Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper scored first-half goals to pace visiting FC Dallas to a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday night. Rookie Robbie Findley scored a late consolation for Los Angeles, but it was too little too late as FC Dallas left The Home Depot Center with its first-ever win against the Galaxy at the Carson stadium.
Los Angeles created a number of chances in the early portions of each half, but just as in Sunday's game in Houston, they failed to find their finishing touch.
It didn't take long for Kenny Cooper to get the offense revved up for Dallas. In the second minute Dallas launched a counter attack and Ruiz picked out Cooper on the left flank. Cooper dribbled in and unleashed a knuckling shot from just outside the area. The shot fooled Galaxy 'keeper Joe Cannon at first and even had him leaning the wrong way, but he managed to reach back and punch the ball clear.
Not to be outdone, the Galaxy started to press forward. In the 12th minute Cobi Jones played a ball in from the left flank and Nate Jaqua managed to get on the end of the cross with a diving header, but his effort bounced inside the goal area and over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Jones played the role of provider again. This time his cross handcuffed Dallas defender Chris Gbandi, who lost his footing on the play and slipped. Chris Albright was there to pounce on the loose ball for the Galaxy and managed to get off a close range shot, but fired the ball into the legs of an onrushing Shaka Hislop.
The Galaxy continued to dominate the early exchanges and in the 23rd minute another chance fell their way. A scramble followed a Galaxy corner kick when Dallas failed to clear their end. The ball eventually made its way to Kyle Martino at the edge of the penalty area, and he fired a dipping volley that sailed just wide of the far post.
Landon Donovan was the next Galaxy player to come close. After fighting through a slew of defenders, Donovan appeared to have broken free in the box. Just as he was about to shoot, a lunging tackle by Drew Moor snuffed out his attack.
Just two minutes later the tide turned and Dallas opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Dallas was awarded the spot kick when Galaxy rookie Ty Harden was harshly ruled to have handled to ball inside the area after Juan Toja's shot hit his arm as it headed toward goal. Ruiz stepped up to the spot and buried his shot just out of the reach of Cannon's dive to put his former team down a goal.
For Ruiz, it was his first goal against his former team at The Home Depot Center and third overall he bagged against the Galaxy. His previous two goals against the Galaxy were at Pizza Hut Park.
Moments later Ruiz tried to double his tally from a free kick 30 yards from goal. Ruiz managed to navigate his shot through the traffic in the Galaxy penalty area and on frame, but Cannon made the save look clinical.
In the 43rd minute Dallas doubled their lead. Dallas earned another free kick from almost the exact same spot, and this time Ramon Nunez played a cross into the area. Cooper lost his defender and blasted a first-time volley into the roof of the net to give Dallas a 2-0 lead.
The Galaxy came out of the locker room for the second half looking to erase the deficit early, putting the pressure on the Dallas back line. The Galaxy managed a few early corners but never really threatened Hislop's net.
It wasn't until the 62nd minute that Los Angeles really came close when Donovan managed to find some space in the box. The U.S. international aimed a left-footed shot toward the back post but lacked the accuracy required as his shot skidded out for a goal kick.
As the game wore on into the final quarter-hour the Galaxy attack began to sputter and stall a bit. Dallas clearly went into shut down mode and frustrated Los Angeles at every turn.
Still looking for a third goal, Dallas looked for the occasional counter attack and in the 79th minute, Nunez fired off an ambitious effort from distance. The shot nearly made it all the way through, but missed wide of the target.
To the Galaxy's credit they didn't give up and in the 84th minute Albright crossed the ball from the right flank to a streaking Donovan. Donovan played the ball back through to the middle to second half substitute Robbie Findley, but he fired wide.
The Galaxy finally got on the board in the 86th minute from a Donovan corner. Donovan whipped an in-swinger into the area and Findley atoned for his earlier miss, snapping a header into the bottom corner of the net.
Los Angeles put on a late charge to find an equalizer but it just wasn't meant to be, leaving the club with plenty to work in before their next league game, the SuperClasico against Chivas USA on April 28. Their next game in any competition is in 12 days time, when they take on Columbus in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
