Soccer: Daniel Cruz
Will Schellas Hyndman make a trade this week?
March, 5, 2012
Mar 5
12:58
PM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
After talking to FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman last week, one thing was readily apparent - he’s not terribly happy with the depth his club has as is currently constructed. So, that brings the question: Will Hyndman make a trade this week? Here’s a look at why he might make a deal this week to bolster his roster:
This team needs some more depth, specifically in the midfield
No doubt about it, depth could be an issue for this team in 2012, specifically in the midfield. Ricardo Villar has battled injuries all through preseason. Daniel Cruz never was healthy and has now left the club, and who knows where Bruno Guarda stands with Hyndman and the club’s other brass after his suspension not all that long ago? Andrew Wiedeman has had a solid preseason but his six goals did come against college kids, so how much can one really read into that? Homegrown player Bryan Leyva has made strides in his fitness but how much can we really expect from him this year. Fellow FCD Academy product Victor Ulloa only recently returned from a foot issue.
There is some precedent for a trade
Hyndman has never been afraid to pull the trigger when he feels like it’s necessary. Remember the trade of Heath Pearce to Chivas USA last February? That was necessitated by completely different reasons, but Schellas has never been afraid to make a deal if he feels like it would improve his club. Just listening to his tone last week, it sounds like he could finally be at that point. French midfielder Geoffrey Tulasne did OK during his trial but didn’t exactly set the world on fire and while the club has Scott Sealy on their roster, who can also play midfield, he might best serve this club by providing depth up top.
FCD has some pieces of value
While this might sound like heresy to some, besides the obvious draft picks and allocation money, FCD also has another resource they could choose to trade-one of their homegrown players. Left back Moises Hernandez might be one possibility here as he hasn’t done a ton to set himself apart from the other five homegrown players. Talented young goalkeeper Richard Sanchez is another possibility along with Leyva and even young striker Ruben Luna. Sure, it might send the Dallas supporters into a complete state of panic, but teams trade prospects all the time in other sports, especially in baseball. And considering FCD currently has six homegrown players on their roster, there’s a very good chance that only one of them or maybe even two ever pan out anyway. That’s just a simple law of averages, so why not get something for one of them while the club still can?
It would shake things up a bit
Hyndman isn’t too happy with the lack of internal competition on his club. What better way to shake things up than with a trade? Seeing someone new come in and maybe even one of their own head out of town could reinforce to the entire roster that no one’s job is truly safe.
The loquacious gaffer lamented earlier this preseason that his club’s chemistry remained a work in progress and that the room was nowhere near as tight as it was in 2010, when they made an unprecedented run to the MLS Cup. Part of that dip in chemistry might be the tough circumstances they endured in 2011, but it could also be largely attributed to a change in personnel. A club with chemistry that could be better, and also one that doesn’t have much in the way of internal competition heading into the season, sounds like a recipe for possible disaster later in the year if things continue on their current path.
This team needs some more depth, specifically in the midfield
No doubt about it, depth could be an issue for this team in 2012, specifically in the midfield. Ricardo Villar has battled injuries all through preseason. Daniel Cruz never was healthy and has now left the club, and who knows where Bruno Guarda stands with Hyndman and the club’s other brass after his suspension not all that long ago? Andrew Wiedeman has had a solid preseason but his six goals did come against college kids, so how much can one really read into that? Homegrown player Bryan Leyva has made strides in his fitness but how much can we really expect from him this year. Fellow FCD Academy product Victor Ulloa only recently returned from a foot issue.
There is some precedent for a trade
Hyndman has never been afraid to pull the trigger when he feels like it’s necessary. Remember the trade of Heath Pearce to Chivas USA last February? That was necessitated by completely different reasons, but Schellas has never been afraid to make a deal if he feels like it would improve his club. Just listening to his tone last week, it sounds like he could finally be at that point. French midfielder Geoffrey Tulasne did OK during his trial but didn’t exactly set the world on fire and while the club has Scott Sealy on their roster, who can also play midfield, he might best serve this club by providing depth up top.
FCD has some pieces of value
While this might sound like heresy to some, besides the obvious draft picks and allocation money, FCD also has another resource they could choose to trade-one of their homegrown players. Left back Moises Hernandez might be one possibility here as he hasn’t done a ton to set himself apart from the other five homegrown players. Talented young goalkeeper Richard Sanchez is another possibility along with Leyva and even young striker Ruben Luna. Sure, it might send the Dallas supporters into a complete state of panic, but teams trade prospects all the time in other sports, especially in baseball. And considering FCD currently has six homegrown players on their roster, there’s a very good chance that only one of them or maybe even two ever pan out anyway. That’s just a simple law of averages, so why not get something for one of them while the club still can?
It would shake things up a bit
Hyndman isn’t too happy with the lack of internal competition on his club. What better way to shake things up than with a trade? Seeing someone new come in and maybe even one of their own head out of town could reinforce to the entire roster that no one’s job is truly safe.
The loquacious gaffer lamented earlier this preseason that his club’s chemistry remained a work in progress and that the room was nowhere near as tight as it was in 2010, when they made an unprecedented run to the MLS Cup. Part of that dip in chemistry might be the tough circumstances they endured in 2011, but it could also be largely attributed to a change in personnel. A club with chemistry that could be better, and also one that doesn’t have much in the way of internal competition heading into the season, sounds like a recipe for possible disaster later in the year if things continue on their current path.
Timing of suspension far from ideal for Bruno Guarda
February, 20, 2012
Feb 20
10:57
AM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
During last Wednesday’s scrimmage at SMU, there were several FC Dallas players who back in the day roamed the pitch at Westcott Field, notably FCD-veterans Daniel Hernandez and Ugo Ihemelu. That 4-0 win over the Ponies was Hernandez’s first game action of the preseason and the longest Ihemelu has played in the first three preseason game.
Other than the scuttlebutt surrounding the team being in a 4-4-2 for the first half, one of the biggest questions to come out of that game was about the one SMU product, Bruno Guarda, who has nowhere to be seen. It could have been a big return to the Hilltop for Guarda after a stellar collegiate career there. Few seemed to notice that the Arlington Oakridge product didn’t play, much less that he wasn’t even with the team there. Once the subject was broached with FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman after Friday’s practice the truth became known.
Guarda had been, according to a club official, suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Hyndman didn’t want to discuss the situation at all, which is never a good sign, especially with the soccer sensei being one of the more forthcoming coaches in any sport when it comes to answering tough questions from the leering press.
So what does this mean for Guarda going forward? The answer is a simple one... probably not much. After Daniel Cruz, there might not have been two players who were more in need of a strong showing in preseason than Guarda and fellow midfielder Ricardo Villar.
Cruz never saw the field during preseason due to a knee issue and has left the club. Villar has recently battled a calf issue but has performed pretty well for much of preseason. Hyndman didn’t mince words earlier this preseason when asked what he expects from Guarda leading into this season.
“I think our midfield is getting thinner. We had too many midfielders last year and it hurt us in the balance but I think our midfielders are getting a little thinner as far as numbers. This is an opportunity for Bruno really to step up and make a difference,” Hyndman said. “This is his fourth year. He either needs to get on the field... or is he good enough to go somewhere else... or is he good enough to play somewhere else? Maybe it’s a different division but there’s a big difference when a kid goes to college his freshman year and when he leaves his senior year. He’s been there four years. This is Bruno’s fourth year in MLS, so this is a big year for him.”
The MLS roster freeze deadline is approaching, but a bit closer is FCD’s trip to Orlando, an excursion that the coaches have said will only include players who figure into their 2012 plans. So will that travel party include Guarda or not? Most likely it will. Word is Guarda apologized to his teammates for his transgression as well as to the coaches and the organization, so expect Guarda to be reinstated this week and also expect him to likely be on the roster come opening day.
Had Cruz been healthy during preseason, then maybe this is a story that turns out differently. Fortunately for this SMU product, Cruz’s knee woes came when they did. However, should Guarda make this roster and have another slip up, then all bets are off. Then, we could see him either traded or maybe even outright released.
Hopefully it doesn’t come to that though as Guarda is still a serviceable player who provides depth in the Dallas midfield.
Update: As of Monday, Guarda had not been reinstated and remained away from the team. When asked if there was an update in the situation after practice on Monday, Hyndman replied “That’s something I’m not going to talk about.”
Other than the scuttlebutt surrounding the team being in a 4-4-2 for the first half, one of the biggest questions to come out of that game was about the one SMU product, Bruno Guarda, who has nowhere to be seen. It could have been a big return to the Hilltop for Guarda after a stellar collegiate career there. Few seemed to notice that the Arlington Oakridge product didn’t play, much less that he wasn’t even with the team there. Once the subject was broached with FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman after Friday’s practice the truth became known.
Guarda had been, according to a club official, suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Hyndman didn’t want to discuss the situation at all, which is never a good sign, especially with the soccer sensei being one of the more forthcoming coaches in any sport when it comes to answering tough questions from the leering press.
