August 15, 2012
DALLAS SHOCKS VANCOUVER 2-0
Castillo, Jonathon Top score goals

Castillo opened the scoring for Dallas in the 60th minute, earning his second goal in as many games. FCD went on to beat Vancouver 2-0. Photo by Michael Stephens

VANCOUVER, BC---FC Dallas went to Vancouver needing a victory in the worst way. The need doesn't always translate to a win, but the Frisco-based team pulled it off on the road, slapping the Whitecaps 2-0 with a pair of second-half goals.

It was a great night for Dallas youngsters, with barely 20-year-old Fabian Castillo striking first, in the 60th minute and FCD's 19-year-old Dallas Homegrown product Jonathon Top adding the insurance marker just 10 minutes later. Veteran David Ferreira was credited with an assist on both goals.


The victory gives FCD 29 points, eight behind the Vancouver, the Seattle Sounders and L.A. Galaxy, all of whom are tied for third place with 37 points. Dallas remains in sixth place.


FC Dallas tried to put pressure on Vancouver early, but the result just turned into a chippy half of scoreless soccer. The Dallas pressure helped keep the Whitecaps from getting into really dangerous positions.


FCD had two good chances in the 16th minute, first on a shot by Fabian Castillo from outside the box that was blocked. Jair Bentiez fueled the opportunity with a pass to Castillo. Andrew Jacobson got the ball right back for Dallas and tried a left-footed shot that sailed over the cross bar.

Benitez got downfield and got a pass up to Zach Loyd, who had moved into the offensive third. He got a shot off but it sailed high and wide left.

Five minutes later, the Whitecaps missed on a shot by Barry Robson that soared high and wide to the left.

A foul by former Dallas player Atiba Harris on Daniel Hernandez set up a free kick in the 29th minute. David Ferreira took the shot from outside the box and it sailed just over the bar in the 30th minute.


Ferreira continues to draw fouls, but it was costly to the 'Caps' Martin Bonjour, who was shown the yellow card.

Ferreira didn't fight back, but put a nice pass up to Andrew Jacobson with the free kick. Jacobson took a right-footed shot that was off-target, high and wide.

Vancouver got back into the game by winning a free kick. John Thorrington went high and wide on his effort, but the Whitecaps got another free kick after a foul by Jacobson.

The Whitecaps had a nice flurry of shots that started with a shot by Camilo Sanvezzo. It was blocked, but FCD gave Vancouver another opportunity because of a hand ball by Dallas' Ruben Luna. Sanvezzo again stepped up to take it and banged the ball off the cross bar. That didn't make him very happy and he fouled Jacobson the next minute, giving Sanvezzo a yellow card. Dallas couldn't capitalize and the went to the locker room nil-nil.

Dallas came back still hungry in the second half and got the best of the Whitecaps with a goal by Fabian Castillo in the 60th minute. Ferreira got the assist with a headed pass and the Hoops went up 1-0.

If Castillo had missed the shot, the referee might have been tempted to pull out the red card on Vancouver defender Bonjour, who pushed Castillo in the back. The Dallas attacker went sliding to the ground, but managed to hook the ball with his extended right leg and it caromed off the left post and to the other corner. The goalie had already committed to come out to stop Castillo and couldn't touch the ball.


Just a few minutes later, Luna was subbed out and another Dallas youngster, Jonathon Top, entered the game. The first thing he did was commit a foul and give Vancouver a free kick. But it got much better a little later.

In the 70th minute, Top put FCD up 2-0 on a quick, short shot from the center of the box. Assisting, again, was Ferreira.

The play started back at the other end, as Hernan Pertuz picked the pocket of a Vancouver attacker at the edge of the penalty box. Within two passes, FCD's Castillo had the ball and was headed dowfield in a serious counter attack. He passed up to the right side just above the box to Ferreira. He pulled through the hands of Whitecaps defender and juked past another. Moving into the box from the right, he had to make a decision; pass or shoot. Ferreira decided to pass to his left and an incoming Top quickly booted the ball over the goalie for the insurancer marker.

The Red and White could smell victory by now and helped award Dallas goalie Kevin Hartman with a clean sheet. Hartman was forced to make just one save.

The going gets tougher Saturday, with Dallas traveling to Real Salt Lake, in second place in the Western Conference with 42 points.


Bryan Leyva didn't get his expected start. But he did come into the game in the 78th minute after defender Hernan Pertuz left the game with an injury that occured when he stole the ball and started the end-to-end scoring play.

By this time, the game had turned chippy again with Vancouver getting very out of sorts and on the losing end of the score. Michael Nanchoff of the Whitecaps drew a yellow card for a bad foul in the 8oth minute.

FCD's Jacobson repaid the favor, also drawing a yellow card for a bad foul on Robson in the 83rd minute. Immediately following this, FCD Head Coach went more conservative, subbing in Bruno Guarda and taking out Castillo.


The Dallas defense held on for the victory and helped its goalie Kevin Hartman to a clean sheet. Hartman was forced to make just one save in the game.