FC Dallas Extends Longest Home Unbeaten Streak In Franchise History
FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) – FC Dallas (8-3-7, 31 points) played Chivas USA to a 0-0 draw Thursday night in front of 22,035 fans, the third-largest MLS regular season crowd in FC Dallas Stadium history.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez made seven saves to post his sixth shutout of the season.
"The final save was the most difficult. The ball was snaking through some bodies with a lot of movement on it but I was able to get enough on it to steer it over the crossbar and get the shutout," said Fernandez. "It wasn't the result we were looking for… We'll leave this game with a bitter taste in our mouths as we were counting on three points, especially at home."
FC Dallas opened the match with three solid scoring chances inside the first 11 minutes. The first came from Jair Benitez off a short corner in the fifth minute. Benitez accepted a pass from David Ferreira before lobbing a ball into the area. Stephen Keel, who was making his first start of the season at center back, was there to win the header, but pushed it just wide of the right post behind Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
Michel nearly scored his second goal of the season via a free kick in the ninth minute after Blas Perez won the opportunity for Dallas. The Brazilian curled a shot around the wall from 23 yards, only to have his shot crack the outside of the right post before crossing the end line for a goal kick.
The third chance came in the 11th minute after Jackson turned his defender and dished a pass to Andrew Jacobson, who was streaking through the center of the pitch. Jacobson dribbled towards the end line before centering a pass to Perez at the top of the six-yard box. Perez couldn't control the pass, but the loose ball fell to the feet of Ferreira, who sent a hurried shot just wide of the post.
Chivas USA nearly found the back of the net in the 37th minute following a short corner of its own. Jorge Villafana took the ball and walked down the end line before delivering an out-swinging serve to the top of the six-yard box. A group of players came together there before Marky Delgado got a foot to the loose ball and hit a pass backwards with his heel to forward Jose Correa. The Colombian forward turned with the ball and hit a shot, low towards the right post, missing the target by mere inches.
FC Dallas just missed taking a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute. The play began with a long free kick played in from near midfield by Michel. Ferreira brought down the pass at the back post and knocked a ball back across the goalmouth to Jackson. The Brazilian rose above his defender to win the header but pushed it just wide of the post.
Less than a minute later, Benitez came forward from his spot at left back and crossed a ball into area for Perez from the left flank. Perez timed his run perfectly and hammered a textbook header down at Kennedy, but the MLS veteran stood tall and made a diving save on the goal line to keep the shutout.
However, it was Fernandez who made the save of the night in stoppage time. Chivas USA forward Julio Morales brought down the ball at the top of the area, turned his defender and hit a left-footed blast towards the right post. The Peruvian goalkeeper dove, high to his right side, to tip the shot over the bar and extend Dallas' home-unbeaten streak to 14 matches (9-0-5).
FC DALLAS TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (David Ferreira, Blas Perez 3, Kenny Cooper, Michel 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Blas Perez 1); FOULS: 11 (Zach Lloyd, 3, Andrew Jacobson, Blas Perez 2); OFFSIDES: 2 (David Ferreira, Fabian Castillo 2); CORNER KICKS: 3 (David Ferreira 2); SAVES: 7 (Raul Fernandez 7).
CHIVAS USA TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Jose Correa 4, Eric Avila, Carlos Alvarez 3, Jorge Villafana, Gabriel Farfan 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Jose Correa 3, Eric Avila 2); FOULS: 17 (Gabriel Farfan 4, Julio Morales 3); OFFSIDES: 1 (Jose Correa 1); CORNER KICKS: 6 (Eric Avila 3); SAVES: 1 (Dan Kennedy 1).
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
CHV – Jorge Villafana (caution) 45+1
CHV – Gabriel Farfan (caution) 55
DAL – Zach Loyd (caution) 70
CHV – Jose Rivera (caution) 84
DAL – Fabian Castillo (caution) 89
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