So what does this mean for Guarda going forward? The answer is a simple one... probably not much. After Daniel Cruz, there might not have been two players who were more in need of a strong showing in preseason than Guarda and fellow midfielder Ricardo Villar.
Cruz never saw the field during preseason due to a knee issue and has left the club. Villar has recently battled a calf issue but has performed pretty well for much of preseason. Hyndman didn’t mince words earlier this preseason when asked what he expects from Guarda leading into this season.
“I think our midfield is getting thinner. We had too many midfielders last year and it hurt us in the balance but I think our midfielders are getting a little thinner as far as numbers. This is an opportunity for Bruno really to step up and make a difference,” Hyndman said. “This is his fourth year. He either needs to get on the field... or is he good enough to go somewhere else... or is he good enough to play somewhere else? Maybe it’s a different division but there’s a big difference when a kid goes to college his freshman year and when he leaves his senior year. He’s been there four years. This is Bruno’s fourth year in MLS, so this is a big year for him.”
The MLS roster freeze deadline is approaching, but a bit closer is FCD’s trip to Orlando, an excursion that the coaches have said will only include players who figure into their 2012 plans. So will that travel party include Guarda or not? Most likely it will. Word is Guarda apologized to his teammates for his transgression as well as to the coaches and the organization, so expect Guarda to be reinstated this week and also expect him to likely be on the roster come opening day.
Had Cruz been healthy during preseason, then maybe this is a story that turns out differently. Fortunately for this SMU product, Cruz’s knee woes came when they did. However, should Guarda make this roster and have another slip up, then all bets are off. Then, we could see him either traded or maybe even outright released.
Hopefully it doesn’t come to that though as Guarda is still a serviceable player who provides depth in the Dallas midfield.
Update: As of Monday, Guarda had not been reinstated and remained away from the team. When asked if there was an update in the situation after practice on Monday, Hyndman replied “That’s something I’m not going to talk about.”
Health issues precipitated Daniel Cruz’s exit
February, 19, 2012
Feb 19
12:32
PM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
When FC Dallas added Colombian midfielder Daniel Cruz about midway through the 2011 season, expectations were high. Much was expected from the veteran midfielder because FCD had fared so well with other recent Colombian imports, guys like starting left back Jair Benitez and 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira.
Unfortunately, Cruz didn’t exactly deliver on those expectations. Sure, there were flashes that he had the skill set to do so, but in his 10 games, six of which were starts, he contributed just one goal and one assist in the regular season.
In short, the return was well short of what FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman expected when FCD brought Cruz to town. So, heading into preseason, there might not have been a player with more to lose - or possibly gain - than Cruz.
If Cruz had a good showing in preseason, he would have likely secured a roster spot, possibly at the expense of fellow veteran Ricardo Villar, and could have earned another starting opportunity. But things never played out that way as a lingering knee issue kept him on the sidelines, something which Hyndman elaborated on in late January.
“We don’t know [what’s up with him],” Hyndman said of Cruz. “He’s talking about a knee and he probably needs to get surgery. At the end of the year, we talked about he had to come in here and have a really good preseason. It looks like there’s going to be no preseason for him.”
Hyndman’s words proved to be prophetic as Cruz didn’t see a single minute during the preseason and after a scrimmage at SMU earlier this week, the FCD coach made it official what most had already known, that Cruz had indeed left the club, answering the question with a terse “Yes”.
Cruz is just the latest example of someone who was given a shot here and for several reasons, things just never worked out. Had he been healthy, who knows how things have turned?
With Cruz out of the picture, Villar has played well during preseason before a recent calf injury slowed him a bit, so maybe that’s the silver lining to come out of Cruz’s departure.
Unfortunately, Cruz didn’t exactly deliver on those expectations. Sure, there were flashes that he had the skill set to do so, but in his 10 games, six of which were starts, he contributed just one goal and one assist in the regular season.
In short, the return was well short of what FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman expected when FCD brought Cruz to town. So, heading into preseason, there might not have been a player with more to lose - or possibly gain - than Cruz.
If Cruz had a good showing in preseason, he would have likely secured a roster spot, possibly at the expense of fellow veteran Ricardo Villar, and could have earned another starting opportunity. But things never played out that way as a lingering knee issue kept him on the sidelines, something which Hyndman elaborated on in late January.
“We don’t know [what’s up with him],” Hyndman said of Cruz. “He’s talking about a knee and he probably needs to get surgery. At the end of the year, we talked about he had to come in here and have a really good preseason. It looks like there’s going to be no preseason for him.”
Hyndman’s words proved to be prophetic as Cruz didn’t see a single minute during the preseason and after a scrimmage at SMU earlier this week, the FCD coach made it official what most had already known, that Cruz had indeed left the club, answering the question with a terse “Yes”.
Cruz is just the latest example of someone who was given a shot here and for several reasons, things just never worked out. Had he been healthy, who knows how things have turned?
With Cruz out of the picture, Villar has played well during preseason before a recent calf injury slowed him a bit, so maybe that’s the silver lining to come out of Cruz’s departure.
Notes, quotes, and observations: FC Dallas at SMU
February, 16, 2012
Feb 16
10:08
AM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
On Wednesday night, FC Dallas head coach returned to a place he knows very well, SMU’s Westcott Field, as FCD faced the Mustangs in a preseason match. Dallas got goals from Andrew Wiedeman, Blas Perez, trialist Jeison Quinonez and Bryan Leyva in the 4-0 win, a result their gaffer was largely pleased with.
“I thought the first half was one of our better performances as far as quick play, combination play and people understanding the structure and coming along with it,” Hyndman said. “I was glad to see the progress.”
The first half featured a lineup that could very much resemble the first 11 that FCD could employ in their March 11 season opener with the New York Red Bulls. One interesting twist was that Dallas came out in a 4-4-2 with Blas Perez and Fabian Castillo paired up top.
“I think Fabian’s a player that likes a little bit more of that freedom. I think we always have a little bit of difficulty when we restrict him because he is so fast, you can’t just leave him alone. I think this would be an important year for him to continue to develop,” Hyndman said. “Whether we go with the two of those guys up front together or if we go with a 4-1-4-1 will evidently be determined by the time the season starts. Where is David? We didn’t have Villar today, which is a player that really settles things down for us and I thought today we did well without those two.”
Perez finished with a goal and an assist, delivering the pass that Wiedeman knocked into the back of the net just six minutes in to give FCD an early 1-0 advantage. And not surprisingly, the Panamanian-born striker earned high marks from Hyndman for his solid half of work against the Ponies.
“Yeah, I thought he was a little bit unlucky. He missed one goal to the left of it and came back with a header, he missed to the left of it again,” Hyndman said. “Then, he ends up scoring on probably the more difficult goal but yeah, he’s that striker that we hoped he would be. And with time and him getting sharper, I think he’ll be that player. I thought the guy that really kind of lit it up tonight was Brek. I think we’ve all been kind of concerned about his heavy legs and his mental state. Tonight it looked like he was really ready to play.”
Another big story of tonight’s game was that it marked the first preseason action of captain Daniel Hernandez, who had yet to play because he hadn’t been cleared for game action. But Hernandez went to the doctor on Monday and was fully cleared, so he made his preseason debut against his alma mater on Wednesday night.
“It was good to see Daniel back there because what he does is he’s a player that finds the ball,” Hyndman said. “People will trust him. They give him the ball. He finds the whole and of course, he has a strong leg to change the point of attack and get the ball forward. This is a very fast field and because it is so fast, they’re used to it but for us, I thought it was a really quick adjustment for us, how quickly they were moving the ball. But I thought Daniel did well.”
FCD has another preseason tilt on Saturday morning against the University of Tulsa and the man in charge admits that in his best Hannibal Smith impression, he loves it when a roster comes together.
“Yeah, I think we’re three maybe four players away from settling on our roster. We’ve got quite a few trialists. We’ve got more trialists coming in, so we’ll continue to look at players and see if we can find that right group of guys together,” Hyndman said.
One other bright spot of note is that Dallas’ first homegrown player, Bryan Leyva, looks like he has made great strides in his fitness and delivered a solid goal in the 65th minute, the final tally of the evening.
“Yeah, I think Bryan did very well. The thing with Bryan is he’s got to develop his body a little bit better,” Hyndman said. “He’s got a very low center of gravity and he’s quick, but he’s unable to carry that pace for a long period of time. And so, when he’s unable to carry that pace, he just kind of disappears and we need him around the ball more.”
Several Observations from the Scrimmage
-The pairing of Ihemelu and Pertuz in the back is an interesting one: It looks like George John will be rejoining FCD after his loan to West Ham United is over next month, but have to admit the pairing of Ugo Ihemelu and newcomer Hernan Pertuz looks pretty solid. Of course, they don’t quite have the chemistry that Ihemelu and John did, but it’s good to know that if Big George gets injured or is out of the lineup, Pertuz appears to be a more than capable replacement in the back.
