STWF Sports | SANDY, Utah | August 19, 2026 — FC Dallas needed every ounce of its attacking quality and resilience Wednesday night, escaping America First Field with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Real Salt Lake.
Dallas improved to 9-5-6 with 33 points, powered by Joaquín Valiente’s first league goal for the club, a two-goal performance from Petar Musa and a stoppage-time winner from Ran Binyamin.
The result gave FC Dallas its sixth road victory of the season and continued a strong run away from home during a demanding stretch of the schedule.
Dallas struck first in the 17th minute when Valiente finished off a move created by captain Ramiro. The goal marked Valiente’s first in MLS play and made him the 11th different FC Dallas player to score this season.
Valiente’s impact extended well beyond his goal.
The Uruguayan midfielder also assisted both of Musa’s goals, adding to a season in which he has become one of Dallas’ most consistent creators. He now leads the club in assists and key passes, and Wednesday marked another example of his growing influence in the final third.
Musa then took center stage.
The FC Dallas forward scored twice to push his season total to a league-leading 16 goals, strengthening his position in the Golden Boot race. His first goal of the night also carried historical significance, making him just the fifth player in MLS history to score at least 15 goals in each of his first three league seasons.
Musa later reached another milestone by scoring his 50th regular-season MLS goal in his 78th appearance. That made him the fastest player in FC Dallas history to reach 50 league goals and placed him among the 10 fastest players in MLS history to accomplish the feat.
Dallas appeared to be in control after building a two-goal advantage, but Real Salt Lake refused to go away.
The hosts capitalized on moments of defensive vulnerability and turned the match into a back-and-forth contest. FC Dallas carried a 3-1 advantage before RSL mounted a second-half response and eventually pulled even at 3-3.
With the match seemingly headed toward a draw, Binyamin delivered the decisive moment.
In the second minute of second-half stoppage time, the midfielder drifted into space on the right side and finished a chance created by Ramiro to give Dallas a 4-3 lead.
It was Binyamin’s first MLS goal and his first could hardly have come at a more important moment.
The goal made him the 12th different FC Dallas player to score this season and rewarded a bench contribution that head coach Eric Quill praised afterward.
Quill pointed to the group’s mentality and depth as central to the victory, emphasizing that Dallas continued pushing for three points even after surrendering its lead.
That mentality has become increasingly important during a compressed portion of the schedule. Dallas is navigating a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday rhythm, forcing Quill to rely on rotation and depth while maintaining competitive intensity.
The road success has also become a notable storyline.
With Wednesday’s win, FC Dallas tied its post-shootout era club record with six road victories, matching totals previously achieved in 2007, 2011 and 2018.
For a team trying to build momentum late in the season, the ability to win away from home could prove critical.
Dallas will not have much time to celebrate.
FC Dallas returns to action Saturday, Aug. 22, when it travels to face the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT.
After surviving a seven-goal thriller in Utah, Dallas now turns its attention to extending its winning momentum in another difficult road environment.
