making his Galaxy debut after his trade from the Colorado Rapids in the offseason -- both came up with some quality saves.
• Dynamo played a man down for the final 14 minutes after Ryan Cochrane was sent off with a straight red card after pulling down substitute Robbie Findley from behind as ran toward goal, but the Galaxy were unable to take advantage.
• With Alan Gordon lost for a few months earlier in the week, Frank Yallop started Nate Jaqua up top, with Landon Donovan playing underneath at the second forward. Newly acquired Ian Russell was given the start at right back as Chris Albright moved forward into a wide midfield role, while Nathan Sturgis filled the holding role and Kyle Martino the central midfield slot as Peter Vagenas was also out with a neck injury.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-1-3-1-1): Joe Cannon - Ian Russell (Santino Quaranta 78), Ty Harden, Tyrone Marshall, Ante Jazic - Nathan Sturgis - Chris Albright, Kyle Martino, Cobi Jones (Robbie Findley 60) - Landon Donovan - Nate Jaqua. Substitutes Not Used: Steve Cronin, Mike Randolph, Shavar Thomas, Josh Tudela, Kyle Veris
• "I was really happy with the performance of the guys. We created some real clear-cut chances that we maybe didn't take, but that will come in the season when we get a little more game savvy," Yallop said. "Really with the chances we created we should've scored a goal, and that's encouraging and will lead to good things this season."
TEAM NEWS
• The game ended a scoreless tie due to the work of L.A. goalkeeper Joe Cannon and Houston's Pat Onstad. Cannon saw 11 shots on the night with four of them being on goal.
• "I think you are always worried about Houston's offensive firepower no matter what," said Cannon, who played against Houston last season in the Dynamo's home opener when he was with the Colorado Rapids, a 5-2 Houston win. " ... They are always a dangerous team, but tonight, as a team, I think we were able to break them down at key times. This is our first game. Later on this year, when we get these same kinds of chances, we'll be able to put those away. It was a total team effort tonight and that is the main thing."
• A year ago, the Galaxy allowed the second-fewest goals in the league, conceding 37 goals in 32 matches. But 18 of those goals came in the opening 11 contests of the season; in the 21 games while Yallop was in charge, the Galaxy allowed just 19 goals, and recorded nine clean sheets, and the defensive stoutness continued to open the season.
• "They just raised their championship banner and we had a good start to the game. As the game worn on I felt comfortable that we wouldn't concede a goal," Yallop said. "Joe [Cannon] had a good game in goal. It was a good all-around team performance that could've maybe squeaked into a win, but we'll take the tie to start the season."
• Said Cannon: "I think tonight we felt that we probably had the better chances than Houston. I think at the same time, they still got a lot of the ball and had good possession. You have to give credit to the rest of our guys; our defense really played incredible tonight. I think if we give efforts like this, night in and night out, we'll be one of the better teams and a tough team to beat overall."
• Landon Donovan had six of L.A.'s 11 shots on the night, with one of them on goal. His best shot to score was in the 14th minute when Donovan had a short breakaway, but Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad made a diving save on the shot from left side.
• "We're happy," Donovan said. "We had to play the champs in their place to open the season. (That part of tying) is satisfying, but you can always look back and say, that is a game we could have won and personally, I had a lot of chances that I could have scored on."
• The game nearly changed when Yallop brought on Robbie Findley for Cobi Jones on the hour mark. His burst of pace led to the sending off of Ryan Cochrane when he pulled back the rookie from behind. "He's got that change of pace that teams don't like to play against," said Yallop. "He came on and looked dangerous like he wanted to make a difference in the game, and I like that."
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas began their season on the road for the first time ever, a Carlos Ruiz goal in stoppage time giving the Hoops a late 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake. With the single point, FC Dallas is one of four teams tied for third in the Western Conference, all behind the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA, who took three points from their opener.
LAST MATCH
• Steve Morrow was making his debut as FC Dallas head coach, the Hoops on the road to start a season for the first time ever as they visited RSL, who are hoping this year will be the one when they make a first trip to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
• But it was the visitors who opened the scoring after just 19 minutes. A long ball downfield found Carlos Ruiz, and he turned before hitting a lovely pass into the path of Kenny Cooper on the right flank. The Dallas native then ripped an angled shot from the right side of the penalty area past RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando and inside the far post.
