FC DALLAS vs. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
PIZZA HUT PARK, Frisco, Texas
Oct. 2, 2008 | 8 p.m. CT (ESPN2/DEPORTES)
WEEK # 28 | GAME # 183
It's yet another six-point match in the Western Conference on MLS Primetime Thursday, as two teams that need to win to pull themselves back into the MLS Cup Playoffs reckoning meet at Pizza Hut Park when FC Dallas takes on the San Jose Earthquakes. FCD is in fifth, one point out of the playoff-paying positions - four points ahead of San Jose (who still have a game in hand). FC Dallas comes in off back-to-back wins against Eastern Conference opposition; the Quakes had their league-high nine-game unbeaten streak put to an end last weekend.
REFEREE:
Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): Kyle Borne; JAR (opposite): Greg Boles; 4th: Jasen Anno
MLS Career: 83 games; FC/gm: 28.8; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 11; pens: 21
INJURY REPORT:
FC DALLAS - OUT: DF Brek Shea (R knee), MF David Wagenfuhr (concussion) ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES - OUT: MF Ramiro Corrales (L MCL sprain); FW Gavin Glinton (R adductor release surgery); QUESTIONABLE: MF Kelly Gray (R groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Arturo Alvarez (R lateral knee contusion)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES:
none
SUSPENDED:
none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Andre Rocha ... SJ: Ramiro Corrales, Eric Denton, Nick Garcia, Jason Hernandez
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DAL: Jeff Cunningham, Pablo Ricchetti ... SJ: Kelly Gray
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (37 meetings): FC Dallas 13 wins (3 shootout), 40 goals ... Earthquakes 19 wins (4 shootout), 63 goals ... Ties 5
AT DALLAS (18 meetings): FC Dallas 8 wins (1 shootout), 24 goals ... Earthquakes 8 wins (0 shootout), 28 goals ... Ties 2
• This is the second of two meetings between the clubs this season, the only one set for Pizza Hut Park. The teams played to a scoreless draw on May 3.
• The last Dallas victory in the series came July 7, 2004, a span of seven games. It was their last victory in San Jose. It was also the only Dallas win in the series from July 20, 2002 to the last encounter, which came on Sept. 24, 2005 - a span of 14 matches.
• The teams have met just once at Pizza Hut Park, a 2-0 Earthquakes victory on Sept. 3, 2005. Their first meeting in the 2005 season was a 2-2 draw at the Cotton Bowl - the final game played at the Texas State Fairgrounds.
• Coaches record: Schellas Hyndman v SJ: first game ... Frank Yallop vs. DAL: P17 W11 L5 D1
LAST MEETING (MLS):
5/3: SJ 0, DAL 0
• The teams met at Buck Shaw Stadium as the facility on the campus of Santa Clara University was playing host to the Earthquakes' first game at their main home.
• The Earthquakes coming off a 4-0 loss at Real Salt Lake in midweek in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match, but even with center back Ryan Cochrane injured in that match, San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon had little to do beyond a pair of pedestrian saves. FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala was the busier of the two, credited with one save on the evening.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2): Joe Cannon - James Riley, Nick Garcia, Jason Hernandez, Eric Denton - Ronnie O'Brien (Shea Salinas 75), Ramiro Corrales, Ned Grabavoy, Ivan Guerrero (Ryan Johnson 87) - Gavin Glinton (Peguero Jean Philippe 55), Kei Kamara. Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, John Cunliffe, Jamil Roberts, Joe Vide
• Here's Steve Morrow's team (3-4-1-2): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Duilio Davino, Anthony Wallace - Andre Rocha (Dax McCarty 69), Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa, Blake Wagner - Juan Toja (Aaron Pitchkolan 89) - Arturo Alvarez, Kenny Cooper (Abe Thompson 83). Substitutes Not Used: Ricardinho, Ray Burse, Dominic Oduro, Bobby Rhine
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas won for the second consecutive week, rolling to a 3-0 victory against D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at Pizza Hut Park. FCD now has 33 points from 26 matches, but still sit alone in fifth place in the Western Conference, just a point behind the third-place tie between the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake, now four points ahead of sixth-place San Jose and Los Angeles.
