ESPN

Late today FC Dallas announced via twitter that the club will scrimmage River Plate tomorrow at 11 AM at FC Dallas Stadium prior to the US Women's game.

The River Plate side will mostly consist of reserves but should still provide some high level competition for a FCD side early in preseason preparation. River's reserves were in Dallas to play in a tournament at the Cotton Bowl that was canceled at the last moment.

FC Dallas also has some exibtions against local college teams over the next week or two. College opponents will see more of the 2nd team from FCD, but should still be some excellent watching for fans.

Sunday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. vs. Memphis, FC Dallas Stadium adidas Field
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., at SMU, Westcott Field
Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m., vs. Tulsa, FC Dallas Stadium adidas Field

FC Dallas announced today its complete 2012 broadcast schedule, including 21 games airing on FOX channels, six on TXA21 and seven on national TV, including NBC Sports Network, ESPN and ESPN2. Four of the FOX games will also simultaneously air nationally on Galavision.

Play-by-play duties will be split between Mark Followill and Jonathan Yardley, while a team of color analysts will share duties, including Brian Dunseth, Dante Washington, Ian Joy and Steve Jolley. Each of the color analysts will make appearances on FC Dallas broadcasts throughout the season.

FC Dallas elected to field the team of broadcasters following the untimely death of long-time FC Dallas player and broadcaster Bobby Rhine last summer. Broadcasters around the league who loved and respected Rhine served as guest broadcasters following his death to finish the 2011 season.

“It’s impossible to replace Bobby Rhine,” said FC Dallas President and CEO Doug Quinn. “Rather than make one person try to fill his shoes, we put together a team of people Bobby knew and respected. His spirit, his love of the game, should live on in FC Dallas broadcasts. We think this team will do exactly that.”

FC Dallas hosts the New York Red Bulls on NBC Sports Network at 2 p.m., CT, Sunday, March 11, during MLS First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.





FC Dallas – 2012 TV Schedule

All times CT.	Opponent	Network
Sunday, March 11, 2 p.m.	vs. New York Red Bulls	NBCSN
Saturday, March 17, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Portland Timbers	FS Plus
Sunday, March 25, 6 p.m.	at Sporting Kansas City	Galavision/FSSW
Friday, March 30, 6:30 p.m.	at DC United	NBCSN
Thursday, April 5, 7:30 p.m.	vs. New England Revolution	FS Plus
Saturday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Montreal Impact	FS Plus
Saturday, April 21, 9 p.m.	at Vancouver Whitecaps	TXA 21
Wednesday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Real Salt Lake	FS Plus
Saturday, April 28, 9:30 p.m.	at Los Angeles Galaxy	FS Plus
Sunday, May 6, 6 p.m.	vs. Colorado Rapids	Galavision/FSSW
Wednesday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Seattle Sounders	FS Plus
Saturday, May 12, 6:30 p.m.	at Columbus Crew	FSSW
Saturday May 19, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Philadelphia Union	FSSW
Wednesday, May 23, 7 p.m.	at Chicago Fire	FSSW
Saturday, May 26, 8 p.m.	at Real Salt Lake	FSSW
Saturday, June 16, 4 p.m.	at Houston Dynamo	ESPN2
Saturday, June 23, 8 p.m.	vs. Chivas USA	Galavision/FSSW
Wednesday, July 4, 8 p.m.	vs. Toronto FC	FS Plus
Saturday, July 7, 8 p.m.	vs. San Jose Earthquakes	FSSW
Saturday, July 14, 8 p.m.	at Colorado Rapids	TXA 21
Wednesday July 18, 9:30 p.m.	at San Jose Earthquakes	FSSW
Saturday, July 21, 8 p.m.	vs. Portland Timbers	TXA 21
Saturday July 28, 7 p.m.	vs. Los Angeles Galaxy	NBCSN
Sunday, August 5, 6 p.m.	at Portland Timbers	NBCSN
Saturday, August 11, 8 p.m.	vs. Colorado Rapids	TXA 21
Wednesday August 15, 9 p.m.	at Vancouver Whitecaps	FS Plus
Saturday, August 18, 8 p.m.	at Real Salt Lake	FSSW
Sunday, August 26, 6 p.m.	at Los Angeles Galaxy	NBCSN
Sunday, September 2, 6 p.m.	vs. Seattle Sounders	FS Plus
Saturday, September 15, 7:30 p.m.	vs. Vancouver Whitecaps	TXA 21
Saturday, September 29, 9:30 p.m.	at San Jose Earthquakes	TXA 21
Sunday, October 7, 6 p.m.	at Chivas USA	FS Plus
Sunday, October 21, 8 p.m.	at Seattle Sounders	ESPN
Sunday, October 28, 6 p.m.	vs. Chivas USA	Galavision/FS Plus

The Roster Dance is a long running feature of 3^rd Degree. It is an effort to break down the FC Dallas roster into its various components with all the trialists and draft picks competing for spots. The Roster Dance includes things like nationality, age, status, green cards, and anything else that might impact space on the roster and the players that might fit into it.

