Castillo and Ulloa Dazzle in FC Dallas Victory
By Curry Goff
Maybe Fridays aren’t that bad after all…
We need to have a new rule that says that we play Houston every other week. We can play in Houston. We can play in Dallas. Really, the location doesn’t matter. Just as long as we can play against our in state rivals all the time, because, honestly, beating them is the best.
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With Friday night’s win over the Dynamo, FC Dallas earned a second consecutive win over the lesser of the two Texas MLS teams. And considering the form that we have been in over the past month and a half, the win couldn’t have come at a better time.
FC Dallas was winless in their last six games, scoring only two goals and earning two points in the process: not exactly the form FCD fans were accustomed to after the torrid streak to start the season. Being away from home can certainly serve as an excuse, but it’s not a very good one for a team of FC Dallas’ quality.
The win was needed to stop the bleeding, to right the ship, to turn the boat around (insert your favorite resuscitation saying here). The reason for the win came from very familiar sources.
Castillo
Jun 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; FC Dallas forward Fabian Castillo (11) dribbles the ball as Houston Dynamo defender Raul Rodriguez (5) defends in the first half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Once again, Castillo served as the saving grace for FC Dallas offensively. More so than any other effort this season, Fabian looked more willing to run at defenders and get his name on the score sheet. In the end, it worked out brilliantly.
Even before we get to the goal, his stellar dribbling saw him weave in and out of Dynamo defenders time after time. His runs up the flank and slaloms back into the center of the pitch gave Houston fits and produced chance after chance for FCD.
The game’s first goal saw Castillo whip in a cross with pace. The ball ended up being sent right into the path of Dynamo defender Jermaine Taylor. Thankfully, the ball’s pace caught Taylor flat footed and his attempted clearance bounced off his leg and into the corner of the goal. 1-0 to the good guys.
The second goal of the match was set up, surprisingly, by a physical display from Castillo. You don’t normally associate him as someone with the muscle to win a 1v1 unless it’s a foot race, but his stature was up to the task on the second goal.
After winning the ball, Castillo zipped a pass in to Mauro Diaz, who then flicked the ball right back to a cutting Castillo. The Colombian quickly rifled off a shot that found the bottom right corner and cemented a crucial win for FC Dallas.
Ulloa
I don’t know what more can be said about FC Dallas’ most valuable and most underrated player this season. MLS seems to be taking note as well; Victor was named to the Team of the Week in their rankings for Week 17.
Ulloa didn’t give the ball away in this match. I repeat; Ulloa didn’t give the ball away. That stat speaks for itself. If you can go an entire match without giving up the ball to the other team when that’s literally all that they are trying to do, you deserve all the credit.
For several weeks, I’ve been saying that Ulloa is quietly becoming FC Dallas’ best player. With his impressive box-to-box master class on Friday night, he’s stepped out and announced himself loudly as a leader. The guy’s good, folks. Pay attention Wednesday night. He goes unnoticed at times. Truth is, you’d notice if he wasn’t there.