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D.C. UNITED v FC DALLAS
RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m. ET (CSN-DC; FSN-SW)
April 29, 2006 (WEEK #5) / MLS Game #24
Another mouthwatering matchup for the early season awaits at RFK Stadium, where the top two teams to this point in the 2006 campaign face off. Both clubs are still unbeaten on the season. D.C. United has followed a season-opening draw with three successive victories, matching their best-ever start to a season, while FC Dallas also has three victories and a draw to show for their efforts thus far, though all of their wins have come in the friendly confines of Pizza Hut Park.
REFEREE: Mark Geiger. SAR (bench): Greg Barkey; JAR (opposite): C.J. Morgante; 4th: Jorge Gonzalez
MLS Career: 15 games; FC/gm: 31.9; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 3; pens: 8
MLS 2006: 1 game; FC/gm: 35.0 (avg: 31.7); Y/gm: 3.0 (avg: 3.82); R: 0 (MLS: 4); pens: 0 (MLS: 3)
Games involving United: P3 W2 L1 T0; FC/gm: 38.0; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 0; pens: 5
Games involving FC Dallas: P3 W1 L1 T1; FC/gm: 38.0; Y/gm: 4.3; R: 2; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: D.C. UNITED - OUT: GK Nick Rimando (mid-foot sprain); DF David Stokes (R quad strain); MF Santino Quaranta (R hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Bryan Namoff (groin strain); MF Justin Moose (hamstring strain) ... FC DALLAS - QUESTIONABLE: GK Jeff Cassar (R hip); MF Arturo Alvarez (L ankle sprain); MF Richard Mulrooney (R ACL)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: DAL: DF Chris Gbandi (through April 30)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (26 meetings): United 10 wins (0 shootout), 49 goals ... FC Dallas 14 wins (4 shootout), 48 goals ... 2 draws
AT RFK STADIUM: (11 meetings): United 6 wins (0 shootout), 30 goals ... FC Dallas 4 wins (2 shootout), 17 goals ... 1 draws
This is the first of two league meetings scheduled between the clubs this season, the only one set for RFK Memorial Stadium. They are scheduled to face off at Pizza Hut Park on July 4.LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/28: DC 0, DAL 2 (Ruiz 49, 56)
9/10: DAL 1, DC 2 (Nunez 87- Erpen 15; Quaranta 72)
A year ago, the teams split their season series - each winning on the other's home ground. That came after the home side won two of the three meetings (with one draw) in the 2005 season series; the last road victory was a 3-1 United win at Dragon Stadium in Southlake on July 2, 2003.
Dallas has won eight of the last 13 meetings between the clubs, with a pair of draws, dating back to July 8, 2000. From a victory that night at the Cotton Bowl, Dallas was unbeaten in the next seven matches in the series, winning six (one draw).
Coaches record: Peter Nowak vs. DAL: P5 W2 L2 D1 ... Colin Clarke v DC: P5 W2 L2 D1D.C. UNITED
D.C. United remained unbeaten on the season, winning for the third consecutive week, a 4-1 win at New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium on Saturday afternoon in their first match away from home on the campaign. United lead the Eastern Conference with 10 points from four matches, tied with FC Dallas for the best record in the league.
LAST MATCH
D.C. United equaled the best start to a season in club history while keeping their Atlantic Cup rivals winless on the year and putting a disappointing finish on a tumultuous week for Red Bull New York.
Eskandarian hit for his double on either side of halftime. He gave United the lead on 41 minutes when Freddy Adu's cross from the left was poorly cleared, ripping a drive back past Tony Meola from inside the area. Then, racing to the United bench, he grabbed a can of Red Bull, took a swig and spit it out on the artificial turf.
Just before the hour he doubled United's lead, finishing off a lovely tic-tac-toe passing sequence. Brian Carroll found Ben Olsen, who completed the triangulation by putting Eskandarian into the area, and he hammered a left-footed strike over Meola into the roof of the goal for his third on the season (59).