-Right mid remains a question mark: Who starts on the right flank will all depend on what formation Hyndman decides to start the season with. If the gaffer goes with a 4-4-2, which would likely pair Castillo and Perez together up top, then it will likely either be Ricardo Villar, Andrew Wiedeman or possibly even newcomer Carlos Rodriguez on the right side. But conventional wisdom says Hyndman will roll out in the 4-1-4-1, which means Castillo is on the right side. Wiedeman has played well this preseason, so well to be considered the backup at that spot, but is he ready for a starting role? That still remains to be seen.
-Where was Carlos Rodriguez? One notable absence from Wednesday’s scrimmage was Panamanian newcomer Carlos Rodriguez, who didn’t see a single minute. It’ll be interesting to see where he fits with this team going forward, whether he’s best suited as a fullback of midfielder since he says he can play both roles, preferably on the left side. Villar also missed the SMU game due to injury and former Mustang Bruno Guarda also didn’t see any time against his former school.
-Hartman Nearly Ready for Battle: Another big positive from Wednesday’s scrimmage was the fact that Kevin Hartman started and played 65 minutes between the posts for FCD. Chris Seitz came in and performed well for the final 25 minutes as Dallas kept the clean sheet against SMU, but it looks like Hartman is ready to roll for the season as the starter, but one has to wonder if Seitz will push him for minutes this season?
-Cruz Gone, More to Follow: According to Hyndman, Daniel Cruz has officially left the team, which is not surprising considering he had missed all of preseason with a knee issue. And after the SMU game, the gaffer let on that more roster cuts would be made before the club heads to Orlando later in the month, and that the next round would likely start on Thursday. Stay tuned for details.
“I thought the first half was one of our better performances as far as quick play, combination play and people understanding the structure and coming along with it,” Hyndman said. “I was glad to see the progress.”
The first half featured a lineup that could very much resemble the first 11 that FCD could employ in their March 11 season opener with the New York Red Bulls. One interesting twist was that Dallas came out in a 4-4-2 with Blas Perez and Fabian Castillo paired up top.
“I think Fabian’s a player that likes a little bit more of that freedom. I think we always have a little bit of difficulty when we restrict him because he is so fast, you can’t just leave him alone. I think this would be an important year for him to continue to develop,” Hyndman said. “Whether we go with the two of those guys up front together or if we go with a 4-1-4-1 will evidently be determined by the time the season starts. Where is David? We didn’t have Villar today, which is a player that really settles things down for us and I thought today we did well without those two.”
Perez finished with a goal and an assist, delivering the pass that Wiedeman knocked into the back of the net just six minutes in to give FCD an early 1-0 advantage. And not surprisingly, the Panamanian-born striker earned high marks from Hyndman for his solid half of work against the Ponies.
“Yeah, I thought he was a little bit unlucky. He missed one goal to the left of it and came back with a header, he missed to the left of it again,” Hyndman said. “Then, he ends up scoring on probably the more difficult goal but yeah, he’s that striker that we hoped he would be. And with time and him getting sharper, I think he’ll be that player. I thought the guy that really kind of lit it up tonight was Brek. I think we’ve all been kind of concerned about his heavy legs and his mental state. Tonight it looked like he was really ready to play.”
Another big story of tonight’s game was that it marked the first preseason action of captain Daniel Hernandez, who had yet to play because he hadn’t been cleared for game action. But Hernandez went to the doctor on Monday and was fully cleared, so he made his preseason debut against his alma mater on Wednesday night.
“It was good to see Daniel back there because what he does is he’s a player that finds the ball,” Hyndman said. “People will trust him. They give him the ball. He finds the whole and of course, he has a strong leg to change the point of attack and get the ball forward. This is a very fast field and because it is so fast, they’re used to it but for us, I thought it was a really quick adjustment for us, how quickly they were moving the ball. But I thought Daniel did well.”
FCD has another preseason tilt on Saturday morning against the University of Tulsa and the man in charge admits that in his best Hannibal Smith impression, he loves it when a roster comes together.
“Yeah, I think we’re three maybe four players away from settling on our roster. We’ve got quite a few trialists. We’ve got more trialists coming in, so we’ll continue to look at players and see if we can find that right group of guys together,” Hyndman said.
One other bright spot of note is that Dallas’ first homegrown player, Bryan Leyva, looks like he has made great strides in his fitness and delivered a solid goal in the 65th minute, the final tally of the evening.
“Yeah, I think Bryan did very well. The thing with Bryan is he’s got to develop his body a little bit better,” Hyndman said. “He’s got a very low center of gravity and he’s quick, but he’s unable to carry that pace for a long period of time. And so, when he’s unable to carry that pace, he just kind of disappears and we need him around the ball more.”
Several Observations from the Scrimmage
-The pairing of Ihemelu and Pertuz in the back is an interesting one: It looks like George John will be rejoining FCD after his loan to West Ham United is over next month, but have to admit the pairing of Ugo Ihemelu and newcomer Hernan Pertuz looks pretty solid. Of course, they don’t quite have the chemistry that Ihemelu and John did, but it’s good to know that if Big George gets injured or is out of the lineup, Pertuz appears to be a more than capable replacement in the back.
-Right mid remains a question mark: Who starts on the right flank will all depend on what formation Hyndman decides to start the season with. If the gaffer goes with a 4-4-2, which would likely pair Castillo and Perez together up top, then it will likely either be Ricardo Villar, Andrew Wiedeman or possibly even newcomer Carlos Rodriguez on the right side. But conventional wisdom says Hyndman will roll out in the 4-1-4-1, which means Castillo is on the right side. Wiedeman has played well this preseason, so well to be considered the backup at that spot, but is he ready for a starting role? That still remains to be seen.
-Where was Carlos Rodriguez? One notable absence from Wednesday’s scrimmage was Panamanian newcomer Carlos Rodriguez, who didn’t see a single minute. It’ll be interesting to see where he fits with this team going forward, whether he’s best suited as a fullback of midfielder since he says he can play both roles, preferably on the left side. Villar also missed the SMU game due to injury and former Mustang Bruno Guarda also didn’t see any time against his former school.
-Hartman Nearly Ready for Battle: Another big positive from Wednesday’s scrimmage was the fact that Kevin Hartman started and played 65 minutes between the posts for FCD. Chris Seitz came in and performed well for the final 25 minutes as Dallas kept the clean sheet against SMU, but it looks like Hartman is ready to roll for the season as the starter, but one has to wonder if Seitz will push him for minutes this season?
-Cruz Gone, More to Follow: According to Hyndman, Daniel Cruz has officially left the team, which is not surprising considering he had missed all of preseason with a knee issue. And after the SMU game, the gaffer let on that more roster cuts would be made before the club heads to Orlando later in the month, and that the next round would likely start on Thursday. Stay tuned for details.
The Roster Dance is a long running feature of 3rd 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.
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.
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.
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. |
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.
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.
Daniel Cruz's knee injury puts him on thin ice with FCD
January, 20, 2012
Jan 20
7:32
PM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
With FC Dallas trading Marvin Chavez to San Jose late last year and the announcement earlier this week that Jackson would be headed back to his native Brazil to play in 2012, one spot in the Dallas first 11 that looks wide open is at right midfield.
With Chavez and Jackson gone, it looks like Fabian Castillo is now the most logical choice to get the nod, but Panamian newcomer Carlos Rodriguez, who can play both at outside back as well as flank midfield, will also get a serious look.
Ricardo Villar is yet another option but at least in 2011, he seemed to do his best work when he was playing more of a central role and admittedly, the Brazilian mid doesn’t quite have the blazing speed to get up and down the flanks and make life generally tough on opposing players.
But one player who some thought might contend for a starting spot is Daniel Cruz. Cruz had a goal and an assist in 10 games, including six starts, in 2011. Yet the jury is still out on what if any role the Colombian midfielder can have on this thing going forward.
Cruz showed flashes last season but was also glaring inconsistent when his team needed him the most, namely when Daniel Hernandez and Andrew Jacobson had knee issues. That inconsistency did nothing to improve his stock heading into this season. "That’s where Daniel Cruz was expected to come through and that didn't go the way we had hoped it would,” FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said.
Unfortunately for Cruz, he now appears to have a knee issue of his own, which could put him on thin ice with this club going forward. “We don’t know [when Cruz will return],” Hyndman said. “He’s talking about a knee and he probably needs to get surgery. At the end of the year, we talked about [how] he had to come in here and have a really good preseason. It looks like there’s going to be no preseason for him.”
The clock just might be ticking on Cruz in Dallas.
With Chavez and Jackson gone, it looks like Fabian Castillo is now the most logical choice to get the nod, but Panamian newcomer Carlos Rodriguez, who can play both at outside back as well as flank midfield, will also get a serious look.
