Acosta winner as FC Dallas rallies to beat Pachuca in CCL

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:46 am

Max Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal for FC Dallas in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Max Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal for FC Dallas in the CONCACAF Champions League.
AP Images

FC Dallas pulled off a nice rally to beat Liga MX club Pachuca 2-1 in the teams' semifinal first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday night in Frisco, Texas.

Pachuca wasted no time opening the scoring, with Franco Jara picking up a pass from Erick Aguirre and slotting home past Chris Seitz in the third minute.

It was an ominous start for the hosts, after fellow MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps had been played off the field by Tigres on Tuesday night in the other semifinal.

But Dallas dug in and found an equalizer just before half-time when Max Urruti picked up a loose ball in the center of the penalty area and fired past Alfonso Blanco to send the teams into the locker room on even terms after 45 minutes.

Kellyn Acosta, who was just called up to Bruce Arena's U.S. squad for a pair of March World Cup qualifiers, doubled Dallas's advantage in the 58th minute, smashing home a free kick from distance that was just out of reach for Blanco.

The two teams will meet again at the Estadio Hidalgo on April 4, with Dallas trying to hold on to their slim advantage on the road and Pachuca having an away goal in hand from the first leg.