both from FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper. Cooper ran onto a through ball and looped it over the 'keeper from the edge of the area in the 35th minute, then hit a low shot on the half-turn from the top of the box just before halftime.
• The Dynamo pulled level in the 57th minute when Geoff Cameron aimed a low cross for Brian Ching in the goal area, only for the ball to bounce off FCD defender Drew Moor and into the goal. But it look less than a minute for the Hoops to regain the lead, Houston native Arturo Alvarez running free behind the Dynamo defense and beating Caig from inside the area.
• FC Dallas seemed on their way to the club's first win ever in Houston until Cameron popped up to score a minute into stoppage time, ripping a rising blast from just outside the area that sailed under the crossbar.
• After the 1-1 home draw with Chivas USA to open the season, FC Dallas head coach Steve Morrow made four changes for the second game of the season. Drew Moor and Arturo Alvarez returned from suspension, coming in at right back and striker respectively, replacing Aaron Pitchkolan and Abe Thompson. Dax McCarty started wide on the midfield in midfield, in place of Bobby Rhine, while Pablo Ricchetti came in for the injured Marcelo Saragosa in central midfield.
• Here's Morrow's team (3-4-1-2): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Duilio Davino, Adrian Serioux - Dax McCarty, Andre Rocha, Pablo Ricchetti, Blake Wagner - Juan Toja (Dominic Oduro 74) - Kenny Cooper (Anthony Wallace 87), Arturo Alvarez (Ricardinho 80). Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Michael Dello-Russo, Aaron Pitchkolan, Abe Thompson
• "It feels like a loss. I think we should have had the game won by then. We had two or three chances to go up 4-2. We should've finished off the game," Morrow said. " ... We're disappointed to give up a goal so late. We did the same thing last week, so we should be sitting on two wins and six points right now."
TEAM NEWS
• While the Hoops were gutted to have allowed the late equalizer, they were pleased with the chances they created against the Dynamo - who had a record-setting defensive performance in 2007.
• "We scored three goals and had a bunch of opportunities. With guys like Juan [Toja], Artie [Alvarez] and really anyone on this team, I'm confident that we will create chances and opportunities," Cooper said. "Hopefully that will just continue throughout the year and we can score a bunch of goals."
• Toja is playing more of advanced role this season in Morrow's 3-4-1-2 scheme. As well, Brazilian Andre Rocha has shown industry and vision from a deeper role in the center of the park.
• "On both goals, there was great build-up play. On the first one, Drew (Moor) won the ball back very well, Rocha turned really quickly and found me very well. It shows the quality that he's brought to this team," Cooper said. "On the second goal, Arturo did some magic on the sideline, played it into Juan and then Juan played the ball into me. We have a lot of great individual talent on this team and lot of players with great individual skill. On a couple of occasions, we really combined well, which was nice to see."
• Still, FCD has faced the top two teams in the Western Conference from a year ago - regular season winners Chivas USA and conference and MLS Cup champions Houston - and come away with a draw against each.
• "In the last two games, we have played two really good teams in Chivas, the defending champs in the Western Conference and going to Houston, the MLS Cup champs the last two years," Cooper said. "It's a good way to get the season going and we've picked up valuable points in both games. We've done good things in both games. Hopefully, we can keep building upon that and keep getting better and better."
• The Hoops have gotten goals from four different players thus far, and six different FCD players have assisted on those tallies.
• "It's nice to see that in both games we had a bunch of different players involved," he said. "That's a credit to Steve (Morrow) and the coaches. I believe we have a squad here that is really strong and deep. It's nice to see in our first two games that we have a lot of different options and different people contributing to the team."
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls began the year with a victory for the first time since 2004, getting a pair of early goals for a 2-0 victory against the Columbus Crew at Giants Stadium. The Red Bulls are one of three teams tied for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, with three points, a point behind the Chicago Fire and three in arrears of the Kansas City Wizards and New England Revolution.
LAST MATCH
• The New York Red Bulls were opening the season under new coach Juan Carlos Osorio, while the Columbus Crew were coming off a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC at home as they started their season the week before.