Ricardo Villar is yet another option but at least in 2011, he seemed to do his best work when he was playing more of a central role and admittedly, the Brazilian mid doesn’t quite have the blazing speed to get up and down the flanks and make life generally tough on opposing players.
But one player who some thought might contend for a starting spot is Daniel Cruz. Cruz had a goal and an assist in 10 games, including six starts, in 2011. Yet the jury is still out on what if any role the Colombian midfielder can have on this thing going forward.
Cruz showed flashes last season but was also glaring inconsistent when his team needed him the most, namely when Daniel Hernandez and Andrew Jacobson had knee issues. That inconsistency did nothing to improve his stock heading into this season. "That’s where Daniel Cruz was expected to come through and that didn't go the way we had hoped it would,” FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said.
Unfortunately for Cruz, he now appears to have a knee issue of his own, which could put him on thin ice with this club going forward. “We don’t know [when Cruz will return],” Hyndman said. “He’s talking about a knee and he probably needs to get surgery. At the end of the year, we talked about [how] he had to come in here and have a really good preseason. It looks like there’s going to be no preseason for him.”
The clock just might be ticking on Cruz in Dallas.
Scattershooting with Schellas Hyndman
January, 20, 2012
Jan 20
10:00
AM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
I caught up with FC Dallas head coach after Thursday’s evening session at the FC Dallas Stadium complex and here’s what he had to say about a wide array of subjects.
Will there be a scrimmage on Saturday?
Hyndman: No, our numbers (won’t allow it). We’ve got five in the training room right now and those are five being [Daniel] Cruz, Daniel Hernandez, Ugo [Ihemelu], AJ [Andrew Jacobson] and David [Ferreira]. So that’s five and then we’ve got 8-v-8 on the field. So we’ve got 21 players and we don’t have enough for even a scrimmage. The 8-v-8 is not enough. We brought in Ian Kalis, a boy we drafted who came in today for the first day and then we have another boy that we drafted, Walter Hines out of St. John’s, he’s going through his physical and hopefully we’ll have him out here sometimes tomorrow.
So with Kalis and Hines already here, what is the status of your top pick in the Supplemental Draft, Alex Lee, the defender from Maryland?
Hyndman: Alex hurt himself, so he didn’t go to the combine. He hurt himself during the season, more of a quadriceps. He’s just making sure he can recover, so we’re hoping he’ll be here on Wednesday.
Right now you’ve got the likes of Cruz, Ferreira, Hernandez, Ihemelu and Jacobson on the sidelines. Who do you expect to return first and why?
Hyndman: I think probably the one that’s going to be the first one to go will be AJ. He had his surgery maybe two to three weeks before Daniel. I’m asking him how he’s doing and he’s saying man coach, I feel good. I wish I felt like this at the end of last year but he went four months with a meniscus tear. What it did, that I didn’t realize because I’m always saying play with the pain and all that, was that the muscle was shutting down. That was the thing that surprised me and that was my own fault. Same thing with Daniel, by the time we needed them the most, they were done. That’s where Daniel Cruz was expected to come through and that didn’t go the way we had hoped it would.
Which of the homegrown players are you expecting to break out in 2012?
Hyndman: Ruben Luna looks stronger, fitter and then Bryan Leyva looks more focused, stronger. Victor [Ulloa] looked much better. Victor won our two-mile run in something like 11:20. I think after one year with us, these guys are starting to add something more to their bodies. They’re maturing.
We hope that Ruben will [break out this year] because he plays at a position where we really need but it wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out to be Victor. He’s just a solid player. The thing that hurts Victor is he’s coming along extremely well but what kind of hurts Victor sometimes is he just makes bonehead decisions and you don’t want your center midfielder to be giving the ball away or trying to dribble out of trouble. But he’s hard, he’s aggressive, his body’s turning into a man. I think the green light might be good for him.
And how has 2012 top pick Matt Hedges looked so far?
Hyndman: Like I said to him today, every day you’re impressing us more. He’s a solid defender. He’s got the size. He reminds all of us a little bit of George John. George came in from the combine coming off a meniscus surgery so he wasn’t at his best. But it took George about a third of the season before we got him on the field. Hedges is a player that may be a step ahead but we don’t know if he’ll have that reach in his first year.
Will there be a scrimmage on Saturday?
Hyndman: No, our numbers (won’t allow it). We’ve got five in the training room right now and those are five being [Daniel] Cruz, Daniel Hernandez, Ugo [Ihemelu], AJ [Andrew Jacobson] and David [Ferreira]. So that’s five and then we’ve got 8-v-8 on the field. So we’ve got 21 players and we don’t have enough for even a scrimmage. The 8-v-8 is not enough. We brought in Ian Kalis, a boy we drafted who came in today for the first day and then we have another boy that we drafted, Walter Hines out of St. John’s, he’s going through his physical and hopefully we’ll have him out here sometimes tomorrow.
So with Kalis and Hines already here, what is the status of your top pick in the Supplemental Draft, Alex Lee, the defender from Maryland?
Hyndman: Alex hurt himself, so he didn’t go to the combine. He hurt himself during the season, more of a quadriceps. He’s just making sure he can recover, so we’re hoping he’ll be here on Wednesday.
Right now you’ve got the likes of Cruz, Ferreira, Hernandez, Ihemelu and Jacobson on the sidelines. Who do you expect to return first and why?
Hyndman: I think probably the one that’s going to be the first one to go will be AJ. He had his surgery maybe two to three weeks before Daniel. I’m asking him how he’s doing and he’s saying man coach, I feel good. I wish I felt like this at the end of last year but he went four months with a meniscus tear. What it did, that I didn’t realize because I’m always saying play with the pain and all that, was that the muscle was shutting down. That was the thing that surprised me and that was my own fault. Same thing with Daniel, by the time we needed them the most, they were done. That’s where Daniel Cruz was expected to come through and that didn’t go the way we had hoped it would.
Which of the homegrown players are you expecting to break out in 2012?
Hyndman: Ruben Luna looks stronger, fitter and then Bryan Leyva looks more focused, stronger. Victor [Ulloa] looked much better. Victor won our two-mile run in something like 11:20. I think after one year with us, these guys are starting to add something more to their bodies. They’re maturing.
We hope that Ruben will [break out this year] because he plays at a position where we really need but it wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out to be Victor. He’s just a solid player. The thing that hurts Victor is he’s coming along extremely well but what kind of hurts Victor sometimes is he just makes bonehead decisions and you don’t want your center midfielder to be giving the ball away or trying to dribble out of trouble. But he’s hard, he’s aggressive, his body’s turning into a man. I think the green light might be good for him.
And how has 2012 top pick Matt Hedges looked so far?
Hyndman: Like I said to him today, every day you’re impressing us more. He’s a solid defender. He’s got the size. He reminds all of us a little bit of George John. George came in from the combine coming off a meniscus surgery so he wasn’t at his best. But it took George about a third of the season before we got him on the field. Hedges is a player that may be a step ahead but we don’t know if he’ll have that reach in his first year.
Four to drop and four to keep for FC Dallas in 2012
November, 16, 2011
11/16/11
6:30
PM CT
By Todd Date | ESPNDallas.com
With the 2011 off-season now just over two weeks old for FC Dallas, it’s time to look at which players might remain in the fold for 2012 or which might be sent packing? This is just one individual’s opinion but here’s a take on four players who fall on both sides of the ledger:
Four to Drop
Edson Edward D---Seeing this guy make the opening-day roster in preseason 2010 was one heck of a great story, especially with him being from an NAIA school in Canada. He even got to make his MLS debut late last season. However, a knee injury sidelined him for all of 2011 and it would have been unlikely to see him make the roster anyway. Still, he’s a great kid with some solid skills who could get another shot in this league or maybe in the NASL.
Maykel Galindo F---Galindo came to FCD with a great attitude and a great mentality. However, there was one small issue with the Cuban-born striker, he wasn’t exactly fit when he arrived here early in the year. That lack of fitness ended up costing him dearly as it seemed like every time he got close to regaining his health, he suffered a setback in the form of some nagging ailment. He did get healthy toward the end of the year and did log some minutes with the first team but the results just weren’t there. It was worth a shot but this is one experiment that just didn’t work.
Jeremy Hall D---Hindsight is always 20/20 but there are few who follow this club that liked this deal from the start. After all, the trading of Eric Alexander out of the midfield was unpopular on several fronts. One, it sent to Portland a kid who had become a fan favorite and two, it ended up being a bad move because midfield depth wasn’t exactly the strength the FCD brass thought it was and this team definitely could have used Alexander down the stretch. Hall still has a great upside but hasn’t really cut it with New York, Portland or now with Dallas. Maybe it’s time we all realize he’s nowhere near the player in MLS that he was during his college days at Maryland.
