Real Salt Lake overcame two FC Dallas goals from Jamie Watson to defeat Dallas 3-2 on Wednesday morning in a Reserve Division game played on the adidas Field at Pizza Hut Park.
FC Dallas was able to get on the board first in the 35th minute as midfielder Chase Wileman sent a low cross from the left side of the field to forward Abe Thompson inside the box. With a defender on his back, Thompson turned and slotted the ball sideways to the former Real Salt Lake player Watson, who tucked it under goalkeeper Kyle Reynish to put Dallas up 1-0.
Real Salt Lake was able to tie the game up just 10 minutes later as Movsisyan chipped a ball for Espindola, who was one on one with Dallas defender Blake Wagner near the right sideline. The RSL forward cut the ball onto his left foot and continued toward goal before hitting a shot from the just inside the box past Lambo to tie the game two minutes before the halftime whistle.
Salt Lake was able to take the lead in the second half on a 63rd minute Tino Nunez goal. Nunez took a pass from Adam Acosta who touched the ball around defender Andrew Daniels with his right foot and subsequently finished far post with his left to give Salt Lake the 2-1 advantage.
The lead did not last long as Dallas equalized just three minutes later with Watson's second goal of the game. FCD's Brek Shea drew a free kick from 30 yards out that Michael Dello-Russo hit low and hard into the wall. The attempt deflected through behind the wall, and Watson ran onto the ball and tucked it far post from 8 yards out to pull Dallas even. These were Watson's first two goals in the Reserve Division this season in his fourth game played with Dallas.
Real Salt Lake's Kenny Cutler scored the winning goal four minutes later as the midfielder took a deflected pass and struck a shot from just outside the box over the outstretched Lambo, and into the far corner to put RSL up for good.
Thompson came close to tying the game with ten minutes to go as he fought off two defenders and rounded the keeper in the box, only to have Reynish make an excellent diving save to put the ball out for a corner and preserve the lead.
With the win, RSL moves into a tie with the Houston Dynamo for first place in the Western Conference Reserve Division standings with a 4-1-1 record and 13 points. FC Dallas remains third in the Western Conference with a record of 2-2-2 (8 pts.). Real Salt Lake returns to Reserve Division play at Houston on Sunday, August 17, while FC Dallas will next face the Colorado Rapids on September 5 at Pizza Hut Park.
Scoring Summary:
DAL - Jamie Watson (Chase Wileman, Abe Thompson) 35
RSL - Fabian Espindola (Yura Movsisyan) 43
RSL - Tino Nunez (Adam Acosta) 63
FCD - Jaime Watson (Unassisted) 66
RSL - Kenny Cutler (Unassisted) 70
Misconduct:
RSL - Tony Beltran (Caution) 17
RSL - Brennan Tennelle (Caution) 36
DAL - Brek Shea (Caution) 39
RSL - Alex Nimo (Caution) 64
FC Dallas Reserves (2-2-2): Josh Lambo (GK), Anthony Wallace, Blake Wagner, Andrew Daniels, Michael Dello-Russo, Chase Wileman, Eric Avila (Aaron Pitchkolan 75), Bruno Guarda, Jamie Watson, Brek Shea (Dominic Oduro 75), Abe Thompson.
Substitutes not used: Dario Sala, Drew Moor, Andre Rocha, Spencer Wadsworth, Ricardinho.
Real Salt Lake Reserves (4-1-1): Kyle Reynish (GK), Nat Borchers (David Horst 46), Robbie Russell, Tony Beltran, Ian Joy (Dustin Kirby 46), Kenny Cutler, Brennan Tennelle (Adam Acosta 46), Alex Nimo (Nick Rimando 85), Kevin Reiman, Fabian Espindola (Tino Nunez 58), Yura Movsisyan.
Substitutes not used: none
Referee: Edvin Jurisevic
