Football
Reuters 5y

FC Dallas blanks Galaxy as Ibrahimovic sits out with Achilles injury

Reto Ziegler scored on a penalty kick early in the second half and Bryan Acosta added a goal eight minutes later as FC Dallas defeated the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0 on Saturday afternoon in Frisco, Texas.

Jesse Gonzalez recorded the shutout in goal for FCD (1-0-1) and had to make just one save thanks to a swarming defense and the absence due to injuries of Los Angeles attackers Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Achilles heel) and Romain Alessandrini (hamstring).

Ziegler took his kick from the spot in the 53rd minute after Los Angeles' Diego Polenta fouled FC Dallas' Matt Hedges in the box. Hedges elevated to head a pass that was send into the area, and Polenta kicked him in the side, drawing the whistle.

Acosta made it 2-0 when he stuck in the 61st minute. He rifled a volley from outside the front of the box past Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham after a pass off the end line by Paxton Pomykal.

FC Dallas outshot the Galaxy (1-1-0) 12-11 and had the only shot on target over the first 45 minutes.

Dominique Badji had two good scoring chances, forcing Bingham into the only save of the half in the 30th minute and then missing wide left in the 36th minute after juking the Los Angeles keeper off his line.

The Galaxy has a chance as well, when Uriel Antuna's cross through the area found the foot of Rolf Feltscher, who hit it just off the mark in the final minute of the half.

The Galaxy's 16-year-old midfielder, Efrain Alvarez, had a late chance to get Los Angeles on the board but his scorching shot in the 91st minute was deflected over the crossbar by Gonzalez, allowing Dallas to secure the clean sheet.

Dallas concentrated on keeping the ball and waiting for its chances and earned big edges in total passes (643-341) and possession percentage (64.1 to 35.9).

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