With FC Dallas ahead of D.C. United 2-0 on Sunday at Pizza Hut Park, FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman went to his bench. He brought on veteran center back Duilio Davino, who had missed seven games with a toe injury for Aaron Pitchkolan.
It was the Mexican international's first action since a 4-0 win against the LA Galaxy on June 27 and from all indications, it was a clear signal that he will return to the starting XI this Thursday when San Jose visits Frisco for an ESPN2 MLS Primetime Thursday matchup.
"It was a situation where we had dropped into a Level Three defending, which is something we didn't want to do," Hyndman said. "We had talked about it before the game and we talked about it at halftime. We started off on Level One and that's why we were causing so many problems. Then, through fatigue and heat, we dropped ourselves back to Level Two. Then, eventually, we went back all the way to Level Three, which was hardly any pressure on their defense and they're able to come into our half."
He then explained his rationale behind the change.
"I thought what was happening was as great as (Pitchkolan) and Drew (Moor) have played for us, it needed somebody with experience to kind of calm things down, set the line and provide a little more of a leadership," Hyndman said. "He (Davino) probably has more experience than everyone else back there put together, so you need him on the field. He's healthy. He wants to play but as a coach, it's always tough to make changes when the team is doing so well. Those are always tough decisions for coaches. I thought that would be the right decision to make and it paid off."
Davino had played all but 45 minutes in his first 18 league games with FC Dallas, missing only the second half of the 2-2 draw with Houston on May 28. But then came the toe injury that has sidelined him since the start of August.
"I felt good," Davino said. "It had been a long time since I had played but I felt good. Playing those 20 minutes were good minutes for me."
FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala, who got his seventh clean sheet of the 2008 season, offered the following assessment of Davino's performance.
"It's hard to tell in a couple of minutes but I think overall, he did OK," Sala said. "He played well. So did Pitchkolan. It's nice to have two guys at a good level who are challenging for the starting position. I think the decision is now with the coach. Whatever he (Hyndman) decides, we're going to support 100 percent. Either of those guys can do the job."
It was only fitting that Davino made his return on Sunday. The club had designated that game as "Davino Wig Day" where the first 5,000 fans got a replica of his 'do.
"If that's how my hair looks, then it looks pretty bad," Davino joked. "Yes, maybe (they should do) something different like that (maybe a Davino headband night)."
If Davino is to return against the Earthquakes this weekend, Hyndman has one question: Is the veteran fit enough to take on strikers such as ex-FC Dallas man Arturo Alvarez and English Premier League veteran Darren Huckerby?
"I'll have a conversation with him. What we need is exactly that. I know we're going to get his best and I know that we're going to get his experience and leadership. Is his best good enough for 90 minutes?" Hyndman said. "I think with the strike force they have with Darren Huckerby, Arturo or Ronnie O'Brien, there are some players there that are going to cause some problems. And I'm thinking that we don't want to get stretched out or pulled out of position. I think we'd like to go with him and see how we can do. And we always have (Pitchkolan) there."
Said Davino: "I don't know (if I'm fully fit) but I believe that I am. The only way that you can get back into form is to get rhythm and get into games."
Even though Sunday was his first game back, Davino admits that continued offensive prowess from the FCD attack, which has seven goals (while allowing one) in their last two games can only make the job of he and his fellow defenders even easier.
"Any time the game can get to 2-0 or 3-0, everybody feels a lot better," Davino said. "It's better than when it's just 1-0 and everybody knows that you've got more pressure on you."
The veteran who has considerable experience making a push for the playoffs during his time in Mexico admits he loves this time of year when every match carries with it huge stakes.
"The best (thing) would be to have already qualified (for the playoffs)," Davino said. "But it's nice. The pressure to always have to win is something that we like."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
