October 7, 2012
ROCKY ROAD
Hoops make playoff chase harder with draw against Chivas

FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was credited with seven saves as the Hoops played to a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA on Sunday. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

CARSON, Calif. ---Blas Perez scored an early goal but Chivas USA got one back and FC Dallas had to settle for a 1-1 draw at The Home Depot Center Sunday night.

The tie leaves FC Dallas at 9-12-11 with 38 points, four points behind Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the final MLS West playoff spot. Both teams have two games left, meaning a Vancouver win or Dallas loss would eliminate the Hoops from the playoff chase. Chivas, meanwhile, is winless in their last 11 games, but did snap a seven-game losing streak to improve to 7-17-8 and 29 points.

Perez gave FC Dallas an early lead as the Hoops looked to keep their playoff hopes alive. David Ferreira got in on a ball over the top from midfield. He lashed a shot from the left side of the penalty area that Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy stopped. The rebound fell directly into the path of Perez who tapped it in.

The Hoops could not hold onto to the lead, allowing Chivas to score the equalizer in the 70th minute. Miller Bolanos played a ball from the right side near the end line across the mouth of the goal. The ball touched off Nick LaBrocca and Jorge Villafana put it in.

Just two minutes after giving Dallas the lead, Perez came close to adding a second goal, connecting on a cross from Fabian Castillo with a diving header that Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy appeared to just get a touch on to push away from danger.

Kennedy denied Perez a second goal again in the 80th minute, this time getting his body in front of a close range shot.

Chivas USA’s near misses were nothing less than spectacular. In the third minute, after LaBrocca played a free kick into the right side of the penalty area, Jose Correa tried a bicycle kick that went wide of the mark.

In the 12th minute, Juan Agudelo started a breakaway. He sent the ball into the middle for Bolanos, who ripped a shot that Hoops netminder Kevin Hartman dove to push away.

In the 17th minute, Hartman punched out a ball from Villafana that went to Bolanos. His header was destined for the back of the net until Hernan Pertuz got his left foot high in the air to clear the ball away.

Angel almost was the beneficiary of his own playmaking skill three minutes into the second half. Controlling a ball at midfield, he sent a pass to Agudelo on the left. Agudelo sent the ball back out to the edge of the penalty area, where Angel took two touches and rifled a shot that Hartman dove to push away.

Agudelo showed an impressive level of skill in the 50th minute, chasing a long ball out of the back to near the corner flag, where he was pressed by Dallas defender Matt Hedges. Rather than be forced off the ball or letting it go out of bounds, Agudelo turned the FCD defender and charged into the penalty area, where he beat two more defenders and sent a ball into the six yard box that Hartman had to dive to grab hold of.

In the 64th minute, Chivas midfielder Shalrie Joseph played a ball into the penalty area and Angel tried a mid-air scissor kick that was tantalizingly close to the left post.