Last updated: 2/9/12

Senior Roster (18 to 20)

For now MLS rosters hold at up to 30 players. Players 1 to 20 are on the senior roster and have to fit in the salary cap. (MLS teams may carry only 18 players on this senior roster if they wish)

FCD has 8 international slots in 2010 with 8 currently filled.

1	David Ferreira	32, Colombian F/M. (8/9/79) Got his green card.
2	Daniel Hernandez	New 5 year coach/player deal. 35, US M/D (7/23/76)
3	Jair Benitez	33, Colombian LB, (1/11/79). Green card.
4	Blas Pérez	(I1) Panamanian striker, turns 31 this year. (3-13-81)
5	Brek Shea	20, US Nats MF. (2/28/90).
6	Ugo Ihemelu	28, US D. (4/3/83)
7	Kevin Hartman	37, US GK. (5-25-1974)
8	Zach Loyd	24, US Nats M/D. (7-18-87)
9	Fabian Castillo	(I2) 19, Colombian striker. (6-01-92)
10	Ricardo Villar	(I3) 32, Brazilian, AM. (8-11-79) working on green card
11	Andrew Jacobson	26, US DM. (9-25-85)
12	Hernan Pertúz	(I4) 22, Columbian U23, D. (3-31-89)
13	Chris Seitz	24, US GK. (3-12-87)
14	Bobby Warshaw	23, US M/D. (11-21-88)
15	Carlos Rodriguez	(I5) 21 year old Panamian M/D from Tauro FC. (4-12-90)
16	Nicolás Gianni	(I6) a.k.a. Nicolas Cridani. 29, F/M. (3/9/82) starting for Ferreira.
17	Scott Sealy	T&T F. 30, Previously with KC and SJ. (6/4/81) green card.
18	Bruno Guarda	26, Brazil MF. (2/6/86). Green card
19	Daniel Cruz	(I7) 30, Colombian, M. Injured. (5-3-81) May be in roster trouble…
20	Jack Stewart	28 year old US D. (5-29-1983) He gets John’s spot for now.
--	George John	US CB. (3/20/87) Not currently on FCD roster, loan ends in March?
--	Rodolofo Espinoza	(I9) 30 year old Mexican M, Chivas USA 10-11. (6-14-81)
--	Kleyner Bejarano	(I10) a.k.a. Kleyner Bejarano Mena 22, Colombian D. (9/16/89)

Players occupying roster spots 1-24 will earn at least $42,000 in 2011.

Off-Budget Roster (10)

Roster Spots 21 to 30. Generation adidas, developmental players, and home grown. Players 24 and under that don’t count on the salary cap. MLS teams can have a maximum of 10 off-budget players.

21	Matt Hedges	UD D, ‘12 1st pick. (4-1-90) Senior roster?
22	Andrew Wiedeman	(Ga1) 22, US versatile. F/M/D. (8-22-89)
23	Bryan Leyva	(HG1) 20, Mexican U20 MF (2/9/92) green card.
24	Ruben Luna	(HG2, I8) 19, Mexican U20 striker. (2-10-92)
25	Victor Ulloa	(HG3) 19, US Midfielder. (3-4-92)
26	Moises Hernandez	(HG4) US D, former U20 (3-5-92)
27	Jonathan Top	(HG5) 19, US striker. (1-26-93)
28	Richard Sanchez	(HG6) 17, Mexican keeper US Citizen. (2-28-94)
29	Scott Gordon	23 year old US D, 3rd round pick in 2011. (4-6-88)
30	Christian Ibeagha	22, US U17 from OK (born Nigeria). (1-10-90)
--	Alex Lee	2012 pick, D from Maryland. Just arrived in camp.
--	Ian Kalis	2012 Supplemental Draft pick from SMU. Injured?

Players occupying roster spots 25-30 will earn at least $32,600 in 2011.

Other Players

Anyone connected, rumored, tried out, waived, training invited, or signed as a short term player.

