FC Dallas avoided a club-wide first round exit on the second day of the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, but only just.
After the U-15s fell to Sockers FC on Saturday, New York City blanked Dallas in the Under 17 bracket 2-0 before John Gall's U-19 side met the Barca Residency Academy as the home club's last representative.
The Hoops raced to an early lead through Nighte Pickering. The forward, who has featured in MLS NEXT Pro, raced on to a ball over the top from Manny Martinez, cutting back onto his left foot inside the area with a shot that Austin Valdez had no chance of stopping.
Unbeaten in league play, it wouldn't take long for the Barca Residency Academy to take the game back to Dallas. A ball came in from the right side with Luca Sowinski and Abel Salazar causing problems for the Dallas defense. The ball broke out to Bryce Jamison, ready for the 16-year-old to stroke the ball home after a quick side step around Ty Reynolds.
Sowinski provided a constant threat for Barca, and should have set up a go-ahead goal. After getting into the Dallas area, Sowinski teased a ball across the six yard box, but Salazar wasn't able to get enough behind his shot to beat a full stretch Aaron Salinas.
Miles Lyons went even closer to giving Barca the lead in the 65th minute, cutting in from the right before unleashing a spectacular curling effort that beat Salinas but not the post. The Dallas back line could only watch the ball roll along the goal line before clearing the danger.
FC Dallas forward Tarik Scott flew back from a tour of Brazil with the FC Bayern World team to join up with his club for the tournament. Scott looked surprisingly energetic for someone who has played games on three continents in the month of June. His name was almost penciled in on the score sheet but for an incredible double save by Valdez to preserve the score and see the game through to extra time.
Both goalkeepers got a hand to two penalties but couldn't stop the takers from going perfect through five rounds. In the sixth round, Salinas was able to get low to push away Nathan Hurtado's kick to send Dallas through to the round of 16.
New York City FC 4 (6), New York Red Bulls 4 (7)
An under-15 Hudson River Derby came to Frisco with all the gusto of the MLS rivalry. The teams traded four goals in the opening 15 minutes. Bryan Vasquez gave the Red Bulls the lead in just the second minute. Jonathan Shore responded two minutes later, before Pipeloore Olanrewaju and Din Klapija completed the early rush.
Klapija gave NYCFC the lead shortly before halftime with his second, but a Julian Hall brace restored the Red Bull advantage.
If the start of the game was hot, the finish boiled over. Jeffrey Lopez restored parity in stoppage time while both sides lost a player. Klapija and Gil de Souza were sent off for foul and abusive language before NYRB picked up its second straight win via penalty kicks.
LAFC 0, Austin FC 2
Kian Concepcion gave Austin a first-half lead before Ervin Torres doubled the advantage four minutes into the second half.
Real Salt Lake 2, Philadelphia Union 1
A late double saw Real Salt Lake through to the quarterfinals.
After a goalless first half, the Union took a 51st minute lead through Diego Rocio. Two goals in two minutes from Anthony Ramirez and Luis Rivera gave RSL the turnaround and a match-up with Chicago Fire.
U-15 Schedule | Bracket
St. Louis CITY SC 3, Ballistic United 2
St. Louis CITY SC came back from an early goal to set up a quarter final with Atlanta United.
Colin Davis gave Ballistic United a ninth minute lead before Omar Cilic leveled the score in the 20th minute.
A 12 minute spell in the second half would settle things for St. Louis after taking the lead through John DiMaria. Nicolas Colmenares brought Ballistic United back into the game in the 67th minute before Mykhi Joyner restored the lead three minutes later.
Lamorinda SC 1 (7), D.C. United 1 (8)
Lamorinda SC almost overcame 43 minutes with a man disadvantage to take D.C. United to a penalty shootout.
Ignacio Alem gave United the lead in just the fourth minute, and the advantage only grew as Brenden Tuey picked up his second booking in the 47th minute.
Israel Cortez gave Lamorinda hope in the 76th minute, but United held on and rode their way through the shootout.
FC Dallas 0, New York City FC 2
Another MLS NEXT Flex rematch delivered with New York City FC repeating its May win.
Dallas thought they'd taken a lead midway through the first half through Dylan Lacy but for the offside flag. It would be a Texan getting his name on the score sheet, but unfortunately for the home side it would be Gabriel 'Toro' Brandon putting the ball past his own goalkeeper to see NYCFC ahead.
As Dallas pushed for an equalizer in the closing moments, Jeffrey Vanegas broke away off a pass from Mateo Ponce Ocampo to double the lead and seal a round of 16 meeting with Austin FC.
Chicago Fire FC 2 (8), FC Cincinnati 2 (7)
The Chicago Fire staged some late heroics to claw its way back in a meeting of two Central (North) Division rivals.
FC Cincinnati took the lead in the 23rd minute through Ryder Mills before Isaac Calderon added a second shortly after half time. Chicago staged a late comeback with Roman Eisa bring the Fire back into the game in the 72nd minute before Michael Nesci drew Chicago level six minutes later.Â
Zackary Kacic ought to have saved a penalty early in the shootout, with the ball squeezing under his body, but opposite number Adrian Giron was the hero, stopping Silas Borgman's attempt in sudden death.
Sacramento Republic FC 4, Chargers SC 3
Chargers SC overcame an early red card to push a well-fancied Sacramento Republic side close.
Goalkeeper Josh Caron rushed out of goal bringing down Muslim Umar to pick up a red card. Surprisingly the ten men almost took the lead into the break.
Guy Panzer and Eli Ameres gave Chargers the lead by the 37th minute, canceling out an earlier finish by Sacramento's Miguel Avalos. Umar would take Republic in level at the break.
The man advantage was made to count as Sean Battistessa gave Sacramento the lead in the 52nd minute with Giovanni Ceja adding another five minutes later.
Ameres pulled one back for Chargers SC just after the hour, and they would level the numbers in stoppage time as Fernando Venegas picked up a second yellow card. Chargers sent the goalkeeper up for the resulting free kick but that was cleared away for the full time whistle.
New England Revolution 4, IMG Academy 1
A pair of braces saw the New England Revolution ease to a win over the IMG Academy.
Jack Panayotou opened the scoring in the 13th minute before Malcolm Fry notched either side of the break. Kasdin Hale tucked away a rebound, but Panayotou put the game beyond doubt with a free kick nine minutes from time.
