FC Dallas marked their first trip to Utah by setting a team record for the longest unbeaten streak in history (6 games) with a convincing 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The scoring started early for the Hoops, rookie Abe Thompson in his first MLS start ripped a shot in the 22nd minute that was saved by DJ Countess. However, Countess deflected the shot straight into the path of Ronnie O'Brien who slotted his fifth goal of the year.
O'Brien wasn't even sure he would be traveling with the team this week, let alone playing. He has been under the weather, but still made the trip with the team because of desire to get on the field.
"I was just happy to be on the field," said O'Brien. "I was in bed for the last night and a half with a stomach bug.
"I've been chewing tums to keep my stomach down all day. I think I've had about 20 of them today. I just love being on the field. If I can last 40 minutes, 50 minutes, it was just good to be on the field tonight."
O'Brien was involved in FCD's second goal as well. In the second half, the Irishman burst through the RSL backline unleashing a low shot cleared by the foot of Countess. The deflection fell to Thompson who put away his first career MLS goal.
"I was looking to put one in and open my account," said Thompson. "It feels great to have it start on my first start -- ever.
"Luckily Ronnie's shot fell to me in the second half, and it couldn't have fallen to me any better, and it was just a matter of slotting it."
The key to the Hoops' success has been their work as a team. The players play for each other and everyone has one goal in mind, and that's to win.
"Camaraderie is great this year," said O'Brien. "Everybody gets on well. No one cares who scores as long as it goes in. It's a great team to play on at the moment."
Coach Colin Clarke agrees that it hasn't been one particular player who has made the difference.
"Everybody worked very hard, we were very organized, we were closed them down, we stopped them playing, we created stuff and that's everybody," said Clarke.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
