FC Dallas caught a tough break late in Saturday's matchup with Toronto FC at the re-opened BMO Field, when TFC's Will Johnson collided with FCD 'keeper Jesse Gonzalez in the 87th minute, forcing their backstop from the game with an apparent neck injury. Dallas, already having utilized its three subs, had defender Ryan Hollingshead come on as the emergency GK.
After the game, Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said, "There's no update yet." The team hadn't reviewed the specifics of the play, which occurred when Gonzalez punched a shot by Sebastian Giovinco straight up into the air. While tracking the ball slightly to his left, Johnson crashed hard after the rebound, barreling into Gonzalez right at the 6-yard line.
Toronto coach Greg Vanney, before seeing any replay, said he didn't believe Johnson pursued the play with any malice.
"[The ball] spilled and Will committed early," Vanney said. "He was going for this because it's the second goal, it puts the game away. He's going. There was no intention in my opinion, by Will to do anything other than try and find a way to get that ball into the goal and the keeper is doing everything he can to get back into position to make the save. How he catches him, where he catches him, I'm not really certain.
"Obviously, [Gonzalez] came off with some sort of a head, neck injury, which we never want to see. Will plays the game hard every single time he plays the game. And who can fault him for trying to get the goal that's going to seal the game?”
Hollingshead acquitted himself well, picking off this free kick by the reigning MLS MVP.
