Group Stage - GROUP A - Match 5
Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 7 p.m. CT
Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas
FC DALLAS v CF PACHUCA
REFEREE: Samir Osman (EGY)
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Thomas Supple (USA); Steven Taylor (USA)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Abbey Okulaja (USA)
MATCH BACKGROUND
Two teams who felt they could have come away from their SuperLiga opener with maximum points come together at Pizza Hut Park when FC Dallas plays host to FC Pachuca. FC Dallas saw CD Guadalajara allow an equalizer they thought questionable, then survived the final 18 minutes playing a man down. CF Pachuca dominated statistically against the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center, but still went down 2-1 to a late Landon Donovan goal.
FC Dallas
FC Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse had not appeared in official competition for the club - until he was given the start in the 1-1 draw with Chivas in the Group A opener. "I thought he was great," FCD coach Steve Morrow said. "He didn't know until an hour and half before kickoff that he would be starting. ... He deserved the chance from the outset. He has done very well for us in the last few weeks, has worked very hard in training and deserved his opportunity tonight. I thought he put on a very mature display tonight for a young kid in a pressurized situation in his first game. I felt that he made some great saves and played with a lot of maturity." Morrow though was less pleased with the circumstances that led to the one goal to beat the second-year 'keeper. "I thought it was a good, competitive game but I was disappointed that we didn't take all three points," he said. "I thought that there was a lot of good soccer played throughout the game. To lose two points on what I think was a bad call from the referee is very disappointing. I thought that we played well enough to win and to lose a goal in that manner was disappointing."
CF Pachuca
Pachuca felt they did everything but win in their Group A opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Outshooting the Galaxy 23-9, they were able only to get the equalizer from Luis Gabriel Rey. "I believe the team is on the right path but unfortunately ... a team that is does nothing but defend comes out with the result," Meza said. Pachuca were also missing three national team players - Fausto Pinto, Jaime Correa and Juan Carlos Cacho - still on vacation following their national team duties with Mexico for Copa America. Even with those players missing, Pachuca felt they should have won. "They were determined. We had the majority of the possession and some clear scoring chances but they scored two goals and not just one," Pachuca defender Marvin Cabrera said. "Their determination killed us.". "The team isn't just leaving disappointed because of the loss; we're also upset knowing that we were better than our rival but we still didn't win," Rafael Marquez Lugo said.
State of play: Group A
After their victory in the first game, Los Angeles Galaxy sit atop the table in Group A and can seal a berth in the semifinals with a victory against CD Guadalajara. FC Dallas can also go a long way to securing their own spot in the semifinals with a victory against CF Pachuca, while the defending Mexican champions all but need a victory if they are to have hope of advancing.
