Molino nets pair as Minnesota downs FC Dallas

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:14 am

Kevin Molino scored two goals, including the game-winner on a penalty kick, and Minnesota United FC survived the final eight minutes of regulation and five minutes of stoppage time playing with 10 men to defeat visiting FC Dallas, 3-2, Wednesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Mason Toye also scored for Minnesota (5-3-2, 17 points), which moved into a tie for first place with Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference. Goaltender Dayne St. Clair improved to 2-0 in his second career MLS start in place of injured starter Tyler Miller (hip surgery).

Ricardo Pepi and Santiago Mosquera scored goals for FC Dallas (2-2-4, 10 points) which had a four-game unbeaten streak (1-0-3) snapped. Kyle Zobeck, making his first career MLS start in place of injured starter Jimmy Maurer, had three saves.

Minnesota United, which fell behind 2-0 in a 3-1 loss to the Toros 12 days earlier in Frisco, Texas, jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first 28 minutes this time around.

Toye got the first goal in the 11th minute as the Loons took advantage of a poor clearing pass by Ryan Hollingshead, who passed the ball directly to Robin Lod above the penalty box. Lod then hit Toye breaking in on the left side and the 21-year-old forward fired a left-footed shot through the legs of Zobeck for his first goal of the season.

Molino made it 2-0 in the 28th minute with his fourth goal of the season off a nice setup by Romain Metanire into the middle of the box where Molino beat Zobeck with a right-footed shot inside the far post.

Dallas cut it to 2-1 in the 42nd minute when Pepi scored his second goal of the season, sliding along the ground and knocking in a crossing pass by Bryan Reynolds inside the left post.

The Loons extended their lead to 3-1 in the 70th minute on Molino's penalty kick after Hollingshead tripped Metanire at the edge of the six-yard box.

Mosquera then cut it to 3-2 seven minutes later with his first goal of the season, redirecting Bressan's header from the right side of the six.

Metanire picked up a red card in the 82nd minute when he hit Andres Ricaurte in the leg with his studs during a midfield slide tackle. Mosquera had a chance to tie it in the 90th minute but St. Clair blocked his point-blank shot from the middle of the six-yard box.