FC DALLAS v CD GUADALAJARA
Group Stage - GROUP A - Match 1
Tuesday, July 24, 2007 - 8 p.m. CT
Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas
REFEREE/ARBITRO: Walter Quesada (CRC)
ASSISTANT REFEREES/ARBITROS ASISTENTES: Kermit Quisenberry (USA); Emiliano Monje (USA)
FOURTH OFFICIAL/CUARTO OFICIAL: Jair Marrufo (USA)
SuperLiga 2007 kicks off at Pizza Hut Park when FC Dallas plays host to Chivas de Guadalajara. The teams have never met in official competition, but Chivas twice defeated the then-Dallas Burn in friendly matches. FC Dallas currently sits in second place in the Western Conference in Major League Soccer. In the 2007 Clausura, Chivas finished atop Group 1 with 31 points from 17 matches, losing 2-0 on aggregate to Club América in the semifinals of the Liguilla (playoffs).
FC Dallas
FC Dallas have lost just once in their seven league matches entering their SuperLiga campaign, after their last match, a 3-3 draw with D.C. United on July 14 when they were three goals down early in the second half. FCD last lost on June 17, with two victories and two draws since. The recent surge has been led by Colombian Juan Toja, who has four goals in the last seven games, and also scored in the MLS All-Stars victory against Celtic FC last week.
CD Guadalajara
CD Guadalajara come into SuperLiga after a successful venture in the Peace Cup in Korea, despite failing to advance. Chivas defeated Racing Santander of Spain 5-0 and Seongham Ilhwa of Korea 1-0, but in losing 2-1 to England's Bolton Wanderers did not advance to the knockout stage. Over their entire preseason camp, Chivas have lost just one game. The Korean tournament allowed manager José Manuel de la Torre to begin to establish a starting team in advance of their Clausura opener on Aug. 5 at Pumas UNAM.
State of play: Group A
Later on this evening, the other two teams in Group A face off at The Home Depot Center when the Los Angeles Galaxy face CF Pachuca. On Saturday, FC Dallas will play host to Pachuca while Guadalajara will travel to Los Angeles. Two nights later, the two MLS sides will play at Pizza Hut Park, while the two Mexican clubs will meet at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.