Marvin Chavez	Traded to San Jose.
Walter Hines	M, preseason trialist
Martin John	LB, preseason trialist
Joe Madigan	M, preseason trialist
Jackson	Brazilian M, on loan to Cruzeiro
Mykel Galindo	Waived in off season.
Edson Edward	Waived in off season.
Josh Lambo	Former Ga GK, waived in off season.

FC Dallas PR/video department has started a series of "Mic'd Up" videos, the first two of which are coaches wearing audio mics. Schellas Hyndman and Drew Keeshan are first up.

The video's offer a nice little look into a typical practice, if not 100% authentic. "They got me mic'd up, so I gotta be careful what I say," says Hyndman right off the top.

Schellas Hyndman Mic'd Up

Drew Keeshan Mic'd Up

The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team will face the Mexico Under-23 National Team on Feb. 29 at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, in an important match before the Men's Olympic Qualifying tournament begins. The match kicks off at 9 p.m. CT, and fans can follow on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker and Twitter @ussoccer.

The U.S. U-23s will convene in Frisco on Feb. 19 to train in preparation for the match. U.S. U-23 head coach Caleb Porter will name his roster in the near future.

"This game is very important for our players and comes at a critical time for us before the start of Olympic qualifying," said Porter. "In this camp we expect to have the majority of the players who are in contention for final roster spots for qualifying. A match against Mexico will serve as a great measuring stick both individually and collectively as we put the finishing touches on our roster selection."

Advance tickets starting at $20 go on sale to the public Friday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m. CT through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex (including Walmart and Fiesta stores). Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290.

As a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, Visa® is pleased to offer all Visa cardholders access to an advance ticket sale for this match before the sale to the general public. This advance sale starts Thursday, Feb. 9, at 12 p.m. CT and runs until Friday, Feb. 10, at 8 a.m. CT at ussoccer.com. Visa will be the only payment method accepted through the Visa presale and is the preferred card of U.S. Soccer. Terms and conditions apply.

CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying begins on March 22, with Group A games being played at LP Field in Nashville and Group B games at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The USA was drawn into Group A with Canada, Cuba and El Salvador, while Group B is composed of Mexico, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago.

The U.S. and Mexico U-23s could face each other in the elimination rounds of qualifying if one team finishes first in its group with the other team in second place in its group. Should the USA advance out of Group A, it will play in the second semifinal match at 8 p.m. on March 31. The teams could also meet in the final if they advance to separate semifinals and win.

The semifinal and final matches will be played at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., on March 31 and April 2, respectively. Individual tickets are on sale for the games in Nashville and Carson , and series tickets are available for the knockout phase in Kansas City.

The U.S. U-23s last met Mexico during qualification for the 2004 Olympic Games, with Mexico emerging with a 4-0 victory. Current U.S. Men's National Team players DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman and Landon Donovan were part of the U.S. squad.

It appears that former FC Dallas midfielder Marcelo Saragosa has returned stateside as the 30-year-old Brazilian recently caught on with DC United. If you’re wondering where he’s been the last few years, you’re not alone.

That’s because Saragosa has been playing professionally in Azerbaijan for the last two seasons, yes they actually have professional soccer in that country neighboring the former Soviet Union.

Saragosa was with FCD between 2006 and 2009 and appeared in 54 games. He then saw action in 22 more games with Chivas USA but hasn’t been in the league since 2010, when he went into the MLS Re-Entry Draft but found no takers.

He was always a likeable guy off the field during his time with FCD but had his share of injury issues. Current Dallas manager Schellas Hyndman traded him to the Red-and-White in July 2009 and while his time here was definitely up and down, it’s nice to see him back in MLS if not for the mere fact that he’s really close friends with some guy named Kaka.

FC Dallas fell 2-0 to Red Bull New York today in preseason action in Cancun, Mexico. New York’s goals were scored by former FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper and Red Bull’s 2011 first round SuperDraft selection, Corey Hertzog.

FC Dallas nearly took the lead in the ninth minute when Fabian Castillo sped by a defender on the right flank and delivered a pass inside to Blas Perez, who was making his run 12-yards from goal. Perez hit a shot with his first touch, striking the outside of the right post. It would not be the last time Dallas would be denied by the post.

Castillo looked creative on the ball once again in the 14^th minute. The young Colombian weaved his way through three defenders before New York goalkeeper Ryan Meara charged off his line to take away a goal.

