FC Dallas showed they will be a force to be reckoned with the 2006 MLS season, beginning their campaign with an exciting 3-2 come-from-behind victory against the Chicago Fire at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday afternoon.
Chicago's Chad Barrett opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Arturo Alvarez answered back for the Hoops in the 31st minute. Chris Rolfe then put the Fire back into the lead in the 54th minute, only to see FC Dallas claim the victory with a pair of goals in a four-minute span from Roberto Mina (66th) and Kenny Cooper (70th).
After a tight opening few minutes the Fire took hold of the match, mainly through Rolfe. First he sent a strong shot goalward that forced a save from FC Dallas 'keeper Dario Sala. Then in the 12th minute, Sala couldn't hold Rolfe's powerful angled shot, and the rebound trickled across the goal to Barrett, who calmly drove it to the back of the net.
FC Dallas striker Carlos Ruiz brought the crowd to its feet as he tried to meet a sharp cross from Mina with a bicycle kick, putting it wide of the goal. Later in the half he tried again and came even closer, but still missed the target.
Thiago was a handful in the Chicago midfield all day long, sending great through balls to Rolfe and Barrett who ran well, off the Brazilian playmaker.
But FC Dallas center back Greg Vanney was on top of his game early, shutting down Rolfe in the 20th minute after he had taken on three Dallas players. Vanney dug in with a clean tackle and took the ball away.
The always-dangerous Ruiz made a nice run up the midfield in the 31st minute to set up the equalizer. He found Arturo Alvarez on the left of the penalty area, and he beat Zach Thornton with a shot inside the far post to tie the score.
With Ronnie O'Brien drifting more and more into the center of midfield along with Ramon Nunez, and Alvarez wide on the left flank, the Hoops were dangerous going forward but were at times caught off guard in transition.
Following the halftime break Chicago looked more lively than FCD as Thiago and Ivan Guerrero put together some solid passes in support of Rolfe.
In the 54th minute, Guerrero stripped a Dallas defender of the ball on the left and made a strong run to the endline before sending in a swinging cross to a wide open Rolfe as the Hoops defense was caught out, and he made no mistake in ripping a left-footed drive past Sala.
Just moments later, in the 59th minute, Thiago was in at point-blank range against Sala but the Argentinian 'keeper made a solid one-handed save that kept the Hoops in the match.
FC Dallas boss Colin Clarke then made a couple of vital substitutions, bringing Cooper and Mark Wilson on in the 64th minute for Alvarez and Nunez. Clarke also shifted to a 4-3-3 formation to push forward for the tying goal, with Mina and Cooper wide and Ruiz the target up top.
The changes paid quick dividends in the 66th minute as Mina headed the ball to himself from five yards outside the area and sent in a shot that deflected off a defender to wrong-foot Thornton and secure the tying goal for Dallas.
After the impressive strike FC Dallas came alive, urged on by the loud fans on hand for First Kick 2006, brought to their feet as they urged their heroes to a second consecutive victory against Chicago to begin a season.
Dallas native Cooper provided the spark off the bench the team desperately needed, and his efforts were rewarded in the 70th minute. Bobby Rhine made a nice cross from the right flank to the far post where Cooper got a head on it, beating Thornton to secure the win for FC Dallas over their fierce Brimstone Cup rivals.
FCD (1-0) will face Real Salt Lake next Saturday in its second home game of the season, while Chicago (0-1) continues its nine-game road trip to start the season, traveling out west to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy next Saturday.
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
