Julio Strikes Against Former Club as FC Dallas Earns Draw with RSL

FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake shared the points in a tightly contested 1-1 draw at Toyota Stadium on Saturday night, with midfielder Anderson Julio providing the key moment for the home side in the second half. The result keeps Dallas (4-4-4, 16 points) mid-table in the Western Conference while RSL (4-7-1, 13 points) continues to search for consistency.

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Julio, who arrived in Dallas this past offseason from Salt Lake, punished his former club in the 52nd minute with a composed finish inside the box. The Ecuadorian now shares the team lead in goals (3) alongside Lucho Acosta and Petar Musa. The assist came from Brazilian winger Pedrinho, who entered the match at halftime and recorded his second helper of the campaign.

“It felt good to score against a club that means a lot to me,” Julio said post-match. “But I’m focused on helping this team win.”

The evening also marked a long-awaited return for midfielder Paxton Pomykal. The 24-year-old Homegrown made his season debut in the 81st minute, stepping onto the pitch for the first time in over 14 months after suffering a knee injury in March 2024.

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“It’s been a tough journey,” Pomykal said. “Just being back out there, hearing the fans, it meant everything.”

On the defensive end, veteran center back Lalas Abubakar reached a career milestone by making his 200th domestic appearance across all competitions. The Ghanaian international has previously featured for Columbus Crew and Colorado Rapids before landing in Dallas ahead of the 2025 season.

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Saturday’s match drew a crowd of 11,004, continuing FC Dallas’ sellout streak with its 22nd consecutive full house at Toyota Stadium. The club is currently undergoing renovation work on the stadium’s east side as part of an ongoing modernization effort.

Up next, FC Dallas turns its attention to a pivotal rivalry clash with Houston Dynamo FC on Saturday, May 17. The Texas Derby kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV and the FC Dallas app.

A rebroadcast of Saturday’s draw against Real Salt Lake will air Monday, May 13, from 7–9 p.m. CT on KDFI More 27.