Under a broiling Texas sun, FC Dallas outlasted Chivas USA, taking a 2-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Pizza Hut Park.
"It was a tough game, the conditions were tough for both teams," said FCD head coach Colin Clarke. "I don't know what the temperature was, but it was very hot.
"Both teams had some good stuff at times and both probably gave it up too much at times and it was hard to win the ball back," he said. "But we're very happy with the result. I thought that we deserved it and it's another good win."
In the 28th minute Carlos Ruiz scored, tying the league record for consecutive games with a goal, hitting for his seventh game in a row. It matched Raul Diaz Arce, who accomplished the feat with D.C. United in 1997, and Wolde Harris, who did it with the New England Revolution in 2000.
Late substitute Roberto Mina struck in the 82nd minute to give the Hoops a two-goal lead but Ante Razov made things interesting in the 83rd minute to put his league-leading total at nine for the year.
FC Dallas was fortunate to have another substitute come off the bench and produce as Mina did in the 82nd minute.
Clarke has looked like a tactical genius at times with his late additions, but with Mina, it was all about "fresh legs," Clarke said. "He came on strong and active and took his goal very, very well."
Though they weren't really the "Hoops" on the day -- the club donned the blue and yellow of Tigres as a tribute to their Mexican partner club on Sunday -- FCD thought it had the game wrapped up after Mina's strike. But resilient Chivas USA had other plans, scoring just a minute later.
"It's disappointing," said Clarke. "It was a long ball that was just knocked down and the one person it falls to is the one that you don't want it to fall to (Razov). He's as hot as Carlos is at the minute and he did what all good finishers do and put it in the back of the net."
Minus giving up the late goal the Hoops were glad to bounce right back after the 2-1 home loss to Columbus last weekend.
"We came out with the goal of getting three points," said FCD defender Drew Moor. "Obviously it was tough conditions for both teams and we knew they were coming off a tough match on Thursday before traveling here so we wanted to go at them early and Carlos was able to give us the early goal and we went from there."
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
