Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - FC Dallas saw its playoff hopes come to an end
on Sunday as the club sustained a 3-1 defeat against Seattle Sounders FC at
CenturyLink Field.
A loss by Vancouver against Portland earlier Sunday night left the door open
for Dallas to remain in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the Western
Conference.
But as the match entered the second half knotted at 1-1, Seattle surged ahead
on the hour mark through Brad Evans, who scored his second goal of the game,
while Mauro Rosales wrapped up the win for Seattle with a goal 11 minutes from
time.
The result not only hands Vancouver the last playoff spot in the West, but it
also moves Seattle into second place along with Real Salt Lake with one game
remaining in the regular season.
Seattle controlled play for most of the first half and earned a penalty kick
on the half-hour mark when Dallas defender Hernan Pertuz pulled down Fredy
Montero inside the box.
Evans stepped forward and sent goalkeeper Kevin Hartman the wrong way, but
Dallas equalized against the run of play shortly before halftime as Blas Perez
pounced on a loose ball inside the six-yard box.
A draw would have been enough to keep Dallas alive into next weekend, but
Evans found the net for a second time in the 60th minute after a nice ball
from Christian Tiffert, and the visitors had no way back following Rosales'
goal, which was set up by some good work from Montero.
GAME NOTES:
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