K.C., FCD return quickly after USOC
Both sides look to build momentum after tough Open Cup wins
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PIZZA HUT PARK, Frisco, Texas
July 4, 2008 | 7 p.m. CT (HDNet)
WEEK # 15 | GAME # 101
After putting an end to their seven-game winless streak, the Kansas City Wizards head back out on the road, traveling to face FC Dallas for an Independence Day special at Pizza Hut Park. FC Dallas put a streak of their own to rest last time out, winning the season series against Houston Dynamo for the first time. Both teams are coming off tricky advancements in the U.S. Open Cup at midweek; Kansas City surviving extra-time in Carolina, while Schellas Hyndman won for the first time as FC Dallas head coach against Miami FC.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Fabio Tovar; JAR (opposite): James Conlee; 4th: Fernando Galvan MLS Career: 54 games; FC/gm: 27.4; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 22; pens: 20
INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS - OUT: DF David Wagenfuhr (concussion); DF Bobby Rhine (L ankle); MF Pablo Ricchetti (R foot); MF Arturo Alvarez (R quad); QUESTIONABLE: MF Marcelo Saragosa (R ankle); MF Dax McCarty (back) ... KANSAS CITY WIZARDS -OUT: MF Kevin Souter (MCL sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Marcelo Saragosa
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DAL: Pablo Richetti, Andre Rocha ... KC: Jack Jewsbury, Kerry Zavagnin
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (38 meetings): FC Dallas 15 wins (1 shootout), 58 goals ... Wizards 17 wins (2 shootout), 54 goals ... Ties 6
AT DALLAS: (19 meetings): FC Dallas 9 wins (0 shootout), 35 goals ... Wizards 8 wins (2 shootout), 20 goals ... Ties 2
• This is the first of two league meetings between the teams this year, the only one set for Pizza Hut Park. FCD will make their first appearance ever at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Aug. 23.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/12: KC 1, DAL 2 (Cooper 19; Toja 45 - Harrington 90)
10/20: DAL 0, KC 2 (Sealy 39, 55)
• A year ago, the two teams split their season series, with the road team winning on each occasion. It marked the first time in four seasons that a road team had won in the series, the last coming on July 17, 2004 when the Wizards defeated Dallas 1-0 at the Cotton Bowl.
• The teams have split the season series each of the last three years, all since the Wizards moved to the Eastern Conference. They played to a pair of draws in 2005, before each home team won in 2006.
• In the final three seasons both clubs were in the same division (2002-04), the Wizards took the season series each time, as each year the teams met on four occasions.
• Coaches record: Schellas Hyndman v KC: first game ... Curt Onalfo vs. DAL: P2 W1 L1 D0
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas ensured they would lay claim to the season series with in-state rival Houston Dynamo for the first time, after the teams played to a 1-1 draw on MLS Primetime Thursday. The Hoops now sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with 17 points from 15 matches, a point behind Chivas USA and two behind Houston and Real Salt Lake.
LAST MATCH
• Houston Dynamo were back home after a scoreless draw with Colorado, while FC Dallas saw the Schellas Hyndman era kick off with a loss in New York. The teams were battling for El Capitan, the prize on offer for the winner of the season series, after playing to two dramatic draws in their first two meetings.
• The Dynamo took the lead after 21 minutes. Craig Waibel took a pass on the right flank and carved out enough time to pick out Brian Ching breaking toward goal, and dropped a cross perfectly on his head for the U.S. international to nod home for his sixth goal on the year.
• But FC Dallas drew level in the 62nd minute. Juan Toja whipped in an early cross from the left flank and Kenny Cooper rose up completely unmarked in the heart of the area to send a glancing header inside the right-hand post for his eighth goal of 2008 and the equalizer.
• FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made three changes to the team that lost 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls the previous weekend. Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux returned from international duty into the back four, for Bobby Rhine and Blake Wagner. Arturo Alvarez was also given a start up top, as Dominic Oduro returned to the substitutes' bench.
• Here's Hyndman's team (4-3-1-2): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Duilio Davino, Adrian Serioux, Aaron Pitchkolan (Dominic Oduro 46) - Andre Rocha, Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa - Juan Toja (Eric Avila 85) - Arturo Alvarez (Dax McCarty 77), Kenny Cooper. Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Bobby Rhine, Abe Thompson, Blake Wagner
TEAM NEWS
• As has been his preference since taking over, Hyndman started his team out in a 4-4-2 scheme. But at the halftime break, he reverted to the 3-5-2 system the club had been using for much of the season.
• "I thought the Dynamo did a very good job in the first half," Hyndman said. "We were in a flat back four system and we were having trouble with Brad Davis coming into the center unmarked and we knew that they would be very strong on the services. [In the] second half, we went into a 3-5-2 and saw a different Dallas team that came out more aggressive and held the ball a little better."
• As a result, Cooper was able to get to a Toja cross for his fourth goal in three games against Houston this season.
• "We made a tactical change at halftime," Cooper said, "Schellas saw the changes in the first half and told us to be more assertive, we were fortunate to have Juan make some quality moves in order for me to be in position to score."
• Said Hyndman: "Our goal was Juan Toja going up the left side where he was able to keep possession, beat a couple of players, serve a great goal and Kenny Cooper scored a great header and put us into the 1-1 game. We were happy to come away with a point."
• Then at the weekend, FC Dallas played a friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara. A Juan Toja goal put the Hoops ahead on 21 minutes, but goals from Ramon Morales and Marco Fabian inside the final eight minutes gave Chivas the win.
• "We're definitely disappointed with the result," he said. "We didn't really look at it as a friendly. A lot of guys got a lot of good minutes, some guys that don't play as often as others, we got them on the field against some very good competition. Chivas played a very good game. I thought we had a very good first half and had a couple of chances there to put them away at the end, weren't able to and got punished for it."
