FC Dallas 5 Houston Baptist 1

FC Dallas took on Houston Baptist on Saturday morning at the adidas field outside FC Dallas Stadium in their first pre-season game of the year. It was a game mainly for trialists and reserves with just Seitz, Warshaw and Wiedeman as the lone starters to see playing time in 2011. I will include the game recap after the jump, but Scott Sealy scored twice with Andrew Wiedeman, Moises Hernandez and trialist Joe Madigan adding the other goals in a 5-1 victory.

Game Observations

Sealy doing his job Obviously it's not the highest competition, but Scott Sealy has given a great account of himself in the early stages of pre-season and today capped off a couple of great weeks. He was always active, hassling the backline and poached a couple of goals. He's still got a long road ahead of him to make this team as an international, but he really couldn't have done any more in the preliminary stages than he has. He will head down to Mexico with the team.

Nicolas Gianni He's listed on the team sheet as Nicholas Cridani, but his name is Nicolas Gianni. He's a Dario Sala represented trialist that arrived yesterday and is a second striker in the Mauro Rosales type mold. There are some trialists that come in that don't really have much of a chance, but Gianni is a guy that the team is taking a serious look at. Considering he arrived just yesterday and clearly didn't have his feet, I thought he had a pretty nice game today playing up top, a little behind Scott Sealy. He checks back into the midfield, has decent vision, good ball control and good size. He will go to Mexico with the team and if he comes back, he's one to watch.

Keep reading for other bright spots, game highlights and recap

Other bright spots Andrew Wiedeman had a very nice game, like he should have. Warshaw was quiet, but effective in defensive midfield while Walter Hines had a nice game out on the left. Hines assisted on both goals in the first half and certainly didn't do anything to hurt his stock. Matt Hedges was calm and composed in the second half while Moises Hernandez looked very assertive at left back. You feel for a guy like Martin John because he's clearly a very professional player and could do a job for FCD if they were thin at left back, but with the signing of Carlos Rodriguez, there's almost no chance he sticks around.

FRISCO, Texas (Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012) – In its first preseason scrimmage of the season, FC Dallas defeated Houston Baptist 5-1 today on the adidas Field at FC Dallas Stadium. Forward Scott Sealy had two goals and an assist for Dallas while Houston Baptist’s Kyle Herbison scored the lone goal for the Huskies in the 74^th minute.

FC Dallas opened the scoring in the 11^th minute when Walter Hines intercepted a pass out of the back by Houston Baptist goalkeeper Kevin Suarez. Following the turnover, Hines quickly beat his defender and picked out Sealy, who had checked to the ball in the center of the area. Sealy collected the pass before chipping a shot past Suarez for a 1-0 lead.

Dallas took a two-goal lead in the 29^th minute on a goal from right midfielder Andrew Wiedeman. The play began with high pressure from Sealy, who forced a turnover in Houston Baptist’s defensive third of the field. Sealy took the ball wide before delivering a long cross to Hines at the back post. The speedy St. John’s product had time to bring down the service before sending a line-drive cross to Wiedeman in the center of the six-yard box. Wiedeman calmly headed a shot past Suarez for a 2-0 lead.

FC Dallas controlled play for the first 20 minutes of the second half, but could not break down an organized Houston Baptist defense in the final third of the field. Houston Baptist had a good chance in the 66^th minute when midfielder Kris Tyrpak lofted a cross to the back post. Francisco Diaz was in good position to test FC Dallas goalkeeper Richard Sanchez, but defender Scott Gordon used his 6-4 frame to deny the chance, heading the ball away from danger to preserve the two-goal lead.

Houston Baptist did come within one goal of Dallas following the 74^th minute goal by Herbison. The play began with Tyrpak maneuvering through FC Dallas’ midfield and drawing a foul in the center of the pitch, roughly 30 yards from goal. Herbison stepped to the free kick, bending a line-drive shot over the wall and into the top right corner of the net for a 2-1 score line.

But FC Dallas retook control of the match by taking a 3-1 lead in the 79^th minute on a goal by Homegrown defender Moises Hernandez. Getting forward from his position at left back, Hernandez took the ball, side-stepped a pair of defenders and finished low to the back post.

The lead grew to three goals just four minutes later when high pressure from Homegrown forward Jonathan Top produced a turnover deep in Houston Baptist territory. Top collected the ball before chipping a pass to the center for Sealy, who waited on the ball to drop down to his feet before hammering a low shot by Suarez.

Dallas added a fifth goal in the 90^th minute when midfielder Kleynar Mena came free on the right flank and delivered a long cross to the top of the area to Joe Madigan. The Georgia Southern product timed his run well, hitting a strong volley to the back post with his first touch.

Scoring Summary:

FCD – Scott Sealy (Walter Hines) 11

FCD – Andrew Wiedeman (Walter Hines, Scott Sealy) 29

HB – Kyle Herbison 74

FCD – Moises Hernandez 79

FCD – Sealy (Jonathan Top) 83

FCD – Joe Madigan (Kleynar Mena) 90

Misconduct Summary:

NONE

Lineups:

FC Dallas – Chris Seitz (Richard Sanchez 45), Martin John (Moises Hernandez 45), Mark Barone, Christian Ibeagha (Matt Hedges 45), Scott Gordon, Walter Hines (Joe Madigan 45), Bobby Warshaw (Nicholas Cridani 67), Nicholas Cridani (Kleynar Mena 45), Bryan Leyva (Bruno Guarda 45), Andrew Wiedeman (Jonathan Top 45), Scott Sealy.

Houston Baptist - Kevin Suarez, Kyle Herbison, Charlie Gagnon, Walter Kromholz, John McDuffee, Mateo Jiminez, Kevin Alvarenga (Rod Osloub 58), Mark Gendi, Francisco Diaz, Kris Tyrpak, Leo Munoz.

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 41 degrees