Petar Musa just catapulted FC Dallas into fifth place in the Western Conference and back to the top of the Golden Boot race, all thanks to his 14th goal of the season in a massive 2-1 victory over Texas rivals Austin FC. That perfectly placed strike from the top of the box was pure magic and pushed him one goal ahead of New York City FC’s Nicolas Fernández Mercau.
The Ruler of the Rivalry Steps Up
When the score was tied in the second half, Musa did what he always does: he found a gap. He unleashed a left-footed curler that kissed off the post and into the net. It was a clutch moment, one that secured a crucial Copa Tejas rivalry win. After that, FC Dallas locked it down, refusing to give up the lead. This man truly owns the Verde & Black, with this goal marking his seventh goal contribution, four goals and three assists, against them, more than any other MLS team he has ever faced. He told Apple TV after the match, “We know how special this game is. We want to win every game, especially this one. I’m very happy about three points, but it’s more about the performance we put in from the first minute.” The Croatian Designated Player has been an absolute goal machine since arriving from Benfica, racking up an incredible 48 league goals in just three seasons. This latest strike against Austin is his second in league play since the World Cup break, and he even got on the scoresheet against Toluca in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday.
Golden Boot Charge is Heating Up
Musa is in the thick of a super competitive race for the Golden Boot. While he now leads with 14 goals, Fernández Mercau is right behind him with 13. Then you have a pack of four players sitting on 12 goals, including Houston Dynamo FC’s Guilherme, who just hit his fourth in as many games, and the reigning winner, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF. Musa looks like he has found his peak form again, just as FC Dallas is making a serious push for home-field advantage in the postseason. His scoring prowess is absolutely undeniable, earning him a spot on Croatia’s national team at the World Cup, where he even started their opening group stage game and netted a memorable equalizer against England. Musa, ever the professional, added postgame, “I am having a lot of things go my way, but I am focusing on each game. I am not happy with my individual performance tonight, but I know the team has my back. I’m happy with the goal, but not my performance. There are a lot of things to improve on, but we take three more road points.”
Now, Musa and Dallas turn their attention to climbing even higher in the Western Conference table. They have a packed schedule ahead, with a gauntlet of games against teams sitting right around them in the standings. That intense stretch kicks off with a midweek clash at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, 9:30 pm ET, exclusively on Apple TV. You absolutely do not want to miss it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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