FC Dallas visit Chivas in Week 2 rematch
Both clubs trying to rebound from mid-week disappointments
Related
THE HOME DEPOT CENTER, Carson, Calif.
April 25, 2009 (WEEK 6) / MLS Game #42
9:30 p.m. CT (FSN-PT; FSN-SW)
Chivas USA and FC Dallas meet for the second time this season as the two Western Conference sides come together at The Home Depot Center following mid-week setbacks. Chivas USA lost for the first time this season, falling 2-0 at Toronto FC on Wednesday evening. FC Dallas also dropped a 2-0 decision Wednesday night, eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup by D.C. United in a play-in match after winning for the first time on the year the weekend before.
REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): Greg Boles; JAR (opposite): Corey Rockwell; 4th: Alejandro Mariscal MLS Career: 85 games; FC/gm: 28.9; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 12; pens: 22
INJURY REPORT: CHIVAS USA -- OUT: FW Justin Braun (R knee sprain); DF Bobby Burling (sports hernia surgery); FW Maykel Galindo (sports hernia surgery); DF Ante Jazic (concussion); GK Dan Kennedy (R knee sprain); FW Ante Razov (R ankle surgery); DF Claudio Suárez (L calf strain); DF Lawson Vaughn (L ankle surgery); MF Sasha Victorine (L knee surgery) ... FC DALLAS - OUT: DF Steve Purdy (R hamstring)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHV: Sacha Kljestan
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): FC Dallas 6 wins, 20 goals ... Chivas USA 4 wins, 17 goals ... Ties 4
AT CHIVAS USA: (6 meetings): Chivas USA 2 wins, 9 goals ... FC Dallas 3 wins, 11 goals ... Ties 1
• FC Dallas saw their four-game unbeaten streak against Chivas USA ended in the first meeting this season. FCD had won two with a pair of ties since the last previous win for the Red-and-White, May 26, 2007.
• FC Dallas won four of the first five meetings all-time between the clubs (with one draw), before Chivas USA won three of the next four (with one draw).
• Coaches record: Preki vs. DAL: P6 W2 L2 D2 ... Schellas Hyndman v CHV: P1 W0 L1 D0
LAST MEETING (MLS):
3/29: DAL 0, CHV 2 (Lillingston 56; Stepanovic 75)
• Chivas USA defeated FC Dallas for the first time in nearly two seasons, 2-0 on March 29 at Pizza Hut Park. A pair of newcomers made the difference for the visitors after the break. First, youngster Gerson Mayen hit a looping ball over the top of the FCD defense, and Mexican striker Eduardo Lillingston raced onto it before lashing home a drive on the half-turn inside the right post for his first MLS goal (56).
• Then a quarter-hour from the end, Bojan Stepanovic - signed to a contract just the day before - latched onto a loose ball in midfield, raced into the area past a couple of defenders and hit a low strike inside the left-hand post for his first MLS goal and condemning FCD to an 0-2 start to the season for the first time in club history.
• Here's Hyndman's team (4-3-1-2): Ray Burse - Drew Moor, Steve Purdy, Daniel Torres, Blake Wagner (Aaron Pitchkolan 46) - Dax McCarty (Andre Rocha 65), Pablo Ricchetti, Dave van den Bergh - David Ferreira - Kenny Cooper, Jeff Cunningham (Peri Marosevic 80). Substitutes Not Used: Eric Avila, Bruno Guarda, Josh Lambo, Brek Shea
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Mariano Trujillo, Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein - Atiba Harris, Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Gerson Mayen (Jorge Flores 81) - Justin Braun, Eduardo Lillingston (Bojan Stepanovic 69). Substitutes Not Used: Jim Curtin, Maykel Galindo, Michael Lahoud, Lance Parker
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA went down to defeat for the first time on the season at midweek, falling 1-0 to Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday night. Chivas still lead the Western Conference with 13 points from six matches, now four ahead of Seattle as they still also lead the MLS overall table.LAST MATCH
• Chivas USA were playing in the Eastern time zone for the first time on the season, with four wins and a draw on the season, while Toronto FC were looking for their first victory since a First Kick win at Kansas City.
