FC Dallas 2, Pachuca 1 | 2016-17 CCL Semifinal Recap

FC Dallas overcame an early deficit to take the advantage in their 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League series against Mexican side Pachuca on Wednesday, winning 2-1 at Toyota Stadium in the semifinal first leg.

Franco Jara capitalized on sloppy play in the box to put Pachuca ahead in the 3rd minute, but Maxi Urruti slammed home an equalizer for Dallas just before halftime. Kellyn Acosta put the hosts ahead with a beautiful free kick just before the hour mark, and FC Dallas held on to get an important win.

• Armchair Analyst: Dallas grab win, Whitecaps with work to do in CCL semis
• Watch: Acosta hits terrific free kick in win
• Dallas overcome early jitters to complete another key comeback

Goals

• 3' – PAC – Franco Jara Watch
• 44' – DAL – Maxi Urruti Watch
• 58' – DAL – Kellyn Acosta Watch

Three Things

IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK: Given MLS teams' track records in CCL knockout games against Mexican opposition, those hoping to see a Dallas result inevitably put their heads down with Jara's early goal, as it looked sadly familiar to past bad beginnings for MLS sides. But full credit to FCD, who did not put their heads down and held that early mistake as their only one on the night. Dallas have amassed a pattern of coming back in vital games under Oscar Pareja, and if they can move onto the CCL final, this may become the best of the lot.

WILL IT BE ENOUGH? Of course, the question that emerges after an MLS team gets a knockout-round result against a Liga MX in the first leg is always "Is it enough?" That's certainly true in this case, too. Given the ability of Mexican teams in the recent past to put three, four, five, six goals past MLS opposition in the second leg, a win is always better than any other result, but a one-goal lead remains very precarious ahead of the return leg in Mexico on April 4. It may sound harsh to ask if it was enough, but Dallas still have their work cut out for them.

ACOSTA IS ON FIRE:
 To say Acosta has been good so far this season, in all competitions, would be an understatement. The midfielder is racking up quality performance after quality performance in 2017, and scoring four goals in five competitive games so far this season. He's also making history for Dallas in CCL.

Next Up

• DAL: Saturday, March 18 – vs. New England (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE)