Nobody will remember the CONCACAF Champions League tilt between FC Dallas and UNAM pumas for its quality. For the most part, it was an absolutely dreadful match and lacked anything memorable. What it did have though is a tussle that led to two red cards and Emilio Orrantia showing why he is one of the bright young players in Mexico as he created both of Pumas' goals in their 2-0 win.
FC Dallas Vs. UNAM Pumas, 2011 CONCACAF Champions League: Two Late Goals Propel Pumas
For 39 minutes, there was absolutely nothing worth watching. Then, Luis Fuentes took offense to Jackson trying to go through his back for a ball and decided the best way to respond was with a headbutt. Not smart. Less smart was Jackson responding with a half-hearted kind of, maybe slap. The result was both players seeing red and forcing their teams to play down a man for 50 minutes.
It looked like it wouldn't matter that the field had two less people on it because the second half was as boring as the first. There wasn't anything worth watching. Dallas came close once and Kevin Hartman had to make a couple saves to deny Pumas, but no one would call it beautiful or fluid play.
Then, Orrantia found his way into the match. In the 83rd minute, he went right by Jeremy Hall and fed Eduardo Herrera in front for an easy finish. Pumas has themselves their winner, but Orrantia weren't done. Just for good measure, Orrantis burned Hall one more time in the 90th minute and found David Izazola in front. Like Herrera's finish, Izazola didn't have much to do and he slammed the ball home for the 2-0 Pumas victory.
The Pumas win moves them even on points with FC Dallas and on top of Group C on goal difference. Toronto FC does loom just one point behind both though.
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