Despite holding an advantage in possession, FC Dallas surrendered the first goal of the match in the 33^rd minute. The play began when Red Bulls defender Jan Gunnar Solli fed the ball up the right flank to Dane Richards, who split a pair of defenders and found Cooper making a diagonal run to the front post. Cooper waited on the pass before striking a turn-around shot into the far side netting with his first touch.

FC Dallas battled back and earned a throw-in deep in Red Bull territory in the 40^th minute. U.S. National Team defender Zach Loyd took a quick throw, picking out a streaking Perez at the top of the area. Meara charged off his line to intercept the pass, but Perez arrived first and nodded a ball past the goalkeeper only to have his second attempt of the day ricochet of the near post and dribble out of bounds.

Both teams opted for a fresh 11 to start the second half and Red Bulls guest player Jose Angulo could have made it 2-0 when he was through on goal off a Hertzog through ball. Angulo, however, was unable to keep his left-footed shot down. With 20 minutes to play, FC Dallas hit the woodwork for the third time, as Bruno Guarda’s first-touch volley slammed off the left post and shot back into play. The play was setup by FC Dallas Homegrown player Bryan Leyva, who looked dangerous the entire second half.

A questionable call went against FC Dallas in the 85^th minute. Defender Christian Ibeagha looked to have a clear path to goal just before being hammered to the ground by a Red Bull defender well inside the area. Unfortunately for Dallas, the referee allowed play to continue, only to have a penalty kick go against them in the 90^th minute.

On the play, Red Bulls defender Jonathan Borrajo was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Ibeagha. Hertzog stepped to the penalty kick and delivered a shot to the left side of goalkeeper Chris Seitz to hand FC Dallas a 2-0 loss.

The next time the two teams will face off will be on Sunday, March 11 at FC Dallas Stadium at 2 p.m. CT in a match to be televised live by NBC Sports Network – the first MLS game broadcasted by the League’s new national partner, NBC.

FC Dallas returns to Frisco to train at FC Dallas Stadium on Friday, Feb. 10.

Scoring Summary:
NY: Kenny Cooper (Dane Richards, Jan Gunnar Solli) 33
NY: Corey Hertzog (penalty kick) 90

Disciplinary Summary:
FCD: Brek Shea (caution) 41
FCD: Bruce Guarda (caution) 48
NY: Brandon Barklage (caution) 82

Lineups:

New York Red Bulls (First Half) – Ryan Meara, Jan Gunnar Solli, Markus Holgersson, Stephen Keel, Roy Miller, Dax McCarty, Victor Palsson*, Rafa Marquez, Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, Kenny Cooper

New York Red Bulls (Second Half) – Jeremy Vuolo (GK), Jonathan Borrajo, Matt Kassel, Leobardo Alvarez*, Connor Lade, Jhonny Arteaga*, Ryan Maduro*, Brandon Barklage*, Giorgi Chirgadze* (Sacir Hot 61’), Jose Angulo*, Corey Hertzog

FC Dallas (First Half) – Kevin Hartman (GK), Zach Loyd, Ugo Ihemelu, Hernan Pertuz, Jair Benitez, Andrew Jacobson, Ricardo Villar, Fabian Castillo, Scott Sealy*, Brek Shea, Blas Perez

FC Dallas (Second Half) – Chris Seitz (GK), Kleyner Bejarano*, Matt Hedges, Christian Ibeagha*, Scott Gordon, Bruno Guarda, Bobby Warshaw, Rodolfo Espinoza* (Andrew Wiedeman 81’), Bryan Leyva, Nicolas Gianni* (Moises Hernandez 81’), Ulises Mendivic*

* - Trialist

FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman

General thoughts on the game

This is preseason and we’ve been working awfully hard, doing a lot of fitness running on the beach. I noticed a few players had heavy legs today. We still managed to hit the post three times. Bruno Guarda hitting that cross from Bryan Leyva, Blas on a header and again after taking that pass from Fabian Castillo.

We had some nice combinations and we created some really nice scoring chances. We’re not were we want to be but we’re also in preseason. We’re working hard. These types of games are always important because they send a message to the opposition. They also send a message within our own team. If you work hard, you get the results you want. We had a lot of players do their best today. The breakdowns came. It was a very difficult day for both teams but the game was a lot closer than the score indicates.

On what he expects on opening day from New York after seeing them today

Most of the players you saw on the field today will be on the field on opening day. They’re going to get Thierry Henry back. They’ll have Luke Rogers back. They may have some other players that step in there for one reason or another, but for the most part that is the team we’re going to face. For us, we’re very pleased with the work we’re getting done. We’ve got to get guys working together. We really haven’t had much of a chance to work on team shape. Next week is an important week for us in Dallas. We’ve got to get some things done. Today set the stage for what I think will be a really good game when New York comes to FC Dallas Stadium.

