New York City FC and FC Dallas were both looking for three points at Red Bull Arena on Tuesday night, but had to settle for one point and three goals each from a thrilling back-and-forth 3-3 draw in their cross-conference match.
The result extends both teams' winless runs to three games, with NYCFC hanging onto fourth place in the Eastern Conference and Dallas seeing their Audi MLS Cup Playoff hopes fade as they sit three points outside the playoff places in the West, having played two games more than the teams immediately above them.
The visitors got on the scoreboard within four minutes courtesy of Obrian, the recipient of some good fortune. On a play that NYCFC defender Anton Tinnerholm would like back, FCD's Paxton Pomykal got into the box and hit a cross that looped over the NYCFC backline, squibbed past Tinnerholm and fell to Obrian for the finish.
But Maxi Moralez got an equalizer in the 20th minute, finding himself unguarded in the box after Jesus Medina played him a cheeky back-heel pass. FCD keeper Phelipe got a glove to it, but it was too hot for him to stop.
Though Ricardo Pepi got the first big chance of the second half, testing goalkeeper Sean Johnson in the 47th minute, NYCFC captured the lead 10 minutes later, on a sequence keyed by Gudmundur Thorarinsson fizzing a pass into Moralez. His shot was parried away by Phelipe, but Medina seized upon the rebound and slotted it home.
Six minutes later, though, man-of-the-moment Pepi played fellow homegrown Jesus Ferreira through a trio of NYCFC defenders, and Ferreira finished to get the teams back level.
But then Thorarinsson sent in an even better cross in the 67th minute, finding Talles Magno at the far post for an artful finish that was simultaneously ballet and karate in its technique, making for a memorable first MLS goal. Dallas spoiled the Brazilian's strike, making sure it wouldn't be a game-winner just five minutes later. Obrian got his second in the 73rd minute, with Andres Ricaurte playing the Colombian in on goal with an incisive pass, and FCD's winger fired through traffic to equalize.
One of the loudest cheers of the night came when NYCFC made an 81st-minute sub that's been anticipated by fans all season, with Heber seeing his first action in nearly a year after suffering an ACL injury he's been rehabbing in anticipation of the Cityzens' stretch run.
It didn't, however, produce a winning goal. And indeed, a Thiago foul on Ferreira produced a stoppage-time red card that left the hosts shorthanded at the finish.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: While both teams could have used three points in their respective playoff races, Dallas might be the more disappointed side after getting out to an early lead only to squander it. But they did show character with two equalizers in a four-goal, 16-minute flurry of activity. NYCFC were notably without in-form striker Taty Castellanos due to a yellow-card accumulation suspension.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It completely depends on your perspective. Dallas fans will point to the final equalizer, though Talles Magno’s goal had that extra oomph to it.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: In a match with a great number of candidates, Obrian drove much of the narrative with the first goal and then the last.
Next Up
- NYC: Saturday, Sept. 18 at FC Cincinnati | 7:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
- DAL: Saturday, Sept. 18 at Houston Dynamo FC | 10 pm ET (Univision, TUDN, Twitter)
