HOUSTON – FC Dallas' victory over the Houston Dynamo was not a typical FC Dallas victory.
The visitors were outshot and had fewer passes in the attacking half and final third than the Dynamo, yet FC Dallas prevailed, 1-0, on the road in the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup thanks to a 91st-minute strike from Fabian Castillo.
Afterwards, Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja said the win was, “one of the games I like the most.” Pareja added that his team managed the tempo and picked the right times to push forward and attack the Dynamo.
“Today we were much more balanced and that’s what I want to highlight,” said Pareja. “In the second half when Houston pushed and had two or three options but we held them pretty well and again the collective effort of our team was very good and I’m very proud to get a result away.”
While FC Dallas may not have played the attractive style that MLS fans have been accustomed to, one player made sure to leave his stamp on the game, and he did it when it mattered most.
With extra time looming, Castillo grabbed a loose ball outside the box and dribbled past a couple Dynamo defenders before slotting it past Joe Willis on the near post. But the goal wasn’t Castillo’s only positives from the night.
“It’s fantastic to count on him in a day like today where we need to stretch them and get in behind them,” said Pareja.
The coach noted that while Castillo got the goal, it was the whole team’s performance that led to tonight’s victory.
Castillo echoed his coach's sentiments.
“The most important thing is not that I scored a goal, but that the team wins,” said Castillo. “We’re happy and proud of ourselves and we want to keep advancing in the tournament.”
The victory also yielded many positives for FC Dallas as a team.
“Having that instinct to kill the game,” said Pareja, “and with Fabian, in this case, it just shows me that we’re getting mature and we’re growing.”