All U.S. Soccer fans are invited to attend the U.S. Women’s National Team public training session on Friday, Feb. 10, at FC Dallas Stadium from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT in Frisco, Texas. The East Gate of the stadium will open at 10:30 a.m., and admission is free. Fans wishing to attend the open training session are requested to register by logging onto this site to RSVP: http://www.ussoccer.com/Forms/021012-WNT-Public-Training.aspx.

The U.S. Women will face New Zealand on Saturday, Feb. 11, at FC Dallas Stadium in what will be the first Women’s match following their successful Olympic Qualifying campaign in Vancouver, Canada, in which they scored 38 goals en route to a first-place finish. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. CT.

The game marks the first time the WNT will face New Zealand since the 4-0 win in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. It is also the first time the U.S. Women return to Texas since May 2007. The U.S. is unbeaten in Texas and has only lost once to New Zealand in eight meetings, their first matchup in 1987.

More than 16,000 tickets have already been sold for the match, and tickets are still available through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex (including Walmart and Fiesta stores).

U.S. Soccer will send out additional information about the session, stadium access points, parking, etc., via email 24 hours prior to the event to those who RSVP. All training times and locations are subject to change.

If there was one position in 2011 where FC Dallas was pretty well squared away, it had to be between the posts. Kevin Hartman started every league game, except for the regular-season finale at San Jose, and was on the pitch for every game in both the CONCACAF Champions League as well as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Backup Chris Seitz started both games against Mexican partner Tigres UANL, the Battle for the Rio Grande Plate, and also was in goal for the finale at San Jose, but all in all, the ex-Terrapin never really pushed Hartman for minutes like FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman had hoped he would when they acquired him from Seattle during preseason.

So, how does this position shake out for 2012? Let's take a look.

Kevin Hartman

Big Kev is now 37, but after a season where he started all but one league game and went 15-11-7 with 13 shutouts and had a goals-against-average of just 1.06, is there really any reason to doubt that Hartman won’t again be the man between the posts for FCD this season?

Unlike in 2010, he was able to stay healthy for the entire season, which was a big plus for the veteran keeper. Not only does he bring a lot to the pitch for Dallas, but he also brings a great deal off the field as a mentor to the likes of youngster Richard Sanchez as well as backup Chris Seitz. Some might think FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman played Hartman a bit too much last year as he also started every game in both CONCACAF Champions League as well as in the U.S. Open Cup, but that was because the gaffer just wasn’t comfortable with putting Seitz in there. Hopefully all that changes in 2012 and the ex-Terp will push Hartman for the top spot.

Richard Sanchez

Last year was a pretty great one for the 17-year-old Sanchez. Who could forget his impressive run between the posts for Mexico in the 2011 Under-17 World Cup? With Josh Lambo now gone, Sanchez is officially the third ‘keeper, which means he figures to get more reps this season.

Is it still too early to expect him to push Seitz to earn some games as FCD’s backup on game day? Probably so, but one thing I know about this kid is to never rule him out. He could make a huge leap this season. Then again, he could spend much of the year getting experience in reserve games and building for what could be a huge 2013 for this young phenom.

Chris Seitz

One has to give Seitz credit. When asked how he appraised his performance last season, he didn’t mince words, saying it wasn’t at the level where he wants it to be. He has come into this preseason in great shape and ready to roll, so maybe his disappointing 2011 was nothing more than a mere aberration. Seitz and Hyndman both hope so because the FCD gaffer wants his current backup to make a legitimate push and put some pressure on Hartman for that starting spot since having such tough competition at keeper each and every day in practice will make them, as well as the entire team, better.

Seitz should have a nice resurgence in 2012 and figures to get some starts here and there to ensure Hartman is well-rested for the second half of the year.

FC Dallas defeated Playa Del Carmen 1-0 today on a stoppage-time goal scored by rookie center back Matt Hedges. The goal came via corner kick after forward Scott Sealy earned the chance for Dallas. FC Dallas’ first Homegrown player, Bryan Leyva served the ball into the area, connecting with Hedges for the game-winner.

“I thought tonight’s game was a just result,” said FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman. “We decided to give some of our newer players a chance to play since we have three games in a very short period of time. I couldn’t be any happier for our goalkeepers, in particular Richard Sanchez, who played the second half and did very well. And also Matt Hedges for scoring his first goal in an FC Dallas uniform.”

