West's top, bottom square off in Utah

awarded annually to the winner of season series by the supporters groups of both clubs. FC Dallas held the edge after a 3-2 win in the season opener for both teams.

The second meeting had a similar plot. FC Dallas took the lead after just eight minutes, Ramon Nunez allowed to run at the Fire defense before letting fly and finding the inside of the left-hand post from outside the area.

But after the break, the Fire pulled ahead, thanks to two goals in six minutes from Andy Herron. First, in the 54th minute, the FCD offside trap was sprung with a through ball by Nate Jaqua and Herron nutmegged 'keeper Dario Sala from close range. Then six minutes later, Herron controlled a long ball from Diego Gutierrez in the left corner, rounded a defender and banged home inside the near post from a tight angle.

Yet the Hoops claimed the win with two goals in four minutes. Chris Gbandi was dispossessed in the left corner, but the ball rolled to the heart of the Chicago area, where Bobby Rhine nipped in to hammer it home (77).

Then Arturo Alvarez floated a crafty chip to the spot where Kenny Cooper sent a glancing header inside the far post, his second late game-winner against the Fire this season that left the Brimstone Cup in possession of the Texas club for a fifth consecutive season.

FC Dallas head coach Colin Clarke made two changes to the team that defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at Pizza Hut Park the weekend before. Ronnie O'Brien failed a late fitness test on his right hamstring, so Ramon Nuñez came in at one wide midfield position. With Carlos Ruiz out to injury, David Wagenfuhr came in on the other flank, Kenny Cooper moving forward to partner Dominic Oduro in attack.

Here's Clarke's team (4-4-2): Dario Sala - Bobby Rhine, Drew Moor, Greg Vanney, Chris Gbandi (Clarence Goodson 81) - Ramon Nunez, Richard Mulrooney, Simo Valakari, David Wagenfuhr (Justin Moore 21) - Dominic Oduro (Arturo Alvarez 68), Kenny Cooper. [Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Aaron Pitchkolan, Abe Thompson, Alex Yi]

"I couldn't be more proud of them; they were unbelievable. It was tough conditions. No one should have to do that," Clarke said. "I'm happy to get the three points."

TEAM NEWS

With his first-choice lineup already affected by injury coming into the match, Clarke was then forced to make another change when David Wagenfuhr's head collided with Justin Mapp's knee midway through the first half. Wagenfuhr suffered concussion and was taken to a local hospital before he was released.

"We came in with a lot of injuries, and we picked up a few along the way. We have a very honest bunch of players and you send them out there and they give you 110 percent and they've done that again today," Clarke said. "Some of them played out of position, had to do different things and they go out and work and work for each other. That's what gets them three points."

With Wagenfuhr's injury, Clarke moved Bobby Rhine into a wide midfield role - and the one-time forward, now a converted right back, scored his first goal of the season.

"He's scored against them a few times in the past," Clarke said. "Yes, it's the first time he's played that far forward this year. I just told him it was like riding a bike -- you see that goal and he got a finish off it. Great for him, and a great header from [Kenny] Cooper."

While Clarke would have liked to have held the lead - especially with the high temperatures - to avoid chasing the game, he was thrilled with the way his team responded.

"We scored early and they started to press, so yes, we were trying to hit them on the counterattack. It's human nature to maybe sit back after you get an early goal on the road and maybe absorb some pressure," said Clarke. " ... It was a tough second half to come out and give up two goals in the first 15 minutes. It got a little scary for maybe three of four (minutes) but we picked ourselves up and got back in good shape and got ourselves going and came away with three points."

The Dallas players huddled around the Brimstone Cup trophy in their locker room after the match. "It's absolutely important to us to lift the trophy and we know it's important to our supporters back in Dallas," Cooper said. Echoed Clarke: "We have it and we don't want to give it up."

On Wednesday, FCD took the first leg of their Rio Grande Plate friendly series against Mexican partner club Tigres UANL, with a 2-0 victory at Pizza Hut Park. Arturo Alvarez put the Hoops in front with an 83rd-minute goal before Marcelo Saragosa - barely hours after being introduced to his new teammates for the first time - scored four minutes later to finish off the victory. The return match will be played in Monterrey next Wednesday.

Here's Clarke's team: Dario Sala (Jeff Cassar 46), David Wagenfuhr (Blake Wagner 11), Clarence Goodson, Drew Moor (Alex Yi 46), Justin Moore (Michael Dello-Russo 84), Simo Valakari (Bobby Rhine 63), Aaron Pitchkolan, Ramon Nunez (Marcelo Saragosa 73), Arturo Alvarez (Dax McCarty 83), Kenny Cooper (Dominic Oduro 63), Abe Thompson (Alex Smith 87)

West's top, bottom square off in Utah

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