FC Dallas put an end to a two-match scoreless streak with penalty kick goals from Denilson in the 36th and Abe Thompson in the 87th minute to hand Toronto FC a 2-0 defeat Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park. But for the Reds, their long scoreless drought continued, their MLS record now at 732 minutes without a goal.
FC Dallas maintained touch with Houston Dynamo, who defeated Real Salt Lake 4-3 on Saturday. The teams are still separated by three points with FC Dallas now in second behind Dynamo and ahead of Chivas USA by one point, who play on Sunday evening.
Denilson, recently signed as FCD's designated player, made his first MLS start and was the man of the match. But in the 36th, he got his first career MLS tally.
His penalty kick was set up when Abe Thompson was taken down inside the TFC box by Reds defender Tyrone Marshall. Referee Hilario Grajeda quickly pointed to the penalty spot and Denilson stepped up. His effort hit the right post before bouncing into the far side of the net.
It was Marshall's first trip to Frisco since June 9, when as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy, he was sent off for a hard tackle from behind on FCD forward Kenny Cooper. The Dallas native left that game with a broken right tibia and has yet to return to action. Marshall heard a chorus of catcalls all night from the Hoops faithful.
Thompson's penalty kick in the 87th was set up after TFC's Joey Melo wrapped up FCD striker Dominic Oduro inside the area. Thompson, who also converted a spot kick for the Hoops in a 2-1 win against Seattle on Tuesday in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal, easily converted to seal the victory.
FCD entered the match without the services of captain Carlos Ruiz, who sat out with right knee soreness, mainly as a precautionary measure. Midfielder Pablo Ricchetti wore the captain's armband for the Hoops in his place.
Ruiz wasn't the only FCD starter out of the lineup. Also absent was center back Clarence Goodson, who had started every league match of the year for the Hoops before Saturday. Goodson suffered a concussion in Tuesday's match at Seattle and had to leave the game at halftime.
In the second minute, TFC midfielder Maurice Edu, who scored his side's last goal on July 7 at Chicago -- now more than 12 hours of play ago -- had the first shot of the match but his effort went high.
But the visitors' best chance to score first came in the 18th minute when Andrea Lombardo got a great look inside the box and sent one toward the goal that looked to be going in. However, Pitchkolan was there on the goal line to block his shot and the ensuing rebound, which fell to Edu, went wide right.
In the 33rd minute, Denilson sent a great corner into the TFC box. FCD center back Adrian Serioux, a Canadian international who was picked by the Reds in last fall's expansion draft before being traded to the Hoops, got his head on the ball but his bid to register his first goal in an FCD uniform went high.
After Denilson's penalty gave FCD the lead going into halftime, the second half started slowly for both sides. FCD nearly added a second goal in the 64th minute after Abe Thompson nearly bent a ball toward the far side of the net from the left side. Thompson was about 25 yards out and tried to beat TFC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos far post but he was following his shot every step of the way and was there to make the stop.
In the 65th, FCD head coach Steve Morrow made his first change of the game when he brought on Dax McCarty for Ricardinho. Just six minutes later, the second-year midfielder almost hit paydirt but his bid for his first career MLS goal was stopped by Stamatopoulos, shooting right at the 'keeper from the middle of the TFC box.
While Denilson was the story of the night for the Hoops, all-star midfielder Juan Toja, who was making his second consecutive start after missing two of FCD's last three matches with a high ankle sprain, didn't have his usual effect on the match from the center of the midfield.
Like Toja, FCD 'keeper Dario Sala is also returning to full fitness after missing three league matches to a knee injury before returning to the field last Saturday in a 4-0 loss to D.C. United. Sala was called upon to make just two saves on the night, but his second was an incredible effort.
In the 84th minute, Sala got a hand on Pozniak's cross in front of the goal, but the carom bounced over to Samuel. With the goal seemingly at his mercy, Samuel sent the ball goalward but Sala flung himself across to palm the ball away with his left hand as Samuel fell back to the ground, staring to the heavens as Toronto still couldn't find a way to a goal.
FC Dallas travels to face the New England Revolution next Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET), while Toronto FC returns home to take on Real Salt Lake (3:30 p.m. ET).
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
