Ruiz steals victory from Red Bulls
But league-leading FC Dallas scored twice in the final quarter hour, including the game-winner three minutes from the end by Carlos Ruiz, to earn their first road win of the year, beating the Red Bulls 2-1 at Giants Stadium. The MLS match was the opening game of a doubleheader that also featured World Cup-bound Ecuador playing South American rival Colombia.
Seth Stammler had given the Red Bulls the lead early in the first half. But Kenny Cooper pulled FC Dallas level in the 76th minute, then Ruiz provided his late-game heroics to give FC Dallas their sixth victory in 10 games on the season and extend their unbeaten streak to four matches.
The Red Bulls played their most attractive soccer of the season in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Mark Lisi found space and forced Dario Sala into a diving save just 16 seconds into the match. In the third minute, Youri Djorkaeff and Edson Buddle had a beautiful give-and-go, but Djorkaeff's shot was deflected out for a corner kick.
In the eighth minute, the Red Bulls took a 1-0 lead on Stammler's third goal in two games. He was played toward goal on a sublime ball by Lisi and the midfielder easily chipped the ball inside the far post from the left side of the penalty area.
FC Dallas had the better of the play in the final 20 minutes of the first half, but walked into the locker room with nothing to show for it. The Hoops, who now have an MLS-best 21 points but had secured only two away from Pizza Hut Park before Wednesday's victory, had three chances in a two-minute span just after the half-hour mark.
But Ramon Nunez's free kick was knocked over the bar and then Tony Meola, making his return after missing two matches with a left calf strain, stopped Ronnie O'Brien and Chris Gbandi twice.
Red Bulls defender Taylor Graham made his return after missing two games following hernia surgery, replacing Carlos Mendes, who reaggravated a bruised right foot he suffered late against Chivas USA on Saturday, in the 65th minute. Two minutes later, Graham earned a yellow card for a tackle from behind on Ruiz.
FC Dallas head coach Colin Clarke made his first change of the game in the 69th minute, bringing on Roberto Mina, a native of Ecuador, for Nunez.
Then, after dominating possession for the first 30 minutes of the second half, the Hoops got the deserved equalizer in the 76th minute on a header from Cooper. Ruiz controlled the ball at the top of the box and slid it over to O'Brien on his right. The Irish midfielder crossed the ball to the far post, where Cooper headed it past Meola for his fifth goal of the year.
New York head coach Mo Johnston made his second substitution of the game, bringing on Mike Magee for Lisi in the 79th minute. Three minutes later, Buddle made a darting run down the left side of the field but the Red Bulls couldn't get a shot off on Sala, who was nearly caught out of position in the 84th minute. But the adventurous Argentinean 'keeper recovered well to save Buddle's shot.
Three minutes from full time, Ruiz scored the game-winner, taking a pass from Mulrooney with his back to goal before twisting Graham into the turf with a double spin move and slotting the ball to the left of Meola. It was Ruiz's sixth goal of the year -- all in the last five games, tying a club record with goals in five consecutive games -- and gave Dallas a well-earned three points after dominating possession for the majority of the match.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
