FC Dallas returned to training Wednesday after defeating the Chicago Fire 2-1 on Saturday night at the Cotton Bowl. The players who did not appear in the match then boarded a plane and traveled to Canyon, Texas, to take on West Texas A&M on Monday night. The professionals downed West Texas A&M by a 7-0 final.
The 2-1 victory over Chicago featured good impressions by two new players just two minutes into the match. Forward Carlos Ruiz made a touch header pass to an unmarked Richard Mulrooney, who along with Ruiz, made his FC Dallas debut.
Mulrooney capitalized on his first big chance by burying the ball in the lower left corner of the net to put the team up 1-0. The team, featuring their new home kits with the red hoops on their jerseys, held the lead into halftime.
Again, just two minutes after the second half started Eddie Johnson continued his hot streak with a header he knocked in to give FC Dallas a 2-0 lead. They would end up winning the match 2-1.
With the victory, the team snapped a four-game winless streak in home openers. Dallas has started the season 10 consecutive years at home. Their overall record is now 5-3-2.
A new tradition has begun in Dallas. The team has a new name, a new stadium coming in August, new uniforms and it is looking for a new outcome in 2005. Thirteen of Dallas' first 19 matches will be played away from Texas as the team awaits the completion of their new stadium in Frisco. They start the heavy road schedule Saturday night at Colorado.
In their first nine road openers, Dallas is 3-5-1, winning last season at Chicago 2-0. Overall, FC Dallas is unbeaten in four of their past five meetings with Colorado, going 2-1-2 over that span. Saturday's match should be close due. In all five previous meetings with the Rapids, the games were decided by one goal or less.
