FC Dallas didn’t just pick up its first road win of the season in Washington, D.C., they delivered one of their most complete performances of the year so far.

From the opening whistle to the final moments of stoppage time, Dallas controlled the match in a 4-0 win over D.C. United, combining attacking sharpness with a renewed defensive edge. For head coach Eric Quill, the performance was as much about fixing recent issues as it was about showing the team’s potential.

“We talked about that we’ve given up six goals in the last two games, and that’s not us,” Quill said. “We really wanted to focus on who we were behind the ball… making sure that we’re not giving up big chances on the road, giving them life.”

That defensive focused showed immediately. Dallas limited D.C. United’s opportunities throughout the night, by only giving up 11 shots in the match. Along with the defensive focus, the team continued to show how dangerous they can be going forward into the attack.

“We know we have quality going forward,” he said. “The collective behind the ball… I thought the second goal, right before the half, was a really key goal for us.”

That moment, a stunning free kick goal from Patrickson Delgado, gave Dallas a two-goal cushion going into halftime and helped avoid the kind of slip-up the team has experienced in previous matches this season.

Instead of sitting back, Dallas doubled down and continued to push the envelope.

“I challenged them with that mentality to stay front footed and not conserve the lead, but keep going for more,” Quill added.

After D.C. United gained some momentum after making some key second half subs, Dallas calmed things down and were able to get back into attacking mode with goals from Osaze Urhoghide and Petar Musa to put the game completely out of reach. Quill was quick to point out the impact that his subs made off the bench to help maintain the team’s intensity.

“The five subs really came on and changed the game for the better,” he said. “It’s a beautiful performance… defending set pieces, attacking set pieces, transitions — everything was honest with us tonight.”

Up top, Logan Farrington continues his breakout campaign with his fourth goal of the season, opening the scoring with yet another clever touch off a long ball from Ramiro before calmly placing it into the back of the net.

“I saw there was a lot of space,” Farrington said. “Ramiro played a great ball. I kind of lost it for a second, but I found it… and just wanted to get an extra touch so I could get slotted near post past the keeper.”

More importantly, Farrington highlighted the growing chemistry within the squad, something that is becoming increasingly more evident each week.

“We’re very familiar with everybody… we’ve added a couple pieces which make us better,” he said. “Every week, we’re pushing each other… knowing everybody’s roles without having to say them.”

That cohesion isn’t just showing up in the attack. In goal, Michael Collodi picked up his second shutout of the season. The young Homegrown keeper emphasized how important it was for the group to lock things down defensively after giving up six goal in their previous two games.

“Really good all around team performance,” Collodi said. “Putting in two goals each half is what we want to do… and then the clean sheet is something that we’re really focused on.”

Even with a rotated lineup, the standard didn’t drop, something Collodi credit to the overall quality and trust within the squad.

“It’s just a bunch of good players… you can put them in a different spot, and they will get the job done,” he said. “It’s just trusting each other.”

Now for Dallas, the challenge becomes carrying this momentum forward into a three-game home stand coming up. Quill made it clear there’s no room for complacency in MLS.

“We’re gonna keep our feet on the ground,” he said. “Every opponent is tough, and we want to keep climbing the table.”

Still, performances like this one are exactly what FC Dallas has been building toward. They’re a team that can score from anywhere, defend as a unit, and close out games with authority.

If this is indeed the new standard for this club, the rest of the Western Conference might want to start paying attention.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Logan Farrington and Petar Musa continued red-hot starts and Dallas breezed to a 4-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night.

Michael Collodi finished with three saves to earn his second clean sheet this season for Dallas (3-1-2) and his fifth in 15 career starts.

Farrington used assists from Ramiro Benetti and defender Sebastien Ibeagha in the 16th minute to score for the third time and give Dallas a 1-0 lead. Farrington has 12 career goals in 67 appearances with the club. Benetti had four assists last season, his first in the league. Ibeagha’s helper was his third in 195 career matches.

Patrickson Delgado scored for the first time this season off a free kick in the first minute of stoppage time and Dallas took a two-goal lead into the break.

Defender Osaze Urhoghide scored with a header in the 78th minute for a 3-0 advantage. He had two goals as a rookie last season. Joaquín Valiente and Kaick Ferreira had assists. Valiente subbed into the match in the 71st minute before notching his third assist in his first five appearances. Kaick’s helper was his first in his 33rd appearance.

Musa scored unassisted in the first minute of stoppage time to cap the scoring. It was his seventh goal, tying for the league lead with Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge, who played later Saturday. Musa has 41 goals through his first 66 MLS matches.

Sean Johnson totaled three saves for DC United (2-3-1), which falls to 10-8-5 at home in the all-time series with Dallas. Johnson posted two shutouts and allowed only four goals through his first five starts.

Collodi surrendered nine goals through his first five starts.

DC is 10-7-5 all time at home against Dallas.

Up next

Dallas: Hosts St. Louis City on Saturday.

DC: Visits the New England Revolution on Saturday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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