PANAMA CITY, Panama — Winless in their first four CONCACAF Champions League games, Panamanian side Tauro FC netted five goals and registered three points for the first time in the tournament, defeating visiting FC Dallas 5-3 on a wet Wednesday night at Estadio Rommel Fernández.
Jair Benítez and Fabián Castillo were shown straight red cards for FC Dallas in the second half while Tauro’s Carlos Rodríguez also saw red in stoppage time after the result had already been decided.
Luis Moreno, Auriel Gallardo and Marcos Sánchez each scored a goal with Temistocles Pérez registering a second-half brace in a game that Tauro only had pride to play for after previously being eliminated from the tournament.
Benítez scored a first-half penalty kick for FC Dallas and Ruben Luna added two goals late in the second half but the home team had already stamped home their speed in front of a small crowd.
Aside from giving reserve players significant minutes, the result meant little to FC Dallas’ standing in Group C. They are now tied for second place with Toronto FC with seven points and currently sit ahead of the fellow MLS side based on head-to-head matchups having won 1-0 in Toronto in August.
The two teams play each other on Oct. 18 at Pizza Hut Park and a win or a draw sees FCD through to the elimination rounds for the first time in franchise history.
Tauro drew blood first with captain Luis Moreno scoring on a low-lining strike from just outside the 18-yard box giving his side a quick 1-0 lead in the 12th minute and stunning the visitors. The goal marked Moreno’s second goal against FC Dallas in CCL play and his third in tournament play.
FC Dallas countered minutes later, however, when Luna received a penalty kick call from referee Marco Rodríguez after falling in the box. Benítez converted it, hitting the ball low to the goalkeeper's right.
But the first-half scoring did not end there, as Gallardo headed home a Carlos Rodríguez corner kick to give the home side a 2-1 lead going into halftime.
The hosts pulled away from there, using goals from Pérez in the 77th and 86th minutes and another from Sánchez in the 81st. Luna scored in the 84th minute and added another from the penalty spot in the 93rd.
FC Dallas traveled to Panama with a mix of reserves and starters and head coach Schellas Hyndman’s starting lineup looked the part.
The fourth-year coach opted for a 4-4-2 starting Marvin Chávez and Luna up top together for the first time in 2011, with rookie Bobby Warshaw manning Daniel Hernandez’s defensive midfield position.
Maykel Galindo started his first CCL match of the year along the right flank and while presented with several one-on-one opportunities, he failed to convert any of his chances.
Scoring Summary:
TAU – Luis Moreno (Juan Barrera) 12
DAL – Jair Benitez (penalty kick) 23
TAU – Auriel Gallardo (Carlos Rodriguez) 33
TAU – Marcos Sanchez (Victor Medieta) 77
TAU – Marcos Sanchez (Victor Medieta) 82
DAL – Ruben Luna (Andrew Jacobson) 85
TAU – Marcos Sanchez (Victor Medieta) 87
DAL – Ruben Luna (penalty kick) 90+
Misconduct Summary:
TAU – Luis Moreno (caution; unsporting behavior) 25
DAL – Ruben Luna (caution; delay of game) 31
TAU – Azmahar Ariano (caution; reckless challenge) 47
DAL – Jair Benitez (ejection; dissent) 59
TAU – Jean McLean (caution; persistent infringement) 72
DAL – Andrew Jacobson (caution; unsporting behavior) 79
DAL – Fabian Castillo (ejection; reckless challenge) 90
TAU – Carlos Rodriguez (ejection; tactical foul) 90+
Lineups:
FC Dallas – Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez, George John, Jack Stewart, Zach Loyd, Fabian Castillo, Daniel Cruz (Andrew Jacobson 67), Bobby Warshaw (Ugo Ihemelu 70), Marvin Chavez, Ruben Luna, Maykel Galindo (Bruno Guarda 46).
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Bryan Leyva, Victor Ulloa, Moises Hernandez.
Tauro FC – Alvaro Anzola, Luis Moreno, Temistocles Perez, Juan Perez, Leonel Parris, Gabriel Rios (Marcos Sanchez 46), Juan Barrera (William Aguilar 75), Auriel Gallardo (Victor Medieta 59), Carlos Rodriguez, Jean McLean, Azmahar Ariano.
Substitutes Not Used: Andihell Ariano, Rolando Botello, Diego Canali, Jose Marmolejo.
Referee: Marco Rodriguez
Referee’s Assistants: Jose Luis Camargo, Alberto Morin
4th Official: Ricardo Arellano
Weather: Humid, 92 degrees
