FC Dallas once again battled back from a deficit, coming back from a goal down to knock off Real Salt Lake 2-1 for their second victory in as many games Saturday at Pizza Hut Park.
Chris Klein opened the scoring for Real in the 36th minute with a sweet curling free kick, only to have the Hoops answer back with goals on either side of halftime from Kenny Cooper and Mark Wilson to claim the victory.
FC Dallas head coach Colin Clarke was forced into a lineup change before the match when Ronnie O'Brien did not start due to personal reasons. Wilson was given his place in the center of the Hoops midfield.
Still, FCD was dominant for most of the first half, allowing RSL just five shots. The unexpected lineup proved effective in controlling the midfield early on as the aggressiveness of Roberto Mina and Arturo Alvarez hassling the defense up front helped slow the buildup for Real.
Without O'Brien in the lineup, the playmaking void was filled by Alvarez who made the left side his own while also marking the veteran Klein closely, reducing his threat from the wing.
In the 14th minute, Alvarez dispossessed Klein on the left and went on a strong run upfield into the area where he found Ruiz, but the Guatemalan striker was called offside.
Then Alvarez again made a great run up the left in the 28th minute, again finding Ruiz. This time he was onside, but his low shot caused no trouble for Real 'keeper Scott Garlick.
The Achilles heel for the Hoops thus far this season has been fouling the opposition within 30 yards of their own goal and giving up dangerous free kicks.
That was the case in the 36th minute as Simo Valakari committed a foul just outside the Dallas area. Klein stepped up and took the kick after Andy Williams tapped it to him, sending in a bending right-footed strike that found the top left corner of the net and beat FCD 'keeper Dario Sala, who appeared to have lost sight of the ball as it curled over the wall.
Ruiz has yet to score in 2006 but his service to others has been a key for the Hoops early on this season. That improved service was on display in the 43rd minute as he fended off the defense long enough to find Cooper with a cheeky backheel straight to his feet. The Dallas native kept up his end of the deal beating Garlick to tie the match.
Alvarez nearly put his team ahead just before halftime as Cooper found him down the sideline with a nice through ball. Alvarez went straight to goal and his tough shot hit Garlick in the arm and bounced high towards the goal only to hit the back post and bounce back into the goalmouth.
The Hoops maintained their hold on the match in the second half with Mina again showing why he is nicknamed the "Raging Bull" with his tenacity and work ethic in chasing the ball. Mina even seemed to get under the skin of Real's Eddie Pope, drawing a lot of contact and a couple fouls on the veteran.
In the 56th minute FCD continued their onslaught on the Salt Lake goal as Mina found Ruiz with a cross that he brought down off his chest and fired on goal. It was deflected by Garlick and nearly cleared out by Real defender Carey Talley, only to have Wilson get in front of it and push it back into the net for his first-ever goal with FC Dallas.
A goal ahead, FC Dallas were almost unthreatened over the remainder of the match -- until the game's waning moments. First Douglas Sequeira shot after a long run, only for Bobby Rhine to make a sliding save to maintain the lead. Then, just moments later in stoppage time, Clarence Goodson made a similar save to keep Pope from scoring and FC Dallas had survived.
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
