FC Dallas meet Toronto FC in Texas
FC DALLAS v TORONTO FC
PIZZA HUT PARK, Frisco, Texas
7:30 p.m. ET (CBC)
Sept. 8, 2007 (WEEK 23) / MLS Game #148
After reaching the U.S. Open Cup Final at midweek, FC Dallas are looking to get their league campaign back on track when they play host to Toronto FC at Pizza Hut Park. The Hoops have lost their last two games after a six-game unbeaten run in league play, yet still find themselves tied for second place in the Western Conference, just three points out of the top spot. For Toronto FC, every minute they continue to go without a goal adds to their league-record scoreless streak, at 642 minutes entering the contest as the Reds have gone winless in their last eight games.
REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda. SAR (bench): Steven Taylor; JAR (opposite): Paul Scott; 4th: Fernando Galvan
MLS Career: 14 games; FC/gm: 31.0; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 2; pens: 4
Games involving FC Dallas: P3 W1 L1 T1; FC/gm: 32.3; Y/gm: 2.7; R: 2; pens: 1
Games involving Toronto FC: first game
INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS - OUT: FW Kenny Cooper (R tibia); FW Roberto Mina (L knee); QUESTIONABLE: DF Clarence Goodson (concussion); DF Michael Dello-Russo (R calf) ... TORONTO FC - OUT: GK Greg Sutton (concussion); MF Ronnie O'Brien (knee); FW Jeff Cunningham (hernia); DOUBTFUL: FW Danny Dichio (ankle)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Clarence Goodson, Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS:
DAL: Chris Gbandi, Drew Moor, Dominic Oduro, Carlos Ruiz, Juan Toja, Alex Yi ... TOR: Andrew Boyens, Jim Brennan, Jeff Cunningham, Danny Dichio, Srdjan Djekanovic, Chris Pozniak, Carl Robinson
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: TOR: MF Carl Robinson (Wales; v Germany, Sept. 9)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (1 meetings): FC Dallas 0 wins), 0 goals ... Toronto FC 1 win, 4 goals ... Ties 0
AT DALLAS: first meeting
• This is the second ever meeting between the clubs, the second of two on the season. It's the only one set for Pizza Hut Park.
• Coaches record: Steve Morrow vs. TOR: P1 W0 L1 D0 ... Mo Johnston v DAL: P2 W1 L1 D0
LAST MEETING
6/17: TOR 4, DAL 0 (Edu 22; Dichio 25; Robinson 65; Cunningham 92+)
• Toronto FC claimed the biggest victory of its young existence, defeating FC Dallas 4-0 at BMO Field on June 17.
• The home side took control of the game with a pair of goals coming three minutes apart midway through the first half. A cross found Danny Dichio all alone in the area, but he was twice denied at point-blank range by FCD 'keeper Dario Sala. But on the second rebound, the ball squirted to Maurice Edu, and the No. 1 overall SuperDraft pick banged home his second goal (22).
• Then Dichio claimed one for himself, rising up to head home a Carl Robinson free kick swung in from beyond the right corner of the penalty area.
• Robinson also then took a goal for himself in the 65th minute, getting onto the end of a Kevin Goldthwaite cross from the left touchline to sharply head home. Jeff Cunningham finished off the rout in stoppage time, a short corner finally played in after a couple of quick passes for the veteran striker to nod home for his second goal in as many games with TFC.
• Here's Johnston's team (4-4-2): Srdjan Djekanovic - Marvell Wynne, Andrew Boyens, Jim Brennan, Kevin Goldthwaite - Ronnie O'Brien (Joey Melo 92+), Maurice Edu, Carl Robinson, Andy Welsh (Gabe Gala 74) - Danny Dichio (Andrea Lombardo 46), Jeff Cunningham. Substitutes Not Used: Miguel Canizalez, David Guzman, Greg Sutton
• Here's Morrow's team (4-2-1-3): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Alex Yi (Bobby Rhine 71), Chris Gbandi - Dax McCarty (Carlos Ruiz 46), Marcelo Saragosa - Juan Toja - Dominic Oduro, Abe Thompson (Ramon Nunez 46), Arturo Alvarez. Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Aaron Pitchkolan, David Wagenfuhr, Anthony Wallace
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas lost for the second successive match, this time the club's worst defeat ever at Pizza Hut Park, as D.C. United strolled to a comprehensive 4-0 victory last Saturday night. FCD is still tied for second place in the Western Conference with 36 points from 22 matches, level with Chivas USA (who have two games in hand), both clubs still three points behind divisional leaders Houston Dynamo.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United hadn't lost since July 22, a 1-0 defeat by the New York Red Bulls, while FC Dallas was returning to action after seeing their six-game unbeaten run put to an end by Houston two weeks previous.