LAST MATCH
• FC Dallas were coming off an impressive win in Chicago that ended a five-game winless run, while United were riding a four-game winless streak of their own, off a heavy defeat by the LA Galaxy.
• FC Dallas took just nine minutes to take the lead. From a free kick well out on the left, Andre Rocha swung in the ball, aiming for the back post. Yet while no one got on the end of it, the ball bounced in the goal area and nestled just inside the post for his third goal, all in the last six games.
• Jeff Cunningham continued his rich vein of form, doubling the lead in the 56th minute. Marcelo Saragosa swung in a cross from the left and Cunningham was able to get to it first and poke it past Louis Crayton, his fifth goal in seven games since joining FCD.
• Then three minutes into stoppage time, Kenny Cooper strolled forward from nearly the midfield stripe, cut into the area and lashed a left-footed drive inside the left corner for his 15th goal on the season.
• FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made no changes to the team that defeated the Chicago Fire 4-1 the previous Sunday at Toyota Park.
• Here's Hyndman's team (4-3-1-2): Dario Sala - Adrian Serioux (Dax McCarty 79), Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan (Duilio Davino 68), Blake Wagner - Andre Rocha, Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa - Bruno Guarda - Kenny Cooper, Jeff Cunningham (Dominic Oduro 69). Substitutes Not Used: Eric Avila, Ray Burse, Michael Dello-Russo, Bobby Rhine
• "We played so well in Chicago and challenged the boys to produce here at home for their fans," Hyndman said. "It would be difficult with the heat and again, playing against a really good strike force. I thought in the first half, we played very well. They sure did come at us for a while. I think that really showed the strength of our defense. Dario (Sala) had an exceptional game today. Again, it's a great victory for FC Dallas. I thought it was another great team performance."
TEAM NEWS
• Hyndman employed the same starting 11 in consecutive games for just the second time all year. Even though former Mexican international Duilio Davino was again fit, Aaron Pitchkolan maintained his place in central defense, though Davino did come in the 68th minute for his first action since July 27.
• "(Pitchkolan) has done a fantastic job for us," Hyndman said. "I thought it was another opportunity to bring Duilio back in a game where we were winning and getting a chance to use his experience. The game really started going towards their favor and sometimes, you need someone in there with some direction and some composure."
• With his goal late in the match, Cooper became FCD's first player to score 15 goals since Ariel Graziani in 2000. He is still second in the MLS Golden Boot standings, four goals behind LA's Landon Donovan.
• "We're very hungry right now," Cooper said. "I can feel it within the team and I think we've showed it in the last two games. Everyone is working really hard in training and games. It's nice to have the results to show for it. We want to make it into the playoffs. We've showed it in the last two games and hopefully, we can show it again against San Jose."
• Cunningham also added another goal, his fifth in seven games (to go with two assists) since joining FC Dallas.
• The United win started a stretch of three consecutive home games, and also a stretch of four games where the Hoops could ease into a playoff spot. Of the final four games, three are against teams currently out of the postseason reckoning (San Jose, Toronto and Los Angeles), with the fourth (Real Salt Lake) against a team in the top eight only after United's loss to FCD.
• "It's definitely massive for us right now," FCD defender Adrian Serioux said. "We came home after Chicago, felt great after that game and wanted to keep that momentum going. It's kind of unfortunate for us that we're getting into a groove so late in the season. We've kind of hit our level right now. We feel really good, everybody is mixing it up together and everybody seems to be connecting really well. Hopefully, in these next couple of games, we will have a rude awakening for the other teams."
• After suffering a knee injury in just his second MLS game after coming to FC Dallas, Victor Sikora could be ready to return to the substitutes' bench this week and provide another injection of new blood into the team.