• The game's lone goal came in the 36th minute. Danny Dichio's header outside the area found Amado Guevara, and the Honduran international raced into the area, dribbled through a couple of defenders and kept possession before lashing home a close-range shot past Zach Thornton.
• TFC rookie goalkeeper Stefan Frei was called upon to make just a single save in recording his first clean sheet as a professional, that coming on a long-range freekick from Sacha Kljestan in the first half.
• Chivas USA head coach Preki made one change to the team that defeated Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 at home the Saturday before. Paulo Nagamura returned from suspension and Sacha Kljestan moved to the right of midfield in place of Atiba Harris.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Mariano Trujillo (Gerson Mayen 66), Carey Talley, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein - Sacha Kljestan, Paulo Nagamura, Jesse Marsch, Bojan Stepanovic - Eduardo Lillingston (Chukwudi Chijindu 46), Alecko Eskandarian (Michael Lahoud 60). Substitutes Not Used: Jim Curtin, Jorge Flores, Atiba Harris, Lance Parker
• "They [Toronto] just seemed to want it more than us, created a couple more opportunities and in the end got the result tonight," Chivas coach Preki said. "It was a tough game under difficult conditions - with strong winds, cold and played on an artificial surface as well. In the end we came up a little bit short - they may have worked harder than us on the night and got the three points."
TEAM NEWS
• It was only the third goal of the season scored against Chivas as they lost for the first time ever to Toronto FC in five starts, with the Red-and-White also holding a 9-2 scoring edge until Wednesday's loss. Toronto outshot Chivas 6-3 on an evening where Thornton was kept busy snaring several searching long balls, crosses and corner kicks as Toronto pressed for a second goal.
• "(Zach Thornton) had a couple of saves but apart from corner kicks I don't think they created too many chances, maybe one free kick and a couple of corner kicks," said Preki. "They really didn't have a lot of chances - maybe one in the first half and that was it -- but we didn't have any chances either."
• The Guevara goal was the first allowed by Chivas USA in 265 minutes, since Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored for Columbus on April 5. Still, Chivas has not allowed more than one goal in any single game.
• "There was a melee going on at the top of the box and we were trying to clear the ball," said Thornton. "The ball bounced off of one of our players [Trujillo] and it just bounced perfectly to Guevara. He is a good finisher so anytime he gets in that close on the goal with the ball it's going to be tough for the goalkeeper."
• Chivas USA has taken nine points from their three home games for the best record on their own ground this year, and they have allowed just three goals from their six games, still tied for the best defensive record in the league with Seattle Sounders FC and the New England Revolution.
• For the most part it was pretty ugly, pretty scrappy and I think they were very fortunate to get a goal towards the end of the first half, that kind of came out of nothing," Eskandarian said. "I think our defense was doing fine, we were playing fine and they just kind of got a lucky goal and that changes everything. It was a tough loss for sure, but we have to move on and get better for Saturday."
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas won for the first time on the season, getting a late penalty kick for a 3-2 victory against Toronto FC last Sunday evening at Pizza Hut Park. FCD now has four points from five matches on the season, still sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, nine points off the pace set by Chivas USA.LAST MATCH
• FC Dallas and Toronto FC were meeting in the back end of their home-and-home series over two weekends, where a late equalizer had given FCD their first point on the season after three losses the week before. TFC were winless in three after a season-opening victory.
• The home side led by two goals just before halftime. In the 25th minute, Dax McCarty put in a freekick from the left flank and Drew Moor escaped his marker to head home for his first goal on the season. Then in the 44th minute, David Ferreira stole the ball and slipped it to Kenny Cooper, who lashed home a low drive from outside the area inside the right post.
