Without a doubt, FC Dallas gave the best account of MLS in the history of the CONCACAF Champions League over the course of their two-legged semifinal with Pachuca. However, it sill wasn’t enough as Hirving Lozano snatched victory for Pachuca at the death when we looked headed for extra time.
Kellyn Acosta was at the heart of things for Dallas, looking assured and dangerous every time he was on the ball. In the 23rd-minute, Acosta setup a Dallas break with a phenomenal ball to Roland Lamah. Lamah then played Cristian Colman through on goal, but his one on one effort with Alfonso Blanco was well saved.
24'- Colman with the momentum. So close! #PACvFCD pic.twitter.com/GQe6PE128O
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) April 5, 2017
In the 38th-minute, Pachuca took a 1-0 lead, and put themselves through on away goals, after a dangerous cross from Urreta was glanced in by Franco Jara at the top of the six-yard box. Dallas defender Walker Zimmerman appeared to momentarily believe that the cross would run through to Chris Seitz in goal, and that moment's hesitation was all Jara needed to steal in between defender and goalkeeper and glance a header into the net.
GOAL Pachuca, Franco JARA No. 29 | @Tuzos @FCDallas #SCCL #SoyAficionado pic.twitter.com/ymzXjUg01m
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) April 5, 2017
The opening twenty minutes of the second half were all Dallas. Kellyn Acosta received the ball in the channel, and his first touch sent him screaming toward they byline. He fizzed in a low cross across the face of goal, but Michael Barrios just couldn’t make contact on what should’ve been an easy tap-in.
In the 64th-minute, a header from Zimmerman beat Blanco but Pachuca had a defender near the goal line to clear the danger.
64'- Zimmerman coming ever so close. #PACvFCD pic.twitter.com/rrXRrRu451
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) April 5, 2017
Pachuca then took their turn attacking the Dallas end. A left-footed shot from Raul Lopez looked destined for the far corner, but Seitz somehow managed to claw it out.
In the 80th-minute, Chucky Lozano, who Dallas defenders had to repeatedly foul to slow down throughout the match, received the ball on the left-hand side before drifting towards the Dallas box. With no defenders urgently closing him down, Lozano ripped a shot that snuck inside the near post.
For Dallas, that goal didn't change the fact that they'd always needed one of their own. They pushed players forward and found a remarkable away goal equalizer in the 86th-minute to seemingly send the game into extra time.
An FC Dallas corner caused a bit of havoc in the Pachuca area, and Blanco came out looking to poised to catch the ball but instead elected to parry it. It came to the feet of Alfonso Blanco outside the box and he sent a speculative effort straight back at goal. But that mis-hit shot was straight at the head of Colman, who redirected a header into the side netting.
GOAL FC Dallas, Cristian COLMAN No. 8 | @Tuzos @FCDallas #SCCL #SoyAficionado pic.twitter.com/b95pK3poFk
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) April 5, 2017
Pachuca went straight at Dallas for what little remained of regular time. Jara brought a good save from Seitz only a minute later, and in the 92nd-minute, with virtually the last kick of the match, Lozano sent a cross towards Victor Guzman in the box.
@HirvingLozano70 #Concachampions #ligamxeng pic.twitter.com/egl9Qy0MZC
— Bryan W (@BryanRMW) April 5, 2017
The cross was too far ahead of the attacker, and Dallas defender Maynor Figueroa appeared to have a chance at clearing the danger. But he let the ball go through, and Seitz was out of position as the untouched cross found its way into the back of the net. There’s probably no crueler goal to concede at that stage.
GOAL Pachuca, @hirvinglozano70 No. 8 | @Tuzos @FCDallas #SCCL #SoyAficionado pic.twitter.com/kh7yc0PpP2
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) April 5, 2017
It was a brilliant match with Pachuca attempting 17 shots as compared to Dallas’ 13, and both sides completed a similar amount of passes in the attacking third (118-97).
It really could’ve gone either way, but Chucky Lozano proved to be the difference for Pachuca. They’ll await the winner of tomorrow’s match between Vancouver and Tigres in the final.
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