September 25, 2012
HOMEGROWN LIFT
Leyva brace gives FCD reserves 2-0 win

FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas’ Bryan Leyva scored in the 34th and 79th minute to lead Dallas to a 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City’s Reserves tonight at FC Dallas Stadium Complex.

Fellow Homegrown player Richard Sanchez picked up his first clean sheet in an FC Dallas uniform. The 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup Champion got help from converted midfielder James Marcelin, who was a force in the air at center back for FC Dallas throughout the match.


Sporting Kansas City Reserves won the first quality scoring opportunity of the game in the eighth minute. Korede Aiyegbusi started the sequence after winning the ball on the left flank and speeding to the end line. Aiyegbusi sent a cross into the area for Dom Dwyer, but the forward was brushed aside by FC Dallas Homegrown goalkeeper Richard Sanchez, who rose above the crowd to knock down the cross and smother the ball.

Three minutes later, Sporting Kansas City Academy’s David Leichty nearly picked out the back post after beating two FC Dallas defenders in the middle of the pitch. Unfortunately for the Under-18 midfielder, his low strike flew just wide of Sanchez’s right post.

The teams battled in the midfield for the next 23 minutes before FC Dallas took a 1-0 lead on a counterattack in the 34th minute. Sporting Kansas City controlled the ball in its defensive third of the field before high pressure defending from FC Dallas forced a turnover 30 yards from goal. Ricardo Villar picked up the loose ball and hit a streaking Bryan Leyva at the top left corner of the area. The Homegrown midfielder brought in the pass before picking out the far side netting behind Kansas City goalkeeper Eric Kronberg.

Sporting Reserves’ Soony Saad earned a free kick for his side early in the 43rd minute. The midfielder opted to take the kick himself, firing a head-high ball towards the wall, where FC Dallas center back Bobby Warshaw deflected the shot over the end line.

Just before the halftime whistle, Kansas City’s Dwyer was shown his second yellow of the match for simulation. On the play, Dwyer received the ball and attempted to split FC Dallas’ Bruno Guarda and James Marcelin. Dwyer went to ground just as he crossed into the box, prompting referee Mark de Clouet to show the forward his second caution of the night. The card left Kansas City a man down for the reminder of the match.

Dallas nearly went up two goals in the 53rd minute, when Victor Ulloa combined with Matias Jara and FC Dallas’ newest Homegrown player, Kellyn Acosta. Ulloa won the initial ball near midfield and knocked a header to Jara. The Argentine forward slipped a ball out to the right flank for Acosta, who drove a low cross to the near post for Ulloa, but the midfielder’s first-touch strike missed wide of the right post.

Kansas City returned fire in the 56th minute, when Kyler Miller won a cross played into the six-yard box by Aiyegbusi. Miller rose above his marker to pick out the top right corner of the net, but Sanchez was in perfect position to pluck the ball out of the air with a diving save to his right side.

Guarda combined with Leyva to create a solid chance for FC Dallas in the 63rd minute. Guarda won the ball in the middle of the pitch and sent the ball out to the left flank for Leyva. Guarda accelerated to give Leyva the option for a return pass and the Homegrown midfielder complied, sending a bending ball into the area on the ground for the Brazilian. Guarda attempted to pick out the back post with his first touch, but once again Dallas missed, just wide of the left post.

FC Dallas was finally able to gain a two-goal advantage in the 79th minute when Jara slipped a through ball behind the last Kansas City defender for Leyva. The midfielder barely beat Kansas City’s Kronberg to the ball, before side-stepping the goalkeeper and finishing into the back of the empty net.

Kansas City’s best chance to pull within a goal came in the 89th minute, when Sporting Reserves earned a corner kick. Saad stepped to the kick, firing a line drive to the near post, but Sanchez was there to punch away the chance earning his first clean sheet in an FC Dallas uniform in just his second start.

FC Dallas Reserves improved to 5-3-1 (16 points) with the win while Sporting Kansas City Reserves fall to 2-6-2 (8 points). The three points puts Dallas’ Reserves in a three-way tie for first place in the Central/Mountain Division with Houston (5-2-1, 16 points) and Colorado (5-4-1, 16 points). Dallas’ Reserves wrap up its MLS Reserve League season on Oct. 10 when it hosts the Chicago Fire Reserves.