Teen sensation Ricardo Pepi capped off a thrilling two-goal comeback, overcoming Maxi Urruti's brace against his former team, as FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact dueled to a 2-2 draw at Toyota Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
FC Dallas had the most positive play in the first half, getting more and better quality shots than the visitors, but the teams went to the locker room without changing the scoreline. In particular, Jesus Ferreira, Thiago Santos, and Zdenek Ondrasek providing the most trouble for the Impact defense. However, Clement Diop was up to it, including a kick-save on Ferreira's 18th-minute attempt which looked the best chance of the half.
But it was Urruti who opened the scoring in a manner epitomizing his knack for opportunistic goals. After just-subbed-on Orji Okwonkwo headed a 59th-minute shot off the post, Urruti came in from behind to poke the rebound in. Then, nine minutes later, Urruti — who scored 29 goals for FC Dallas between 2016 and 2018 — handled a cross that pinballed to him in the box and slotted it in deftly to get his brace.
Ondrasek was able to get one back in the 83rd minute, with Reggie Cannon providing a great assist for his headed goal. Then, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Pepi found the equalizer to save FCD.
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Goals
- 59' – MTL – Maxi Urruti | WATCH
- 68' – MTL – Maxi Urruti | WATCH
- 83' – DAL – Zdenek Ondrasek | WATCH
- 90' + 6' – DAL – Ricardo Pepi | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: For FC Dallas, it showed character to come back from two goals down, and the result means that the team's unbeaten in two home matches and looking playoff ready already. Montreal, who looked like they'd get two wins in two matches to start the season, still got a road result against a tough Western Conference opponent (albeit, on a day where the weather was more Canadian than Texan).
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Pepi's equalizer was a heads-up play with a great cross in from Michael Barrios to make it happen. Yet, given how much FCD ran at the Impact, it seemed a second goal was a long time coming.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Even though it was in a draw, Urruti's two goals not only put Dallas on its heels, and lucky to get out of their stadium with a result ... but it's put Urruti (for now) in the Golden Boot lead.
Next Up
- DAL: Saturday, March 14 at New York City FC (12:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, TSN4 in Canada)
- MTL: Tuesday, March 10 vs. Olimpia (Concacaf Champions League) (8 pm ET | FS1, TUDN, TSN1 in Canada)