Playa Del Carmen held an advantage in possession to begin the match, but was unable to break down an organized FC Dallas back line. The Mexican second division side had its first chance of the game come via free kick from the right side in the 32nd minute. A lofted ball to the back post nearly found Enrique Campuzano, but fortunately for Dallas, Ruben Luna tracked back from his forward position to force Campuzano’s header wide of the right post.

FC Dallas was lucky not to give up another goal just two minutes later as Playa Del Carmen cracked the left post and crossbar behind goalkeeper Chris Seitz in a matter of seconds.

Dallas’ best chance of the half came in the 36th minute when a corner kick taken by Nicolas Gianni found Bobby Warshaw at the top of the area. Warshaw rose above his marker to hit a line-drive shot on goal, but the attempt was directly at goalkeeper Victor Lopez.

FC Dallas opened the second half on the attack, earning a corner kick in the 51st minute. A lofted ball to far corner of the six-yard box was won by Matt Hedges. Unfortunately for the rookie, his shot was also directly at Lopez.

Scott Gordon got forward on the right flank to knock a lateral pass to Bruno Guarda at the penalty spot in the 54th minute. The Brazilian made a good run to the ball, but once again the shot was hit directly at Lopez and the game remained scoreless.

Playa Del Carmen countered, gaining several free kick attempts near the 70th minute. FC Dallas goalkeeper Richard Sanchez stood tall for the MLS side. The Homegrown player came off his line on multiple occasions to punch away crosses and relieve the pressure.

Nearing full time FC Dallas pressed in search of a game-winning goal. Scott Sealy started the rush, corralling a pass at the top of the area before being tackled to the ground to earn a free kick. The shot attempt taken by trialist Rodolofo Espinoza was partially blocked by the wall, but Jonathan Top hustled to the ball and got off a second attempt on goal that was knocked down and eventually covered by Lopez.

Moises Hernandez made a late run down the left flank that produced a scoring chance for Leyva on the opposite side of the field, but his low shot went just wide of the far post. The chance came seconds before Leyva connected with Hedges for the game-winner.

Scoring Summary:
CF – Matt Hedges (Bryan Leyva) 90+

Misconduct Summary:
PDC – Fausto Ruz (caution; reckless foul) 87

Lineups:

FC Dallas – Chris Seitz (Richard Sanchez 45), Carlos Rodriguez (Moises Hernandez 61), Matt Hedges, Christian Ibeagha, Scott Gordon, Andrew Wiedeman (Rodolofo Espinoza 45), Bobby Warshaw, Bruno Guarda (Bryan Leyva 57), Nicolas Gianni (Kleyner Bejarano 75), Scott Sealy, Ruben Luna (Jonathan Top 64).

Playa Del Carmen – Victor Lopez, Mauricio Gomez (Israez Dimas 45), David Ballesteizos, Saul Nunez, Hugo Alvaizez, Enrique Campuzano (Fausto Ruz 59), Juan Pineda, Roberto Arriaga (Carlos Cauich 59), Leuel Tello (Daniel Vera 67), Mendiui Mis (Alfredo Madera 52), Alan Granados.

Pia Sundhage has named 28 players for a training camp prior to the team's first domestic match of the year against New Zealand on Feb. 11 at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas. After a week of training, Sundhage will name 18 players to suit up for the game that will pit two participants from the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, and should New Zealand earn Oceania's lone berth to London, two of the 12 teams that will be at the this summer's Olympics, as well. The match will kick off at 3 p.m. CT. More than 14,000 tickets have already been sold for the venue that seats 20,500 fans.

"It is always good to play a World Cup team," said Sundhage. "There were many positives to take out of Olympic Qualifying in Canada and one of those was the depth of the team. We have many talented players and the challenge for the coaching staff will be figuring out the best combination of players as we continue to prepare for the Olympics. A good week of training in Texas, followed by match against a quality opponent like New Zealand, certainly helps in that process."

U.S. Women's National Team Roster by Position - Detailed Roster

GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole Barnhart, Ashlyn Harris, Jill Loyden, Hope Solo
DEFENDERS (8): Rachel Buehler, Stephanie Cox, Whitney Engen, Amy LePeilbet, Heather Mitts, Kelley O'Hara, Christie Rampone, Becky Sauerbrunn
MIDFIELDERS (12): Yael Averbuch, Shannon Boxx, Tobin Heath, Meghan Klingenberg, Lori Lindsey, Carli Lloyd, Kristie Mewis, Christine Nairn, Heather O'Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Rodriguez, Keelin Winters
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney, Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach

Many consider Panamanian forward Blas Perez an absolute lock to start up top for FC Dallas this season, so that would leave just two spots where FCD could have a new starter. One of those positions, center back, might not be an issue because there is still an option for George John to man the middle come opening day alongside Ugo Ihemelu once John returns from his loan with second-division English side West Ham United.