• But just before the break, the Reds pulled level. A long corner found Carl Robinson unmarked beyond the far post, and he drove in a low centering pass that Adrian Serioux -- obtained from FC Dallas in the offseason -- turned into the goal from close range.
• Then in the 59th minute, TFC pulled even. A soaring ball from Fuad Ibrahim from the left flank was met with a clever midfield header from Amado Guevara, and he put it in behind the FCD defense to send Chad Barrett in alone on goal. Barrett coolly slid it past goalkeeper Ray Burse for his first on the season.
• Yet FCD went back ahead six minutes from the end. Ferreira popped the ball up in the area, and when it his Marvell Wynne's hand, referee Tim Weyland pointed to the spot. Cooper converted the penalty kick for his fourth goal on the year and sealed the first victory for Dallas on the year.
• FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman made one change to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC in the front end of their home-and-home series at BMO Field. Marcelo Saragosa made his season debut, coming in at right back for Michael Dello-Russo.
• Here's Hyndman's team (4-1-3-2): Ray Burse - Marcelo Saragosa, George John, Drew Moor, Blake Wagner - Pablo Ricchetti - Andre Rocha (Eric Avila 64), Dax McCarty (Jeff Cunningham 71), Dave van den Bergh - Kenny Cooper (Daniel Torres 92+), David Ferreira. Substitutes Not Used: Michael Dello-Russo, Josh Lambo, Peri Marosevic, Alvaro Sanchez
• "I thought our players played well today, to pick up three goals. Defensively, we're still victims of little mistakes, which I think will just take time to get better, but I think all in all that the players were very inspired to get a win. We felt that we should have more than one point in these last few games, and the players were very focused this week in training, I think it was very upbeat," Hyndman said. "I thought they did a good job on the field, and I'm pleased with the outcome, obviously."
TEAM NEWS
• FCD had conceded penalty kicks in two of their four games on the season entering the TFC match. "I guess what you can say is that the referees are calling them," he said. "It was nice to have one go our way absolutely. As it turns out, it's the game difference. We've given up two in the first three games. If you want to use the word karma, it was good."
• A season ago, FC Dallas recorded just five wins in 15 home games at Pizza Hut Park, and then went down to defeat in their first two home games this season before turning it around against Toronto.
• "Home is a place where you've got to count on getting points," Drew Moor said. "Obviously it's tough to go on the road in some of these places, so we've got to make this place a fortress. To lose our first two games was a wakeup call. We've got to be stronger at home and not allow teams to come in here and get points. This has to be a place where teams don't have an easy time of it."
• For Cooper, his two-goal game was the fifth of his MLS career. He had recorded 12 game-winning goals and is now 6-for-6 from the penalty spot.
• "I think Kenny is the face of this franchise," Hyndman said. "(Sunday) he scored a great goal and then he gets the PK goal. Against Toronto, he's really done well last year and again this year. I imagine that right now, he's one of the top players in the league when it comes to goals. He's an important player to this team."
• On Wednesday, FC Dallas were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 loss to D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Fred (21) and Brandon Barklage (66) scored for United, who now move into a second-round play-in against the winner of the April 29 match between the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls, with the winner of that game entering the tournament proper.
• Two players, Peri Marosevic and Alvaro Sanchez, made their FCD debuts as Hyndman made six changes from the weekend league match. Here's Hyndman's team: Ray Burse, Michael Dello-Russo, Drew Moor, George John (Aaron Pitchkolan 8), Daniel Torres, Eric Avila, Pablo Ricchetti, Alvaro Sanchez (Bruno Guarda 90), Dave van den Bergh (David Ferreira 73), Peri Marosevic, Jeff Cunningham (Kenny Cooper 71).
• "I think we did the same thing D.C. United did; we rested players," Hyndman said. "We also went with young players. It was a great opportunity to try some of our younger players knowing that we are coming back here again."
