Tesho Akindele scores twice late as FC Dallas stuns Atlanta United

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FC Dallas 3-2 Atlanta United: Akindele steals the show

Tesho Akindele hit home twice in a two minute span late in the second half to secure a 3-2 win for FC Dallas over Atlanta United.

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:29 am

Tesho Akindele scored twice in a two-minute span late in the second half as FC Dallas rallied to a stunning 3-2 victory over Atlanta United on Wednesday night at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

The forward tied the score at 2 in the 86th minute and booted home the winner two minutes later as Dallas stretched its home unbeaten streak to 16 games.

MLS goals leader Josef Martinez scored two goals for Atlanta, which drops to 5-2-2 on the road.

Akindele entered the game in the 75th minute and proved to be a difference-maker by scoring his first two goals of the season.

The winning goal came after defender Matt Hedges had a shot blocked and Atlanta was unable to clear it. Akindele saw the ball at his feet right in front of the goal, and he kicked it with his right foot past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Atlanta had a chance to tie in the 93rd minute, but defender Mikey Ambrose sent a left-footer high over the net.

Dallas (35 points) tentatively moved into first place in the Western Conference, pending the outcome of the Sporting Kansas City (32) match against Real Salt Lake. Atlanta (37) remains in first place in the East.

Tesho Akindele hit home twice in a two minute span late in the second half to secure a 3-2 win for FC Dallas over Atlanta United.
Tesho Akindele hit home twice in a two minute span late in the second half to secure a 3-2 win for FC Dallas over Atlanta United.

Martinez scored in the 73rd minute to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead and earlier scored in the 41st minute. Martinez has 17 goals, including nine in the past seven games. Midfielder Miguel Almiron set up the second goal with his eighth assist of the campaign.

Defender Reto Ziegler also scored for FC Dallas.

The score was knotted at 1 as Almiron scooted into the Dallas end and threaded a pass in stride to the streaking Martinez. The Atlanta forward struck the ball with his left foot as it arrived and easily placed it between Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez and the right post.

But Dallas tied the score 13 minutes later when Akindele broke loose down the left side. He barely stayed ahead of chasing defenders and slammed a right-footed shot that Guzan got his hands on but couldn't stop.

Dallas struck in the 22nd minute when Ziegler took a free kick and slammed a left-footed blast through the wall and into the right corner of the goal.

Atlanta knotted the score 19 minutes later when midfielder Hector Villalba sent a pass in toward the net. A sliding Martinez kicked the ball, and it caromed off the hands of Gonzalez.