United made it 3-0 in the 71st minute on a wonder goal from Facundo Erpen, his long-range attempt from all of 35 yards sailing over Meola and just under the crossbar in the right-hand corner of his goal. It was already the second goal of the season from the Argentinean center back.
Youri Djorkaeff pulled a goal back for the Red Bulls in the 86th minute, running onto a nice through ball from Mike Magee and putting a low drive past Troy Perkins from just inside the area and ending United's scoreless streak at 338 minutes since allowing two goals in the first 18 minutes of the season to the Red Bulls.
But it took United just two minutes to restore the margin, Carroll steaming up the left flank before slipping an angled pass into the box that Walker stabbed home on the run.
United boss Peter Nowak made one change to the team that defeated Houston Dynamo 2-0 the Saturday before at RFK Stadium. Alecko Eskandarian returned to the starting lineup, coming to partner Jaime Moreno in attack as Lucio Filomeno returned to the substitutes' bench.
Here's Nowak's team (3-4-1-2): Troy Perkins - Facundo Erpen, Bobby Boswell, Brandon Prideaux (Bryan Namoff 82) - Joshua Gros, Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Freddy Adu - Christian Gomez (Clyde Simms 85) - Alecko Eskandarian (Jamil Walker 77), Jaime Moreno. [Substitutes Not Used: Lucio Filomeno, Ryan McIntosh, Devon McTavish, Domenic Mediate]
"The results say everything about the game. I feel the team played very well today," Nowak said. "The group is really fantastic. They come together and everyone covers for each other. The guys off the bench make a difference every single game, so as a coach, I cannot be happier how the group has developed and the type of soccer we are playing. This is just the beginning."TEAM NEWS
Eskandarian made his second start of the season after suffering through a rough injury spell dating back nearly a year, first suffering a concussion then missing much of the preseason with a sports hernia. He now is tied for second in MLS with three goals on the season.
"I feel good and I needed this. Obviously the goal in the opener was big time, but Peter [Nowak] has been great with me, working me to get back in shape and fit and get comfortable playing again, Eskandarian said. "Getting the start today was a big confidence booster for me and I just wanted to repay him and help my team win games. Obviously to do it at home, in front of friends and family, was great for me."
Said Nowak: "I think he has the confidence and it is backed up from the other guys. When he comes off the bench, he makes a difference and when he starts, he makes a difference. That is important and we are going to keep working. Every week we are going to see more and more. Not only from [Eskandarian], but also from [D.C. United midfielder] Freddy [Adu], the back line, and [D.C. United goalkeeper] Troy [Perkins], so we need to develop plays on the right and I think after a couple of weeks, we've been moving in the right direction."
The other big talking point was Eskandarian's goal celebration, where he ran over to the bench, took a swig of Red Bull and spit it out on the Giants Stadium turf. He was fined $250 by the MLS Disciplinary Committee during the week.
"First of all, I'll just say, I have nothing but the greatest respect for Red Bull and their whole organization and what they've done for MLS. By no means was that trying to offend anyone. It was just something funny for the guys to laugh at in the locker room," he said "They are our rivals, and I apologize if I offended anyone, but it should not have. It was just a little joke amongst the team."
United had scored nine consecutive goals until Djorkaeff's strike put an end to the lengthy scoreless streak that had stretched to more than 5 1/2 hours.
"The group did very well to cover for each other. Our game is very fast and we are always moving forward. We keep very tight defensively, but the more we keep the ball, the more space our players have," Nowak said. "I think Alecko's speed was the difference and Jaime did a great job to concentrate on players from the Red Bulls for himself and opened spots for other guys. The most important thing is how the group played together as a unit, which was the difference in the game."
United has equaled the best start in club history, with 10 points from four matches. In 1997, United started the season 4-0, with three of those victories coming in regulation time and one coming by shootout.FC DALLAS
FC Dallas remained unbeaten on the season and perfect at home, trading goals in stoppage time before claiming a wild 2-1 victory against the Kansas City Wizards on Sunday afternoon at Pizza Hut Park. FC Dallas now lead the Western Conference with 10 points from four matches, four ahead of in-state rival Houston Dynamo and level with D.C. United for league's best record.
