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June 13, 2009
FCD HOSTS HOUSTON TONIGHT
In crucial conference contest
By Phil Stephens
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Kyle Davies heads ball out of danger against CS Herediano Wednesday night. Injuries to FCD defensive players have given Davies a chance to show his stuff on the field.
Photo by Michael Stephens |
Dallas can talk about some momentum now, with five straight games without a loss. But that is four draws sandwiched around a victory and the Red and White Stripes are hosting the Houston Dynamo, merely the league’s hottest team with a four game win streak, no losses in nine games and a 7-2-3 record good for 24 points, just three behind the first place team in the West, Chivas USA.
FCD, now 2-6-4, is in seventh place with 10 points, just one ahead of last place San Jose, a team that came within three minutes of beating Dallas at home last week. Only a goal in the 87th minute by Kenny Cooper Jr. pulled Dallas out of the fire.
Twelve games into the season; Dallas has dug a deep hole and must start taking three point victories if the team expects a chance at the playoffs.
The Dynamo is a tough draw to start building a win streak on. Dallas has beaten Houston just once in 12 league meetings that being the last game they played in 2006 a 1-0 FCD win at Pizza Hut Park. Earlier this season, the Dynamo took a 1-0 decision at Robertson Stadium. Despite dominance, the Dynamo has had problems putting FCD away. Five of the 12 league meetings have ended in ties, four of those since 2006, including both games last season. That gives the home team hope. Just three games back, Dallas ended a hot streak by the Chicago Fire with a 3-0 win in the Windy City.
FCD’s injury list is lengthy, with goalie Dario Sala, defenders Steve Purdy, and George John still missing from action, plus midfielders Alvaro “Tom” Sanchez and Bruno Guarda. Defender Daniel Torres is still questionable with a hamstring. The Dynamo is missing three of its best players; defender Eddie Robinson (knee surgery), forward Brian Ching (hamstring) and to international duty, midfielder Ricardo Clark.
Head coach Schellas Hyndman has utilized a defensive-minded 4-1-4-1 scheme for three games and the players have grown confident with it, though goals in the run of play have been scarce. Leading scorer Kenny Cooper is on a two-game scoring run that broke a lengthy goal-drought.
Several players, such as Dax McCarty, Anthony Wallace Erik Avila and Brek Shea, have made some breakthroughs in the last few weeks. Another player seemingly on the brink of “Prime Time” consideration is defender Kyle Davies. Today’s crucial league match is the kind of game that can turn a career and a team around.
Dallas, in the midst of a three-game home stretch, can make a huge step forward with a win, gain ground in the Western Conference and receive a gigantic morale boost with a victory its most contentious Western Conference and state rival.
A tie is a tease at this stage—not enough at home, even against Houston. A loss just shoves FCD back under the covers and a firmer grip on the underbelly of the league, a position it has known all too well in 2009.
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