Josh Lambo GK---Nothing against Lambo but he hasn’t really shown a great deal since he’s been here. Sure, there have been several injuries for him to contend with and he has been a Generation Adidas player but for a guy who was drafted so highly not all that long ago, where are the returns on this pick? Some thought him getting married during last off-season would result in a more mature and focused ‘keeper and for some of the time, it did. But with the emergence of Richard Sanchez from the FCD Academy, there really isn’t room for Lambo, so if indeed he graduates from GA status, he’s likely gone before 2012.
Four to Keep
Daniel Cruz M---Sure, Cruz didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his 10 games with FCD, six of which were starts. However, he did have one goal and one assist and did show flashes of some solid skill while on the ball. For a team whose midfield depth has now become somewhat of an issue, especially down the stretch of the recently-concluded 2011 season, keeping Cruz at least to start the season makes absolute sense. Now if he doesn’t show something else early on, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him go because if Dallas fans know anything, it’s that gaffer Schellas Hyndman is never afraid to make a move if he feels it will better his club.
Bruno Guarda M---Guarda saw time in 11 games, five of them starts and contributed two assists in 2011. And it is a fair point that he hasn’t even come close to being the star he was during his college years at SMU. But when healthy last season, he gave FCD a viable option in the middle of the park and at times, he was a more than able fill-in at linking mid with starter Andrew Jacobson battling knee issues for much of the year. If not just from a depth standpoint, Bruno has value on this team. The big question is whether or not Hyndman can find an upgrade over the former Mustang this off-season. If that’s the case, then Guarda’s time playing under Hyndman will effectively be over.
Maicon Santos F---To put it bluntly, Santos was the soccer equivalent of ex-big leaguer Kurt Bevacqua. If you don’t get the reference, former Dodger manager Tommy LaSorda once put it oh so eloquently in a rant that is forever immortalized on YouTube saying that Bevacqua couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a [expletive] boat. It was about that bad for Santos in his 11 games, nine of which were starts this year in league play. Maicon took a total of 40 shots, 11 of which were on frame and only two of those went in. That’s a success rate of a paltry five percent for those of you scoring at home. While this cold streak was going on, it turns out that he had been bothered by a tooth issue and had taken drugs for that ailment, which was affecting his play. But what about after his tooth healed? There was little if any difference. Santos likely starts 2011 with FCD but he will be on the shortest of leashes and if there is any hint of his finishing problems in 2012, then he could join the long list of former Dallas strikers who have been cut.
Ricardo Villar M---Villar’s first few months with FCD were pretty uneventful to say the least. He did start early in the year against San Jose and the results were underwhelming at best. The Brazilian-born midfielder was a bit miffed that he wasn’t getting more playing time, to which Hyndman replied he needed to show more during training. But to Villar's credit, he did the work in training to eventually earn a spot on the field and made some fairly notable contributions during the US Open Cup, an event where Dallas advanced all the way to the semifinals. Still, the big question with him is he a starting-caliber player, especially on this team? That remains to be seen but even if he isn’t, he could still be a valuable piece if not just for his set piece prowess heading into the 2012 season.
Four to Drop
Edson Edward D---Seeing this guy make the opening-day roster in preseason 2010 was one heck of a great story, especially with him being from an NAIA school in Canada. He even got to make his MLS debut late last season. However, a knee injury sidelined him for all of 2011 and it would have been unlikely to see him make the roster anyway. Still, he’s a great kid with some solid skills who could get another shot in this league or maybe in the NASL.
Maykel Galindo F---Galindo came to FCD with a great attitude and a great mentality. However, there was one small issue with the Cuban-born striker, he wasn’t exactly fit when he arrived here early in the year. That lack of fitness ended up costing him dearly as it seemed like every time he got close to regaining his health, he suffered a setback in the form of some nagging ailment. He did get healthy toward the end of the year and did log some minutes with the first team but the results just weren’t there. It was worth a shot but this is one experiment that just didn’t work.
Jeremy Hall D---Hindsight is always 20/20 but there are few who follow this club that liked this deal from the start. After all, the trading of Eric Alexander out of the midfield was unpopular on several fronts. One, it sent to Portland a kid who had become a fan favorite and two, it ended up being a bad move because midfield depth wasn’t exactly the strength the FCD brass thought it was and this team definitely could have used Alexander down the stretch. Hall still has a great upside but hasn’t really cut it with New York, Portland or now with Dallas. Maybe it’s time we all realize he’s nowhere near the player in MLS that he was during his college days at Maryland.
Josh Lambo GK---Nothing against Lambo but he hasn’t really shown a great deal since he’s been here. Sure, there have been several injuries for him to contend with and he has been a Generation Adidas player but for a guy who was drafted so highly not all that long ago, where are the returns on this pick? Some thought him getting married during last off-season would result in a more mature and focused ‘keeper and for some of the time, it did. But with the emergence of Richard Sanchez from the FCD Academy, there really isn’t room for Lambo, so if indeed he graduates from GA status, he’s likely gone before 2012.
Four to Keep
Daniel Cruz M---Sure, Cruz didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his 10 games with FCD, six of which were starts. However, he did have one goal and one assist and did show flashes of some solid skill while on the ball. For a team whose midfield depth has now become somewhat of an issue, especially down the stretch of the recently-concluded 2011 season, keeping Cruz at least to start the season makes absolute sense. Now if he doesn’t show something else early on, it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him go because if Dallas fans know anything, it’s that gaffer Schellas Hyndman is never afraid to make a move if he feels it will better his club.
Bruno Guarda M---Guarda saw time in 11 games, five of them starts and contributed two assists in 2011. And it is a fair point that he hasn’t even come close to being the star he was during his college years at SMU. But when healthy last season, he gave FCD a viable option in the middle of the park and at times, he was a more than able fill-in at linking mid with starter Andrew Jacobson battling knee issues for much of the year. If not just from a depth standpoint, Bruno has value on this team. The big question is whether or not Hyndman can find an upgrade over the former Mustang this off-season. If that’s the case, then Guarda’s time playing under Hyndman will effectively be over.
Maicon Santos F---To put it bluntly, Santos was the soccer equivalent of ex-big leaguer Kurt Bevacqua. If you don’t get the reference, former Dodger manager Tommy LaSorda once put it oh so eloquently in a rant that is forever immortalized on YouTube saying that Bevacqua couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a [expletive] boat. It was about that bad for Santos in his 11 games, nine of which were starts this year in league play. Maicon took a total of 40 shots, 11 of which were on frame and only two of those went in. That’s a success rate of a paltry five percent for those of you scoring at home. While this cold streak was going on, it turns out that he had been bothered by a tooth issue and had taken drugs for that ailment, which was affecting his play. But what about after his tooth healed? There was little if any difference. Santos likely starts 2011 with FCD but he will be on the shortest of leashes and if there is any hint of his finishing problems in 2012, then he could join the long list of former Dallas strikers who have been cut.
Ricardo Villar M---Villar’s first few months with FCD were pretty uneventful to say the least. He did start early in the year against San Jose and the results were underwhelming at best. The Brazilian-born midfielder was a bit miffed that he wasn’t getting more playing time, to which Hyndman replied he needed to show more during training. But to Villar's credit, he did the work in training to eventually earn a spot on the field and made some fairly notable contributions during the US Open Cup, an event where Dallas advanced all the way to the semifinals. Still, the big question with him is he a starting-caliber player, especially on this team? That remains to be seen but even if he isn’t, he could still be a valuable piece if not just for his set piece prowess heading into the 2012 season.
2011 MLS Expansion Draft FCD protected list projection
November, 15, 2011
11/15/11
11:22
AM CT
By Buzz Carrick | ESPNDallas.com
The 2011 MLS Expansion Draft is right around the corner (November 23rd). FCD is in the process of finalizing their protected list. But rather than wait for them to announce it, we're going to take a guess.
Each MLS team will submit a list of 11 protected names that coach Jesse Marsch and the expansion Montreal Impact can't draft.
In addition automatically protected are all the Home Grown and Generation adidas players. CD currently has eight of them: Josh Lambo, Andrew Wiedeman, Bryan Leyva, Ruben Luna, Victor Ulloa, Moises Hernandez, Jonathan Top, and Richard Sanchez. Any player graduating from Generation adidas (Josh Lambo?) will do so before the expansion draft and won't get automatic protection.
So here's our educated guess at the 11 FCD protected players.
