FRISCO, Texas – Two second-half goals from Carlos Arriaza gave the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Unified Team a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on Saturday.
Arriaza’s two goals earned the Galaxy the victory in their first of two matches against their Dallas counterparts scheduled for this year. Galaxy attacker Rafael Lopez found the back of the net for LA in the first half after goals from Zachary Parcher and Roy Bayona gave FC Dallas an early lead.
“It felt great to win,” said Gabriela Fontanesi to LAGalaxy.com following the victory. “It was amazing to play in this big stadium and in front of so many fans. It was an incredible experience.”
Like the first team who played immediately prior to the match, the Galaxy SOSC Unified Team went into the break behind.
Dallas struck in quick succession as tallies by Parcher in the seventh minute and Bayona in the 19th minute put the home side ahead. The Galaxy began their rally late in the second half when Lopez beat the Dallas ‘keeper for LA’s first of the evening.
Just as Robbie Keane did in the first team match hours earlier, Arriaza took over the game when his team needed him most.
The 22-year-old Galaxy SOSC captain, in his final year of eligibility for Special Olympics Unified sports, pulled his team level in the 45th minute with a curling effort that sailed into the Dallas net. Two minutes later, Arriaza put the Galaxy ahead for good with a blistering rocket into the corner of the net for the game-winner.
“We worked hard. My team and I deserved a win so I worked really hard to get two goals. I did it not just for myself but for my team as well,” Arriaza told LAGalaxy.com afterward. “We really wanted it. We couldn’t stay behind. We had to catch up and we did. It was a great feeling to win.”
The two teams will meet again on Sept. 26 on the main field at StubHub Center.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at www.LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
