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March 29, 2009
GOATS PUT DALLAS DOWN 2-0
Defense gives up two second half markers
By Phil Stephens
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Blake Wagner suffered along with the rest of his Dallas teammates in having a melt-down Sunday against Chivas. He was replaced at halftime by Aaron Pitchkolan, but Pitch was not the answer Sunday.
Photo by Michael Stephens |
FRISCO, TX-- FC Dallas didn’t have to worry about losing the lead against Chivas USA because they never had it.
With no goals and fewer dangerous chances than the previous week, the Dallas offense regressed and the defense sprang a big leak in the 56th minute on a goal from new player Eduardo Lillingston, giving the Goats a lead they never relinquished. Chivas added a score in the 75th minute from newcomer Bojan Stepanovic and were quite happy with a 2-0 win on the road.
Aaron Pitchkolan saw his first action of the season Sunday and probably wished he hadn’t. He subbed into the game, starting the second half. He figured in the first goal when Lillingston went shoulder to shoulder with him, pulling down a lob pass and turning him inside out. He took a few steps to the right and fired a shot to the far corner to break the ice from 16 yards out.
That gave Chivas a big bounce on offensive possession, and Dallas was backpedaling. The California team was not getting so many dangerous chances at the goal, but they did a great job in denying Dallas.
FCD had a hard time from keeping offside and were denied a goal in the 48th minute when a great pass to Jeff Cunningham from Drew Moore was called offside, but not before Cunningham slid the ball to Kenny Cooper, who put it in the net—then the flags were waving off the score.
Success at that point might have helped paint a completely different story to this game.
Instead, after gaining a 1-0 lead, Chivas maintained patience and discipline and got a great insurance goal from Stepanovic, seeing his first-ever MLS action. From that point on, Dallas was chasing and Chivas was dancing.
The second goal was a bit of superb footwork from Stepanovic and another unfortunate turn for Pitchkolan, who had come into the game at the half, replacing Blake Wagner. He collided with Justin Braun on an incoming ball on the edge of the box and Pitch fell down. Stepanovic picked it up dribbled a few steps, feigning a move left that kept defender Steve Purdy a step away, then surged to his right and rifled the ball around Burse’s right side.
FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman said they “were frustrated and disappointed. We created enough chances to score in the first half. In the second half we were supposed to come out and put more pressure on them . . . It just seems whenever we make a mistake, the ball always goes in the back of the goal. I think we are a better team than we looked.”
Hyndman said his team had to play with more enthusiasm than they showed against Chivas.
“We were getting balls forward, but missing the second pass. Kenny had several fantastic chances in the first half, but (goals) just didn’t happen.”
Dallas defender Drew Moor said the scoreline didn’t matter.
“It was disappointing by us,” Moor said. “They had two chances in the game and they put them away. We let the ball bounce around in the defense . . . We can only get better. We have 28 games to play and we’ll be positive. We still have a lot of work to do, a lot.”
Chivas head coach Preki underscored the win, attributing team defense and discipline with perseverance after Dallas rolled into the intermission with nearly all of the offensive momentum.
Chivas hosts champions Columbus April 5, while Dallas visits New England Saturday, April 4, the first of two road games for FCD.
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