Win turns FC Dallas into serious contenders
Center backs come up big as FCD enters four-way tie for eighth
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The win gives FCD 39 points, which ties them with Toronto FC, New England and D.C. United for the eighth and final playoff spot.
"I thought it was a really pressure game," FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "It was a game that we went in and desperately needed to win. The focus was to play our best. We scored a nice goal early. I thought we did pretty well that first 20-25 minutes and then, they started to play well. We lost the center midfield. They were winning a lot of second balls and really making things dangerous for us.
"Second half, we talked about keeping possession and keeping our emotions because we felt they would try to disrupt us," Hyndman continued. "We were able to pick up a second goal. I thought the goal they got was one of their better chances. Then, we were able to hold on. I thought it was an exciting game. We kind of made it a little bit harder for ourselves but we can't complain too much about winning."
FCD went ahead in the fourth minute after rookie defender George John headed home a Dave van den Bergh free kick for his first career MLS goal. Fellow defender Ugo Ihemelu added his first goal of the year in the 66th minute, also off a free kick, before Colorado's Pat Noonan cut the lead to 2-1 in the 71st minute. However, FCD was able to hold on for the victory.
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"(It's) nice, I guess. It's a goal that came at the right time," Ihemelu said. "This gives us a chance to make the playoffs, so that's the biggest thing.
"(The) ball was played in and I just anticipated it and I was trying to cover back post and the ball bounced to me. If you knew what went through my head, 'Don't miss this, don't miss this, don't miss this.' I didn't want to overhit it, I just tried to tap it on goal and Preston Burpo did a good job to get across and it just went in. I'll take it."
Hyndman has now employed the same first 11 in three of the last four games. However, at least two of Saturday's starters had to battle through some physical problems that put them at less than 100 percent.
"Heath (Pearce) was sick all week. He didn't practice the last two days and a matter of fact, we sent him home with the flu (earlier in the week)," Hyndman said. "Dax (McCarty) had inflamed groin, so he took a shot right before the game. He had a really good game. Heath was kind of up and down a little bit and you could tell he was trying to catch his breath. I think this back four is one of the best in the country."
The attendance was 15,243, FCD's second-largest crowd of the year, behind only the March 21 season opener against Chicago, which drew 15,905.
"It's something you have to earn," Hyndman said of the fan support. "You can't expect the crowd to be like Toronto's or Columbus. It's something you have to earn. We've been able to earn the respect of the soccer fan who wanted to come out and support us in our last home game. This is our fourth win in a row. I think they're starting to see good soccer and hopefully this continues."
FCD will now travel to Qwest Field to face Seattle Sounders FC next Saturday. Ihemelu, for one, will be ready.
"From the game, how the whole team performed, you could tell we really wanted to win this game, we're really fighting to make the playoffs," he said. "We created tons of chances and I think we did a good job of eliminating theirs. Week after week, we've just been fighting and playing our style of soccer. It's a good brand of soccer, we're creating chances and we've stepped up our defense. This is the way we want to keep going into the next game and hopefully into the playoffs."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
