SB Nation Dallas - FC Dallas Records Another Loss At Columbushttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2012-05-12T20:37:19-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27802662012-05-12T20:37:19-05:002012-05-12T20:37:19-05:00FC Dallas Blow Another Lead, Lose 2-1 To Columbus
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<p>On a night when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">FC Dallas</a> needed a full three points to keep pace with the Western Conference, the Hoops dropped an important matchup against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.massivereport.com/">Columbus Crew</a>.</p>
<p>With a starting lineup more closely resembling the opening day roster, Dallas walked out onto the pitch at Crew Stadium and started tentatively through the first ten minutes. After <span>Fabian Castillo</span> missed a chance to score on a completely wide open net courtesy of a well-placed cross, he asked to be substituted. <span>Schellas Hyndman</span> ignored his pleas and thankfully his decision paid off.</p>
<p>In the 22nd minute, Fabian Castillo took the ball down the sideline with <span>Tony Tchani</span>, the Crew midfielder, marking him. The ball appeared to run out of play and Tchani complained to the linesman and stopped running with Castillo. Fabian continued his run and ran clean through to goalkeeper <span>Andy Gruenebaum</span> and, despite being closed down by the Crew centerbacks, finally scored his first goal of the season by slotting a shot past Gruenebaum. FC Dallas had finally ended its 231 minute goal drought. The replay shows that the ball clearly had stayed in bounds, making Tchani's complaints unfounded and very costly.</p>
<p>Dallas continued to play a physical and fast game through the first half, with temporary captain <span>Daniel Hernandez</span> breaking up plays with good positioning and stopping counterattacks with timely and careful fouls, none of them severe enough to draw a yellow card. <span>Andrew Jacobson</span> was equally important in disrupting plays in the midfield and drawing fouls in the offensive half.</p>
<p>The second half started with a bit of a scare, with defender <span>Hernan Pertuz</span> receiving a kick in the throat as the result of a very late attempted bicycle kick from Justin Mearam. Though initially in a great deal of pain, Pertuz walked off the field on his own and after a quick rest he returned to the field of play.</p>
<p>The wheels would soon fall off the Dallas buggy as in the 63rd minute, <span>Zach Loyd</span>, already carrying a yellow card, decided to pull down a Crew player and earned a second yellow card. The second yellow would turn into the first red card of his career. It was an entirely unnecessary foul and it would prove costly for Dallas in the end.</p>
<p>In the 66th minute Justin Mearam found himself outside the 18 yard box with tons of space in front and rocketed a well placed shot against which goalkeeper <span>Chris Seitz</span> had no hope of stopping, and within another five minutes, Sebastian Miranda scored on a header to put the Crew up 2-1.</p>
<p>Despite many attempts on net Dallas was not able to score again, though the referee at one point missed a blatant handball in the box that should have led to a Dallas penalty. The referee, Baldomero Toledo, and his linesman did not seem concerned and the play was waved on.</p>
<p>Despite a valiant effort by <span>George John</span> to head in a goal at the death of the game, an effort which was saved, the whistle blew and now the Hoops have to pick up the pieces of their season. They have gone 0-3 in May and are in serious danger of dropping to last in the Western Conference.</p>
<p>FC Dallas' disciplinary problems have reached an unacceptable level and while it is true some calls could have gone their way, the Toros had full control of their destiny in this game and through a combination of recklessness and poor finishing find themselves in a three game losing streak and winless in six games.</p>
<p>Dallas is now tied with Montreal in a dubious category. The two teams are tied for most points dropped from a winning position, with 12.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/fc-dallas/2012/5/12/3016945/fc-dallas-blow-another-lead-lose-2-1-to-columbusExoderp2012-05-12T09:00:22-05:002012-05-12T09:00:22-05:00FC Dallas vs. Columbus Crew Preview: Pioneer Cup Up For Grabs
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<img alt="FRISCO, TX - JULY 02: Jackson Goncalves #6 of the FC Dallas moves the ball against Emmanuel Ekpo #17 of the Columbus Crew at Pizza Hut Park on July 2, 2011 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/D5xWoVxtFh_09zz_HzQZdipOPNc=/0x61:865x638/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/3218134/117992992.jpg" />
<figcaption>FRISCO, TX - JULY 02: Jackson Goncalves #6 of the FC Dallas moves the ball against Emmanuel Ekpo #17 of the Columbus Crew at Pizza Hut Park on July 2, 2011 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Struggling Sides FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew hope to break their winless streaks and take home the Pioneer Cup.</p> <p>As the players walked off the field at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigdsoccer.com/">FC Dallas</a> Stadium on Wednesday night, the men in red and white found themselves in a situation they are not too familiar with during the past couple of years: A five-game winless streak.</p>
<p>The loss to Seattle on Wednesday capped a tough stretch for the Toros, a time during which they have drawn two and lost three. Suspensions and injuries have ravaged the side, leading to a less than ideal selection of players to fill the starting XI during a series of games against some the league's top clubs. With a mere two points out of a possible fifteen in their last five contests, FCD have dropped to sixth in the standings, with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://delete.sbnprivate.com/">Chivas USA</a> hot on their heels with two games in hand.</p>
<p>Today FC Dallas travels to Crew Stadium in Ohio, where they have a chance to regain some momentum against an equally struggling side in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.massivereport.com/">Columbus Crew</a>. The Crew sport the same points total in their last five games as Dallas does and the two teams do not just mirror each other points-wise. They are also both also struggling to score from the run of play; Dallas and Columbus have been shut out twice in a row.</p>
<p>Luckily for FC Dallas, two very important cogs in their machine will be returning from suspension. <span>Blas Perez</span> and <span>Daniel Hernandez</span> will be available for selection with both almost certainly getting a start, while star winger <span>Brek Shea</span> is still questionable for Saturday while he recovers from a case of turf-toe. Shea managed to log 20 minutes at the end of Wednesday's match, but it remains to be seen if he is comfortable enough to return to a starting spot.</p>
<p>If Shea does manage to feel healthy enough to start, his return would provide better service to Perez and would also free up space in the middle as the Crew defense will be concerned with keeping him in check.</p>
<p>Columbus has an important injury of their own, with club leader and veteran Chad Marshall suffering from concussion-like symptoms after being hit in the head during a practice session last week. Due to Marshall's history of concussions, the Crew are more likely than not to be careful with him and allow him time to rest.</p>
<p>Up for grabs during this game is the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup, a trophy dedicated to American sports legend Lamar Hunt. Lamar Hunt was one of MLS's major investors and a pioneer in the American soccer scene and his company, The Hunt Sports Group, still owns both FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew. Due to the new MLS match format, which resulted in a more conference-focused schedule, this season there will only be this one match between FCD and the Crew. This means this game is the only one that will be used to decide the winner of the Pioneer Cup.</p>
<p>The match will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest and will take place at 6:30PM CDT. Mark Followill, the voice of the Dallas Mavericks, will be on the call for FC Dallas.</p>
<p><i>For all the latest news and discussion be sure to check out <a href="http://www.bigdsoccer.com" target="_blank">Big D Soccer's</a> excellent and informative game-day coverage.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/fc-dallas/2012/5/12/3012210/fc-dallas-vs-columbus-crew-match-preview-2012Exoderp