April 24th, 2007 . 6:49 am . By: Chamo Jones

Youth rules the day in Week 3 – ESPN soccernet – Steve Davis

In Dallas, Steve Morrow’s youth movement seems to be paying early dividends. His midfield in Sunday’s home opener was the youngest deployed this weekend (although not by much, since Columbus’ midfield was quite boyish, too).

Morrow promised to play the youngsters. So the team’s home opener was entrusted to halfbacks Dax McCarty (age 19), Juan Toja (21), Ramon Nunez (21) and Aaron Pitchkolan (24). They were feeding Kenny Cooper, who is just 22.

Nunez made the difference, converting on a big counterattack launched by McCarty, then deciding the game single-handedly after halftime. Rapids veteran Pablo Mastroeni recognized that Nunez was slashing through the defense and took a yellow card for intentionally pulling down the young attacker.

Nunez’s ensuing free kick wasn’t the greatest ever, but was good enough to sneak into the back post. It also provided the first blemish on young Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul. After the goal he came up screaming, apparently at teammates in the wall. But Coundoul put two hands on the ball, yet somehow was unable to direct it safely away. Uh, that’s on you, Bouna.

Davis: Wing play is the key – MLSnet.com – Steve Davis

FC Dallas 3, Colorado 1

Man of the Match: FC Dallas midfielder Ramon Nunez just loves facing Colorado, scoring three goals in the clubs’ previous two regular season meetings. He netted a nice one in the first half Sunday, then cracked the game-winning free kick around Colorado’s wall in the second half. Nunez’s slashing run through the Rapids defense led to the foul.

Bigger picture: Here was the FC Dallas starting midfield Sunday, with their ages: Dax McCarty is 19, Juan Toja is 21, Ramon Nunez is 21 and Aaron Pitchkolan is 24. Just ahead of them, Kenny Cooper is 22. It’s a young man’s game, indeed.

Pressure point: Even the best forwards enjoying outstanding form will miss chances. Kenny Cooper had a point-blank shot somehow bounce off his knee in what looked like a certain early strike for Dallas. And Herculez Gomez, who converted so impressively last week, had his own miss that seemed impossible, failing to convert from up close.

Bill Urban is ready to call Dallas vs. Colorado a rivalry…

The best rivalries are organic, and free of artificial ingredients like league-implemented trophies to sully the recipe for animosity between clubs. The budding enmity between the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas has all the classic qualities for a true rivalry: cruel defeats, mischief and mayhem on the field, and genuine dislike between the players and both sets of supporters.

Roundup: Roaring Red Bulls win again – MLSnet.com – Staff

At Pizza Hut Park, FC Dallas were finally back home after opening the season with three road matches and a cross-country trip — from which the Hoops took four points — while the Rapids were on the road for the first time in 2007 after opening the season with a win and a draw in their new Dick’s Sporting Goods Park home.

Before a sellout crowd in Frisco, Ramon Nunez — who earlier in the week had received his green card — put the Hoops in the lead in the 29th minute with a fine goal. Dax McCarty sprung Nunez with a long pass out of midfield, and after Nunez slipped around a defender at the edge of the area he banged home a low shot past Bouna Coundoul.

But five minutes later the Rapids pulled level. Terry Cooke launched a long ball from well in his own half, and Jovan Kirovski chased it down with a defender on his back. Despite a hint of a handball, Kirovski brought the ball down and looped a perfect volley over the onrushing Shaka Hislop.

Yet Nunez gave FCD the lead for good 12 minutes from the end with his second goal on the day. After the Honduras-born midfielder won a free kick outside the left corner of the area, he drilled a low drive past the wall and off Coundoul’s hands inside the far post for the go-ahead strike.

Then in stoppage time, FC Dallas finished off the match. Dominic Oduro set off on a loping run down the left flank and found Kenny Cooper in the area. While the Dallas native stood on the ball, Oduro continued his run behind Cooper into the heart of the area, and banged home Cooper’s short pass for his second career MLS goal.

MLS WEEKEND WRAPUP: Razov hits No. 100 in Chivas USA rout – Soccer America – Ridge Mahoney

FC Dallas’ Ramon Nunez’s prospects of starting had been in doubt. He arrived in Dallas Friday from Honduras, where he received his new green card, and despite misgivings about his absence and travel schedule, Coach Steve Morrow put him on the field for the opening whistle. Nunez came off to a loud ovation from 20,500 fans in the 81st minute Sunday after scoring twice as Dallas (2-1-1) took over first place in the Western Conference in its home opener, a 3-1 win over Colorado, which scored only after Jovan Kirovski batted down a bouncing ball with his upper arm and lobbed a shot over Shaka Hislop.

Kirovski’s goal tied the match, 1-1, after Nunez had opened the scoring in the 29th minute. Dax McCarty led a counterattack by dribbling up through the middle and laying on a ball Nunez took into the middle and drilled low inside the near corner. After a choppy stretch of the second half during which four cautions were issued in less than 20 minutes, FC Dallas regained the lead on a free kick awarded for a jersey tug by Pablo Mastroeni. Nunez, who had burst past Mastroeni to win the kick, swerved a shot from about 25 yards that Bouna Condoul got both gloves on yet somehow let slip into the net. Nice shot, but a bad goalkeeping. Substitute Dominic Oduro added the final goal by racing up the left side and eluding Ugo Ihemelu to feed Kenny Cooper, and then slotting home Cooper’s return pass

MLS Weekend Review: More Goals – US Soccer Players – Ian Plenderleith

Ramon Nunez scored two goals, including a nice breakaway strike on a Dax McCarty pass. But Colorado’s Jovan Kirovski equalized that with a deft lob over Shaka Hislop just five minutes later, despite a suspicion of handball as he ran through. One of my favorite strikes of the weekend was FC Dallas’ third goal, with Kenny Cooper holding the ball up coolly while waiting for substitute Dominic Oduro to run into position to finish.

Hoops le anotaron tres a Colorado – Diario La Estrella – Denise Isla

FC Dallas slows Rapids – Star Telegram – Tobias Lopez

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