For 97 minutes, it looked like FC Dallas was about to pull off an upset of the top team in the MLS Western Conference. But it was not meant to be as they blew a three-goal lead to draw Real Salt Lake 3-3.

FC Dallas had three new goal scorers on the night: Paul Arriola, Patrickson Delgado and Asier Illarramendi, who each scored their first goals of the 2024 season.

RSL put the Dallas defense under pressure in the first 15 minutes, with Cristian Arango getting a few decent chances in the penalty area. Arango hit the post twice in the first 35 minutes, forcing Maarten Paes into making a pair of early saves.

FC Dallas finished the first half with a couple of their chances. In the 41st minute, Delgado played a nice ball wide to Ema Twumasi, who immediately played it back to him at the top of the penalty box. Delgado took one touch before taking a shot that forced Zac MacMath to make a diving save.

During the third minute of stoppage time, FC Dallas found the back of the net off a shot from Illarramendi. Delgado took a short corner that Illarramendi got along the left side of the penalty box. The veteran’s cross went right at MacMath, but the RSL keeper’s punch on the ball wasn’t good enough, as the ball ended up in the back of the net.

FC Dallas nearly doubled their lead in the first five minutes of the second half, but RSL cleared the ball off the line twice.

The Dallas lead doubled in the 57th on a wild goal from Delago. RSL had a corner kick that Paes snuffed out and immediately threw the ball forward for Delgado to get a touch on. MacMath was far off his goal line and had a poor touch on the ball that Delgado could get on and find the open net for his second career goal with FC Dallas.

The confetti hadn’t finished falling before FC Dallas scored a third goal in the 59th minute from Arriola. RSL turned the ball over, and Dallas immediately capitalized on it when Illarramendi found an open Arriola on the right side of the penalty box. The Dallas captain took a touch before hammering a shot into the far post.

Two minutes later, RSL found their first goal from Diego Luna. Andrés Gómez was played wide by Matt Crooks. Gomez played a ball across the Dallas defense, where Luna was there to score an easy goal.

In the 73rd minute, RSL pulled another goal back as Anderson Julio had an open shot from outside the penalty area and beat Paes at the near post.

In the last minute of stoppage time, RSL tied the game with a corner-kick goal. Julio played the ball back across the Dallas penalty box, where Nelson Palacio got a free look at goal. His shot completed the comeback draw for the visitors.


Instant Reaction: There is no getting around it. FC Dallas survived the first 30 minutes of this one. Arango had a couple of really strong looks on goal that were unlucky to connect on. But once the hydration break hit, FC Dallas was a different team for the next 30 minutes of the match. They were more aggressive and took the most of some truly bad goalkeeping from MacMath.

But after taking the lead, FC Dallas failed to put them away. Sure, giving up one goal happens. The second was a great shot. But you cannot give up three, especially in the final seconds of a game like this.

Man of the Match: Tafari is a good shout for keeping Arango off the scoreboard but Illarramendi’s goal and assist earn him the honors tonight.

What’s next for FC Dallas: The club hits the road for back-to-back games in Southern California as they take on the LA Galaxy on Wednesday night before battling LAFC next Saturday.