FC Dallas

Ferreira scores twice as FC Dallas rallies to defeat Real Salt Lake 3-1

Three second-half goals propel Dallas to crucial road win

Forward Jesús Ferreira’s goal on a penalty kick against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 20, 2023 moved him into second place for most goals scored in FC Dallas history with 48 career goals.
FC Dallas

What to Know

  • Dallas (10-10-8) snaps a seven-match winless streak on the road (0-5-2) with the victory.
  • Forward Jesús Ferreira moves into second place for most goals scored in FC Dallas history with 48 career goals.
  • Paul Arriola scored his second goal of the 2023 season.

Jesús Ferreira scored two of three unanswered goals in the second half and FC Dallas rallied to defeat Real Salt Lake 3-1 on Wednesday night. Dallas (10-10-8) snaps a seven-match winless streak on the road (0-5-2) with the victory.

The club had gone 15 straight matches on the road in the regular season without scoring multiple goals.

Real Salt Lake (11-11-7) took a 1-0 lead two minutes before halftime when Cristian Arango took a pass from Braian Ojeda and scored for a fifth time in his sixth start and eighth appearance this season. Arango becomes the fourth RSL player to score in four straight regular-season matches. Arango has scored six goals in four matches against Dallas, including a hat trick in the first meeting.

Dallas scored the equalizer in the 56th minute on Paul Arriola's second goal of the season. Paxton Pomykal had an assist.

Dallas took the lead for good on a penalty kick by Ferreira in the 62nd minute. Ferreira's goal came after Jáder Obrian drew a foul on defender Marcelo Silva.

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Ferreira used an assist from Obrian in the 71st minute to notch his 12th goal this season.

"I think the team knew what it needed to do. These three points were important. The team didn’t give up, we went out there and were able to turn it around. I think that belief is the most important thing," said FC Dallas head coach Nico Estévez.

Maarten Paes stopped six shots for Dallas. Zac MacMath had one save for Real Salt Lake.

Dallas’ three goals are the most it has scored since the club netted four in a Leagues Cup match against Inter Miami CF on August 6 and the most in league play since scoring three in a 3-1 victory over the LA Galaxy on March 4.

"Yeah, we needed to get the three points. I think we are looking well despite having a tough season dealing with injuries. We have to win as many games as possible to get into the playoffs," said Arriola.

Dallas improves to 3-0-1 in its last four matchups with Real Salt Lake, including a 2-1 victory at home earlier this season. Dallas is 6-3-6 in the last 15 matches in the series.

"Tonight we obtained an important victory. Many teams are in the playoff zone trying to fight for the playoffs. I think we had been playing good in the previous matches, but at the end of the last few games we had not achieved any victory and, well, today's victory was an important one,” said midfielder Asier Illarramendi.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

FC Dallas forward and captain Paul Arriola netted his second goal of the 2023 season Wednesday and his second goal in three matches, after scoring his first of the year against Atlanta on September 2. Arriola has now scored 12 goals overall for Dallas since signing for the club on January 26, 2022.

Paul Arriola scored his second goal of the 2023 season against Real Salt Lake on Sept., 20, 2023.
FC Dallas
Paul Arriola scored his second goal of the 2023 season against Real Salt Lake on Sept., 20, 2023.

HOMEGROWNS TO THE RESCUE

FC Dallas Homegrowns Paxton Pomykal and Jesús Ferreira were crucial in FC Dallas’ three goals Wednesday night with Pomykal assisting in Paul Arriola’s goal, while Ferreira delivered a brace. Ferreira’s game-winning penalty kick is his seventh game-winner in 2023, tying him with Jeff Cunningham (2009) for most game winners in a season.

GOLEADOR HISTORICO

Jesús Ferreira scored his third brace of the season in Salt Lake City Wednesday night. Ferreira scored a brace in FC Dallas’ 3-1 win at home against the LA Galaxy on March 5 and on the road in FC Dallas' 2-1 win in Vancouver on May 18. Ferriera is now in second place for most goals scored in FC Dallas history with 49. He was previously tied with Kenny Cooper, Jr. for the second-most goals scored in club history. Jason Kreis is the club’s all-time leader in goals scored with 97.

“It feels amazing," said forward Jesús Ferreira. "It’s something that I’ve been trying to achieve. I grew up in this club and played for this club since I was 9, so being in the history books is amazing. I’m happy that my teammates put me in that history book.”

547 DAYS LATER…

FC Dallas was awarded its first penalty of the season after a Salt Lake defender fouled Jáder Obrian in the penalty area. The last time FC Dallas was awarded a penalty kick in MLS action was March 12, 2022, marking 56 games without a penalty which is now a league record. Chivas USA previously held the MLS record going 54 matches without a penalty kick.

ROAD RECORD IN 2023

Dallas earned its first comeback win on the road and is now 3-7-4 away from Toyota Stadium in 2023. The victory was also FCD’s first road win since beating Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on May 17. FC Dallas has three remaining road matches left this season: at Philadelphia Union (Wednesday, September 27), at Houston Dynamo FC (Saturday, September 30) and at LA Galaxy (Saturday, October 31).

UP NEXT

Dallas returns home to host the Columbus Crew on Saturday. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m.

FC Dallas contributed to this report

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