LAST MATCH
The Wizards came into the game leading the Eastern Conference with a perfect nine points from their opening three matches. But FC Dallas were also undefeated on the season, leading the West after two wins and a draw to start the campaign.
The Hoops got off to a dream start, hometown boy Kenny Cooper scoring his third goal of the season, diving to head home from close range in just the fourth minute after the Wizards just couldn't clear a cross that continued to bound around the packed goalmouth.
But even though FC Dallas were forced to play the final quarter of the match down a man after Chris Gbandi was sent off for hauling back Davy Arnaud, it looked as it the home side might survive - until two minutes deep into stoppage time. A corner was swung in from the right, took a pair of deflections on its way through the area before rolling out to Alex Zotinca beyond the far post, and he hammered a first-time drive back through the pack for the equalizer.
Yet the Hoops had one more answer. Aaron Pitchkolan refused to give up on a ball, twice knocking it away from Wizards players before collecting just inside the Kansas City penalty area and letting fly with a fierce drive that beat Wizards goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi inside the near post to give the Hoops the full three points.
FC Dallas boss Colin Clarke made two changes to the team that drew 2-2 with the Colorado Rapids the weekend before in Denver. Carlos Ruiz returned from a hamstring strain that kept him out for one match, coming back into the lineup in place of Arturo Alvarez. Drew Moor made his first start of the season, coming into central defense in place of Clarence Goodson.
Here's Clarke's team (4-3-3): Dario Sala - Bobby Rhine, Drew Moor, Greg Vanney, Chris Gbandi - Mark Wilson (Ramon Nunez 83), Simo Valakari, Ronnie O'Brien - Kenny Cooper (Aaron Pitchkolan 75), Carlos Ruiz (Alex Yi 73), Roberto Mina. [Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Clarence Goodson, Abe Thompson, David Wagenfuhr]
"We were in control of the game and then the red card happened, which was always going to make it tough, but I thought that we defended well for 20 minutes or so and then to give one up two minutes into added time, especially on a set play which we were never able to get clear, is not good," Clarke said. "But it's a funny game and it's never over 'til it's over and at the end of the day it's a great three points."TEAM NEWS
A year ago, Pitchkolan came out of almost nowhere to make 20 appearances, 15 as a starter, for FC Dallas. He scored three goals on the league season, his first coming in his first career MLS start, May 22 in a 5-2 win v Chivas USA.
"Thank goodness for (Aaron) Pitchkolan," Clarke said after the win. "He is a player that has been around for over a year now and did very, very well for us last year. He comes on, is an honest kid, works hard and today, got an added bonus, which is great."
The second-year midfielder followed up his first team outing of 20 or so minutes by playing all 90 minutes of the reserve game, which began less than an hour after the final whistle had sounded in FCD's 3-2 win against the Wizards.
"I'm pretty winded," he said. "Most of the guys know going in that we have a reserve game after. If you play in the first team game, you know you're probably going to play 90 minutes in the reserve game. It's still soccer, so it's fun."
Said Clarke: "The game's always about that. No matter how good the players are out there, you've got to work. You've got to earn the right to play, earn the right to pass the ball. That's never changed."
Clarke was also pleased with the performance of Drew Moor, who manned central defense along with Greg Vanney and largely kept a lethal Wizards attack under wraps. "I thought Drew Moor was excellent," said Clarke. "I thought he was magnificent today, against probably one of the - apart from our own - best front threes in the league. I don't think he put a foot wrong."
Clarke said goalkeeper Jeff Cassar could also be available this weekend. Cassar has not played since suffering an injury to the AC joint in his right shoulder, which has kept him out of action since Aug. 27, 2005; then just before the start of the season he was found to have arthritis in his right hip in an injury originally believed to be a sports hernia.
"I think he's progressing very well," Clarke said. "He'll be ready to go this weekend (against D.C. United). Obviously, involving him this past weekend (against Kansas City) was a little early. The last thing he needed to do was kick the ball and he's starting to ease into that. I would expect him to be ready for selection this weekend."
