RSL Reserves Drop 2012 Opener 1-3 at FC Dallas

REAL SALT LAKE FALLS 1-3 AT FC DALLAS IN 2012 MLS RESERVE LEAGUE OPENER
RSL FW Emiliano Bonfigli Strikes Early, but Home Side Tallies Three Unanswered Past Halftime for Result

FRISCO, Texas (Tuesday, March 13, 2011) – FC Dallas Reserves got a boost from newly signed striker Luis Perea, the 25-year-old Colombian netting a goal and an assist in just one half of play to lead FCD to a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake Reserves at FC Dallas Stadium Tuesday night.

A tale of two halves, Real Salt Lake Reserves controlled possession early on and took a 1-0 lead in just the ninth minute. Cody Arnoux set up the goal when he split FC Dallas’ center backs with a well-placed through ball. Emiliano Bonfigli timed his run perfectly, beating goalkeeper Chris Seitz to the ball and knocking a low shot into the far corner of the net for the goal and the early lead.

FC Dallas’ best chance of the half came in the 39^th minute, when Homegrown player Jonathan Top earned a free kick 28-yards from goal. Another Homegrown player, Bryan Leyva, stepped to the kick and lofted a dangerous ball to the far corner of the six-yard box, where Bobby Warshaw outmaneuvered his marker and headed a hard shot on goal. Fortunately for RSL, goalkeeper Kyle Reynish was in perfect position to make a quality save and preserve the one-goal advantage heading into halftime.

Perea came on for Ruben Luna at halftime, but it was another strong combination from FC Dallas’ stable of Homegrown players that brought the match level in the 60^th minute. The play began with a nice cross from Top from the right flank to Leyva on the left side. Leyva brought down the cross and faked a shot in the same motion before knocking a hard shot, low into the back of the net.

Leyva dazzled again in the 65^th minute. The shifty midfielder beat one defender near the end line, went around a second Salt Lake player after cutting into the area, and struck the crossbar with a bending shot. Unfortunately for Leyva, the shot rebounded back to an RSL defender, who ushered the ball away from danger.

FC Dallas’ first round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, Matt Hedges, kept RSL Reserves on its heels nearing the 70^th minute, the UNC product nodding a shot off the crossbar following a corner kick taken by Leyva.

FC Dallas Academy product Mike Ambrose came on for Alex Lee in the 83^rd minute, and would make his mark on the match just a minute later. The attacking-minded right back got the ball on the flank and chipped a dangerous ball into the area, where Perea capitalized with a one-timer to the near post to make the score 2-1 FCD in the 84^th minute.

Real Salt Lake countered quickly and earned its best chance of the half in the 85^th minute. The chance belonged to Leone Cruz, who got on the end of a Lucas Acosta cross from 25-yards out. Acosta placed the ball perfectly, but Cruz pushed his header just wide of the former RSL ‘keeper Seitz’s right post.

FC Dallas closed out the scoring in the 87^th minute on a goal by Top. The play was set up by Perea, who controlled the ball in a crowd near midfield before sending a long ball in on the ground for Top. The 19-year-old forward collected the ball in space at the top right corner of the area before hitting a hard shot low to the back post. The shot just caught the side netting inside the post to seal the victory for FC Dallas Reserves.

Real Salt Lake Notes

• Tonight marked the 2012 debut of Nat Borchers, who started the contest for the RSL Reserves and played the opening 45 minutes. The veteran center back had not appeared in exhibition play during spring training while recovering from the left quadriceps strain that forced him from RSL’s playoff opener last October 29 against Seattle.

• The RSL Reserves called in three players from its RSL-Arizona Academy U-18 squad – Jordan Allen, Carlos Salcedo and Eti Tavares. Salcedo would enter the game for Borchers at the half, while Allen played the final 24 minutes in place of first round SuperDraft pick MF Enzo Martinez. Tavares and RSL-Arizona Academy alum and recent Homegrown Player signing GK Lalo Fernandez were the only two substitutes that didn’t enter the contest.

• Real Salt Lake had one trialist on its roster on Tuesday night, MF Lucas Acosta, who entered at the half in place of MF Nico Muñiz and logged the final 45 minutes.

Scoring Summary:

RSL – Emiliano Bonfigli (Cody Arnoux) 9

DAL – Bryan Leyva (Jonathan Top) 60
DAL – Luis Perea (Mike Ambrose) 84
DAL – Jonathan Top (Perea) 87

Disciplinary Summary:

NONE

FC Dallas Reserves – Chris Seitz, Alex Lee (Mike Ambrose 83), George John, Matt Hedges, Moises Hernandez, Bobby Warshaw, Victor Ulloa (Bruno Guarda 55), Bryan Leyva, Andrew Wiedeman (Danny Garcia 90), Jonathan Top, Ruben Luna (Luis Perea 45).

Subs not used: Eduardo Cortez, Mark Ashby, Kellyn Acosta.

RSL-Arizona Academy player

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