1. David Ferreira - the 2010 MLS MVP. Injured all of 2011. Still a dead solid lock to be protected.
2. Brek Shea - the 2011 FCD MVP and a finalist for MLS MVP. Also a dead solid lock to be protected.
3. Kevin Hartman - The best keeper in MLS the last two years in many minds.
4. Marvin Chavez - FCD's second leading scorer in 2011 as he became the player FCD thought they were getting.
5. Ugo Ihemelu - The defensive leader for FCD. Hyndman raves about Ugo every chance he gets.
6. George John - Hyndman says the transfer thing is all water under the bridge. All it good.
7. Jair Benitez - FCD just gave him an extension. Oh, and speed kills.
8. Zach Loyd - By the end of 2011 the for sure starter at right back and he's even in the US National team pool.
9. Andrew Jacobson - When not injured he was one of FCD's best mids, led FCD is assists.
10. Fabian Castillo - You don't pay what FCD paid for this kid and then let him get taken in an expansion draft.
11. Jackson - Some days he's the best player on the field, some days he's a liability. Just to much talent to let go.
Which leaves a list of 10 names unprotected for Montreal to pick from. FCD could lose one, but only one, of these players. Let's look at each and talk about why I think FCD will expose them.
Daniel Hernandez - The captain and my 2nd place FCD MVP. Yes, he's a vital part of FCD... but he's 34. Montreal would never pick him.
Chris Seitz - A danger to get taken, has been an MLS starter and an expansion team could get a solid keeper here. When you have Kevin Hartman, a 2nd keeper is a luxury you can't afford to protect.
Ricardo Villar - Turned out to be a nice player down the stretch although more production would be nice. Would he start in Dallas if everyone was healthy? No. so he'll be exposed. Another player in risk of being taken.
Maicon Santos - Didn't produce the goals FCD needs up top, but has been a decent player for a couple clubs. A player an expansion team might take a shot on.
Daniel Cruz - Have we even seen what this guy is really like, he's only been in Dallas a short time. Does anyone else even know what he is about? There's just no room for him to be protected.
Bobby Warshaw - A talented young holding mid or defender with a bunch of upside, versatility and soccer smarts. A Hyndman kind of player. But not yet good enough to be protected. It would be a shame to lose him too.
Bruno Guarda - One of Hyndman's boys, but little risk he gets nabbed at his contract number.
Jeremy Hall - Played with an injured groin from the TFC CCL game (and a half) on. For a player who relies so much on pace, a groin injury is debilitating. His contract number means he won't get picked even if someone thinks he might fill out their back line.
Mykel Galindo - Injuries have killed his career. Low risk since FCD is almost certainly gonna waive him anyway. So if you want him just wait for the waiver.
Edson Edward - Out for a year injured, it will be very tough for him to make the FCD roster in 2012. I doubt he would have made it in 2011 if not for the injury.
Each MLS team will submit a list of 11 protected names that coach Jesse Marsch and the expansion Montreal Impact can't draft.
In addition automatically protected are all the Home Grown and Generation adidas players. CD currently has eight of them: Josh Lambo, Andrew Wiedeman, Bryan Leyva, Ruben Luna, Victor Ulloa, Moises Hernandez, Jonathan Top, and Richard Sanchez. Any player graduating from Generation adidas (Josh Lambo?) will do so before the expansion draft and won't get automatic protection.
So here's our educated guess at the 11 FCD protected players.
1. David Ferreira - the 2010 MLS MVP. Injured all of 2011. Still a dead solid lock to be protected.
2. Brek Shea - the 2011 FCD MVP and a finalist for MLS MVP. Also a dead solid lock to be protected.
3. Kevin Hartman - The best keeper in MLS the last two years in many minds.
4. Marvin Chavez - FCD's second leading scorer in 2011 as he became the player FCD thought they were getting.
5. Ugo Ihemelu - The defensive leader for FCD. Hyndman raves about Ugo every chance he gets.
6. George John - Hyndman says the transfer thing is all water under the bridge. All it good.
7. Jair Benitez - FCD just gave him an extension. Oh, and speed kills.
8. Zach Loyd - By the end of 2011 the for sure starter at right back and he's even in the US National team pool.
9. Andrew Jacobson - When not injured he was one of FCD's best mids, led FCD is assists.
10. Fabian Castillo - You don't pay what FCD paid for this kid and then let him get taken in an expansion draft.
11. Jackson - Some days he's the best player on the field, some days he's a liability. Just to much talent to let go.
Which leaves a list of 10 names unprotected for Montreal to pick from. FCD could lose one, but only one, of these players. Let's look at each and talk about why I think FCD will expose them.
Daniel Hernandez - The captain and my 2nd place FCD MVP. Yes, he's a vital part of FCD... but he's 34. Montreal would never pick him.
Chris Seitz - A danger to get taken, has been an MLS starter and an expansion team could get a solid keeper here. When you have Kevin Hartman, a 2nd keeper is a luxury you can't afford to protect.
Ricardo Villar - Turned out to be a nice player down the stretch although more production would be nice. Would he start in Dallas if everyone was healthy? No. so he'll be exposed. Another player in risk of being taken.
Maicon Santos - Didn't produce the goals FCD needs up top, but has been a decent player for a couple clubs. A player an expansion team might take a shot on.
Daniel Cruz - Have we even seen what this guy is really like, he's only been in Dallas a short time. Does anyone else even know what he is about? There's just no room for him to be protected.
Bobby Warshaw - A talented young holding mid or defender with a bunch of upside, versatility and soccer smarts. A Hyndman kind of player. But not yet good enough to be protected. It would be a shame to lose him too.
Bruno Guarda - One of Hyndman's boys, but little risk he gets nabbed at his contract number.
Jeremy Hall - Played with an injured groin from the TFC CCL game (and a half) on. For a player who relies so much on pace, a groin injury is debilitating. His contract number means he won't get picked even if someone thinks he might fill out their back line.
Mykel Galindo - Injuries have killed his career. Low risk since FCD is almost certainly gonna waive him anyway. So if you want him just wait for the waiver.
Edson Edward - Out for a year injured, it will be very tough for him to make the FCD roster in 2012. I doubt he would have made it in 2011 if not for the injury.
FC Dallas visits San Jose for regular-season finale
October, 21, 2011
10/21/11
6:41
PM CT
By ESPNDallas.com
After being eliminated from CONCACAF Champions League play, FC Dallas looks to regroup as it still has a chance to finish in the top three of the Western Conference.
Dallas goes for its third consecutive league victory when it visits the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night in the MLS regular-season finale.
Dallas (15-11-7) failed to earn a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals after losing 3-0 at home to Toronto FC on Tuesday, a particularly discouraging finish considering it won its first two group stage games on the road.
"It's disappointing, very disappointing," defender Ugo Ihemelu said. "Play all these extra games, get so close to advancing and just have a complete letdown in the final game. It could have been historic. It could have been something really good for the club, so that's really disappointing."
Dallas cannot afford to let the loss linger. It's tied with Real Salt Lake for third place in the Western Conference with 52 points. RSL, which hosts Portland on Saturday, owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series.
Dallas is trying to avoid finishing as one of the league's four wild-card teams, which would require it to play a play-in game.
Prior to being shut out against Toronto, Dallas recorded two goals apiece in its previous two league wins. Marvin Chavez and Brek Shea scored in a 2-0 victory over visiting Vancouver last Saturday.
Shea's goal was his team-leading 11th, but first in seven games.
"It isn't easy playing so many games, but you just keep trying to work hard and improve in each one," Shea told Dallas' official website. "I started the year off well and hit a rough patch, but hopefully that's behind me now."
Shea might not find it as easy to get opportunities against San Jose (7-12-14) if midfielder Ricardo Villar can't play. Villar left the loss to Toronto with a foot injury, and it's unclear if he'll be able to play Saturday.
Daniel Cruz, who came on for Villar, would likely start in his place.
After facing the team with the worst record in the West last weekend, Dallas will take on the club just above the Whitecaps.
The Earthquakes are 1-2-3 in their last six, with five of those games coming on the road. After winning 2-1 at New England on Oct. 8, they fell 2-1 at Seattle last Saturday.
Jon Busch gave up two goals in the final eight minutes after Chris Wondolowski scored midway through the first half -- his 15th goal of the season.
Wondolowski, last season's Golden Boot winner, trails D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario by one goal for the league lead. Wondolowski has five in the last four games, accounting for all of San Jose's scoring.
"Goal scorers go through hot spells and cold spells," Wondolowski told the Earthquakes' official website. "I'm on a hot one right now."
Wondolowski also had both goals in a 2-0 win over Dallas on March 26. Shea did not play because of a red-card suspension.
Dallas is 2-3-8 in its last 13 matches against San Jose.
Dallas goes for its third consecutive league victory when it visits the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night in the MLS regular-season finale.
Dallas (15-11-7) failed to earn a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals after losing 3-0 at home to Toronto FC on Tuesday, a particularly discouraging finish considering it won its first two group stage games on the road.
"It's disappointing, very disappointing," defender Ugo Ihemelu said. "Play all these extra games, get so close to advancing and just have a complete letdown in the final game. It could have been historic. It could have been something really good for the club, so that's really disappointing."
Dallas cannot afford to let the loss linger. It's tied with Real Salt Lake for third place in the Western Conference with 52 points. RSL, which hosts Portland on Saturday, owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series.
