July 21, 2012
DALLAS WALLOPS PORTLAND 5-0
One goal, two assists lead Jackson 2nd half charge

by Phil Stephens, Dallas Soccer News Editor

After a quick own goal got Dallas started, Andrew Jacobson added to the FCD total 10 minutes later to push FCD to a quick 2-0 lead. Jackson added two goals and and assist in the second half to add up to a 5-0 victory Saturday over Portland. Photo by Michael Stephens

FRISCO, TX—FC Dallas made a hard case that the team has turned a corner on this forgettable season, squashing the Portland Timbers 5-0 Saturday at FC Dallas Stadium. The Hoops have just one loss in its last six games, and two victories in its last three matches. Plus, this game was a hard rebound on last week’s narrow 1-0 loss at the league’s top team, the San Jose Earthquakes.

Tied with Portland for eighth and last place in the Western Conference coming into the game, Dallas started putting separation from the Timbers quickly on an “own” goal by Portland’s Hanyer Mosquera in the 16th minute. It was set up on a sharp cross by Jair Benitez on the left. Mosquera rushed in to stop Jackson from touching the ball in, but instead, tapped it wide right, well inside the right post.

FCD followed that with a marker by Andrew Jacobson just 10 minutes later. He took a through ball from a Zach Loyd-David Ferreira combination pass down the left side and flew into the area, right-footing a ball to the back of the net. That pair kept Dallas on top, 2-0, into intermission.

Just in case Portland was entertaining any ideas of a quick second-half rally, three minutes after the break, Jackson took a pass from Ferriera in the middle, dribbled into and out of traffic, then pulled through double shirt-pulls of Timber defender Mike Chabala, en-route to another FCD goal in the 48th minute. The Brazilian was just getting started on a brilliant second-half performance.

Now the Hoops were floating with a 3-0 lead and plenty of time to chalk up more damage. The Timbers were pretty much cooked already, and Dallas was in a mood to barbeque. Twenty minutes later, Jackson was at it again, slipping a pass to Scott Sealy, who took it in-stride and fired a solid uncontested shot just inside the right post. That cranked the lead to 4-0, but FCD was not through.

Rubin Luna was inserted into the game in the 76th minute and five minutes later, took a flying run into the box to catch up with another Jackson cross from the right. Luna touched the ball to net and rolled in after the shot, into the post. Dallas was finished after a thorough beat-up on the Timbers, 5-0.

The win officially lifted Dallas (5-10-7) out of a Western Division cellar-tie with Portland (5-11-4) and points them into another Western Conference rival, the Los Angeles Galaxy, on July 28 at FC Dallas Stadium. The Galaxy is in fifth place with 27 points and could have more before the evening is over, leading Chivas USA 1-0 after the Dallas game was over.

The Galaxy made its move out of the Western Division basement several games ago, but must contend with a Dallas team, now with 22 points, suddenly come-to-life in the second half of the season.