FRISCO, Texas – Unbeaten in the MLS Reserve League, the FC Dallas Reserves (3-0-0) earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw in an exhibition against the Venezuelan National Team thanks to Andrew Wiedeman and Maykel Galindo combining for a pair of goals. Venezuela’s goals came from Chivas USA forward Alejandro Moreno and Nicolas Fedor.
Training at Pizza Hut Park in preparation for the 2011 Copa America tournament, the Venezuelan National Team nearly went down a goal in the 8th minute when Eric Avila controlled the ball on the left flank. Drawing multiple defenders, Avila dished the ball outside to Moises Hernandez, who was making an overlapping run down the touchline. Upon receiving the ball, Hernandez muscled his way by a defender before sending a centering pass to Bruno Guarda at the top of the area. Making a nice run off the ball to the far post, Ricardo Villar chested down a lofted pass from Guarda with only the goalkeeper to beat, but his strike, low to the back post, was redirected away at the last moment by Venezuelan goalkeeper Dani Hernandez.
GALLERY: FC Dallas Reserves 2, Venezuelan National Team 2
The Venezuelans took a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute on a quick strike from the top right corner of the area. The play began with quick combination passing through the midfield before the final pass from Cesar Gonzalez was sent in on the floor to Nicolas Fedor. Running with the ball away from goal, Fedor struck a one-time shot low to the back post from a through angle that barely managed to slip under the hands of FC Dallas Reserves goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
FC Dallas battled back and gained two solid scoring chances in the 29th and 32nd minutes. The first came from Ruben Luna, who ran at the Venezuelan defense before sending a lateral pass to Maykel Galindo. Alone at the back post, Galindo hit a shot low to the far post only to be denied by a kick-save from Hernandez.
But three minutes later FC Dallas finally evened the score when Galindo found Andrew Wiedeman with a lofted pass in to the top of the area. Getting forward from his right back position, Wiedeman expertly chested the ball down to his feet before volleying a line-drive shot high over the right shoulder of Hernandez.
The FC Dallas Reserves began the second half with sustained pressure and found the back of the net on another strong play from Wiedeman in the 50th minute. The right back made another long run, all the way to the Venezuelan end line, where he slid to save a pass from Villar from going out for a goal kick. Wiedeman’s sliding pass fell to the feet of Galindo, who also slid to redirect a bouncing shot low to the far post for a 2-1 lead.
The Venezuelans countered and knotted the score at 2-2 in the 77th minute. The play began on the right flank when Venezuelan right back Roberto Rosales launched a long centering pass in to Alejandro Moreno, who came free of his marker at the top of the six yard box. FC Dallas’ trialist goalkeeper was in good position to make a save, but Moreno struck the header perfectly, powering a shot by the goalkeeper to earn a draw for the Venezuelan National Team.
Scoring Summary:
VEN – Nicolas Fedor (Cesar Gonzalez) 13
FCD – Andrew Wiedeman (Maykel Galindo) 32
FCD – Maykel Galindo (Andrew Wiedeman) 50
VEN – Alejandro Moreno (Roberto Rosales) 77
FC Dallas – Chris Seitz (trialist 46), Moises Hernandez, Bobby Warshaw, Jack Coleman, Andrew Wiedeman, Ricardo Villar, Bruno Guarda (trialist 46), Eric Avila (Peri Marosevic 71), Victor Ulloa, Maykel Galindo (Jonathan Top 88), Ruben Luna (Milton Rodriguez 46).
Venezuelan National Team – Dani Hernandez (Renny Vega 46), Grendi Perozo, Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, Roberto Rosales, Gabriel Cichero (Juan Fuenmayor 69), Franklin Lucena ( Jesus Meza 54), Tomas Rincon (Angelo Pena 84), Cesar Gonzalez (Francisco Flores 54), Yohandri Orozco (Luis Manuel Seijas 61), Nicolas Fedor (Gian Carlo Maldonado 61), Salomon Rondon (Alejandro Moreno 35).
Misconduct Summary:
DAL - trialist (caution; reckless foul) 66
VEN – Oswaldo Vizcarrondo (caution; reckless tackle) 68
DAL – Ricardo Villar (caution; reckless tackle) 78
Referee: Jose Luna Hernandez
Referee’s Assistants: Jonathan Johnson and Tom Harlett
Weather: Sunny, 88 degrees