• When the teams first met this season, D.C. United held a three-goal lead after 50 minutes at home before the Hoops came storming back to claim a share of a 3-3 draw. There would be no such comeback this time.
• It took Ben Olsen just four minutes to put United into the lead. Clyde Simms stepped in front of a clearance and headed to Olsen some 25 yards from goal, and he ripped a drive that beat Dario Sala inside the right-hand post.
• Olsen doubled United's lead in stoppage time just before the break. A Marc Burch cross found Luciano Emilio at the far post, and Sala covered his ground well to stop his point-blank effort. But Olsen was there to punch home the rebound for his second multiple-goal game on the season.
• United put the game away with two goals in the opening five minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, a cross was half-cleared, only to Christian Gomez just outside the top of the area, and he lashed home a quick shot for the 3-0 lead.
• Then three minutes later Gomez found Fred on the left side of the area. The Brazilian skipped across the top of the box before driving home a low shot past Sala inside his left-hand post, sealing FCD's worst-ever defeat in their Frisco home.
• FCD head coach Steve Morrow made just one change to the team that lost 1-0 to Houston Dynamo two weeks previous at Robertson Stadium. Juan Toja returned after missing two games to injury, coming into the midfield in place of Bobby Rhine.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-1-3-2): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Aaron Pitchkolan, Chris Gbandi (Dominic Oduro 67) - Pablo Ricchetti - Arturo Alvarez, Juan Toja (Bobby Rhine 82), Dax McCarty - Carlos Ruiz, Ricardinho (Denilson 55). Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Adrian Serioux, Abe Thompson, David Wagenfuhr
• "I think we gave up four very bad goals tonight. I thought we started the game well; first few minutes was good intensity, good level. I don't think we played horrible all night, but they scored the goals, we didn't," Morrow said.
TEAM NEWS
• The Hoops last played on August 19, when they fell 1-0 at Houston but they weren't ready to chalk up the defeat to United to rust.
• "My thought is that we played like complete crap," said center back Clarence Goodson. "We got four goals scored on us and that's inexcusable. We've got to do a better job of clearing the ball. They scored four goals on bad clearances. It was bad and we played like crap. We had a week off and should have been rested. This sort of thing shouldn't happen."
• After a six-game unbeaten streak, the Hoops have now lost back-to-back games, both by shutout. It was the first time they were shut out in back-to-back games since the end of April.
• "It was just not good enough from every player tonight," second-year midfielder Dax McCarty said. "We gave up a bad goal in the first few minutes and that set the stage for the rest of the night for us. We've had our troubles starting games off and I don't know why other teams do better at that than us but it just wasn't good enough. The overall effort wasn't there tonight and if we're a team looking to win MLS Cup, this is definitely not the way to be going into the playoffs."
• But even with the loss, FCD didn't lose much ground as Houston was held to a 1-1 home draw by Kansas City and Chivas USA had the weekend off. The Hoops have eight games remaining, and five are at home.
• "People are probably going to get mad at me for saying this but we get too crazy after a win and get way too down after losses around here. It was a bad loss. We have had bad losses this season but you have people walking around not talking to each other after this one," Chris Gbandi said. "This season is a long season and it all depends on how well we bounce back from losses. The last few times, we haven't bounced back from them very well. We can't get that down when we lose because every time we win a game around here, we feel like we won the World Cup. Overall, we just have to take this in stride. D.C. is a good team and we got our butts kicked but I don't think we played that badly."
• On Tuesday, FC Dallas reached the U.S. Open Cup final for the third time in club history when they defeated the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division (second tier) 2-1 in extra time at Qwest Field in Seattle. Carlos Ruiz broke the deadlock when he turned home an Arturo Alvarez cross in the first minute of extra time, then in the 119th minute, Abe Thompson converted a penalty kick after Dax McCarty was upended in the area. A stoppage-time goal from Leighton O'Brien brought a few tense moments, but the Hoops still secured their second Open Cup final berth in three years. FC Dallas will play host to the championship match of the oldest annual competition in U.S. team sports, Wed. Oct. 3 at Pizza Hut Park (7 p.m. CT).
• Here's Morrow's team: Dario Sala, David Wagenfuhr, Alex Yi (Aaron Pitchkolan 56), Clarence Goodson (Adrian Serioux 46), Drew Moor, Denilson (Dax McCarty 94), Juan Toja, Pablo Ricchetti, Arturo Alvarez, Carlos Ruiz (Bobby Rhine 109), Abe Thompson. Subs not used: Ray Burse (GK), Chris Gbandi, Anthony Wallace.
