Man of the Match:ย The knock on Fabian Castillo is that for all his speed, his faulty decision making leaves the ultimate productivity wanting. Not Saturday at FC Dallas Stadium. His brutally accurate shot from 25 yards became the early equalizer. The young Colombian was fouled to set up Jair Benitezโs free kick goal, and then Castillo assisted on the second-half game-winner.
Packaged for take-away
- This is the kind of year Brek Shea is having for Dallas: In the 6th minute, Ruben Luna delivered a nearly perfect ball across goal, one with just a smidge too much zip on it, though. Still, if Shea sticks out his right foot, heโs quickly hugging his teammates over in the corner after supplying that killer, early lead. Instead, he sticks out his left leg (for a ball coming in from the left) and the chance gets away.
- At least twice in the first half, Dallas center backs were forward to hunt for set piece deliveries. Rather than playing balls toward then, Dallas went for something short and then watched as their center backs needed to sprint back. Curious.
- The Rapidsโ early goal was more or less something from nothing, but it was typical Brian Mullan, who has been putting in the hard work in MLS for a dozen years now. Julian de Guzmanโs failure to match Mullanโs aggressiveness near the end line meant that the Rapidsโ midfielder got on the ground and around the passive challenge to put a dangerous ball near goal. Jamie Castrillon made it count.
- Mullan apparently wasnโt doing enough of that stuff. Or enough of something. He was off at halftime, although apparently not injured.
- David Ferreira is a wonderful player, ever so skillful at holding off challenges and retaining possession under duress. On the other hand, since returning from injury, heโs sometimes looking for the foul too often rather than working out of the challenge. He does get kicked and fouled a lot, but still โฆ
- Colorado was doing such an outstanding job with its midfield shape, Joseph Nane and Jeff Larentowicz working in well-synched tandem as holders in the 4-2-3-1. They were constantly up Ferreiraโs backside, and the Dallas creator was having trouble getting turned. When he did, young striker Luna was too static to become a target. Thatโs an element of sophistication Luna must add, because Ferreira will reward clever runs.
- The Rapids got a little too concerned with Ferreira, perhaps, and got stretched late in the first half trying to deal with him along Dallasโ left side. Fabian Castillo exploited the vulnerable space in the middle, running into the space to sneak a ball just inside the post from about 25 yards. You wonder if maybe Matt Pickens should have gotten to the ball, which was a very good shot but maybe not a fantastic one.
- Jair Benitez needed 87MLS matches to score his first goal, but it really was a sweet free kick.
- Kevin Hartmanโs double stop in the 34th minute sure helped the home team, but so did Omar Cummings missing an open goal from about 40 yards when Hartman inaccurately adjudged he could get to a ball far, far out of goal.
- Castillo supplied the assist on Dallasโ third goal, but it was the hustle-bustle work of Hernan Pertuz, charging in to win a loose second ball, that made it all happen.
- Yellow cards inside the first 51 minutes to two Rapids defenders and to Nane meant the visitors couldnโt be as physical, which meant Luna had an easier time receiving balls as a target and then laying off for Castillo and Ferreira.
- A game that was progressively more open became even moreso when Castrillon decided it was a good idea to kick out at George Johnโs face when the FCD defender was on the turf. Referee Armando Villarreal, in just his fifth MLS match, was right to send the Rapidsโ midfielder off.
- Dallas clearly hasnโt had much work on seeing out the late leads. Even a man down the Rapids were finding space in Dallasโ end. Larentowicz, a never-quit type, kept finding ways to create a little something here or there. And too many times, Dallas was caught in the final 10 minutes defending with just five. Just five!
