Another FC Dallas match, and another first half red-card decision.
This time, however, it was the San Jose Earthquakes who lost a player to a referee's call, and still the result remained the same – a loss for FC Dallas.
“It is hard to believe we are facing this result,” FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja said after FCD’s 2-1 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday night. “Very unfortunate night for us.”
With San Jose up by goal in the 25th minute from Cordell Cato, Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas received a red card for a rough challenge on FC Dallas defender Zach Loyd in the 45th minute of the first half. Pareja subbed out Loyd for forward David Texiera at halftime and the pressure was on from Dallas for much of the second half.
Unfortunately for Pareja’s club, it was San Jose who scored first after the red card on an own goal from Texiera, giving the Quakes a 2-0 advantage.
Dallas midfielder Michel was finally able to get Dallas on the board with a goal from a free kick near the top of the penalty area in the 76th minute, but the visitors couldn’t capitalize on a number of scoring chances in the second half.
“Tough loss,” said defender Matt Hedges. “Up a man for 45 minutes, we have to get a result out of that game. We can’t lose when we’re up for that long.”
It was Dallas’ fourth consecutive loss, and their third game in seven days.
“I thought we had so many chances and if we played that game just like that ten times, I feel like we’ll score two goals nine times and that was just the one unlucky one for us,” said forward Tesho Akindele.
Dallas lost defender Je-Vaughn Watson to a red card in the opening minutes of the team’s 1-0 loss at home to the New York Red Bulls on May 4, saw both Loyd and Michel sent off during a 4-1 loss at D.C. United on April 26.
