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February 23, 2010
DALLAS TRIMS REVOLUTION 2-0
Harris, Chavez in scoring roles
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Marvin Chavez, Dallas' late-season addition in 2009, scored FCD's final goal Tuesday in a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution.
Photo by Michael Stephens |
FC Dallas finally bit off a piece of MLS-quality competition and well, they liked it. Undoubtedly, it was the 2-0 victory fashioned over the New England Revolution that provided the joy in the Orlando scrimmage Tuesday.
But there were a lot of things to like. The flank play of Brek Shea was huge, pushing a lot of looks for the FCD forwards. It was that kind of combination, Shea finding Atiba Harris that accounted for the first Dallas goal in the 13th minute. Dallas closed the scoring with an unassisted goal by Marvin Chavez.
Harris has been a spring surprise, converting from right flank to forward to groom him in a backup role to Jeff Cunningham (away on national team duty). He has grown in the role with each scrimmage and today, showed he could be effective in the role against MLS competition.
With Dallas starters forward Jeff Cunningham, midfielder Dax McCarty and defender Heath Pearce on U.S. Men’s National Team duty, FCD wasn’t at full strength, but neither was New England, missing regulars Taylor Twellman and Matt Reis, who didn’t make the trip and missing Cory Gibbs and Edgaras Jankauskas to injury. Additionally, this was the first competitive action for the Revs, while Dallas has had five scrimmages against college competition. As they have in most of their preseason games, Dallas played more team regulars in the first half and subbed primarily trialists and rookies in the second half. Shea continued to play extra minutes as FCD Coach Schellas Hyndman continues to put a lot of focus on the athletic Texas native after two seasons of limited play that included a lot of duty with youth national teams.
It was also a good opportunity for some of the Dallas youth to step up as Bryan Leyva and Ruben Luna, both from the U18 Dallas Juniors, played significant roles in the second half. Shea, still just 19, is being groomed for a potential starting role and has figured prominently into every Dallas scrimmage this preseason.
Luna has featured in the last few Dallas scrimmages, including scoring a brace and an assist against Central Florida in FCD’s first Florida scrimmage. Luna replaced Harris to start the second half and in the 59th minute, almost clicked with Brek in the same way Harris did when he scored in the 13th minute. Instead, the connection was just missed.
However, Ruben figured in the second goal, though he had no official credit. He broke into a 1-v-1 with the goalie Preston Burpo and fired a shot that the Rev ‘keeper saved. The ball rebounded to Chavez, who finished it into the net. In the 83rd minute, it seemed that Luna, working on a pass from Eric
Avila would get a good look at the goal, but the New England defense closed it, before he got the shot off.
Other Dallas opportunities included a Daniel Hernandez free kick a half-hour into the game, set up by a foul on overlapping defender Anthony Wallace, 30 yards out from goal. That shot just skimmed over the goal. Other Dallas chances included a first-half header by Shea that went over the bar and another Hernandez free kick, late in the first half, that was a little too far for defender George John, coming in on the play.
Trialist from SMU, Duke Hashimoto, tried an opportunistic strike from the confusion of goal box chaos, very late in the game, but saw his effort blocked by the Revs’ defense.
While defense dominated the game on both sides, the Revolution had its chances as well. Zack Schilawksi set up a New England free kick after a take-down just outside the box in the first half. Chris Tierney took the kick, but just found the Dallas defensive wall. The Revs kept pushing and took a corner kick four minutes later. Veteran and MLS All-Star Shalrie Joseph had a quick look when the ball came right to his feet. His shot went wide after the FCD defense got a piece of it.
New England almost pulled back a goal late in the game, in the 87th minute, when Joseph sent a lead pass to winger Zak Boggs on the right. Boggs fired a zinger but just went wide right of the post.
Giving as many players a chance to get on the field for a good look was the priority for both teams, each of which used 17 players.
FC Dallas now focuses on the ESPN Wide World of Sports Walt Disney Pro Soccer Classic, kicking off February 25 against Toronto FC at 8:30 p.m. in the feature match. Earlier, at 6 p.m., the Houston Dynamo faces the New York Red Bulls. Losers and winners will play each other two days later.
Just how this tournament plays out also depends on the labor negotiations between the MLS and the players union. The deadline for determining a new collective bargaining agreement has been extended to the 25th.
Stay tuned.
Scoring: FC Dallas 2 New England 0. Goals: Harris (Shea) 13, Chavez 73.
Lineups: FC Dallas -- Sala (Lambo 67), Benitez (Loyd 62), John, Ihemelu, Wallace, Chavez (Hashimoto 81), Hernandez (Avila 75), Guarda (Leyva 70), Alexander, Shea, Harris (Luna 46).
New England -- Burpo, Tierney, Osei, Barnes (Badilla 79), Alston (Sinovic 46), Mansally (Castro 63), Joseph, Phelan (Videira 46), Nyassi (Boggs 63), Dube, Schilawski (Colaluca 79).
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