Sebastian Berhalter recorded a brace that included the deciding goal in the 64th minute as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated FC Dallas on Wednesday in a Western Conference match in Frisco, Texas.
The win allowed the Whitecaps (9-1-2, 29 points) to extend their undefeated streak to seven matches (5-0-2). Vancouver is three games into an eight-game road trip that will continue through MLS’ World Cup break and extend through July.
Berhalter’s winning goal came on a curving shot toward the far post that Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi got both hands on but could not stop. The tally was assisted by Kenji Cabrera and Edier Ocampo.
Dallas (5-4-4, 19 points) had a two-game winning streak snapped and looked on as coach Eric Quill was assessed a red card for coming on the pitch to argue a call in the final minutes.
FC Dallas pushed hard for an early goal, with Chris Cappis clanging a shot off the post just 30 seconds after kickoff. The Whitecaps swung back in the fourth minute when Brian White’s shot at the near post was gloved by Collodi.
The Toros’ aggressiveness finally produced a dividend when Logan Farrington drew a foul just inside the box from Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon in the seventh minute. Dallas striker Petar Musa took the ensuing shot from spot and beat Whitecaps’ keeper Yohei Takaoka low to the right corner of the net to make it 1-0 in the 10th minute.
The rest of the first half belonged to the Whitecaps. Berhalter knotted the game in the 23rd minute with a blistering shot from well outside the box that Collodi got a hand on before it bounced off the cross bar and into the net. Cheikh Sabaly and Ocampo were credited with assists on the scoring play.
Emmanuel Sabby was key four minutes later when his pass toward Brian White deep in the box was deflected into the net by Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide for an own goal, granting the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead.
Farrington provided the equalizer in the 49th minute, leaping high to head home a cross-box pass by Ran Binyamin at the far post and past Takoka in the bottom right corner. Nolan Norris also garnered an assist for starting the offensive push.
–Field Level Media
