FC Dallas withstood a second half flurry to hang onto a 1-1 score Saturday night that won them a tie against defending champions Real Salt Lake. Dallas had prevailed 2-1 at home and needed to just hold serve on the road. The win is the first in the playoffs for Dallas in 11 years.
Dax McCarty opened the scoring in the 17th minute for Dallas as the Hoops took the play to Salt Lake in the first half. Real opened the second half knowing that they needed two goals to keep the tie alive and managed pressure for the entire half. Dallas finally conceded an equalizer from U.S. National Team striker Robbie Findley in the 80th minute, and the pressure only picked up from there. A stream of late crosses from Will Johnson gave Dallas trouble, but Kevin Hartman and the Texans managed to hang on.
Schellas Hyndman's troops will take on either the Seattle Sounders or Los Angeles Galaxy next week in the Western Conference Finals. If Seattle tops L.A., Dallas would host.