CARSON, Calif. - FC Dallas let a late lead slip away and were held to a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night.
Juan Pablo Garcia volleyed in the equalizing goal for Chivas USA in the 81st minute after Kenny Cooper put FC Dallas ahead in the 55th minute.
With the draw, FC Dallas can still clinch a spot in the MLS playoffs with a win at home on Wednesday - again against Chivas - and a Los Angeles Galaxy loss on Sunday to Houston Dynamo.
Chivas, meanwhile, still find themselves in a battle for a playoff spot as three points separate the fourth-place Goats from the sixth-place Galaxy.
Chivas had the first shot on goal of the match in the ninth minute. Jesse Marsch hit a one-time shot from 19 yards out but his shot was directed at goalkeeper Dario Sala's chest, who had no trouble making the save.
Two minutes later, FC Dallas nearly took an early lead when Abe Thompson raced by a Chivas defender inside left side of the penalty area and hit a low shot at goal. Thompson's shot came from a very tight angle, though, and was just wide right of goal.
The match was Thompson's second as a starter this season as he replaced Carlos Ruiz, suspended for yellow card accumulation.
In the 15th minute, Sala stopped another Chivas shot thanks to perfect positioning. Garcia split two FC Dallas defenders with a clever through pass to Francisco Mendoza inside the penalty area. Mendoza collected the ball, turned and fired a shot straight into Sala's chest who didn't have time to react with his hands.
Chivas mounted their attack midway through the first half with Jesus Morales testing Sala twice from long range.
On his first attempt, Morales nearly caught Sala off guard as his floated 25-yard shot sailed over the head of the 'keeper and bounced off the crossbar.
Then, four minutes later, Morales ripped a 22-yard shot that bounced as it reached Sala, who managed to knock it out of play for a Chivas corner kick.
FC Dallas countered with two dangerous scoring chances. First, in the 34th minute, Ramon Nunez sent a ball deep into the Chivas penalty area to Cooper, but his six-yard header attempt was inches off the mark, going wide right of the goal.
Six minutes later, an unmarked Ronnie O'Brien unleashed a hard shot from 22-yards out that forced Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan into a diving save.
In the 51st minute, Cooper found Nunez inside the Chivas penalty area with a chipped pass. Nunez's trap, however, was poor and gave Guzan time to dive on the loose ball before a shot was taken.
FC Dallas finally broke through in the 55th minute. Cooper shook Chivas defender Tim Regan off the ball, freeing up space for himself from 19 yards out. With a clear look at the goal, Cooper shot past Guzan to give FC Dallas the opening goal. The goal was Cooper's team-high ninth of the season.
Content with a goal advantage, FC Dallas assumed a defensive posture through much of the rest of the match and replaced Cooper with midfielder Marcelo Saragosa in the 68th minute.
The tactic didn't work, however, as Chivas pulled even in the 81st minute. Mendoza chipped a ball from the right side of the FC Dallas penalty area towards Jonathan Bornstein. Bornsten and two FC Dallas defenders failed to get a foot on the ball and it floated to Garcia instead, who volleyed a shot past Sala on his left side to square things at 1-1.
Chivas nearly scored the game winner two minutes from full time. Sala was forced to leave the area to clear a loose ball but was unable to hit more than a few feet. Bornstein collected the ball and shot at the open goal but his shot was blocked by Bobby Rhine.
Arturo Alvarez had a chance to give FC Dallas the victory in stoppage time as cut through the Chivas backline and found himself one-on-one with Guzan. Alvarez's shot, however, was blocked by Guzan.
Then, Clarence Goodson had a header in the final moments go off the crossbar after an O'Brien corner kick.
Danny Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
