FRISCO, Texas (July 19, 2025) — Behind a clinical display of finishing and defensive resilience, FC Dallas cruised to a 3-0 win over St. Louis CITY SC at Toyota Stadium on Friday night. With goals from Kaick and Petar Musa, the hosts snapped a rough patch of form and secured a much-needed three points in front of their home crowd.
Despite surrendering the majority of possession throughout the match, FC Dallas created the more dangerous opportunities, ultimately making their chances count while neutralizing a St. Louis attack that failed to register a single shot on target.
First Half: Patience and Pressure
The opening half saw a tightly contested midfield battle as St. Louis CITY SC clogged central lanes with a compact, physical shape. Their tactic appeared aimed at denying the influential Petar Musa and Sebastian Lletget any space in buildup play, often forcing Dallas wide into less threatening positions.
But Dallas remained composed and patient—and their perseverance paid off in the 24th minute. After a slick passing sequence started by Musa in the middle third, Lletget sent in a perfectly weighted ball across the top of the penalty box. Kaick, timing his run with precision, unleashed a one-time strike into the top-left corner, giving Dallas the early lead.
The visitors nearly equalized minutes before the break when Simon Becher connected on a near-post header from a set-piece delivery. The effort beat the keeper but drifted inches wide of the far post, keeping Dallas ahead at the interval.
Second Half: Musa’s Masterclass
Dallas grew into the match in the second half, finding increasing success in transition. While St. Louis CITY SC maintained their compact shape, they lacked cutting edge in the final third. Meanwhile, Dallas continued to probe and found their reward in the final 10 minutes.
In the 80th minute, substitute Herbert Endeley sparked a quick counter-attack and found Logan Farrington, who slid a clever through ball into the path of Petar Musa. The Croatian striker calmly slotted the ball past Roman Bürki to double the lead.
Just six minutes later, Musa was involved again—this time earning a penalty after setting up Malik Sarver, who was fouled while attempting to control the return pass in the box. Musa stepped to the spot and drilled home the penalty in the 86th minute, securing a brace and putting the result well beyond doubt.
St. Louis Stifled
For a team that entered the night known for its pressing and aggressive forward play, St. Louis CITY SC looked toothless in the attacking third. Despite controlling much of the ball, they mustered zero shots on target. While their defense made several key blocks—including a brilliant stoppage-time header save to deny Bernard Kamungo—they simply couldn’t find an offensive spark.
Dallas keeper Maarten Paes had little to do thanks to a backline led by Nkosi Tafari and Sebastien Ibeagha, who effectively shut down St. Louis’ transitions and long-ball threats.
What It Means
The win moves FC Dallas to within striking distance of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, showing signs of growth and grit under head coach Nico Estévez. For Petar Musa, the performance reinforced his status as one of the league’s most efficient forwards, while the return of Lletget to the starting lineup added a much-needed creative spark.
St. Louis CITY SC, meanwhile, will be left to regroup after one of their most lackluster performances of the season. With the playoff race heating up, they’ll need to find answers quickly to avoid slipping further down the table.
Up Next
FC Dallas will travel to face Austin FC in a Texas Derby showdown next week, while St. Louis heads home to take on LAFC in what promises to be a high-stakes bounce-back opportunity.
Final Score: FC Dallas 3, St. Louis CITY SC 0
Goals: Kaick (24’), Petar Musa (80’, 86’ PK)
Clean Sheet: Maarten Paes (FC Dallas)