TORONTO FC
Toronto FC made history, seeing their goalless streak reach record proportions as they lost for a third consecutive match in their last outing, a 1-0 loss to D.C. United on Aug. 25 at BMO Field. TFC still has 20 points from 22 games on the season, still eight points out of the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs with eight games to play, while sitting in 11th place overall in the MLS standings.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United came in riding a four-game winning streak, having seen their club record shutout streak snapped at midweek in the 3-1 win against New York. Toronto FC hadn't won in seven games and had gone 552 minutes without scoring a goal, five minutes shy of the league record set by Real Salt Lake in 2005.
• Toronto had two corners and three shots in the first six minutes, but it wasn't enough for the streak-breaking score. At the six-minute mark, TFC officially set the league's new standard for lack of scoring. The BMO Field fans showed a sense of humor by counting down the seconds until the record was clinched, and then "celebrating" the event with streamers and applause.
• Two minutes later, United took the lead. A long ball down the left flank from Troy Perkins was flicked on by Nicholas Addlery, and Fred raced in alone behind the TFC defense. Rounding the corner at a tight angle at the left post, Fred poked a low shot that slipped past Kenny Stamatopoulos and into the back of the net.
• United held on for the shutout, their fourth in the last five games, and their fifth victory in a row. Toronto's last goal came on July 7 - an MLS record 642 minutes played without a goal.
• TFC head coach Mo Johnston made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Chivas USA the previous Saturday. Marvell Wynne came back from injury and Chris Pozniak returned from suspension, replacing the injured Andy Welsh and Andrew Boyens. Danny Dichio started his first game since July 29, coming into the attack for Andrea Lombardo.
• Here's Johnston's team (4-4-2): Kenny Stamatopoulos - Adam Braz, Tyrone Marshall, Jim Brennan, Todd Dunivant - Marvell Wynne, Maurice Edu, Carl Robinson, Chris Pozniak (Miguel Canizalez 81) - Collin Samuel, Danny Dichio. Substitutes Not Used: Nana Attakora-Gyan, Andrew Boyens, Andrea Lombardo, Joey Melo, David Monsalve, Marco Reda
• "I'm feeling sorry for the guys in the locker room because I felt they left everything on the field tonight," Johnston said. "I felt they played well, they (D.C.) really only had one clear chance, it came from a long ball and we were unfortunate and he snuck it underneath Kenny, but I felt tonight the team played well as a whole. They worked hard for each other -- we just couldn't get a break."
TEAM NEWS
• With the end of the game, the TFC scoreless streak had reached 642 minutes, shattering Real Salt Lake's single-season mark of 557 minutes in 2005. The only other time a team went scoreless over six consecutive games at any point was the Kansas City Wizards, who were held scoreless in the final three games of the 1998 season and first three of 1999 (637 minutes in all).
• "I think it's most frustrating than anything. When you do work hard and you think you deserve something and you don't get it, it's frustrating," said Jim Brennan. "Now, the thing is we're a good group of guys we work hard for one another, we're all sticking together and we know it's going to come -- it's a matter of just when."
• With the injury to Welsh, Marvell Wynne made his first start for TFC since July 22, missing three full games to a hamstring injury. But Johnston tried him as the wide right-sided midfielder.
• "I don't think I played very well at all," Wynne said. "Maybe if I get some more training under my belt, it could be a position I could be playing in the future. Obviously I tried my best, but right back is still my position. I had a couple of opportunities to maybe put the ball into the center, but I can never say I'm better there than maybe Welsh or [Samuel] in that position because they're more comfortable with the ball."
• Toronto started the first four games in club history without a goal, and now have the seven-game stretch, meaning they own both records for longest without scoring (most minutes to begin a season).
• "We're going through a little sticky patch at the moment," said midfielder Carl Robinson, who will miss the FC Dallas match while on national team duty with Wales. "Performance-wise I think we're playing well. Goals-wise we obviously cannot score. We're throwing kitchen sinks at teams and not scoring. It's that type of luck we're having at the moment. The effort was there, the commitment was there, a little bit of frustration is there at times, but the final result isn't there."
• But then the Reds' hopes were dealt another blow during the week when Danny Dichio suffered a foot injury during training. TFC has been outscored 12-1 in matches the English forward has missed, and it was Dichio who snapped Toronto's season-opening 383 scoreless streak with the opening strike in TFC's 3-1 win against Chicago on May 12 -- also the first goal in club history, and the first of Dichio's team-leading five goals.
• Johnston said a contributing factor has been the amount of action many of his players have seen, with no break at all after playing overseas through the spring then jumping into the MLS season.
• On Thursday, TFC released winger Andy Welsh, who signed with Blackpool of England's Coca-Cola Championship (second tier) on a free transfer. "We found a way of getting him back over to England, and it worked out for both camps," said Johnston. "He's happy and we're happy. It's always sad to see a younger kid leave."
