Forgive Arturo Alvarez and Drew Moor if they feel like they owe Houston something. The two FCD players missed the season opener against Chivas USA last Sunday, suspended after being sent off in the second leg of last fall's MLS Western Conference Semifinals. The duo are ready to set things right.
Alvarez was shown red in the 47th minute of that 4-1 extra-time loss after apparently kicking Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis below the belt in a corner of Robertson Stadium. Moor was booked in the 99th minute for a reckless foul and cautioned again in the 119th, resulting in his expulsion.
For both, missing Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chivas USA was tough.
"I wish I would have been there to help the team out any way I could," Alvarez said. "We were a little unfortunate not to get the win since they tied us in the final minutes. It wasn't a bad result. We wish that we could have gotten three points but we didn't. Houston is a game that means a lot to me. I got the red card against them there last year and am looking forward to it."
Said Moor: "It's tough because you want to be out there for the first game of the season. You only have one of those each year, so there's some added excitement with that. I thought the boys played well and created some very good chances in the first half. Defensively, I thought they looked very solid. I'm definitely ready to get going on Sunday. Hopefully, I will be back in the lineup and ready to go."
Alvarez and Moor both put together solid years in 2007. Alvarez played in 27 games, 21 of those starts and had three goals and three assists. His eight goals in all competitions earned him a new contract in the offseason. As for Moor, he started 28 times for the Hoops, had a career-high two goals and also made his U.S. national team debut at Copa America.
With his roster currently a bit depleted because of injuries, FCD head coach Steve Morrow is glad to get them both back for this Sunday's battle with their in-state rivals.
"That's great," Morrow said. "We have a few injuries right now and need everybody available. Drew (Moor) and Arturo (Alvarez) are two very important players for us. It's going to be great to have them both available this weekend."
In seven career games against Houston, three of those starts, Alvarez has one goal but it counted. In September 2006, the Houston native netted the game-winner of a 1-0 win for FCD against the Dynamo at Pizza Hut Park, which remains their only regular season win against the Orange.
"A lot of stuff is going on with this game," Alvarez said. "They're the defending champions again. We have to go in there and change things. I think this is the year that we can do that, get good results there and here against Houston. I think they're still a good team but we're stronger as well. We know it's going to be a good game."
Moor has started six times against the Dynamo and has one goal and one assist but he is well aware of his side's 0-4-0 mark against them at Robertson Stadium.
"They always make it very tough for us when we go down there," he said. "It's going to be their home opener, so I imagine that there will be plenty of people there and crazy fans like there was in the playoffs last year.
"It's a game that I look forward to. I'm ready to go. I can't wait for Sunday to come and I'm sure Arturo (Alvarez) feels the same way. We both feel as though we let the team down a little bit and it's a good place to start this year to maybe redeem ourselves."
The FCD defender admits that since FCD has never won on Dynamo's home field, playing there has become a psychological thing for the Hoops but it's not something that they can't overcome.
"I think everything plays into it a little bit," Moor said. "It's a tough atmosphere and they look at that as their fortress. They don't want other teams to come in and take points away from them. We need to change things against them. We need to get past that psychological barrier a bit. Right now, we go into Robertson and it's a tough place for us to play. But it's a new year and we have different players, a new formation and are ready to go."
Moor will likely step back into his normal starting role on the right of the back three, while it's unclear where Alvarez will play. He could start up top alongside Kenny Cooper or could man one of FCD's five midfield spots in the 3-5-2 formation.
Both got a nice tuneup last weekend when they started for the FCD reserves in a 1-1 draw with the Chivas USA reserves. Moor had the lone goal for the Hoops when he scored off a header in the first half.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
