Missed It By That Much
August 17th, 2008 . 7:23 pm . By: John CarltonFC Dallas swung back into MLS action Saturday evening in Columbus against a Crew team that has lingered near the top of the league table for most of the season. The Hoops were defeated 2-1 by the Crew in a match that really could have gone to either side, given the number of near misses and shots off the woodwork. The lone Dallas goal was scored by new arrival Jeff Cunningham and marked his 100th goal scored in Major League Soccer. Both teams featured new additions to their starting lineups, with Dallas inserting Cunningham and Dutch international Victor Sikora, while Columbus welcomed Pat Noonan into the first eleven. Cunningham’s role as strike partner to Kenny Cooper necessarily moved Dominic Oduro down the depth chart, though he came off the bench for the game’s final ten minutes. Other than the newcomers, and the three youngsters still out on Olympics duty, both sides fielded their regulars. It was Cunningham who created the first chance for Dallas, when in the 16th minute he danced through the Crew defense to the top of the box, drawing three defenders, but was dispossessed. The deflection fell to Kenny Cooper who tried a shot from long range that went just wide. A minute later Cooper intercepted a poor pass from Danny O’Rourke, easily beat O’Rourke to the left of the penalty area and curled a left-footed cross to the back post. Cunningham was there to head the ball down on goal in textbook fashion, but with equal skill the Crew’s Chad Marshall cleared the shot off the line. Columbus had a wealth of opportunities as the game progressed. Argentine maestro Guillermo Barros Schelotto had a short free kick denied by countrymen Dario Sala at the half hour mark. In the 35th minute the Hoops opened the scoring when right back Adrian Serioux made a marauding run down the right channel, dribbling all the way to the byline before squaring a pass to the perfectly timed run of Cunningham, who beat a defender and the goalkeeper to the ball and tapped in from two yards out. That Cunningham’s 100th goal came in a loss was just another dose of bittersweetness that Hoops’ fans have become accustomed to in ’08. In the second half, Columbus turned up the pressure. Newly-acquired attacker Pat Noonan showed terrific skill in the 52nd minute chasing down a loose ball to the sideline and saving it from going in to touch with a nifty slide. Noonan then took on Adrian Serioux and got a cross away to Eddie Gaven that was headed a bit wide. Whether it was Noonan, Schelotto, Gaven or Gino Padula, Columbus was able to cross the ball from the flanks with ease as the game progressed. Small wonder that Columbus scored the equalizer in the 62nd minute on a play that started from the left flank. Schelotto brilliantly re-directed an Alejandro Moreno cross into the penalty area and into the path of Brian Carroll who calmly knocked the ball down and past Dario Sala. Carroll ran into the box completely unmarked while several Hoops’ defenders ball-watched. Then, just three minutes later, Schellotto took a free kick from the left flank and went near post, where Brad Evans rose to re-direct the ball over the head of Sala and into the back of the net. In the 78th minute, in a virtual replay of the first Crew goal, Evans came storming into the box unmarked and was unlucky to hit the post on a venomous first-time strike. Luck also eluded Kenny Cooper, whose stoppage time free kick from 25 yards hit the corner of the frame. Cooper spearheaded a last ditch effort for a Dallas goal when he crossed the ball from the left sideline into a crowded box, but Columbus was again able to clear a would-be equalizer off the line. With three or more close goal-scoring chances having gone by the board, FC Dallas will feel this loss for a few days. Even Hyndman was left scratching his head after the match saying, “It was unfortunate we did not score more than one goal.” Next up for the Red Stripes is a visit to Kansas City to face the Wizards. FC Dallas (6-7-7) vs. Columbus Crew (10-6-4)August 16, 2008 — Columbus Crew Stadium Scoring Summary: FC Dallas — Dario Sala, Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan, Blake Wagner, Andre Rocha (Bruno Guarda 69), Adrian Serioux, Eric Avila (Marcelo Saragosa 63), Pablo Ricchetti, Victor Sikora (Dominic Oduro 81), Jeff Cunningham, Kenny Cooper. Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Michael Dello-Russo, Abe Thompson, Chase Wileman Columbus Crew — William Hesmer, Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall, Gino Padula (Jed Zayner 81), Danny O’Rourke, Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Brad Evans (Stefani Miglioranzi 87), Pat Noonan (Robbie Rogers 58), Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Jason Garey, Andy Gruenebaum, Andy Iro, Duncan Oughton
Misconduct Summary: referee: Ricardo Salazar 5 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Why was Avila taken out for Saragosa. Besides Saragosa’s lack of ability, we lost our attacker in the midfield and really struggled from that point on. I thought poor substitutions, rather than lack of intensity, cost us this game.
Saragosa needs to go. He takes up a valuable SI slot, has less passing touch than a blind man, and has no idea how to do anything offensive-minded with the ball. Michael Dello-Russo makes less than half of what Saragosa does, and Dello’s a better player in my opinion.
I’m sure Marcelo’s a nice guy, but I agree with Christian – Saragosa coming in cost FCD the game.
Marcelo Saragosa = the place where FC Dallas attacks go to die.
I was listening to the Crew radio broadcast on mlsnet.com. They pegged Avila as the Man of the Match for FCD at about the 62nd minute mark. Two minutes later, Avila gets subbed. As their announcers said “oddly enough, their best player today is getting subbed out. He’s a great young player”
It’s the old story, the same one played by Clarke and then Morrow. Sub out the young guy, he won’t bitch as much, hasn’t been around as long and won’t make waves.
One can only hope Schellas learns from this negative move and leave Saragosa on the bench or better yet in the stands (so as to remove all temptation to play the guy).