United Undone by Dallas 2nd Half by Mark Flannery - July 14, 2007 |
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WASHINGTON, DC - A battle between two of the better MLS sides finished deadlocked at three goals apiece as DC United were unable to hold on against FC Dallas having taken a three-goal lead. |
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United scored twice in the first half, with goals from Luciano Emilio and Fred, with both strikes being set up by long time DC United forward Jaime Moreno. Christian Gomez added the third just two minutes into the second period.
Dallas seemed to be out of answers when Carlos Ruiz stopped the bleeding only four minutes later and Juan Toja added two more goals to level the terms to leave each side with a share of the points.
"We played like young kids," United coach Tom Soehn told the press room afterwards. "We put ourselves in too many situations where we were setting ourselves up to fail instead of getting organized and compacting. A few guys didn't have good performances."
"When you always look at all the players and you have four of five guys who aren't playing up to par, you're setting yourself up for trouble and that's exactly what happened," rued the head man.
Soehn didn't make reference to the fact that his team lost it's first half catalyst Moreno just ten minutes in, but it was the turning point in the match.
With the Bolivian international at forward, along with Ben Olsen on the right side, the home team were continually dangerous with Olsen adding an assist of his own on United's third goal - and Emilio's second - of the evening.
Newly acquired defender Greg Vanney didn't think that Moreno's exit was the reason for the loss, but admitted that keeping possession was a big part of the second half breakdown.
"Sure, when we lost Jaime, we lost that guy that makes you think 'it's not if we're going to score, but when' so that hurt for sure," said the former French Ligue 1 player.
"We didn't keep possession, but it was more of a problem of the backline linking up with the midfield than it was further up the field," the defender added.
DC United's first goal came in the ninth minute when Fred took a blocked Dallas shot the other way and found Moreno sprinting up the right side. Easily onside he crossed over for Emilio at the far post who poked home past Dallas keeper Dario Sala.
Dallas forward Dominic Oduro tried to play his side back in when DC defender Bobby Boswell gave the ball away in his own end. The Dallas forward raced upfield but was unable to create much more.
Adrien Serioux showed some mettle when Moreno tried taking him on in the Houston end, stepping in front of the crafty veteran and extinguishing the Bolivian's hopes.
Houston midfielder Bobby Rhine created some space for himself three minutes later when took pass from Dallas midfielder Juan Toja, but his shot went straight at Troy Perkins, who made the catch save.
Former Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz then took on McTavish up the left hand side and shot past his outstretched leg, forcing Perkins to make a reaction save to keep Dallas off the score sheet.
Moreno took the resulting long goal kick at the opposite end of the field but had a poor first touch on the high bouncer and helped Dallas avoid the embarrassing defensive lapse.
Oduro paid the favor back when Vanney gifted him a turnover in the 29th, allowing the rookie to race up the right side and in on goal. With Ruiz waiting at the far end, Oduro fired well and Vanney was spared disgrace of his own.
Two minutes later. Moreno laid off for Fred who pushed back out Gomez to Christian Gomez who saw Moreno directly in front Sala. Moreno tried to fool Sala by directly backheeling into goal from three yards out but Sala read the play perfectly for an easy save.
Toja, who would play a big part in the second half, had his header on a cross saved out by Troy Perkins to keep the sheet clean.
Just prior to the halftime whistle, Bobby Boswell found Moreno in behind the defense again up the right side where he saw Fred at the far post. The Brazilian just beat Sala to the ball and squeaked his header just inside the left post to give the hosts a two goal lead going into the half.
DC United made it three goals just two minutes on the other side of halftime thanks to Olsen's hustle on the right side. Trying to work with Moreno, Chris Gbandi seemingly broke up the play but Olsen grabbed the loose ball and found Emilio at the far post who flicked in for United's third goal.
Houston forward Carlos Ruiz finally put the Hoops on the scoreboard in the 51st when he headed home a cross from Arturo Alvarez giving hope to the visiting side.
A two on three break in the 54th saw Moreno again behind the Dallas backline though Adrian Serioux was able to step in front of the Bolivian.
A minute later, Moreno, who had been sneaking in behind the Houston defense all night, once again in behind the backline pulled up on his run clutching his hamstring and immediately signaled to be subbed out bringing on Guy-Roland Kpene.
Kpene immediately had a chance to make his mark on the game when Olsen sent a cross in but the Ivorien whiffed on his attempt. Gomez then had acres of space to put a shot on goal but shot way over the top.
Houston were starting to put more pressure on the United back line and midfielder Arturo Alvarez put a swerving left footer on target in the 63rd.
Kpene again missed out on a great opportunity to score after working a one-two with Gomez but Sala made a great one-v-one save to match the effort and keep Dallas within striking distance.
Toja's intensity paid off again when earned the second goal for the visitors in the 71st when he ran right past United defensive midfielder Brian Carroll and connected with cross from Ruiz.
Ten minutes later, second half substitute Abe Thompson crossed to the far post from the left hand side looking for Toja. Perkins badly misjudged the cross and Toja made no mistake with his header into the back of the net.
"He [Perkins] called for the ball and when the goalie calls for the ball you back off - mistakes happen," defender Josh Gros explained.
United had two more chances to reclaim the lead in the game's dying moments, first when Emilio's efforts in the 85th saw him dart for the end line and back out where he found Olsen just beyond the box. The midfielder's shot was technically perfect, keeping the ball low to the ground but wall of red jerseys kept the Hoops out of danger.
Gomez fired in from the left where Emilio, picked up at the last moment stepped up for a header just went just wide right.
Scoring DCU - Luciano Emilio 9 (Jaime Moreno, Fred) 8'
Line-ups DCU - Troy Perkins; Devon McTavish, Bobby Boswell, Greg Vanney, Joshua Gros, Ben Olsen (Clyde Simms 91'), Brian Carroll, Christian Gomez, Fred, Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno (Guy-Roland Kpene 55')
FCD - Dario Sala; Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Adrian Serioux (Abe Thompson 66'), Chris Gbandi, Bobby Rhine, Juan Toja (Aaron Pitchkolan 84'), Arturo Alvarez, Marcelo Saragosa, Dominic Oduro (David Wagenfuhr 86'), Carlos Ruiz |
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