Make no mistake, the most valuable player for FC Dallas in Saturday night's 1-1 draw with D.C. United was goalkeeper Dario Sala. The second-year Argentine netminder had nine saves for the Hoops to provide the club with a valuable point.
Sala's most masterful saves came in the second half.
In the 61st minute, D.C. defender Bobby Boswell hit a header at the near post, which Sala made a brilliant save on. Then, four minutes later, United striker Alecko Eskandarian hit a free kick from just outside the box that seemed destined for the upper corner, but Sala made a miraculous diving save at the far post.
His solid performance wasn't lost on his teammates or his coaches.
"The save on the free kick was very good," Hoops head coach Colin Clarke said. "The ones where he came out and read the through balls and stuffed Eskandarian a couple of times were very good.
"That's something we haven't had here before, a 'keeper able to read those and come off his line and take care of business," he said. "That was good. I was very pleased with his overall performance. He was a big factor in us getting a point."
Two of the players in front of him, Hoops defenders Drew Moor and Bobby Rhine, also close-up view of his performance and were impressed.
"He came up with some big saves," Rhine said. "Maybe in games past we were looking for a big save here and there from our 'keeper. We certainly needed that against D.C. He came up with those big saves."
Moor added how grateful he and the rest of the team are to have Sala in goal.
"He was awesome," he said. "It's nice to see him make saves like that because as a defender, if things don't go your way or if you do give up a couple of opportunities, it's nice to know you've got a strong 'keeper in the back that can come up with saves like that.
"He definitely did save us. He got us a point on Saturday and was man of the match by far. It's nice to have that comfort back there."
Alan Knight, the Hoops' goalkeeper coach who earned the nickname "The Legend" for his strong play between the posts in England during a stellar playing career that spanned four decades, also gives his 'keeper rave reviews.
"Obviously, he made some big saves at important times in the game which is pleasing," he said. "He had what we thought was a good performance all-around against the best team we've played so far."
Knight also thinks that Sala's performance against United could lead to even better things for him and the Hoops in the coming weeks.
"It's been a steady progression," he added. "Now we're looking to have a few clean sheets if possible. He had a good game and that will help his confidence. We'll be looking for that to build into the four coming games because we've got quite a few games coming up in a short period of time."
Knight is also helping Sala adapt his sweeper-'keeper style to MLS.
"It's just getting him used to his defenders and being comfortable with that position," he said. "That's a hard style to play. It can leave you wide open. Dario is adapting to that and at the moment, it is going pretty well.
"I've been lucky enough to work with goalkeepers from all over the world. It's not about me being rigid and telling him that this is the way it should be done or shouldn't be done. It's being able to bend it around and marry up the styles for what's best for Dario, his performances and for the team in general."
It's hard to argue with the results so far in 2006 as Sala and the Hoops have yet to experience defeat in their first five games. They next hit the field on Saturday as they travel to Houston to face Dynamo, who are right behind them in the MLS Western Conference standings with nine points, only two behind FCD.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
