Alive and Kicking
September 23rd, 2008 . By: Buzz Carrick
Desperately needing a win on the road Sunday afternoon at Chicago, FC Dallas put together a comprehensive victory against the Fire. Two goals from Jeff Cunningham along with goals from Aaron Pitchkolan and Bruno Guarda gave FC Dallas a crucial 4-1 win that keeps the Red Stripes in the hunt for an MLS playoff berth.
The win was FC Dallas’ first in five games and vaults the team to fifth place in the Western Conference. Jeff Cunningham, who has been a surprisingly good addition to the FC Dallas front line, opened the scoring in the second minute when he slid into a re-directed free kick at the goal line and forced the ball into the back of the net. Andre Rocha had taken the free kick from the right flank to start the play, and it was another Rocha free kick that led to the Hoops’ second goal. Rocha took the kick from the right flank and sent the ball into a crowded penalty box where defender Aaron Pitchkolan half-volleyed the ball past stunned Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch and into the right side of the net. The third goal for Dallas was a thing of beauty. Cunningham ran with the ball down the left flank on a counter-attacking move, then sent a long, flighted cross to the back post where midfielder Bruno Guarda went airborne and karate-kicked the ball with his right foot into the net. Cunningham’s second goal came in the 61st minute when Andre Rocha sprung him forward with a perfectly weighted through ball down the center of the pitch. Cunningham beat the onrushing Busch to the ball and easily slotted it past him into an open net. Dallas want-away forward Kenny Cooper had several good efforts on goal, including a well-placed bomb from 30 yards that beat Busch but cruelly hit the crossbar. In the 70th minute, a tired Cooper ran around Busch only to see his effort at a wide-open net spray to the side netting. For the Chicago Fire, the home loss was an embarrassment. Superstar midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco never put a stamp on the game, thanks in part to some physical play from Marcelo Saragosa. Cultured winger Justin Mapp started the game on the bench and entered too late to have an impact. American international Brian McBride disappeared for long stretches, only to score a goal at the last gasp to avoid the shutout. The Hoops now turn their attention to a home encounter with dangerous D.C. United. If, for the remainder of the season, Dallas can bring the same intensity and attacking presence that they brought to Chicago, there is certainly a glimmer of hope for a post-season run. In Major League Soccer’s final weeks, form is all that matters. FC Dallas (7-9-9) vs. Chicago Fire (11-9-5)September 21, 2008 — Toyota Park Scoring Summary: FC Dallas – Dario Sala, Adrian Serioux, Drew Moor, Aaron Pitchkolan, Blake Wagner, Andre Rocha, Bruno Guarda (Eric Avila 75), Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa (Michael Dello-Russo 78), Jeff Cunningham, Kenny Cooper (Dominic Oduro 70). Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Duilio Davino, Dax McCarty, Bobby Rhine Chicago Fire -- Jon Busch, Brandon Prideaux, Wilman Conde, Diego Gutierrez, Gonzalo Segares, John Thorrington, Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chris Rolfe 60), Lider Marmol, Mike Banner, Andy Herron (Tomasz Frankowski 67), Brian McBride. Substitutes Not Used: Stephen King, Justin Mapp, Nick Noble, Austin Washington, Daniel Woolard
Misconduct Summary: referee: Kevin Stott 15 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It’s a shame that we don’t play Chicago some more because they seem to be the only team we can beat. FCD is a terrible team and one win doesn’t change that fact. Look for lots of changes in the offseason including Cooper & Dax.
“Can we play you every week?
Can we play you
Can we play you
Can we play you every week?
Can we play you every week?”
LOL!
Seriously - some consistency sure would be nice. The team that beat LA here and beat Chicago at Toyota Park and took it to Columbus for 60 minutes is a team that can do something significant…..
With FCD’s +/-, they’ll win tiebreakers with any other team in the West, if they can get a good run of form (which they have done previously this year), they’ll be in the playoffs and who knows?
Cooper deserves to move on based on simple economics it wouldn’t make sense for an MLS team to make him DP, and it would be foolish for him to pass up DP-level money in an economically stronger league.
Dax leaving would be a very bad thing, and I am concerned with SH’s approach on Dax, Avila, and Rocha (though he seems to have come to his senses on that one).
My main concern is Rocha. I have thought all season that he’s one of the 3-4 best players on the team, and FCD should try to make nice with him as much as is prudent.
I am also a Dax and Avila fan, but the truth is if they don’t fit the system or are good bargaining chips in a stacked slot for us then “what has to be done must be done”. If I were to guess, we’ll lose one of them but not both in the offseason (probably Dax).
How come Rocha is not credited for the assist on the first goal? Bruno “karate-kicked” the ball for th goal?? Looed to be more of a perfectly timed, leaping side volley.
Steve: I beleive the first tie breaker is head to head so FCD would have to finish above Colorado as they own the tie breaker.
@ Dan
Personally, I thought Rocha should have gotten an assist on the first goal, but the scorer disagreed.
It would make perfect sense to pay Cooper DP money. He has earned every penny over the last 3 years. PROBLEM IS HE IS AN AMERICAN. This will come back and bite them in the future. Such a shame for the fans and sponsorsof this team. Once again this league would rather pay over the hill proven failures in most cases, than a fantastic young potential like Cooper. He will not be at his peak until he is around 26 years old. Shame on you !!!!
“Dallas want away forward Kenny Cooper” ? show me the quote where Cooper says he wants away ? Cooper has never said anything of the kind. “Wants to paid what he’d worth Kenny Cooper” would have been more accurate.
Cooper has 1.4 million reasons why he wants away next year
Obviously, FC Rosenborg and Cardiff City dont see Cooper has a designated player also. It appears they see him worth twice the value of a MLS designated player. 23 years of age, such a massive upside in the years ahead. I give it to Cooper, he continues to play for the shirt and plays his heart out for this club. This will be a defining moment in the history of this franchise.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=254955&cc=5901
Maybe something can be learned about fielding a successful team full of youth. Average age of 19.
And that lesson would be, “if you have a team full of soccer prodigies in the reserves, and are playing an inferior side in a cup that doesn’t really matter to your club, then play the prodigies”?
Cooper still needs to score more goals on all the shots he is taking(a lot more than anyone in MLS) and is surprisingly weak in the air for a big guy. How many headers has he scored on…?
He is not a target man, and he’s not really a guy who has superb speed to go deep all the time, like Oduro. I would think this is why no teams in the EPL, Germany, Spain etc. have bothered to make an offer.
Yes, he is a great guy and he always works hard. But spending DP money makes no sense.
Going to Norway would help Cooper improve.
(Rumour has it a deal for January transfer is as good as done)
He can come back to us as a more complete player in a few years when the team is better, too.
For next year, we now have Cunningham, who looks like he is back in 2006 form when he was MLS scoring champion. We need better(and healthy) flank players, because attacking down the wings will make us better.
Mike H. This is exactly why Cooper does not score more headers. We have no flank play or wingers. Look at the headers Cooper scored from Rhine, O’Brien, Gbandi. Cooper has very good speed and has scored lots of goals by beating people in a foot race this season. He is our most complete player. Quick feet, two great feet with power and finesse. Sorry Mike. Dont rule out interest from England, Germany or Spain in January. ( deal not even close to being done ) What ever FC Dallas decide to do. There will be no deal done overseas until he signs off on it.