since July 2, 2005, the final FC Dallas goal scored at the Cotton Bowl.
• Here's Steve Morrow's team (4-3-3): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Alex Yi, Chris Gbandi - Juan Toja, Pablo Ricchetti, Dax McCarty (Ramon Nunez 58) - Dominic Oduro (Kenny Cooper 67), Carlos Ruiz, Arturo Alvarez (Abe Thompson 82). Substitutes Not Used: Shaka Hislop, Bobby Rhine, Marcelo Saragosa, Blake Wagner
• Here's Kreis' team (4-1-3-2): Nick Rimando - Jack Stewart, Eddie Pope, Daniel Torres, Willis Forko (Jean-Martial Kipre 46) - Carey Talley (Chris Lancos 10) - Chris Klein, Mehdi Ballouchy, Freddy Adu - Jeff Cunningham (Andy Williams 62), Atiba Harris. Substitutes Not Used: Nikolas Besagno, Duke Hashimoto, Chris Seitz, Jamie Watson
REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake played to a scoreless draw for the second consecutive match, going a man down yet holding on for the point against the New England Revolution on June 2. RSL is still looking for a first victory on the season, tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with six points from nine matches, level with the Los Angeles Galaxy, both eight points behind fourth-place Chivas USA.
LAST MATCH
• The Revolution came into the match after having their seven-game unbeaten streak ended the weekend before in a 4-3 loss to Kansas City, while Real were still looking for their first victory on the campaign, though with three draws in four matches since Jason Kreis took over.
• Yet after 90 minutes of near-domination by the Revolution, the teams shared the points. Nick Rimando was called upon to make 13 saves, just two away from the MLS record and the sixth such performance in MLS history -- matching the RSL club record, set when D.J. Countess made 13 saves in a 2-2 draw with San Jose in 2005.
• RSL was forced to play a man down for the final eight minutes after Ritchie Kotschau was sent off mere seconds after coming on as a substitute. It was the second time in MLS history a player had been sent off within a minute of coming onto the field (and no starting player has ever been sent off in the first minute).
• Four of Rimando's saves came over the final minutes, including one where Andy Williams slowed up a Jay Heaps attempt on the line before the RSL 'keeper claimed it, but the visitors' defense stood resolute for a second consecutive goalless draw.
• Real head coach Jason Kreis made one change to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire the week before. Nik Besagno made his first start of the season, coming into the back four in place of the injured Jean-Martial Kipré.
• Here's Kreis' team (4-1-3-2): Nick Rimando - Jack Stewart, Nikolas Besagno (Chris Brown 59), Eddie Pope, Willis Forko (Ritchie Kotschau 81) - Chris Lancos - Chris Klein, Mehdi Ballouchy, Freddy Adu - Alecko Eskandarian, Atiba Harris (Andy Williams 66). Substitutes Not Used: Steven Curfman, Kyle Brown, Chris Seitz, Jamie Watson
• "Obviously we faced a lot of challenges tonight. First and foremost was that we played against a New England team that seems to be able to score goals at will. So to pick up another shutout on the road is big time for my team. I think they should be patting themselves on the back for their performance."
TEAM NEWS
• Despite the dominance by New England, it was a fourth draw in five games for Real Salt Lake. It was also the first back-to-back shutouts of the season for RSL.
• "New England still created chances for themselves and they are going to do that against any defense. They are good enough that they are going to create chances," Kreis said. "We reacted well against that, especially after losing a man for about 10 minutes."
• Kotschau's sending off - almost immediately after making his RSL debut - required a real reshuffle of the Real lines. Kotschau had been signed earlier that week after being released by Toronto FC earlier in the season.
• "We had to shuffle big time there just to have guys in the right spots. We threw Chris Brown from a right midfield to a left back spot. We asked Andy Williams to switch over to the right and Alecko Eskandarian to come from being a forward to play left midfield," Kreis said. "So there were a lot of guys out of positions there. They fought well in that circumstance."
• Real continued to refine their attack, though they were again held scoreless. RSL was shut out in three successive games earlier in the season (April 14-30). "The whole game plan was to get me the ball out wide and isolate me and get a chance to go one-v-one. It worked to perfection in the first half," Freddy Adu said. "But I missed some good balls. I would like to get those shots on goal next time. At least we created those chances."
• But while Real did their best to defend in depth as the game went on, the Revolution also shackled the RSL attack. "The second half was a little bit different. They had (Steve) Ralston stay back a little bit when I was on the left side and Khano Smith stay back a little bit when I was on the right side," Adu said. "So, it took away my options and I was coming inside a little more. Once we got the red card, I went back and after that we had to defend for the rest of the game."
• On their off week from league play, RSL played the Chinese national team - and came away with a 1-0 victory. Alecko Eskandarian scored the game's only goal in the 80th minute to give Kreis his first victory of any sort while in charge of Real.
• "It's not a league win yet," Kreis said. "We feel positive about it, we have to feel very positive and confident about what we put in tonight and to walk away with a result, but we're still after that first three points in the league."
