games, missing a host of chances in slipping to 7-11-1 on the year.
Colorado hogged all the good chances early on, nearly breaking the deadlock several times in the game’s first 20 minutes. Omar Cummings’ 10th-minute open header just missed the post, and two minutes later, Jaime Castrillon’s open volley right in front of goal missed high. Castrillon got the trifecta on 18 minutes, pushing a header just over the crossbar.
OPTA Chalkboard: Rapids dominate early exhanges, but FCD find a way
In the 36th minute, after slowly working their way into the match, Dallas finally got their first clean look at the Colorado goal. Brek Shea should’ve scored on Castillo’s excellent cross into the box, the but 20-year-old’s volley from three yards missed high.
Colorado ended a scoreless first half which they mostly dominated with Luis Zapata’s strike on goal in the 42nd minute, but Kevin Hartman was able to steer aside the left back’s effort.
It wouldn’t take long for all those missed chances in the first half to turn into goals in the second.
Five minutes into the final 45, and Rapids midfielder Martin Rivero found Conor Casey peeling off the FCD backline, and the big forward expertly found an unmarked Cummings in all kinds of space down the right side. The Jamaican fired home for his fifth goal of the season, beating a cheating Hartman to the near post, giving the Rapids a 1-0 lead.
Colorado maintained the pressure on the Dallas, nearly scoring on Casey’s shot in the 52nd minute and Rivero’s 55th-minute effort, but against the run of play, the visitors leveled things at 1-1 shortly afterwards. Castillo’s speed created room for his cross into the box, which found the substitute Rodriguez at the back post for the 60th-minute equalizer.
But Colorado while kept pushing for the three points – Cummings’ 72nd-minute effort went off the post, and Hartman was busy throughout – it would be the visitors who got the last laugh after a blinding, open-field counterattack.
It came after a snuffed out Colorado effort found playmaker David Ferreira alone in midfield. For once free of Jeff Larentowicz’s attentions, the Colombian put a perfect ball into space for Rodriguez on the right flank. His cut-back was headed off the line by a retreating Drew Moor, but Castillo was there to smash it home and give his side their first win since a 2-1 result against Montreal on April 14.
FCD stay busy, heading to San Jose for a clash with the Earthquakes on Wednesday (10:30 pm ET, NBC Sports).The Rapids, meanwhile, hit the road for a pair, starting with a trip north of the border against Toronto FC on Wednesday evening (7 pm ET, MLS Live).
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
Rank |
Player |
What We Saw |
1 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/fabian-castillo"><span style="font-size:12px;">Fabian Castillo</span></a> |
Long one of the most exciting players in the league, he finally matched that potential to production with a goal and assist in the win. |
2 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/carlos-rodriguez"><span style="font-size:12px;">Carlos Rodriguez</span></a> |
The game changed when the young winger came on, as he repeatedly found space at the back post and stretched Colorado's defense. |
3 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/conor-casey"><span style="font-size:12px;">Conor Casey</span></a> |
The big man didn't get on the board but he set up his teammates time and time again, dragging the defense around and always creating space. |
HIGHLIGHTS: COL vs DAL
