FRISCO, Texas — FC Dallas is moving on to the knockout stage of the Leagues Cup tournament between MLS clubs and Liga MX clubs after its 3-0 victory Tuesday night against Club Necaxa.
The win came after a penalty shootout loss to Charlotte FC last week. The top two teams from each group of the Leagues Cup tournament advance to the knockout stage.
Midfielder Sebastian Lletget scored in the 24th minute for FCD – his second goal of the tournament – to take a 1-0 lead. The goal was assisted by forward Bernard Kamungo. Lletget and Kamungo also connected for a goal in the Charlotte FC match, with Lletget assisting and Kamungo on the score sheet.
Lletget recorded an assist in this match, as well, when he crossed a ball into the box and found Ghanaian forward Eugene Ansah in the 62nd minute.
“It felt amazing. I’m very happy for the team and winning at home," Ansah said after the game. "We struggled a little last game and this was a must-win for everyone. I’m very glad that I brought my qualities to this team and we won the game tonight.”
The night was capped off with a goal from Jesús Ferreira in the 72nd minute.
“These attacking adjustments are something we’ve been working on the past three to four weeks. We’ve changed the way we attack and added a lot of variation to it," head coach Nico Estévez said. "It’s really nice to see the changes working, because it’s not just the goals we score but also the clear chances we created throughout the game. There are still some details on the attacking side we can improve on, but I’m happy the things we’ve been working on helped us to score more goals, which is the most important thing. Scoring six goals in the past three games is really good for us.“
With the win, FC Dallas secured its spot in the Round of 32 in the Leagues Cup, but who they will play in the bracket is still to be determined. FC Dallas' group standings will be flushed out after Charlotte FC plays against Club Necaxa on Saturday July 29. If Charlotte FC wins, FC Dallas will finish second in the group and play against Liga MX side Mazatlán F.C., who finished first in their group. If Club Necaxa beat Charlotte FC, the FC Dallas will win their group and play in the Round of 32 against, which will be the winner between Atlanta United and Cruz Azul.
There is a reason for FC Dallas fans to want to finish second in the group, however. If you want to see Lionel Messi, that is. There remains an avenue for FC Dallas and Inter Miami to square off in the Round of 16. FC Dallas and Inter Miami would need to win their respective Round of 32 matches, but it is possible. It's broken down more here.
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