Trying to get out of a funk is never easy, but FC Dallas head coach Marco Ferruzzi took some solace from his team's performance in the second half of Friday night's 2-1 defeat by the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.
After a dismal first-half performance that saw the Revs score twice inside the first 22 minutes, FCD could have rolled over and let the Revolution run rampant during the second half.
Instead, the Hoops went into the halftime break, regrouped, and put together a performance that evoked reminders of the team's hot start this season in the second.
Ferruzzi attributed the difference to the team's increased commitment.
"They got two goals in the first half, but we fought hard in the second half," Ferruzzi said. "We were organized; tactically we might have been a little bit better. The boys put everything they had into it. I think in the second half we had New England on their heels, and we might have been able to end up in a tie, but Matt Reis made some fantastic saves that kept them in the game. That was the difference."
Reis spent most of the second half trying to deny FCD a foothold in the game. Of his eight second-half saves, three came at the expense of Kenny Cooper. Cooper tried various methods, including diving headers and curling shots, to beat the Revolution goalkeeper, but he couldn't find a way past the in-form Reis.
"He was incredible," Cooper said. "He came up with some huge saves in some big moments in the game when they were up. He was awesome tonight."
But FCD did get a goal in the 90th minute from substitute Arturo Alvarez. Left out of the starting lineup after Dominic Oduro's emergence, Alvarez sent signs that he wanted his starting role back with a thunderous volley into the roof of the net to give the Hoops a chance to snatch a point in second-half stoppage time.
"He is a great player," Cooper said. "He showed his quality when he came on the field. As his teammate, when I'm on the field with Arturo, I have so much confidence in his ability. He showed his quality in his finish. He has a ton of ability."
Alvarez's strike and the team's second half performance gives Ferruzzi hope that his team can rise out of a difficult run of form (1-5-2 in its last eight games) and meet expectations in the second half of the season.
"We're in a tough spot right now trying to get into our form and working very hard," Ferruzzi said. "We came back in the second half and had a great effort. We've got a long season to play. The boys are committed and we're going to move forward."
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
