April 18th, 2009 MLS FC Dallas vs Toronto FC (from MLSnet.com)
Cooper's brace gives FC Dallas first win
Dallas forward scores winner on 84th minute penalty kick
By Steve Hunt / MLSnet.com Staff
FRISCO, Texas -- Kenny Cooper scored two goals, including a game-winning penalty kick in the 84th minute, as FC Dallas finally broke through with their first win of 2009, a 3-2 decision against Toronto FC on Sunday evening at Pizza Hut Park.
In their first five games of 2009, FC Dallas had gotten few breaks en route to a 0-3-1 record. But after jumping out to a two-goal lead through Drew Moor and Cooper, FCD saw TFC come back with two goals of their own by Adrian Serioux and Chad Barrett.
But with six minutes left, Cooper converted a penalty kick when referee Tim Weyland ruled Marvell Wynne handled the ball after David Ferreira popped it up in the air while tyring to cut back on the TFC defender in the penalty area.
The late penalty provided an interesting twist, considering that on two occasions in 2009, FCD has surrendered game-winning goals from the spot. In a 3-1 season-opening loss to Chicago on March 21, it was Brian McBride who converted a spot kick in the 51st minute. And in a 2-1 loss at New England on April 4, Steve Ralston nailed a PK with about 10 minutes left.
While TFC head coach John Carver went with the same first XI that he employed a week ago when the teams played to a 1-1 draw at BMO Field, FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman made one change. Marcelo Saragosa came on at right back to make his '09 debut after missing part of preseason and tt he first five games of the regular season with a knee injury.
The home side drew first blood in the 25th minute when Moor headed one in off a set piece. Dax McCarty took the free kick about five yards from the left sideline. McCarty's well-placed service found Moor just inside the six-yard box, and the Dallas native headed it into the right side of the net to put the home side in front.
About four minutes before Moor scored the game's first goal, he also figured in a goal-saving play at the Reds' expense. After TFC rookie Sam Cronin hit a nice cross from the right flank that traveled across the field to Fuad Ibrahim, the second-year player sent a ball towards goal. Chad Barrett hit it squarely but Moor was right there on the line to block Barrett's shot with his chest and keep things scoreless.
Cooper gave FCD a two-goal cushion in the 44th with his third goal of the season. The sequence started when TFC rookie goalkeeper Stefan Frei threw the ball out to Dwayne De Rosario on the right wing. De Rosario quickly lost possession to FCD's David Ferreira, who had the presence of mind to quickly feed Cooper, who was making a run in the middle of the pitch.
The big FCD striker then took a shot that Frei had little chance of stopping as the ball settled in the far side of the net. The home team had a 2-0 advantage and was feeling pretty good about their chances of getting their first win of the '09 campaign.
However, that momentum was stopped cold just before the break when Serioux drew one back for the visitors. Amado Guevara started things off with a corner from the left flag. His booming ball was corralled by TFC's Carl Robinson beyond the far post, who was inexplicably left unmarked.
Robinson had ample time to send the ball into the fray in front of the FCD goal. His cross found Serioux, who got enough on his shot that it hit the right arm of FCD goalkeeper Ray Burse, the post and then went over the end line.
Serioux's goal came in his first appearance for TFC in Frisco since FCD traded him to the Reds on Feb. 24. The Canadian international was with FCD for both the 2007 and 2008 seasons before the trade.
Not only did his tally continue a disturbing FCD trend of surrendering goals right after scoring themselves, but it also marked the fifth time this season that the club has allowed a goal courtesy of a set piece.
Last week it was a long Serioux throw-in that led to DeRosario's goal in the draw in Toronto. FCD has allowed one goal off a free kick, two off penalty kicks, one from a throw in and another from a corner so far in 2009. Five of the nine goals they have surrendered have come in such fashion.
At the break, TFC had a slight edge in shots, 8-7. Both clubs had five attempts go on frame and each 'keeper was forced to make three saves in the opening 45 minutes of play.
Neither Carver nor Hyndman made any changes to start the second half. FCD made their first change in the 64th minute when Eric Avila came on for Andre Rocha, who had a relatively quiet performance.
Barrett pulled TFC level after a great sequence of play. Ibrahim lit the fuse with a pinpoint cross from the left flank. Guevara got his head on that cross, sending it toward the FCD box and a streaking Barrett. George John gave a valiant effort to stop Barrett but was just a second too late as the Reds' striker beat Burse far post for the equalizer.
Hyndman went back to his bench in the 71st, subbing out McCarty for Jeff Cunningham, who spent parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons in Toronto. FCD's first shot of the second half didn't come until the 74th minute when Dave van den Bergh sent one wide left.
Other than the Barrett goal, FCD only had three shots for much of the second half. However, that all changed in the 83rd minute.
A van den Bergh cross to Ferreira came up off the FCD forward's foot and struck Wynne on the right hand. Referee Tim Weyland quickly signaled a penalty kick, which Cooper stepped up to take. After a stutter step, his shot went into the left side of the net for his second goal of the night and fourth of the year.
Both clubs have little time off before their next matches. TFC return to the field on Wednesday night against Chivas USA and will then turn around and face Kansas City on Sunday afternoon. Both matches are at BMO Field.
FCD, on the other hand, will face D.C. United in a U.S. Open Cup play-in game on Wednesday night at RFK Stadium. Then comes a cross-country trek for a Saturday night game with Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
Toronto FC (1-2-2) vs. FC Dallas (1-3-1) April 19, 2009 -- Pizza Hut Park Scoring Summary: DAL -- Drew Moor 1 (Dax McCarty 1) 25 DAL -- Kenny Cooper 3 (David Ferreira 1) 44 TOR -- Adrian Serioux 1 (Carl Robinson 2, Amado Guevara 1) 46+ TOR -- Chad Barrett 1 (Amado Guevara 2, Fuad Ibrahim 1) 59 DAL -- Kenny Cooper 4 (penalty kick) 84 Toronto FC -- Stefan Frei, Marvell Wynne, Kevin Harmse, Adrian Serioux, Jim Brennan, Sam Cronin, Amado Guevara (Danny Dichio 90), Carl Robinson, Fuad Ibrahim (Marco Velez 86), Chad Barrett, Dwayne De Rosario (Pablo Vitti 74). Substitutes Not Used: Nana Attakora-Gyan, Rohan Ricketts, Johann Smith, Greg Sutton FC Dallas -- Ray Burse, Marcelo Saragosa, George John, Drew Moor, Blake Wagner, Andre Rocha (Eric Avila 64), Dax McCarty (Jeff Cunningham 71), Pablo Ricchetti, Dave van den Bergh, Kenny Cooper (Daniel Torres 92+), David Ferreira, Substitutes Not Used: Michael Dello-Russo, Josh Lambo, Peri Marosevic, Alvaro Sanchez FC Dallas Toronto FC total shots: 10 (Kenny Cooper 4) 15 (Chad Barrett 7) shots on goal: 6 (Kenny Cooper 3) 6 (Chad Barrett 3) fouls: 8 (Marcelo Saragosa 4) 19 (3 tied with 3) offsides: 0 8 (Dwayne De Rosario 4) corner kicks: 0 3 (Amado Guevara 3) saves: 4 (Ray Burse 4) 3 (Stefan Frei 3) Misconduct Summary: TOR -- Chad Barrett (caution; Dissent) 70 referee: Tim Weyland Referee's Assistants: Bill Dittmar; Greg Boles 4th official: Abiodun Okulaja time of game: 2:05 attendance: 6,813 weather: Partly Cloudy -and- 66 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
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