four of which have been at home -- following a loss to the New York Red Bulls last weekend.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Thomas Supple; JAR (opposite): James Conlee; 4th: Fernando Galvan
MLS Career: 49 games; FC/gm: 27.4; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 17; pens: 19
INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS - OUT: DF David Wagenfuhr (concussion); MF Dax McCarty (hernia); QUESTIONABLE: FW Ricardinho (R thigh) ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: GK Charles Alamo (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: MF Ely Allen (R hamstring), FW Edson Buddle (R hamstring), FW Landon Donovan (R calf); MF Alvaro Pires (L knee), FW Carlos Ruiz (R knee surgery), MF Peter Vagenas (R quad); PROBABLE: FW Ante Jazic (R ankle surgery)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: DAL: Blake Wagner, Brek Shea (U.S. U-23 national team) ... LA: Michael Gavin; Julian Valentin, Bryan Jordan (U.S. U-23 national team)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: LA: Greg Vanney; Brandon McDonald
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (45 meetings): FC Dallas 16 wins (1 shootout), 57 goals ... Galaxy 22 wins (1 shootout), 80 goals ... Ties 7
AT DALLAS (22 meetings): FC Dallas 12 wins (0 shootout), 57 goals ... Galaxy 5 wins (0 shootout), 80 goals ... Ties 5
• This is the first of three meetings on the season, the first of two to be played at Pizza Hut Park. The next meeting will also be in Frisco, on July 27, with the lone encounter at The Home Depot Center concluding the season series and the MLS regular season, Sun. Oct. 26.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/12: LA 1, DAL 2 (Findley 86 - Ruiz 35; Cooper 43)
6/9: DAL 3, LA 1 (Toja 24; Thompson 53; Moor 73 - Findley 41)
9/23: LA 2, DAL 1 (Donovan 25; Klein 72 - McCarty 11)
• FC Dallas won the season series a year ago, winning the first two meetings (once in each stadium) before LA took the series finale at home. The Galaxy captured a 6-5 win in SuperLiga at Pizza Hut Park, winning advancement out of Group A in the process.
• The FCD victory at The Home Depot Center in the first meeting last year was the first-ever by the Hoops at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy had won all eight prior league meetings between the clubs in Carson, as well as the 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. The last Dallas win against the Galaxy on the road was Sept. 6, 2000, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
• The Galaxy have defeated Dallas 17 in 23 meetings at home, equaling their record against Colorado as their most victories at home against a single club.
• The Galaxy have yet to defeat FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park in league play; their last MLS win against the club in Texas came May 8, 2004 at the Cotton Bowl. The Galaxy did defeat FCD in the wild, 6-5 match in SuperLiga last year - as well as, of course, capturing MLS Cup 2004 in Frisco.
• Coaches record: Steve Morrow v LA: P3 W2 L1 D0 ... Ruud Gullit vs. DAL: first game
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas saw their winless streak extended to four games last Saturday, falling through a late goal in a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake last Saturday evening. FCD is still atop the Western Conference with nine points from seven matches, level with the Colorado Rapids entering the week, a point ahead of RSL and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
LAST MATCH
• Both teams were looking to put an end to winless runs, Real Salt Lake with two losses and a draw in their last three, and FC Dallas with a loss and tie in their last two.
• RSL took advantage of a gift to open the scoring in the 28th minute. A long ball downfield was cleared by FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala -- but it bounced first off defender Drew Moor, then Andre Rocha. It fell to Javier Morales, who had only to roll it into the unguarded goal from close range.
• The Hoops pulled level 11 minutes after the halftime interval. Andre Rocha sent a long ball down the right flank for Kenny Cooper, and after the big striker controlled the pass and cut in toward goal, he hammered a drive that flew over Nick Rimando at the near post and off the underside of the crossbar for his fifth goal on the campaign.
• But Real went back ahead in the 73rd minute. Andy Williams sent a perfectly weighted chip over the FCD back three that came down just inside the area. Kyle Beckerman had raced past the defense and poked the floating ball first-time through Dario Sala's legs for the eventual game-winner.
• FC Dallas head coach Steve Morrow made two changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw at the San Jose Earthquakes the previous weekend. Adrian Serioux returned to the left side of the back three, for Anthony Wallace, and Abe Thompson came into the three-pronged attack, in place of Blake Wagner.
• Here's Morrow's team (3-4-3): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Duilio Davino, Adrian Serioux (Aaron Pitchkolan 71) - Andre Rocha (Dominic Oduro 84), Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa (Ricardinho 77), Juan Toja - Kenny Cooper, Abe Thompson, Arturo Alvarez. Substitutes Not Used: Mike Grazcyk, Dax McCarty, Bobby Rhine, Anthony Wallace
• "We know [Rice-Eccles] is a difficult place for us to come and play. We got ourselves back in the game after not playing too well in the first half and were one-nil down to a very scrappy, unlucky goal that could've been prevented. And then we got ourselves back in the game and should have pushed forward from there and didn't," Morrow said. "We still had our chances to tie the game up towards the end and didn't. It's a frustrating loss, it's a disappointing one, but the team will pick themselves up and get ready for the next one."
TEAM NEWS
• After going two games without a goal, Steve Morrow again ran out three forwards, this time with Abe Thompson on the front line with Arturo Alvarez and Kenny Cooper. It was a tactic he last tried three games earlier, in FCD's 2-0 victory against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center. That was the last time the Hoops were able gain a win and it was also the last time they were able to score.