Dallas is trying to avoid finishing as one of the league's four wild-card teams, which would require it to play a play-in game.
Prior to being shut out against Toronto, Dallas recorded two goals apiece in its previous two league wins. Marvin Chavez and Brek Shea scored in a 2-0 victory over visiting Vancouver last Saturday.
Shea's goal was his team-leading 11th, but first in seven games.
"It isn't easy playing so many games, but you just keep trying to work hard and improve in each one," Shea told Dallas' official website. "I started the year off well and hit a rough patch, but hopefully that's behind me now."
Shea might not find it as easy to get opportunities against San Jose (7-12-14) if midfielder Ricardo Villar can't play. Villar left the loss to Toronto with a foot injury, and it's unclear if he'll be able to play Saturday.
Daniel Cruz, who came on for Villar, would likely start in his place.
After facing the team with the worst record in the West last weekend, Dallas will take on the club just above the Whitecaps.
The Earthquakes are 1-2-3 in their last six, with five of those games coming on the road. After winning 2-1 at New England on Oct. 8, they fell 2-1 at Seattle last Saturday.
Jon Busch gave up two goals in the final eight minutes after Chris Wondolowski scored midway through the first half -- his 15th goal of the season.
Wondolowski, last season's Golden Boot winner, trails D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario by one goal for the league lead. Wondolowski has five in the last four games, accounting for all of San Jose's scoring.
"Goal scorers go through hot spells and cold spells," Wondolowski told the Earthquakes' official website. "I'm on a hot one right now."
Wondolowski also had both goals in a 2-0 win over Dallas on March 26. Shea did not play because of a red-card suspension.
Dallas is 2-3-8 in its last 13 matches against San Jose.
FC Dallas hosts Vancouver, looks to improve playoff position
October, 14, 2011
10/14/11
10:46
PM CT
By ESPNDallas.com
Fresh legs have been a concern for FC Dallas over the last month, and that could be an issue again as it prepares for its second game in four days.
Trying to get back on track before the playoffs, Dallas hosts the last-place Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.
Dallas (14-11-7) has already clinched a playoff spot and will likely enter the postseason with the top wild-card seed, though it could still catch Real Salt Lake for third place in the Western Conference.
The club is lamenting some missed opportunities after getting shut out in four consecutive league losses Sept. 10-Oct. 1, but it snapped that skid Wednesday at Chicago. Jackson and Daniel Cruz scored in the first half and Dallas held on for a 2-1 win.
The team blamed a tough schedule in September, during which it played seven games -- including three CONCACAF Champions League contests -- for its struggles.
"September was a rough month for us," defender Zach Loyd said. "I think fatigue caught up with us last month. But with international break, I think a lot of guys got their legs back, got some time off and mentally got their heads right. [Wednesday] we came in here with the energy we were bringing in a couple months ago and I think it showed in the result."
Brek Shea, the team's leading scorer with nine goals, should be rested after being held out of the starting lineup Wednesday. He played 45 minutes for the U.S. national team in a friendly Tuesday and didn't get into Wednesday's game until the 62nd minute.
Dallas has the chance to build some momentum before the playoffs against two of the worst teams in the MLS. It wraps up the regular season next Saturday at San Jose, the only team above Vancouver in the West.
Vancouver (6-16-10) has been outscored 29-11 while going 0-5-11 on the road, but it has won its past two contests at BC Place. The Whitecaps defeated D.C. United 2-1 on Wednesday after beating Real Salt Lake 3-0 in their previous game.
Camilo and Long Tan scored against United, with Tan -- the only Chinese-born player in the league -- recording his first MLS goal. Camilo's was his team-leading 12th and fourth in as many games.
The win also allowed Vancouver to move a point ahead of league-worst New England.
"Mentally, for the club, for everyone, it's something you don't really talk about, but it's great that we're (off the bottom of the table)," goalkeeper Joe Cannon told the Whitecaps' official website.
"Obviously, we have two more games and anything can happen, so let's try to keep moving up and start something special for next year for this club."
Dallas defeated Vancouver 2-1 on April 23, getting goals from George John and Eric Avila.
Trying to get back on track before the playoffs, Dallas hosts the last-place Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.
Dallas (14-11-7) has already clinched a playoff spot and will likely enter the postseason with the top wild-card seed, though it could still catch Real Salt Lake for third place in the Western Conference.
The club is lamenting some missed opportunities after getting shut out in four consecutive league losses Sept. 10-Oct. 1, but it snapped that skid Wednesday at Chicago. Jackson and Daniel Cruz scored in the first half and Dallas held on for a 2-1 win.
The team blamed a tough schedule in September, during which it played seven games -- including three CONCACAF Champions League contests -- for its struggles.
"September was a rough month for us," defender Zach Loyd said. "I think fatigue caught up with us last month. But with international break, I think a lot of guys got their legs back, got some time off and mentally got their heads right. [Wednesday] we came in here with the energy we were bringing in a couple months ago and I think it showed in the result."
Brek Shea, the team's leading scorer with nine goals, should be rested after being held out of the starting lineup Wednesday. He played 45 minutes for the U.S. national team in a friendly Tuesday and didn't get into Wednesday's game until the 62nd minute.
Dallas has the chance to build some momentum before the playoffs against two of the worst teams in the MLS. It wraps up the regular season next Saturday at San Jose, the only team above Vancouver in the West.
Vancouver (6-16-10) has been outscored 29-11 while going 0-5-11 on the road, but it has won its past two contests at BC Place. The Whitecaps defeated D.C. United 2-1 on Wednesday after beating Real Salt Lake 3-0 in their previous game.
Camilo and Long Tan scored against United, with Tan -- the only Chinese-born player in the league -- recording his first MLS goal. Camilo's was his team-leading 12th and fourth in as many games.
The win also allowed Vancouver to move a point ahead of league-worst New England.
"Mentally, for the club, for everyone, it's something you don't really talk about, but it's great that we're (off the bottom of the table)," goalkeeper Joe Cannon told the Whitecaps' official website.
"Obviously, we have two more games and anything can happen, so let's try to keep moving up and start something special for next year for this club."
Dallas defeated Vancouver 2-1 on April 23, getting goals from George John and Eric Avila.
FCD clinches playoffs, wins Brimstone Cup
October, 13, 2011
10/13/11
3:15
AM CT
By Buzz Carrick | ESPNDallas.com
It was a remarkable night against the Chicago Fire for FC Dallas, some of it good, some of it bad. First FCD set a franchise record for scoreless minutes when they went though 4 minute without a goal. The record streak was finally broken for FCD when Jackson scored in the 41st minute leaving the new record mark at 401 minutes.
Then FCD went on to win the game 2-1 to not only clinch a playoff birth in the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, but also to bring home the Brimstone Cup for the 10th straight year. You have to go all the way back to 2001, the first year of the Cup's existence for the last time Chicago won the thing. That's a decade of domination for FCD fans to enjoy.
FCD clinched a playoff berth for the 12th time in franchise history by honor of their victory but can still move several places in the standings and perhaps even east to west in terms of brackets depending on how they do in the remaining games.
Daniel Cruz notched the eventual game winner off a corner kick Zach Loyd headed down. Cruz's half bicycle kick was very well placed past a surprised Sean Johnson to give FCD the 2-0 lead.
Chicago was forced to finish the match with 10 men when Pavel Pardo was shown a red card in the 79th minute for a slide tackle from behind on Villar.
Chicago scrapped a late goal to make it close when a FCD defender failed to clear, allowing Orr Barouch to collect the loose ball. Barouch found Sebastian Grazzini in the box, who cut back to score an easy goal at the back post.
One concern for FCD is the condition of Maicon Santos who was stretchered off and into the locker room after being kicekd in the face late in the game.
Then FCD went on to win the game 2-1 to not only clinch a playoff birth in the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, but also to bring home the Brimstone Cup for the 10th straight year. You have to go all the way back to 2001, the first year of the Cup's existence for the last time Chicago won the thing. That's a decade of domination for FCD fans to enjoy.
FCD clinched a playoff berth for the 12th time in franchise history by honor of their victory but can still move several places in the standings and perhaps even east to west in terms of brackets depending on how they do in the remaining games.
Daniel Cruz notched the eventual game winner off a corner kick Zach Loyd headed down. Cruz's half bicycle kick was very well placed past a surprised Sean Johnson to give FCD the 2-0 lead.
Chicago was forced to finish the match with 10 men when Pavel Pardo was shown a red card in the 79th minute for a slide tackle from behind on Villar.
Chicago scrapped a late goal to make it close when a FCD defender failed to clear, allowing Orr Barouch to collect the loose ball. Barouch found Sebastian Grazzini in the box, who cut back to score an easy goal at the back post.
One concern for FCD is the condition of Maicon Santos who was stretchered off and into the locker room after being kicekd in the face late in the game.