• Here's Kreis' team: Chris Seitz (Kyle Reynish 81), Kyle Brown (Freddy Adu 64), Duke Hashimoto (Kenny Cutler 64), Ritchie Kotschau, Atiba Harris, Chris Brown (Christian Jimenez 82), Jack Stewart (Dustin Kirby 46), Steven Curfman (Chris Lancos 63), Nikolas Besagno, Jamie Watson (Alecko Eskandarian 64), Andy Williams
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas remained atop the Western Conference, extending the Los Angeles Galaxy's long winless run with a 3-1 victory Saturday at Pizza Hut Park. The Hoops have 19 points from 12 matches (the most games played in MLS), three points ahead of Houston Dynamo in the West and a point behind the New York Red Bulls in the league overall table.
LAST MATCH
• FC Dallas were coming off back-to-back losses following a three-game winning run, while the Galaxy were winless in four games after their only victory on the campaign.
• The Hoops opened the scoring midway through the first half when Abe Thompson saved a ball from going out by hooking it back off the endline, and Juan Toja raced to gather it inside the area. He knocked it forward -- and then from nearly an impossible angle beyond the right-hand post, somehow slipped through a defender's legs and inside the far side netting (24).
• But the Galaxy equalized four minutes before the break with a wonderful goal. A 12-pass sequence from their own half concluded with Cobi Jones in the left side of the area, and his angled shot beat FCD 'keeper Dario Sala. But Chris Gbandi had tracked back to clear the shot off the line -- but only as far as Robbie Findley, who knocked home the rebound from close range.
• FC Dallas regained the lead in the 54th minute. Galaxy defender Ty Harden tripped up Dominic Oduro in the area, and Abe Thompson converted from the spot for his second goal of the season. Drew Moor then finished off the match for FCD in the 73rd minute, when he got onto the end of a Dax McCarty free kick sent in from the right and dove to head home from inside the goal area for his second career goal as a professional.
• The game ended on a sour note when Galaxy center back Tyrone Marshall was sent off after a tackle on FCD striker Kenny Cooper. The incident left Cooper with a fractured right tibia; he is expected to miss as much as a couple of months.
• FCD head coach Steve Morrow made four changes to the team that defeated Houston Dynamo 2-1 the previous Sunday. Chris Gbandi returned from international duty, coming into the back four for David Wagenfuhr. Marcelo Saragosa also returned to the lineup for the first time since April 12, replacing Dax McCarty. As well, Arturo Alvarez and Dominic Oduro came into the team as Morrow reprised his three-pronged strike force, replacing Kenny Cooper and Ramon Nuñez.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-3-3): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Alex Yi, Chris Gbandi - Marcelo Saragosa, Pablo Ricchetti, Juan Toja (David Wagenfuhr 87) - Arturo Alvarez (Dax McCarty 64), Abe Thompson (Kenny Cooper 68), Dominic Oduro. Substitutes Not Used: Shaka Hislop, Ramon Nunez, Aaron Pitchkolan, Bobby Rhine
• "I think it was a good team effort in the end. I thought we were always dangerous offensively. We had a few little problems in the first half; after going one-nil up I thought we got a little bit stretched defensively and gave them a little too much room to play," Morrow said. "But we talked about that at halftime, and for the most part got that sorted out. I think the boys very much deserved the win."
TEAM NEWS
• With Marcelo Saragosa returning to the lineup and Morrow going with three forwards, Juan Toja took more of the playmaking role in central midfield.
• "It's something that I've had in mind and wanted to try. I think getting Juan in those positions, it suits his game. He's very strong on the ball and able to find gaps. We can get the ball in to him with people tight on him and he's very strong as you saw," Morrow said. "I thought over 90 minutes he was magnificent and it's something we can look at again."
• For Saragosa, it was his first start since suffering a knee injury in the first meeting of the year between FCD and the Galaxy.
• "I thought Marcelo did very well. He and Pablo (Ricchetti) held things together well for us in the middle of the field. He had a good game considering he hasn't had a full 90 minutes," Morrow said. "He got through the game well. He got a knock in his thigh in the second half and I was pleased with how he fought through that. He did a good job for the team today."
• Morrow had dropped Cooper because, as the Hoops boss said, "his form is just off ... It happens from time to time." But then, after Cooper came in at the three-quarter mark of the match, his late injury put a damper on the victory.
• "It's a big blow to us," Morrow said. "It was a strange reaction after the game. We all felt sad for Kenny and that compounded all the bad luck we have had this year. Losing Adrian (Serioux) for half the season at the beginning took its effect and Roberto (Mina) for most of the season was a big blow as well."
• Dallas felt some urgency at halftime to get the three points, after getting off to the first-half lead. The match was the first home game for FCD in the month of June; the Hoops next play at Pizza Hut Park on June 30, with three more road matches in between.
• "We were disappointed with how we ended the (first) half because we started well," said goalscorer Abe Thompson. "We came in here and Steve (Morrow) yelled at us to make sure that we come out with guns blazing in the second half and get the win. With this home game sandwiched in between three road games, it was important for us to get three points."
• Thompson has now been involved in five goals (two goals, three assists) in his five starts for Dallas on the campaign. "He's been very good," Morrow said. "He holds the ball up well for us and works very hard. He's a valuable part of what we were trying to do today-getting it into Abe and having guys running off of him. I thought he took his penalty very well."
