Hoops fall in first Texas battle
Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario scored twice for the home side, including the game-winner, and forward Brian Ching celebrated his selection to the U.S. World Cup squad by notching his league-leading seventh goal of the season.
Midfielder Ricardo Clark notched the opener for Dynamo, who won their third in a row and took over first place in the Western Conference. The win also means Dynamo have taken the first step toward claiming the replica 18th-century Mountain Howitzer cannon that will be awarded to the winner of the season series between the Texas clubs.
For the Hoops, mercurial forward Carlos Ruiz scored his first goal of the season in the 60th minute and Ramon Nunez followed a minute later. Defender Drew Moor headed home his first career MLS goal as well, but it wasn't enough to keep FCD from suffering their first loss of the season.
FC Dallas fired a shot across the Dynamo bow in just the fifth minute, as Ruiz chased down a ball played into space by Roberto Mina and fired it on net. Dynamo 'keeper Pat Onstad made the save and defender Craig Waibel headed the ball out for a corner.
That the Hoops had the first chance was anything but a portent of things to come in the first half, as Dynamo soon took control of the match. From the quarter-hour on, the home side dominated possession and frustrated FCD's attackers.
Ruiz repeatedly clashed with Dynamo's central defenders, particularly Adrian Serioux. After Ruiz and Serioux traded fouls in the early going, the Guatemalan took a swipe at Waibel and earned a yellow card.
Despite having a firm grip on the match, Dynamo didn't get a shot on goal until the 31st minute. Clark made it count though, collecting the clearance of a Serioux throw-in in the center of the field and then turning and firing home from all of 30 yards out. FCD 'keeper Dario Sala seemingly thought the shot deflected off of a Houston player who was in an offside position and ran to midfield to protest to the fourth official; he was cautioned for his remonstrations.
Five minutes later, Ching made his presence felt, powering home a header from close range after Brad Davis sent in a free kick from the right. The "Hawaiian Superman" nearly struck again in the 43rd, sending his redirection shot just past the near post.
De Rosario put a third goal on the board for Dynamo in the last minute of the half. The Canadian international collected a lob floated over the FCD back four by Ching near the top of the box and drilled a shot past Sala.
The Hoops, seemingly buried, fought back into the match early in the second half. On the hour mark, Mina fired a shot that Onstad saved, but Ruiz was there to pound home the rebound. Serioux put a harsh tackle on Ruiz at the end of the play, and referee Abbey Okulaja wrote the Canadian's name into his book.
A minute later, Mina made Serioux's night a bit worse, toying with him on the right, then beating him to the endline and dropping a pass to the middle of the box, where Ramon Nunez coolly finished into the empty net.
Despite allowing the Hoops back into the match, Dynamo didn't lose their composure, and De Rosario put them back in front by two goals in the 67th minute. He chased down an outlet pass from Davis and after Sala got a hand on De Rosario's attempt to round the 'keeper, the Canadian international collected the ball, spun around and curled the ball home just inside the far post.
FC Dallas again battled back in minute 79, but Moor's diving header that finished off a Ronnie O'Brien free kick was too little, too late.
The teams will meet again next Saturday at Pizza Hut Park in a match that will air live at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
