CHESTER, Pa. - Ilsinho and the Union put on a show.
With a goal and two eye-popping assists, the skillful Brazilian led the inspired Union past a stunned FC Dallas club, 3-1, Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium.
The lopsided victory was the first ever for the Union over FC Dallas, which falls to 9-5-7. The win also pushes the Union's record to 8-10-5. It was just the club's second win in their last six matches.
The fireworks started early. Haris Medunjanin, Ilsinho and C.J. Sapong brought the house down in the 17th minute with one of the nicer goals in Union history. Breaking down the middle, Medunjanin slid a short pass to covered Ilsinho, who then tapped a spinning back-heel pass back to streaking Medunjanin to complete the give-and-go. With space, the Bosnian found Sapong across the box for the easy goal.
Less than five minutes later, the Union received more brilliance from Ilsinho. Chris Pontius' lofty throw-in was cleared by Ryan Hollingshead to just outside the top of the box. But the ball fell perfectly to Ilsinho for the one-timed rocket that beat Chris Seitz low and to the left post for the 2-0 Union advantage.
The heroics continued into the second half for Ilinsho and the Union. In the 68th minute, Sapong sprung Ilsinho on the right side of the box, where the Brazilian took a strong shot into the gut of Seitz, who bobbled the rebound. Ilsinho chipped the loose ball over to Sapong for the open-net goal.
It was Sapong's 12th of the season and marked his second multi-goal effort of the year.
The match saw a taste of the future in the 79th minute when a goal by FC Dallas' Max Urruti was waved off following a review from newly implemented VAR system, the league's new video review process. On the initial shot, in alone on John McCarthy, Cristian Colman clipped the goalkeeper in the ribs, buckling him to the grass. The rebound sat waiting for Urruti. Upon review, Colman was called for the foul, disallowing the goal.
It was the first usage of video review in MLS history and would prove important, as FC Dallas' Michael Barrios would snap the Union's shutout in stoppage time with his second of the season.