Attendance: 10,362
Scoring Summary:
DAL – Jackson (Ugo Ihemelu) 41
DAL – Daniel Cruz (Zach Loyd, Ricardo Villar) 53
CHI – Sebastian Grazzini (Orr Barouch) 85
Misconduct Summary:
CHI – Gonzalo Segares (caution; reckless tackle) 18
DAL – Zach Loyd (caution; tactical foul) 29
CHI – Dan Gargan (caution; reckless foul) 39
DAL – Jackson (caution; reckless tackle) 43
DAL – Daniel Cruz (caution; reckless tackle) 58
CHI – Pavel Pardo (ejection; serious foul play) 78
CHI – Corey Gibbs (caution; reckless foul) 82
CHI - Josip Mikulic (caution; reckless foul) 90
FC Dallas -- Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez, Ugo Ihemelu, George John, Zach Loyd, Fabian Castillo (Brek Shea 63), Daniel Cruz (Bobby Warshaw 85), Andrew Jacobson, Ricardo Villar (Maicon Santos 90), Marvin Chavez, Jackson.
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Jack Stewart, Jeremy Hall, Bruno Guarda.
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Jackson 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Jackson 2); FOULS: 18 (Jackson 5); OFFSIDES: 2 (Brek Shea, Fabian Castillo 1); CORNER KICKS: 2 (Ricardo Villar, Fabian Castillo 1); SAVES: 2 (Kevin Hartman 2).
Chicago Fire – Sean Johnson, Dan Gargan (Josip Mikulic 77), Jalil Anibaba, Cory Gibbs, Gonzalo Segares (Orr Barouch 77), Logan Pause (Daniel Paladini 56), Pavel Pardo, Sebastian Grazzini, Patrick Nyarko, Diego Chaves, Dominic Oduro.
Substitutes Not Used: Jon Conway, Baggio Husidic, Victor Pineda, Michael Videira.
TOTAL SHOTS: 6 (Sebastian Grazzini, Patrick Nyarko 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Sebastian Grazzini, Patrick Nyarko, Daniel Paladini 1); FOULS: 13 (Corey Gibbs 3); OFFSIDES: 1 (Dan Gargan 1); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Sebastian Grazzini 5); SAVES: 3 (Sean Johnson 3).
Referee: Michael Kennedy
Referee’s Assistants: Corey Rockwell, Peter Balciunas
4th Official: Chris Penso
Time of Match: 1:56
Weather: Clear, 65 degrees
Another look at Daniel Cruz's record breaking CCL goal
September, 21, 2011
9/21/11
3:48
PM CT
By Buzz Carrick | ESPNDallas.com
In FCD's last CCL game, a 1-1 tie with Tauro at Pizza Hut Park last week, Daniel Cruz scored this cracker of a goal. The goal was not only the fastest goal in FC Dallas franchise history, it was also the fastest goal in CONCACAF Champions League history.
In honor of Wednesday's CCL match, let's take another look at Cruz's terrific goal.
In honor of Wednesday's CCL match, let's take another look at Cruz's terrific goal.
FC Dallas gave up some home points on Wednesday night, drawing with Tauro of Panama in their 3rd game of group play in the CONCACAF Champions League. Dallas remains in first place in Group C on 7 points after UNAM Pumas defeated Toronto FC 4-0 on the road.
FC Dallas came out hot in the match against Tauro, with Daniel Cruz breaking the FCD franchise record for fastest goal scored in any competition just 23 seconds into the match. The previous FCD record was held by Aaron Pitchkolan who scored 31 seconds into the match against Chivas USA on May 22, 2005.
Tauro did have a couple threatening minutes early but FCD will regret not putting the Panamanian club away in the first half when they Red Stripes had the run of play. Tauro netminder Alvaro Anzola was in top form all night making several spectacular saves to keep FCD from getting a second goal. George John had what in hind sight looks to have been a good goal called back for being offside.
Unfortunately for FCD a defensive mistake led to a PK in the 41st minute and Tauro's captain Luis Moreno buried the attempt to tie the match. The goal was the first allowed by FC Dallas in Champions League play and ends a shutout streak of 400 minutes.
The second half saw the road weary FCD side begin to sit back and play long ball as heavy legs made it tough to play out from the back. Tauro capitalized on the Dallas fatigue and really challenged the FCD defense in the 2nd half. Dallas did have some chances late, but Anzola was again up to the task.
FC Dallas will host Pumas UNAM in the fourth contest of group play on Sept. 21
Attendance: 3,001
Scoring Summary:
DAL – Daniel Cruz (Jackson) 1
TAR – Luis Moreno (PK) 41
Misconduct Summary:
DAL – Zach Loyd (caution; reckless tackle) 26
DAL – Jair Benitez (caution; unsporting behavior) 45+
DAL – Ricardo Villar (caution; reckless tackle) 55
TAR – Jhoan Melo (caution; unsporting behavior) 56
TAR – Temistocles Perez (caution; dissent) 88
FC Dallas – Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez, Ugo Ihemelu, George John, Zach Loyd, Ricardo Villar, Daniel Hernandez, Andrew Jacobson, Daniel Cruz (Maykel Galindo 76), Jeremy Hall (Andrew Wiedeman 89), Jackson.
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Bobby Warshaw, Jack Stewart, Victor Ulloa, Ruben Luna.
Tauro FC – Alvaro Anzola, Luis Moreno, Manuel Vargas (Jhoan Melo 18), Temistocles Perez, Juan Perez, Leonel Parris, Diego Canali (Auriel Gallardo 60), Juan Barrera (Jean McLean), Victor Mendieta, Carlos Rodriguez, Rienel Herrera.
Subs Not Used: Jose Marmolejo, Gabriel Rios, Azmahar Ariano, Jamie De Gracia.
Referee: Walter Quesada
Referee’s Assistants: Leonel Leal, Octavio Jara
4th Official: Hugo Cruz
Weather: Cloudy, 93 degrees
FC Dallas came out hot in the match against Tauro, with Daniel Cruz breaking the FCD franchise record for fastest goal scored in any competition just 23 seconds into the match. The previous FCD record was held by Aaron Pitchkolan who scored 31 seconds into the match against Chivas USA on May 22, 2005.
Tauro did have a couple threatening minutes early but FCD will regret not putting the Panamanian club away in the first half when they Red Stripes had the run of play. Tauro netminder Alvaro Anzola was in top form all night making several spectacular saves to keep FCD from getting a second goal. George John had what in hind sight looks to have been a good goal called back for being offside.
Unfortunately for FCD a defensive mistake led to a PK in the 41st minute and Tauro's captain Luis Moreno buried the attempt to tie the match. The goal was the first allowed by FC Dallas in Champions League play and ends a shutout streak of 400 minutes.
The second half saw the road weary FCD side begin to sit back and play long ball as heavy legs made it tough to play out from the back. Tauro capitalized on the Dallas fatigue and really challenged the FCD defense in the 2nd half. Dallas did have some chances late, but Anzola was again up to the task.
FC Dallas will host Pumas UNAM in the fourth contest of group play on Sept. 21
Attendance: 3,001
Scoring Summary:
DAL – Daniel Cruz (Jackson) 1
TAR – Luis Moreno (PK) 41
Misconduct Summary:
DAL – Zach Loyd (caution; reckless tackle) 26
DAL – Jair Benitez (caution; unsporting behavior) 45+
DAL – Ricardo Villar (caution; reckless tackle) 55
TAR – Jhoan Melo (caution; unsporting behavior) 56
TAR – Temistocles Perez (caution; dissent) 88
FC Dallas – Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez, Ugo Ihemelu, George John, Zach Loyd, Ricardo Villar, Daniel Hernandez, Andrew Jacobson, Daniel Cruz (Maykel Galindo 76), Jeremy Hall (Andrew Wiedeman 89), Jackson.
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Bobby Warshaw, Jack Stewart, Victor Ulloa, Ruben Luna.
Tauro FC – Alvaro Anzola, Luis Moreno, Manuel Vargas (Jhoan Melo 18), Temistocles Perez, Juan Perez, Leonel Parris, Diego Canali (Auriel Gallardo 60), Juan Barrera (Jean McLean), Victor Mendieta, Carlos Rodriguez, Rienel Herrera.
Subs Not Used: Jose Marmolejo, Gabriel Rios, Azmahar Ariano, Jamie De Gracia.
Referee: Walter Quesada
Referee’s Assistants: Leonel Leal, Octavio Jara
4th Official: Hugo Cruz
Weather: Cloudy, 93 degrees
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Buzz Carrick
Buzz Carrick has been the owner and publisher of 3rd Degree since it was founded in 1997. A graduate of Texas A&M and Boston University, Carrick has been in television production since 1992, primarily in the field of live sports. For two years Carrick was the co-host of Inside Soccer with Brad Sham. While 3rd Degree is mostly focused on FC Dallas, Carrick has also written MLS SuperDraft Rankings for ESPN Soccernet.
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