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Goalkeepers, Cards Help Decide Chivas USA - FC Dallas Match
Chivas USA beat Dallas FC 2-0, but it wasn't as easy as the scoreline suggests. Two red cards also influenced the match in a scrappy affair.
Apr 26, 2009 3:55:36 AM
CARSON, Calif., April 25--It was the goalkeepers who made the difference in Chivas USA's 2-0 win over FC Dallas. Zach Thornton pulled off a string of essential saves to keep Chivas in the game all throughout the match. Dario Sala's contribution came in one disastrous moment. In the 25th minute he handled outside the area to draw a red card and leave his team down a man for the rest of the match.
Little was said about what was a clear red card after the match, but Thornton drew praise from all involved.
“Our team has gained so much confidence in Zach Thornton,” said Chivas captain Jesse Marsch. “He's been our MVP so far, and based on how our team's doing you'd have to see that he's up there with one of the best players in the league. When things aren't going well he's still there to bail us out.”
Even the opposition couldn't help but compliment the 35-year-old, whose shutout tied him with Tony Meola for third in Major League Soccer with 62.
“I think the word was frustrated, because he made some brilliant saves,” bemoaned Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman. “I thought he was outstanding in the goal.”
While Thornton provided the defensive security, Chivas relied on two scrappy goals to take all three points on offer. The first came thanks to a Mariano Trujillo cross from the right flank, as both fullbacks had been finding ample room in the attack to whip in dangerous balls. Marsch explained that the extra width from the fullbacks was a lesson learned from an earlier draw with the LA Galaxy.
“When we went up a man against the Galaxy, we were not happy with the fact that we didn't get enough wide play,” he said. “So we wanted to make sure that we switched the ball quickly and that we put balls in the box that were dangerous. I think we did that on a number of occasions, and obviously the first goal worked out that way. You have to mix it up when you're down a man. You've got to keep the defense guessing, you've got to keep the ball moving so that they can't just stay in a block and defend you.”
The second goal came from a breakaway after Dallas wasted a free kick. The set piece was earned when Atiba Harris drew his second yellow card in the 89th minute. Marsch brushed aside the late ejection, and complimented how Harris helps a grafting Chivas side in tough physical battles.
“With Atiba, you're guaranteed to win about five dogfights a game,” the MLS original pointed out.
One of those dogfights was with Marcelo Saragosa in the first minute, which was when Harris picked up his first yellow. An elbow to Saragosa's head meant the fullback had to leave the field for treatment, and he received stitches after the match. The elbow wasn't all negative, though, claimed Hyndman.
“I think with the elbow to Marcelo Sragosa's head, that kind of brought out the pride in the players to fight for each other,” he said. “It was a pretty intense environment out there. Like I said to the boys, we're a good team if we can have a good work ethic, and I thought we had that today.”
Despite the loss, Dallas controlled large portions of the game and had more shots on goal than Chivas. Star striker Kenny Cooper thinks there was enough heart and determination in the performance to bode well for future games.
“I'm proud of my teammates for the effort that everybody put in,” he said. “Two weeks ago up in Toronto we showed great character and I think that might have been a turning point for us in our season. Tonight is obviously not the result we wanted, but I think there's a lot of good things to take from the game. Hopefully we can continue to apply those qualities to the next game and the rest of the season.”
That rest of the season will start in one week's time, a welcome break for two teams that suffered midweek losses. Dallas face D.C. United, their midweek opponents, away, and Chivas travel to San Jose to play the Earthquakes.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer go to Goal.com's MLS page
Little was said about what was a clear red card after the match, but Thornton drew praise from all involved.
“Our team has gained so much confidence in Zach Thornton,” said Chivas captain Jesse Marsch. “He's been our MVP so far, and based on how our team's doing you'd have to see that he's up there with one of the best players in the league. When things aren't going well he's still there to bail us out.”
Even the opposition couldn't help but compliment the 35-year-old, whose shutout tied him with Tony Meola for third in Major League Soccer with 62.
“I think the word was frustrated, because he made some brilliant saves,” bemoaned Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman. “I thought he was outstanding in the goal.”
While Thornton provided the defensive security, Chivas relied on two scrappy goals to take all three points on offer. The first came thanks to a Mariano Trujillo cross from the right flank, as both fullbacks had been finding ample room in the attack to whip in dangerous balls. Marsch explained that the extra width from the fullbacks was a lesson learned from an earlier draw with the LA Galaxy.
“When we went up a man against the Galaxy, we were not happy with the fact that we didn't get enough wide play,” he said. “So we wanted to make sure that we switched the ball quickly and that we put balls in the box that were dangerous. I think we did that on a number of occasions, and obviously the first goal worked out that way. You have to mix it up when you're down a man. You've got to keep the defense guessing, you've got to keep the ball moving so that they can't just stay in a block and defend you.”
The second goal came from a breakaway after Dallas wasted a free kick. The set piece was earned when Atiba Harris drew his second yellow card in the 89th minute. Marsch brushed aside the late ejection, and complimented how Harris helps a grafting Chivas side in tough physical battles.
“With Atiba, you're guaranteed to win about five dogfights a game,” the MLS original pointed out.
One of those dogfights was with Marcelo Saragosa in the first minute, which was when Harris picked up his first yellow. An elbow to Saragosa's head meant the fullback had to leave the field for treatment, and he received stitches after the match. The elbow wasn't all negative, though, claimed Hyndman.
“I think with the elbow to Marcelo Sragosa's head, that kind of brought out the pride in the players to fight for each other,” he said. “It was a pretty intense environment out there. Like I said to the boys, we're a good team if we can have a good work ethic, and I thought we had that today.”
Despite the loss, Dallas controlled large portions of the game and had more shots on goal than Chivas. Star striker Kenny Cooper thinks there was enough heart and determination in the performance to bode well for future games.
“I'm proud of my teammates for the effort that everybody put in,” he said. “Two weeks ago up in Toronto we showed great character and I think that might have been a turning point for us in our season. Tonight is obviously not the result we wanted, but I think there's a lot of good things to take from the game. Hopefully we can continue to apply those qualities to the next game and the rest of the season.”
That rest of the season will start in one week's time, a welcome break for two teams that suffered midweek losses. Dallas face D.C. United, their midweek opponents, away, and Chivas travel to San Jose to play the Earthquakes.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer go to Goal.com's MLS page
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