An own goal in second half stoppage time from Tulsa Roughnecks’ (USL) defender Modou Jadama sent FC Dallas (MLS) through to the Round of 16 of the US Open Cup with a 2-1 win after they had squandered several scoring opportunities throughout the second half. For the second straight year it looked as though FC Dallas would need extra time while playing at Southern Methodist University’s Westcott Field, but the pressure they applied to the Roughnecks paid off in the dying seconds of the match.
Both teams looked sluggish from the start; quite possibly due to the mid-90s heat radiating at kickoff. Neither managed to create much until the 28th minute when Tulsa captain Juan Pablo Caffa got free in the box and hit a well struck volley first time that rolled just wide of goal.
The chance seemed to wake the home side and three minutes later Dallas midfielder Coy Craft found himself in space on the left, via a pass from Ryan Hollingshead, and fired low and hard from the edge of the box to give the Hoops the 1-0 lead. Four minutes later, Cristian Colman broke through the Tulsa back line but was denied from point blank by Roughnecks goalkeeper Fabian Cerda. Reggie Cannon almost gave Dallas an insurance goal just before half, beating two defenders with two deft touches, but he lost control in the box and the opportunity was wasted.
As the sun set in the second half, both teams seemed to find a second wind; and not just in a positive way. Juan Pablo Caffa earned a yellow card in the 56th minute for arguing with the official. It seemed to fire up his team, because three minutes later — moments after Dallas replaced veteran playmaker with Carlos Remeno — Tulsa midfielder Kosuke Kimura got a good look in the box and tied the game up 1-1.
Dallas coach Oscar Pareja wasted no time and emptied his bench, bringing first team regulars Michael Barrios and Tesho Akindele on for homegrown stud Paxton Pomkyal and Coy Craft, respectively, in the 63rd minute. The switches worked and Dallas created several dangerous chances in the ensuing minutes, but failed to convert any of them.
They continued to press the visitors, but continually came up empty and it looked as though 90 minutes would not be enough to settle things; just as last year when Dallas needed a penalty kick shootout to take down another USL side in the OKC Energy in the Fourth Round.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Barrios put a low cross across the box that was redirected into the back of the net by Jadama. The referee blew the whistle almost immediately after play resumed and the defending champions could breathe a sigh of relief.