So, that would leave right mid as the only question mark heading into the season. At least that’s how they’re characterizing it on the club’s official website. It has been a busy off-season in that corner of the pitch. Dallas traded Honduran speedster Marvin Chavez to San Jose late last year and it was just a few weeks ago that news surfaced that Jackson, who was considered by some as the heir apparent there, would be playing in his native Brazil on loan in 2012.

Even with Chavez and Jackson departing, there are still several viable options and here’s a look at all of them.

Fabian Castillo---If there’s one thing that could set this talented Colombian youngster above everyone else vying for this spot, it’s the incredible pace this kid has. Everyone who saw him play last year as a rookie saw that on full display and the mere thought of seeing him get up and down that right flank, where he can deliver crosses to Perez and FCD’s central midfielders is enough to make most Dallas supporters salivate. However, if Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman is anything, he’s consistent. He expects his players to be good on both sides of the ball and unfortunately, that does not describe Fabian, at least not yet. Hyndman acknowledges that Castillo has made some big strides in that area since joining the team in 2011, but will it be enough for him to start there to begin the year? As it is with every player, it’s a classic debate of risk vs. reward but the potential plusses of playing him on the right look fairly considerable.

Daniel Cruz---Many thought heading into the season that Cruz and Ricardo Villar might be battling for a midfield roster spot. That hasn’t exactly been the case. Cruz is bothered by a knee issue, one that he feels needs surgery, so he has been on the sidelines with several FCD veterans like David Ferreira, Daniel Hernandez and even Ihemelu before his recent return to practice. Hyndman said point blank that he was disappointed that the club didn’t get a bigger contribution from Cruz last summer when FCD needed him the most. Hyndman also iterated that this preseason was huge for Cruz and his possible future in Frisco. With no date set for his return or the strong possibility that Cruz doesn’t practice at all during preseason, it looks like his days with Dallas are definitely numbered.

Carlos Rodriguez---First of all, can we just nip the practice of calling him C-Rod in the bud right now? It’s a complete give up and tired to say the least. Now that we have that out of the way, it’s tough to say how this guy may or may not fit here because his first practice with FCD came during this week’s trip to Cancun, Mexico. But before his club headed south of the border, Hyndman raved about Rodriguez's versatility, that he can play both as a flank midfielder and a fullback, most notably on the right side. The fact he can play both positions likely means he’s a much better two-way player than Castillo, but how is his pace? That’s a question that few will be able to answer until we can see this newcomer up close and personal, which won’t come until after the club returns in the middle part of next week.

Ricardo Villar---Villar’s time with FCD didn’t start off so well as he wasn’t too good in his MLS debut against San Jose last March. But to his credit, he put in the work to acclimate himself in MLS and also to bounce back from a preseason injury and by the middle part of the year, he was a viable option in the middle for a team that sorely missed reigning league MVP David Ferreira. The Brazilian-born midfielder clearly has great vision, a good nose for the game and has displayed an ability not only to deliver a killer pass, but also to be quite formidable on set pieces when called upon. I still think he does his best work in the middle of the field, but that experience, vision and great crossing ability could definitely be put to good use on the right flank but his lack of speed is a big downside to him playing out there.

Andrew Wiedeman---You have to give Wiedeman some credit. He came to MLS as a forward by trade and made a decent transition to playing in a spot completely foreign to him, defender. Wiedeman definitely showed some promise during his time at left back, but Hyndman admits the rationale behind moving him to the back was more about FCD’s lack of defensive cover than it was about the Cal product playing there on a permanent basis. Wiedeman has also played flank midfield in a number of reserve games and scrimmages and honestly, he can deliver a nice ball from the wing and has a high soccer IQ. But it looks like he could be well behind Castillo, Rodriguez and Villar when it comes to being considered for this spot. Still, having someone like Wiedeman to provide midfield depth is never a bad thing. He could also play in the back on an emergency basis if needed.

Five FC Dallas Academy players signed letters of intent to play collegiate soccer on National Signing Day Wednesday. Danny Garcia, Michael Ambrose, Mark Ashby, Nicholas Rochowski, and Aaron Guillen all committed to college programs.