• "I think we're all surprised," Hyndman said. "I think a lot of that comes from his mentality. He didn't come over here for the sunshine and the vacation. He came to make a name for himself and to improve his opportunities to play for the future. I think he's a competitor and I think he's one of those guys that I thought would be a really positive influence for the younger players.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes lost for the first time since July 5, Real Salt Lake ending their seven-game home unbeaten streak with a 3-2 victory Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Earthquakes have 29 points from 25 matches, still tied for sixth place in the Western Conference with the LA Galaxy, now four points behind FC Dallas.
LAST MATCH
• The Earthquakes were the league's hottest team, unbeaten in their last nine games, while Real saw their unbeaten home record got by the wayside the week before, their second consecutive loss.
• But it was the visitors who got off to a dream start. Javier Morales stabbed a chip over the San Jose back line and Yura Movsisvan chased it down before cutting back and slotting home a shot inside the left-hand post (3). The Earthquakes pulled even in the 23rd minute. A long pass from Ryan Cochrane sprung Darren Huckerby behind the RSL defense, and he provided a composed finish of his own.
• Two minutes after the restart, Huckerby hit for his second. Running onto a return pass from Arturo Alvarez, a cheeky backheel, Huckerby rifled home from 20 yards for his fifth goal in MLS.
• Yet the lead last all of two minutes, as yet another long ball over the top to Movsisyan sprung him on another breakaway, and he lofted his shot over the advancing Cannon for his second goal of the game, fifth of the season and fourth in the last four games.
• Then 10 minutes later, Morales provided the crowning blow, hooking a freekick over the Earthquakes wall and just inside the left-hand post for his fourth goal on the year.
• Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop made one change to the team that tied the Houston Dynamo 1-1 on Sept. 13. Ryan Cochrane returned to the back four, coming into the team in place of James Riley.
• Here's Yallop's team (4-4-2):Joe Cannon - Jason Hernandez, Ryan Cochrane, Nick Garcia, Eric Denton - Ronnie O'Brien (Shea Salinas 70), Ned Grabavoy (Ryan Johnson 61), Francisco Lima, Darren Huckerby - Arturo Alvarez, Scott Sealy (Davide Somma 78). Substitutes Not Used: John Cunliffe, Michael Ghebru, Michael Gustavson, Jovan Kirovski
• "We looked sluggish. I hate to make an excuse, but we didn't look our best - maybe that was one of the reasons. We go 2-1 up at home, you would think that after our last nine games we would know how to see games out and do things well, but we were a step short and our passing was not good," Yallop said. "But, they played well as a unit."
TEAM NEWS
• The loss was the first time the Earthquakes had allowed as many as three goals in a game since June 22, a 3-1 loss at D.C. United.
• "This is the worst we've played as a defensive unit all year long," said goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "It hurts. I think our fans were just getting excited and into this playoff chase. ... But as a unit, we let our team down. Any time you get two goals at home, you should win."
• It also marked as many goals as the Earthquakes had conceded in their previous five games combined. "At 2-1 you do not want seven, eight, even nine players pushing on to score another goal. You need six men staying back and defending. Keep five men back, keep the four in the backline back, and have them struggle to score another goal," Darren Huckerby said. "This is just unacceptable; we have to be better than that."
• With the Eastern Conference starting to come back to the West in terms of standings points, Real Salt Lake were able to move into one of the two wild card spots, putting more options in play. But even with a game in hand, the Earthquakes are now five points back with five games to play.
• "We have been playing very well and getting results against good teams. A tie would have been fine with us, but they get three points up on us, which is difficult," Yallop said. "We have a tough game coming up in Dallas and if we can go to their place and get a result then everything is wide open again."
• On July 19, after a 0-0 draw in Toronto, the Earthquakes were in seventh place in the West, five points behind sixth-place FC Dallas. They've had seven of their eight games since at home, and took 14 of a possible 21 points. Three of San Jose's final five games will be away from Buck Shaw Stadium.
• Huckerby recorded his first two-goal game, and now has six goals in eight games since coming to MLS (along with four assists).
• "It was great to get goals tonight, but they don't count for anything," he said. "We weren't good enough today. At 2-1 we've got to win the game. Then we got sloppy."