• RSL striker Jeff Cunningham -- the winner of the MLS Golden Boot a season ago -- opened his 2007 season in fine fashion, scoring on either side of halftime to nose the home side back into the lead. First, in the 29th minute, Chris Klein swung in a big cross from the right touchline. Cunningham's touch put two defenders out of the play, and he slotted home past Shaka Hislop to level the score.
• Then in the 51st minute, Hislop saved a Jason Kreis shot from the top of the restraining arc, from a pass from a short corner. But the rebound slid to Cunningham just beyond the right-hand post, and he knocked it in from a tight angle for his second on the night.
• In stoppage time, FCD defender Clarence Goodson drove a long restart into the heart of the penalty area. But it sailed over Rimando, and as RSL defender Nik Besagno and Hoops striker Carlos Ruiz went up to battle for the bouncing ball, it caromed into the goal for the leveler.
• There were no real surprises in Morrow's team, as Carlos Ruiz started as the lone striker, but with the attacking trio of Kenny Cooper and Arturo Alvarez (wide) and Ramon Nunez (central) in behind. David Wagenfuhr got the start at left back in place of the injured Chris Gbandi, while Juan Toja made his MLS debut in midfield.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-2-3-1): Shaka Hislop - Bobby Rhine, Clarence Goodson, Drew Moor, David Wagenfuhr (Abe Thompson 84) - Juan Toja (Dax McCarty 66), Marcelo Saragosa - Kenny Cooper, Ramon Nunez, Arturo Alvarez (Dominic Oduro 71) - Carlos Ruiz. Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Aaron Pitchkolan, Blake Wagner, Alex Yi
• "It's not an easy start, so I think it was important to get something out of this game today," said Morrow. "Lucky isn't the word I'd use. I think we deserved to get a point out of the game."
TEAM NEWS
• FC Dallas is looking forward to going to The Home Depot Center and the wide field - and grass - that will greet them there. Still, on Sunday, they will again play on FieldTurf at Giants Stadium when they take on the Red Bulls.
• "I think the thing we found most difficult was playing on this surface (in Salt Lake)," said Morrow. "We couldn't get into any rhythm. We're a team who likes to pass the ball. And we just couldn't get into the rhythm playing on this surface. The ball just never seemed to come down for us. We couldn't stream enough passes together and play how we wanted to play. We tried as much as we could to play at those conditions and get it to the front man early - how we like to play.
• The Hoops are also quite aware, however, of their previous lack of success in Carson. "I think the boys are really relishing going to L.A," Morrow said. "As a coach, I know that is someplace that we haven't done well in the last few years and I'm looking to put that right. We have a game plan going into L.A. on Thursday. We are looking to attack them and get on them early in the game. We're looking forward to it. We think we can go anywhere and get a result."
• After going 11 seasons without opening on the road, it's a tough start travel-wise to the season for FCD. They face two games in four days this week with a cross-country in between; they will be the first team to face a quick around, which will occur often when teams playing on ESPN Primetime Thursday, then playing again on the weekend.
• "It's definitely a short week," said midfielder Ramon Nunez. "We started watching video for L.A. today. It's going to be tough playing twice in such quick time. The L.A. game is on grass and will give us a chance to show how we can move the ball around and what we can do. The New York trip will come fast after that, so we just have to be prepared."
• Once again, the strike pair of Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper provided the firepower for FC Dallas. The two combined for half of FCD's goals last year (24 of 48), and they combined well together. Three of Ruiz's five assists on the year came on Cooper goals.
• "[In the past] I've benefited before from [Ruiz's] hold up play and his quality service," said Cooper, "and I did again today."
• Said Ruiz: "But we are also realistic and know we didn't play good. We know we didn't hold on to the ball adequately up top, left spaces in the middle, and on defense they scored when they got there. So we all share the blame. It was good to get a tie as visitors, but I don't think we played as good as we can."
• The Hoops are expected to have left back Chris Gbandi available for both games on the trip. He suffered an sprained ankle in early March, but played 45 minutes in a reserve team scrimmage on Monday. "He played a good 45 minutes and felt he could have played on a little more. The fitness is OK. The ankle is 100 percent healed, so that's good news," Morrow said. "He just needs to keep strengthening that as well. He's approaching match fitness and will be available for the game in L.A. We'll take it day-to-day to see how much we can push him through."