Danny Garcia joins former FCD Academy teammate Boyd Okwuonu at the University of North Carolina where he will help the Tar Heels defend their 2011 National Championship. Meanwhile, Michael Ambrose, who wears the captain’s armband for the Academy U-18s, has committed to the University of Maryland. Mark Ashby will take his skills on the field and in the classroom to Harvard. The Denton native scored 2140 and 30 on his SAT and ACT, respectively, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Ranked among the top defenders by ESPNHS, Nicholas Rochowski has committed to the University of New Mexico, while fellow defender Aaron Guillen will join Florida Gulf Coast University.

Michael Ambrose, defender – University of Maryland

Ambrose has been a part of the FC Dallas Academy program since 2009. He was one of eight MLS developmental players invited to play with U.S. U-18s in Northern Ireland’s Milk Cup last summer and serves as captain of the FCD U-18 Academy squad.

Mark Ashby, defender – Harvard University

Ashby has been a part of the FC Dallas Academy program since 2009. He currently attends Denton Ryan High School where he participates in the Student Council and National Honor Society. Ashby has SAT/ACT scores of 2140/30. He was the District 4-A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman before joining the FC Dallas Academy.

Danny Garcia, midfielder – University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Garcia has played with the FC Dallas Academy team since 2008. So far this season Garcia collected 16 goals in 14 appearances with the U-18s. He attends W.T. White High School where he has a 3.45 GPA. Garcia has also appeared in the MLS Reserve League with FC Dallas, scoring a goal against Sporting Kansas City last season.

Aaron Guillen, defender – Florida Gulf Coast University

Guillen is a left-footed defender who joined the FC Dallas Academy this past summer from affiliate club FC Dallas El Paso.

Nicholas Rochowski, defender – University of New Mexico

Rochowski is ranked among the ESPNHS Top 150 as well as the ESPNHS Top Defenders for 2012 graduates. Part of the FC Dallas Academy since 2008, he maintains a 3.9 GPA at Flower Mound High School.

During his legendary career as the greatest head coach in college basketball history, John Wooden developed what he called his Pyramid of Success. No matter the sport, every coach has their own type of system, whether it’s a team motto, goals for their players and the like. FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman is no different. In fact, the ex-SMU head coach has his own such pyramid, which he calls the Building Blocks of a Player. Here’s a quick synopsis:

BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS

Hyndman’s take: “This is the foundation. These are the things that you can control-team chemistry, lifestyle, fitness level, emotional intelligence.”

Fitness

Hyndman’s take: “That can be speed fitness, interval running, endurance, two-mile runs.”

Team Chemistry

Hyndman’s take: “If you don’t have that team chemistry, it starts to hurt. Every time you try to build, you fall apart. Team chemistry is thinking team first and doing things with your team. We had guys last year and I won’t name players but we had special events at peoples’ homes and they wouldn’t show up. That tears into team chemistry.”

Lifestyle

Hyndman’s take: “Lifestyle is really making the right decisions. You have an opportunity to go out and party but you don’t. Your nutrition, eating the right food, getting the right amount of rest and all those types of things are very important.”

Emotional Intelligence

This one doesn’t really need much explanation for FCD fans. Hyndman used this term a lot last season, specifically to refer to a certain player who is now back in Brazil, Jackson, for his lack of this trait on the field, especially when he got sent off twice in 2011. It’s become a buzzword in terms of what he expects from his players. First coined by Hyndman back in 2010 in reference to Brek Shea.

OTHER BLOCKS

Technical and Tactical Ability

Hyndman’s take: “You’ve got to have good technique. Tactically, you’ve got to understand the game and in between there was a little of a bridge and that was skill. You may not have great technique but if you’re hitting balls out of the air first time and doing bicycle kicks, this is skill.”

Character

Hyndman’s take: “And then on top of everything, and I really made this clear, is the character. You can be a great player and nobody likes you. Character... you steal, you lie, you disrupt the team, all those things go on with all teams. So for us, it was trying to identify players that fit that group. These are the things you can control. This is why you’re here-the technical, tactical ability but what will get you out is your character.”

In the first moves of the spring, FC Dallas has cut Walter Hines, Martin John and Joe Madigan form the preseason roster. All three were long shots and unlikely to make the roster anyway.

Hines did have two assists in Saturday's scrimmage but it wasn't enough to keep him around. Madigan scored the 5th goal in the same scrimmage.