FCD hand Fire first loss of season

Dallas captures Brimstone Cup with 3-0 victory at Toyota Park

Jeff Cunningham set the tone for FC Dallas with his dazzling first-half header. (P. Giamou/Getty)

A Jeff Cunningham header on a corner kick and a C.J. Brown own goal gave FCD a 2-0 lead by halftime, and Kenny Cooper scored on a late free kick after Bakary Soumare was sent off to seal the victory. The loss ended the Fire's season-opening unbeaten streak at 11 games, one shy of the MLS record for an undefeated streak to start a season.

Playing their third game in eight days, after a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win at Chivas USA on Thursday, the Fire took the first shot of the game with Brian McBride heading the ball over the net. But then, the visitors took charge.

FC Dallas first came close in the 15th minute of play. Making his first MLS start, Costa Rican midfielder Alvaro Sanchez blasted a long ball directly at goal. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch tipped it over the net for the save.

Dave van den Bergh took the resulting corner from the left side of the field and sent a perfect ball into the box. Cunningham jumped up and headed it over a flying Busch and into the back left corner of the goal for a 1-0 advantage. It was Cunningham's first goal of the season.

Chicago's best opportunity of the first half took place in the 21st minute. McBride made a run toward goal. Patrick Nyarko flew through the air and almost made contact with the ball, but was one step behind. The ball landed at the foot of Fire defender Tim Ward on the opposite side of the box, who rocketed the ball toward goal, but it was cleared and sent back into play.

Cooper forced Busch to make a save in the 27th minute, when he headed the ball toward goal, and then two minutes later, FC Dallas threatened again. Before the half was over, FC Dallas would strike again.

Ward tackled the ball away from van den Bergh in the 34th minute, but after the Dutch midfielder flew into the air, referee Shane Moody issued Ward a yellow card and gave FC Dallas a freekick. From some 40 yards out on the left, Dax McCarty launched the ball into the box. Fire defender C.J. Brown tried to head clear, but instead put it over Busch and into the net for a 2-0 FC Dallas lead.

The second half was filled with a flurry of yellow cards and a still struggling Fire offense.

A handball on Daniel Torres in the 48th minute resulted in the visiting team's first yellow of the match, and Chicago nearly missed making FCD pay. Mapp sent a freekick into the box and both teams struggled to gain control. Finally Nyarko sent the ball just wide left.

Brek Shea provided an extra spark for FC Dallas late in the second half as a substitute for van den Bergh. Soumare took Shea down in the 79th minute just outside the box, sent off by Moody as he received his second yellow of the match.

On the resulting freekick from just outside the box, Cooper chipped a perfect ball over Busch and off the underside of the crossbar, bouncing into the lower netting for a 3-0 FC Dallas lead.

Just after the goal, FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman was also thrown out of the match.

The Fire turned up the offense as time was running out. In the 87th minute, Marco Pappa found John Thorrington inside the box. Burse jumped out to challenge Thorrington, leaving the net wide open. Thorrington lobbed a short ball goalward, but it came back off the right post and bac, into play. Despite the late push, FC Dallas held on for the win.

Both teams play at home next weekend. The Fire entertain the Houston Dynamo on Friday evening, while FC Dallas takes on the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday at Pizza Hut Park.

Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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