• The home side got the start they were looking for, scoring after just 47 seconds. Dave van den Bergh took the ball in midfield and paced forward before letting fly from all of 30 yards. The ball skipped off the turf and past Crew 'keeper Will Hesmer for the quickest goal in Red Bulls history.
• By eight minutes in, it was 2-0. A corner kick from the right sailed by the back post, but Juan Pablo Angel got to it first and knocked it back into the goalmouth. Defender Kevin Goldthwaite was there, beating a defender to the ball to tap it in.
• The Red Bulls had a glorious chance to make it 3-0 in the second half, when Jozy Altidore was pulled down by Columbus defender Danny O'Rourke in the area. But Hesmer saved Angel's penalty kick, the second spot kick stopped in as many weeks by the Crew goalkeeper.
• Red Bulls boss Juan Carlos Osorio put out his team in a 3-4-1-2 scheme to open the season, with Claudio Reyna occupying a more forward, attacking midfield role. Dave van den Bergh started wide on the left, but moved to a central midfield role - where he had been most of the preseason - in a halftime tactical change.
• Here's Osorio's team (3-4-1-2): Jon Conway - Chris Leitch, Jeff Parke, Kevin Goldthwaite - Luke Sassano, Seth Stammler, Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Danleigh Borman 46), Dave van den Bergh - Claudio Reyna (Mike Magee 79) - Oscar Echeverry (John Wolyniec 71), Juan Pablo Angel. Substitutes Not Used: Jozy Altidore, Chris Megaloudis, Carlos Mendes, Zach Thornton
• "I think you saw the first 25 minutes, (we were) playing very well and playing good football from the back. We got two goals that were well deserved. We played very, very hard and worked hard on set plays and got our reward," Osorio said. "The first goal was a very good buildup and I think after that, they got a little bit of a joy. We started losing the ball in the middle of the pitch. I think in general, it was a well deserved three points, a good performance, and a great result for us."
TEAM NEWS
• Heading into the match, Osorio had a late change to deal with when Jozy Altidore was injured in training, suffered a bruised knee. "He got injured at Thursday's session, and he didn't feel 100 percent, and I thought it was the best thing to do with him to not risk it. It worked out for us and it paid off," Osorio said.
• Osorio will also have to deal with another change for the visit to Frisco, after center back Jeff Parke was sent off nine minutes from the end for a second bookable offense.
• "I think you have to be disappointed with the red card. I will not deny that and if I am extremely honest, I told him with his experience that's unacceptable," Osorio said. "However, I think in my opinion we had the best player in the game today in Kevin Goldthwaite."
• Playing the left side of the Red Bulls back three, Goldthwaite popped up to score New York's second goal, tapping home Angel's knock-back into the goalmouth.
• "In the air he showed he's very competitive, very good," Osorio said of Goldthwaite. "And his distribution from the back, if I'm not mistaken I recall only one ball that he gave away in the first half. Rather than that, he came and played football, he was always an outlet and he's very competitive and good in 1-v-1 situations."
• Said Goldthwaite: "I guess coming out of college, I was always a left-sided defender in the flat four. But, I think learning this system has actually turned out to be beneficial to me and my game because I am good in the air and like you said, I am good at distribution."
• While Columbus had the better of possession for chunks of the second half, the Crew was rarely dangerous in the attacking third and Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway needed to make just four saves to earn the shutout.
• "It was a dream start getting off the way we did, but I thought the boys did great in front of me and Seth (Stammler) had a great match plugging the hole," Conway said. "From there the other boys worked and made it easy for me because all I had to do was pick off passes." Said Osorio: "I am happier to get the shutout. Obviously, I am very pleased and happy to have won our first game but most importantly to have our first clean sheet, and we can build on that."
• Throughout the preseason, van den Bergh had been playing in central midfield, after spending the entirety of his time in MLS as either a left wingback or even left fullback. But that's where he was for the first 45 minutes of the opener, scoring the early goal before moving inside to replace Sinisa Ubiparipovic to start the second half.
• "It was great just to see him score and put on a solid performance like he did today. He's a big player for us and in general as we progress, I think the team is going to get a little more solid," said Angel. "We're going to get a little more confidence."
