FC Dallas overcame a brief first half scare on the way to a comfortable 3-1 win over US Open Cup debutantes AV ALTA FC in Round 4 on Wednesday.
Dallas needed just three minutes to get on the scoreboard, but the highlight of the night came when goalkeeper Michael Collodi was caught off his line in the 16th minute and conceded a somewhat embarrassing chip from midfield. His teammates ultimately came through for him though, with goals from Kaick and Bernard Kamungo helping the home side take care of business and advance to the Round of 16.
The loss ends an impressive inaugural Open Cup run for AV ALTA, who are playing in their first full season as members of USL League One. The southern California side notched three wins — including a dramatic penalty shootout victory over USL Championship side Orange County SC — before ultimately bowing out to hosts FC Dallas, who were looking to right the ship after a brutal 5-0 loss to San Diego FC in MLS play over the weekend.
Dallas came out firing from the start and just three minutes in, Shaq Moore found himself in space on the right and drove a low cross into the box, where Lucho Acosta was marked but still waiting to convert for the goal. Alta responded immediately with a shot on goal from Osvaldo Lay that Collodi nearly leaked into his own net at the near post.
Things did not get much better for Collodi though.
In the 16th minute, Lay pounced on a poor Dallas pass inside his own half near midfield and caught Collodi out with a brilliant long range chip that neither player is likely to forget anytime soon, albeit for very different reasons. The two sides traded possession for the rest of the half and it looked like there would be a stalemate at the break until the 43rd minute. Tsiki Ntsabeleng played a deadly through ball into the box from the left side and Kaick was able to get on the end of it and power it through Alta keeper Denzil Smith’s outstretched hand to give the home side a 2-1 lead going into halftime. The goal was Kaick’s first in an FC Dallas uniform.
The second half remained fairly even, with Alta creating several dangerous chances from set pieces to keep themselves in the game. In the 72nd minute, Kamungo finished off a cross from second-half substitute Show and the hosts went on to wear down the lower division side and pick up some momentum heading into an MLS match with Real Salt Lake on Saturday. The goal was Kamungo’s first — in any competition — since October 21, 2023.
Dallas head coach Eric Quill made it clear that he has high expectations for his team in this year’s tournament.
“It’s not like league play where you get to make mistakes and you’ve got a game the next week,” he said. “You get punished in this format. If you lose, you’re out, right? So you have to heighten the concentration, mentality, and effort. All that’s got to be there and you can’t take plays off.”
Next up, FC Dallas will travel to New Jersey to face New York Red Bulls in the Round of 16 later this month.