PHOENIX, Arizona -- FC Dallas fell 3-0 to the Montreal Impact of the North American Soccer League today at Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix, Arizona.
Resting 10 of its 11 starters from Saturday's 5-4 shootout victory over the Houston Dynamo in the championship match of the Walt Disney Pro Soccer Classic, FC Dallas fell to the second division Impact on goals by Ali Gerba, Luke Kreamalmeyer and Idriss Ech Chergui.
FC Dallas began the match on the offensive, but just two minutes after Bruno Guarda rattled the crossbar from distance, Montreal took a one goal lead when Gerba scored in the 21st minute.
The play began with Montreal building an attack through the center midfield. Working the ball around its offensive third of the field, Kreamalmeyer played a through ball into the feet of Gerba, who was making a run towards the top left corner of the six-yard box. FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz came charging off his line to intercept the pass, but Gerba got there first, using his first touch to side-step Seitz before finishing into an empty net.
Dallas controlled the ball for several minutes following the goal, but could not put together any clear chances until the end of the first half. Bruno Guarda and Eric Avila strung a handful of passes together and earned a free kick from the left flank, roughly 40-yards from goal. Avila found Scott Gordon unmarked at the back post with the free kick but the defender's header went wide.
Just eight minutes into the second half, FC Dallas allowed their second goal of the match when Pierre-Roudolph Mayard broke free down the left flank. After working past his marker, Mayard took a shot that struck the front post before ricocheting back to his feet. Second half substitute Josh Lambo recovered to make a nice save on the second shot, but the third scoring opportunity was too much for Dallas. Kreamalmeyer finished high to the back post to make it 2-0 Montreal.
The insertion of Jonathan Top in the 66th minute made it four Home Grown players in the FC Dallas lineup. It nearly paid off, as Top just missed connecting a one-touch pass with trailist Kevin Gall inside the box. Exactly 10 minutes later, it was Montreal who found the back of the net in the 76th minute. Charging down the right flank, Montreal substitute Ech Chergui muscled his way past a defender deep in Dallas territory. Drawing Lambo to his near post, Ech Chergui faked to the near post before finishing calmly to the back side for a three-goal victory.
Dallas remains in Phoenix through Tuesday, March 8. The defending Western Conference Champions' next match is scheduled for Saturday, March 5 against the Arizona Sahuaros.
Scoring Summary:
MON - Ali Gerba (Luke Kreamalmeyer) 21
MON - Kreamalmeyer 53
MON - Idriss Ech Chergui 76
Misconduct Summary:
Antonio Ribeiro (caution) 4
Hassoun Camara (caution) 44
Bruno Guarda (caution) 44
Richard Pelletier (caution) 79
Lineups:
FC Dallas - Chris Seitz (Josh Lambo 46), Moises Hernandez, Christian Arrieta, Scott Gordon, Charlie Campbell, Bobby Warshaw (Jonathan Top 66), Eric Avila (Victor Ulloa 46), Andrew Jacobson (Peri Marosevic 46), Bruno Guarda, Maykel Galindo (Kevin Gall 46), Andrew Wiedeman (Bryan Leyva 46).
Montreal Impact - Bill Gaudette (Evan Bush 62), Philippe Billy (Bonheur Aubey 81), Hassoun Camara (Kevin Cossette 87), Leonardo Di Lorenzo, Ali Gerba (Idriss Ech Chergui 64), Kevin Hatchi (Felix Cardin 88), Luke Kreamalmeyer, Pierre-Roudolph Mayard, Nevio Pizzolitto, Antonio Ribeiro (Simon Gatti 68), Zurab Tsiskaridze (Nevio Pelletier 66).