Things were going well early for FC Dallas in Saturday night's game against the New York Red Bulls at Pizza Hut Park. The Hoops had a 1-0 lead from a second-minute goal by rookie forward Dominic Oduro, his first MLS score, which also came in his first league start. It was FCD's first goal in 330 minutes after they had failed to score in the previous three contests.
That all changed in the 14th minute when fellow striker Carlos Ruiz, the Hoops' leader in goals and assists, was injured while trying to execute a backheel. The fourth-year forward out of Guatemala was down for several minutes before leaving the field in what was an eventual 2-1 win for FC Dallas.
On Monday, the club announced that Ruiz had a grade two strain of his right hamstring, an injury that will force him to miss the next three weeks. That means that "El Pescadito" will likely miss FCD's next three games: at Chicago this Saturday, at Real Salt Lake on July 22 and a home date with Colorado on July 29.
Losing his top offensive player is obviously a blow to FCD head coach Colin Clarke.
"He had a hamstring (injury), Clarke said. "We're not sure how long it's going to be. Hamstrings are a funny thing. They're a bit individual. It's looking like at least three weeks.
"I'm disappointed for him because he's been playing well, scoring goals and has been a big part of our offense."
Prior to the injury, Ruiz had eight goals and five assists. He had scored in a club-record seven consecutive games earlier this season, a streak that also matched the league record. That streak came to an end in the Hoops 1-0 win against Colorado on June 24 in Frisco but it was Ruiz who assisted on the only goal of the evening, scored by Kenny Cooper.
The injury comes at a bad time for FCD. Just a day earlier, the Hoops learned that fellow striker Roberto Mina would miss the next four to six weeks with a torn medial meniscus in his left knee. Before being injured, Mina was one of four Hoops to have played in every game and had three goals and one assist this season.
"It was a disappointment for them (the injuries) to come so quick on top of each other and also through our toughest period of games," Clarke said. "I'm also disappointed for Roberto."
Looking at the glass as being half-full, Clarke is quick to point out that losing two of his top offensive options presents a chance for others to answer the bell. "It's an opportunity for other players to step up," he said. "It's going to test the depth at forward."
Those other options are Cooper, who has six goals in 16 games this season, Oduro, who has been solid in his first four MLS games, and Abe Thompson, a second-year player who, last year, had four goals in 18 games for the Hoops.
Another positive for FCD offensively is that their 27 goals so far this season, second-most in MLS, have come from 12 different players. Such balanced scoring could serve them well in their current three-game stretch without two of their top offensive weapons.
The Hoops could get a boost from the return of left-sided midfielder Ramon Nunez, who has missed the last four games with a right quadriceps strain.
In his third year after being the sixth overall pick in the 2004 Super Draft out of Southern Methodist, Nunez has two goals and two assists in 12 games this season.
"He (Nunez) played in the reserve game on Sunday and came through that pretty well," Clarke said. "He's getting back there (to fitness) as well. He'll be in consideration to get some time this weekend (at Chicago)."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