• Then on Tuesday, FC Dallas survived their third-round U.S. Open Cup tie with a last-gasp 2-1 win against Miami FC (USL1). Alex Afonso put the Blues ahead in the seventh minute, but Abe Thompson pulled FCD level just before halftime, then headed home a Drew Moor cross four minutes into second-half stoppage time for the winner.
• Here's Hyndman's team: Ray Burse (GK), Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan, Blake Wagner, Andre Rocha (Michael Dello-Russo 64), Marcelo Saragosa, Anthony Wallace (Eric Avila 39), Chase Wileman, Juan Toja, Dominic Oduro (Kenny Cooper 46), Abe Thompson.
• "It was very disappointing to give up a soft goal," Hyndman said. "I really was very pleased with the players and am proud of the players for continuing to play good soccer. I like what I'm seeing with the guys. I like the character. They're working hard for each other. We're getting more people into the box and more scoring opportunities. That was not an easy team to play against because they had so much focus and of course, they had the lead. I'm very happy with the win and hope there are more to come."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
The Kansas City Wizards put an end to their long winless run while stopping Real Salt Lake's record unbeaten streak, getting the game's only goal through an own goal for a 1-0 victory. The Wizards now have 16 points from 13 matches, sitting at the foot of the Eastern Conference, four points behind the fifth-place tie between the Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls.
LAST MATCH
• The Wizards were back home again after seeing their winless streak extended to seven games in a scoreless draw at Toronto the week before, while Real were on the road after remaining unbeaten in Utah on the year, lengthening their club-record unbeaten run to five games with a victory against New England.
• The Wizards had the better of the chances, especially over the final 45 minutes, but took a bit of fortune to get a goal. A minute from time, Davy Arnaud curled in a free kick from just outside the area on the right. Looking for Jimmy Conrad in the heart of the mixer, RSL defender Tony Beltran instead won the heading duel -- only to turn it over his own goalkeeper and into the net.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw at Toronto FC the weekend before. Kurt Morsink came into central midfield for the injured Kerry Zavagnin, and Ivan Trujillo was given a start up top as Claudio Lopez moved to a wide midfield role for the suspended Roger Espinoza.
• Here's Onalfo's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Jack Jewsbury, Jimmy Conrad, Aaron Hohlbein (Chance Myers 78), Michael Harrington - Davy Arnaud, Kurt Morsink, Sasha Victorine (Carlos Marinelli 62), Claudio Lopez - Scott Sealy, Ivan Trujillo (Ryan Pore 62). Substitutes Not Used: Eric Kronberg, Jonathan Leathers, Ryan McMahen, Tyson Wahl
TEAM NEWS
• Entering the game riding a 320-minute goalless streak, the Wizards let 21 shots fly against Real, though the visitors did have more attempts on target (5-3). It finally took a bit of good fortune for the club's first goal in 409 minutes.
• "We created some decent chances. In our psyche, we're worried about [scoring] a little bit and we're thinking about it too much," said Onalfo. "All I care about is the three points. ... We need to maximize points at home. I don't care if [the winning goal comes] in the third minute or the 94th minute. We're extremely pleased with the three points, and we're going to build on it."
• In the end, it was the constant threat of Claudio Lopez on the wing and the energy brought on by the Wizards' three substitutes in the second half that made the difference. The biggest change was bringing Carlos Marinelli on with a half-hour to go, which changed the look of the Wizards midfield.
• "Carlos did extremely well as the game opened up. As soon as he got the ball, all of a sudden we created some chances and that's what great passers enable you to do," said Onalfo.
• While the Wizards have struggled to score goals, it was a league-leading sixth shutout of the season for Kevin Hartman, three coming in the last four matches.
• "I'd like to say that I had more of a role in it. I think I had two tough saves but most of the saves were just routine. It really comes back to the fact that the guys really competed tonight," Hartman said.
• On Tuesday, the Wizards were two goals down to USL1 Carolina RailHawks in their third-round U.S. Open Cup tie, but came back to pull level at the end of 90 minutes, then scored two goals in extra time to run out 4-2 winners. The Wizards now face a trip to play the USL1 Seattle Sounders in the quarterfinals.
• Santiago Fusilier (44) and Matthew Watson (58) staked the home side to a lead, but Ivan Trujillo pulled a goal back in the 68th minute, then Claudio Lopez converted a penalty eight minutes from full time. In extra time, Trujillo scored his second four minutes after the restart, then Ryan Pore sealed the match with a last-minute penalty kick. The RailHawks played the final 12 minutes a man down after Ryan Solle was sent off.
• Here's Onalfo's team: Eric Kronberg, Jonathan Leathers, Aaron Hohlbein, Tyson Wahl, Matt Marquess, Chance Myers (Michael Harrington 46), Kerry Zavagnin (Kurt Morsink 77), Ryan McMahen (Claudio Lopez 65), Roger Espinoza, Carlos Marinelli (Ivan Trujillo 46), Ryan Pore
• Winning will cause some fixture congestion for the Wizards. After next Tuesday's Open Cup quarterfinal, they face the New York Red Bulls in a Thursday night matchup, then take on Mexican club Atlas the following night.
• "We're going to play Saturday, Tuesday, Friday. ... It's going to be a game where we're going to have to use some of our non-traditional starters, and that's fine because we have a deep team," said Onalfo. "Throughout the year, we've used a lot of players, so those guys have all got experience and they've all got games. So we'll have to utilize that game where a lot of those guys get minutes, and we'll have our "starters" -- a lot of them, not all of them -- on the bench, and we can utilize them if we need them."
