FRISCO, Texas -- The FC Dallas U-17s sealed their spot at the top of Group B in the 2011 Generation adidas Cup after shutting out the Seattle Sounders 3-0 Thursday night at Pizza Hut Park.
FCD controlled possession for most of the first half and pressed the attack against the Seattle back line.
Dallas center back Alessandro Mion scored a brace in the half, with the first goal coming in the 29th minute when Dallas was awarded a free kick.
Defender Kellyn Acosta took the kick and directed a shot high to the far post, but Acosta’s volley ricocheted off the cross bar and sailed upward. When it came down, Mion kicked in the rebound past Sounders goalkeeper Keenan Townsend.
Mion tallied his second goal in the closing moments of the half.
With the wind at his back, Mion sent an arching shot towards the Seattle net from about 45 yards out. Townsend, thinking the ball would sail over the goal and out of play, did not make a play on the ball. But the Sounders goalkeeper misjudged the shot, which floated into the goal high to the far post.
The game slowed down in the second half. FCD focused on keeping possession while maintaining pressure on the Sounders. Seattle made numerous surges in hope of closing the scoring gap, but whenever the Sounders slipped past the Dallas backline, FCD quickly recovered.
Dallas sealed the victory with a third goal in the 60th minute. Defender Alex Frankenfeld found an opening in the Sounders midfield and made a run down the line. Frankenfeld sent a shot towards Townsend, who ran out to meet the ball, but seconds before it reached the Seattle goalkeeper, FCD forward Victor Portillo slashed in front and chipped the ball over Townsend. Portillo recovered possession and sent the ball into the net low to the near post.
FCD wrapped up group play with a record of 2-0-1 to win Group B with eight points. Dallas will return to GA Cup action on Friday in a semifinal match against DC United at 8:15 p.m. on Field 7 at Pizza Hut Park.
Scoring Summary:
FCD – Mion 29’
FCD – Mion 40’
FCD – Portillo 60’
Misconduct Summary:
SEA – Matula 31’
SEA – Lange 31’
FCD – Koroma 40+’
FC Dallas U-17 lineup: Sanchez (Gonzalez 77’), Reeves (Frankenfeld 41’), Haberkorn, Mion, Laverde (Ashby 79’), Acosta, Galvan (Portillo 56’), Meyer (Ortiz 61’), Parthain, Koroma (Edet 71’), De La Tejera Farias (Abdulranhman 31’)
