Dallas Cup Super Group kicks off with triple-header at Cotton Bowl
Total Attendance – 19,417: Largest single-day crowd in Dallas Cup history
FC Dallas Academy 5, Everton FC 0
The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup opening day triple-header at the Cotton Bowl got off to a great start as the 2016 Gordon Jago Super Group champion Everton FC faced off against local academy side FC Dallas.
The match commenced with open play throughout, as both sides created chances in the other’s half. In the 17th minute, FC Dallas tallied the first goal of the match to go up 1-0. The play was set up by FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira as he precisely dribbled into the Everton box, shielded off a defender, and rifled a far post shot at net. All Everton’s keeper could do was parry the ball to the oncoming FC Dallas forward, Shaft Brewer, who tapped in the match’s opening goal.
Following the goal, action continued to move in favor of FC Dallas as they applied relentless pressure on the Everton defense. In the 36th minute, FC Dallas moved the ball down the wing which lead to a beautiful cross into the box finding the foot of FC Dallas’ Paxton Pomykal. Pomykal connected first touch and guided the ball into the bottom corner of the net for a very composed finish that put FC Dallas up 2-0.
The half ended 2-0 in favor of the local side and FC Dallas kept the momentum rolling into the second half. In the 56th minute, FC Dallas netted their third goal of the match after a well-worked set-piece led to a close-range finish by Brecc Evans to put FC Dallas ahead 3-0.
FC Dallas was not done yet. In the 62nd minute, Paxton Pomykal won the ball back at the center of the pitch and initiated a quick counter attack that eventually landed at the foot of Aldo Quevado. Quevado evaded one defender and slid the ball past Everton’s keeper to go up 4-0.
Just minutes later, FC Dallas’s Jesus Ferreira joined the goal-fest as he sliced into the box and slotted home FC Dallas’ fifth goal.
The match ended 5-0 in what was a near picture perfect start for the local MLS academy team. Everton looks to bounce back in their game Monday against Israeli side, Macabbi Haifa.
Tigres 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 1
The second match of the day featured a rematch of the 2011 Gordon Jago Super Group final between Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt and Mexico’s Tigres.
Both teams showed their physicality in the early going, but Tigres was the side creating scoring chances. In the 10th minute, a lovely over-the-top through pass was played to Tigres forward Luciano Augusto, who saw the Eintracht Frankfurt keeper off his line and promptly chipped the ball into the net from just inside the box.
Tigres continued to create chances in the first half and were granted a penalty shot after some nifty dribbling by Arlex Hurtado led to a foul inside the box. Rafael Duran stepped up for the PK, but was denied after a sprawling save by Eintracht’s keeper, Marius Herzig, who kept the match 1-0 going into halftime.
In the 48th minute, a critical defensive error committed by Eintracht Frankfurt left their net exposed and Tigres forward Luciano Augusto made no mistake about it as he slid home his second goal of the game to put his team up 2-0.
The German side kept fighting and in the 77th minute, they clawed a goal back. After Eintracht whipped a ball into the box, a scrum ensued within the six-yard box, with Furkan Zorba being the beneficiary in the end as he smashed the ball into the back of the net and made the game 2-1.
Eintracht Frankfurt continued to look for the equalizing goal, but it was not there in the end. Tigres earned an early 3 points in Bracket C, meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt will look to move up in the table on Monday when they take on Toronto FC at MoneyGram Park.
C.D. Guadalajara 4, Manchester United Academy 1
Following the Dallas Cup “Welcome World” Opening Ceremonies, the marquee match of the day took place between the world-famous Manchester United academy and prestigious Mexican side C.D. Guadalajara “Chivas”. The historic Cotton Bowl Stadium had some extra buzz as the two sides immediately showed their class on the pitch in front of the record Dallas Cup crowd (19,417 total attendance).
Chivas struck first in the 11th minute. A few well-timed passes down the wing set up another pass into the box for an open Edson Torres who put a shot on target. Despite a deflection by the United defense, the ball was struck with enough pace to find the back of the net.
Shortly after, in the 17th minute, Torres got himself on the score sheet once again. A breakdown in the Manchester United defense allowed for the speedy Mexican forward to get in on goal. Torres evaded the keeper with some impressive ball control and drilled the ball into an open net to give his team a 2-0 advantage.
The end of the first half saw a couple more good chances for both sides, including a near master-class team goal by Chivas that ended up ringing off the upper 90 of the goal post. The first half ended 2-0 with C.D. Guadalajara looking the better side.
Chivas started off the second half strong as well and in the 47th minute, Alejandro Zendejas netted a third goal for the Mexican side with a stylish diving header inside the six-yard box.
Chivas did not let up. In the 52nd minute, Oscar Macias carved his way through the box and hit a brilliant curling shot into the far corner to make the match 4-0 in favor of Chivas.
The prideful Manchester United team got a quick consolation goal in the 55th minute as Joshua Bohui surged down the edge of the box and sent in a perfectly timed driven pass that found the foot of Jake Kenyon who tapped in Manchester United’s first goal of the match.
The match ended with the 4-1 score line and Edson Torres was named the Toyota MVP.
Two other Gordon Jago Super Group matchups took place today at Richland College. Real Salt Lake faced off against Coritiba and Toronto FC clashed against Red Bull Brasil. To read the recaps, click here.
