On March 30, FC Dallas hosted Chivas USA in their 2008 MLS regular season opener at Pizza Hut Park. A 21st-minute goal by Juan Toja put the Hoops ahead, but they couldn't keep possession and tired in the second half, opening the door for an equalizer by Chivas USA's Maykel Galindo before settling for a 1-1 draw.
Since then, FCD has played two-time defending league champion Houston Dynamo to a 3-3 draw before, last Saturday, getting their first win, a 2-0 decision against the New York Red Bulls. In both matches, FCD has been much better in possession, a trend they would like to continue this Sunday at the Home Depot Center when they meet Chivas again.
"We've come a long way since that first game," FCD midfielder Dax McCarty said. "It's funny to look back and see that Chivas had the better possession in that first game. It was hot and they were making us run a lot. I think we got worn down toward the end of the game and that led to the tying goal. I think you've seen us get better in each game after that and it's definitely encouraging."
FCD head coach Steve Morrow is also expecting a better showing this time around.
"Going to Chivas is one of the tougher road trips of the year but we're up for it," Morrow said. "Last year, we went on the road, met some good challenges head-on and got some good results. We know how they play and that they're a hard-working team. We certainly didn't play our best the last time against them, so we'll be going there looking to possess the ball a lot better than we did last time."
FCD had a number of players miss training this week for various reasons. Forward Arturo Alvarez, who has two goals and an assist in two matches, had some tightness in his left hamstring earlier in the week, but did participate in a full training session on Friday.
"He's fine," Morrow said of Alvarez after a Friday morning practice. "He went through everything and was a little tight at the end, so he stopped then. But he had no problems during practice."
The prognosis is a bit more cloudy for Toja, who has one goal and one assist, and fellow midfielder Pablo Ricchetti, who has one assist for FCD this year.
Toja is bothered by a right quadriceps injury that Morrow termed as a "dead leg". He did train for a bit on Thursday but after participating in warm-ups on Friday, was sent back inside.
"He's still feeling a little bit sore and tight, so we sent him back in," Morrow said. "There's no since in pushing him through if he's not feeling up to it. We'll see how he goes [Saturday] and make a decision then."
On Tuesday, Ricchetti tweaked his groin and had to leave training about halfway through the session and has yet to return to the practice field. "It's the same (with Ricchetti) as it is with Juan (Toja)," Morrow said. "He's still a little bit sore. We'll assess him and make a decision."
However, on a more positive note, starting left center back Adrian Serioux, who did not train until Friday after having an excused absence to tend to some personal business back in Trinidad and Tobago, came through practice well on Friday and Morrow said he wouldn't have any trouble playing him on Sunday.
"He (Serioux) looked after himself while he was away," Morrow said. "He's not someone I worry about in that regard."
One big difference for FCD is that this time around, Chivas USA will be without two of their top midfielders in Sacha Klejstan and Francisco Mendoza, both of whom were sent off in the waning moments of their 4-3 loss at Columbus last Saturday.
"I think it's a situation that we feel we need to take advantage of," Morrow said. "They're two important players for them. They're probably not as deep as some other rosters in the league, so we feel like they're slightly weakened and we need to take full advantage of that."
Alvarez, who along with right center back Drew Moor didn't play in the opener because they were serving a suspension after being sent off in last fall's playoffs, feels like the Hoops owe the Red-and-White a little something after letting that victory slip through their hands.
"Yes, we do (owe them something)," he said. "We wanted to open up the season with a win at home and they took two points away from us with that late goal. Now it's our turn to go over there, do the same thing and maybe come out with a win."
Moor said he feels the Hoops owe it to themselves to come away with the full three points this time around.
"We performed especially well against them in the first half but I think we got tired in the second half and gave up a pretty weak late goal," Moor said. "You can look at it and say that they earned it but you can also say that we gave it to them. We owe ourselves three points and we're going to look to go in there and do that."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