• Cooper scored his fourth goal of the campaign in that contest, then hit for his fifth against RSL, his first goal in three games after scoring four in three games.
• "Andre Rocha played me a great ball through, it's the second time he's done it this year," said Cooper. "(The other) against Houston he played me a great through ball. I've been real fortunate so far this year, I've been getting some great service."
• The Hoops had allowed just one goal in their previous four matches before allowing two at RSL. It was just the second time on the season where FCD had allowed multiple goals in a game; the previous occasion was the 3-3 draw with Houston in the second week of the season.
• "Obviously it's not the result we wanted, credit to [Real Salt Lake]. They put two past our strong defense, where defensively we've been great all year; (Dario Sala) has been excellent and the back three as well," Cooper said. "I feel we were maybe a little unlucky on the first goal, but we'll stay positive because we've got a big game coming up next week against the Galaxy."
• Still, after the three-game winless run, FC Dallas still remains tied atop the Western Conference with the Colorado Rapids. The Hoops moved into the division lead after the 2-0 win against Chivas and have been there since.
• "We let too many points get away from us, and we really need to work hard for next weekend's game," said Duilio Davino. "Working is how you get the team back after a game like this; working is the only way to do it. We have a long week and it's not necessary that we speak a lot, it's that we work a lot for it."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy saw their unbeaten streak come to an end, the New York Red Bulls answering a late equalizer with a late winner for a 2-1 triumph last Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy have eight points from seven matches, tied for third in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake entering the week, a point behind divisional co-leaders Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.
LAST MATCH
• The Galaxy hadn't lost in three games, with two draws surrounding a win, while the Red Bulls had put together the exact same string of results over their last three matches.
• The visitors took the lead in the 21st minute when Jozy Altidore took a flick-on, turned and fired powerfully on goal. Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin was able to parry the initial effort, but Danleigh Borman followed up outside the left post and knocked home the rebound for his first professional goal.
• The Galaxy finally broke through after the break, getting the leveller in the 77th minute. Mike Randolph took a pass on the left and sent in a low ball to Alan Gordon in the heart of the area, who turned and drilled a shot inside Jon Conway's left-hand post for his third goal on the year.
• But the Red Bulls hit for the winner almost immediately from the restart. Dane Richards went haring forward from the left, slipping the ball to Juan Pablo Angel as he cut across his path. Angel rounded Cronin in the Galaxy area and drove a rising shot high into the goal for his first goal on the season and the eventual match-winner.
• Galaxy boss Ruud Gullit made one change to the team that played to a 2-2 draw at Real Salt Lake the previous Saturday. Alan Gordon returned to the starting lineup, this time in attack, replacing the injured Edson Buddle.
• Here's Gullit's team (4-4-2): Steve Cronin - Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Troy Roberts, Greg Vanney - David Beckham, Joe Franchino (Bryan Jordan 83), Brandon McDonald, Mike Randolph - Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon. Substitutes Not Used: Michael Gavin, Israel Sesay, Josh Tudela, Julian Valentin, Josh Wicks, Abel Xavier
• "I'd be happy if we started better. It's the second time already that we started bad. We talked about it a lot. I think it cost this team a lot of energy also to come back from a goal down," Gullit said. "In the end, I think we battled well. We didn't play well because the opposition has the opportunity to sit back and that causes you to lose so much energy."
TEAM NEWS
• A recurring theme for the Galaxy this season has been seeing the opposition score late goals to snatch a result. A goal in the final two minutes from Toronto FC's Jeff Cunningham gave the Reds a win in Carson, and while they eventually won, against Chivas USA, the Galaxy gave away a game-tying goal just three minutes after taking the lead.
• "You tell them on the sideline - use your head. And then you give a goal away. That is frustrating. That has to do all with yourself - talking to each other on the pitch, who has to do what," said Gullit. "There is a little bit lack of leadership, which you need in moments like that. I think it's a game. It's frustrating because the team has it. They have the possibility. They can play very good football."
• Another troubling sign has been the Galaxy's inability to maintain their home-field advantage. So far, the Galaxy have played five home games and are 2-2-1 in those matches.
• "We know that any team that has done well in this league has played well at home," said Chris Klein. "We have to establish ourselves as one of those teams."
• The Galaxy have run out one of the youngest lineups in MLS for much of the year. While leaders Donovan and Beckham have risen to the occasion and carried the large majority of the scoring production, the pair were not involved in a goal in a game for the first time since the 4-0 loss to Colorado.
• "I don't think we played too bad, but we were a little careless at certain points. And it costs us, especially when you play against players like the players they had up top," Beckham said. "It's tough sometimes. And when you make mistakes you get punished by good players. So tonight's a learning curve - one we have to learn about quickly.
• Said Gullit: "Sometimes in a game, I don't know what it is, we switch off. We think we can win only on talent and that's not true. We have to work hard every week. We have to stick to our game plan."
• On Tuesday night, the Galaxy lost 2-1 in a friendly to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division (second tier) at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta. Nicholas Addlery put the Whitecaps ahead after just four minutes, but Alan Gordon continued his rich vein of form, equalizing just before halftime. But Eduardo Sebrango scored the game-winner midway through the second half.
• Here's Gullit's team on the night: Josh Wicks, Ante Jazic (Michael Gavin 61), Greg Vanney (Julian Valentin 46), Abel Xavier, Troy Roberts, Joe Franchino, Josh Tudela, Mike Randolph, David Beckham (Chris Klein 76), Alan Gordon, Bryan Jordan.
