One week into fan voting for the 2013 MLS All-Star game and first place FC Dallas has only one player in the top seven at any position: Raul Fernandez. Fernandez is 3rd among goalkeepers and that's it.
As a reminder the FCD players, other than Fernandez, on the MLS ballot are Kenny Cooper, Blas Perez, David Ferreira, Michel and Jackson.
Portland resumes MLS league play on June 15 by welcoming a familiar foe to town - FC Dallas. Having already met them twice in 2013, the teams will eventually meet two more times after the June 15 match - a June 26 U.S. Open Cup match and an August 17 match in Portland. Does the plethora of matches help the teams gain insight into strategies on the other side, or will somebody create an unexpected wrinkle that the opponent can't counter?
No doubt about it, Wednesday's fourth-round match for FC Dallas in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup not only has meaning because it's against in-state rival Houston, but this match also takes on additional meaning because it is in a tournament bearing the former FCD owner's name of Lamar Hunt.
Well, this reporter recently caught up with four people who knew Mr.
After the media round of voting, six FC Dallas players have been nominated for the 2013 MLS All-Star fan voting:Raul Fernandez, Kenny Cooper, Blas Perez, David Ferreira, Michel and Jackson.Fans may vote online HERE. Fans can also vote by sending a player's last name via text message to 22442.
Kenny Cooper missed the 2-2 draw at Colorado last Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park and the FC Dallas striker also didn't travel with the team to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for last Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Strikers in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
But the Jesuit product was back on the practice field on Wednesday, his first session since being sidelined with a concussion in the second half of a 1-0 win over San Jose on May 27 at FC Dallas Stadium and here's what he had to say.
For those who thought that Kenny Cooper's head injury suffered at the hands of San Jose's Victor Bernardez in last Saturday's 1-0 win over San Jose in Frisco, the league office clearly feels otherwise. That's because on Friday, the MLS Disciplinary Committee handed the Earthquakes defender a two-game suspension for reckless play for his hard tackle and subsequent kick to the head of Cooper, who will miss this weekend's game with concussion symptoms.
When FC Dallas travels to the Rocky Mountain State this weekend to face the Oscar Pareja-coached Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the club will have one notable absence in striker Kenny Cooper, who continues to recover from a head injury suffered in last Saturday's 1-0 win over San Jose in Frisco.
Anytime one of your top players has to leave the field with what could potentially be a head injury, it's a disconcerting thing not only for the team's fans but also for its coaches and players. Well, that's exactly what happened to FCD forward Kenny Cooper about 20 minutes into the second half of Saturday's 1-0 win over San Jose.
FC Dallas rebounded from a loss at Seattle last weekend with a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes at FC Dallas Stadium, but the victory might have come at a heavy price as striker Kenny Cooper left the game in the second half with an apparent head injury.
Cooper, a Jesuit graduate, was battling for possession near the FCD bench in the 66th minute when San Jose's Victor Bernardez shoved him out of bounds.
Chris Wondolowski #8 of San Jose Earthquakes (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
The San Jose Earthquakes head to FC Dallas Stadium to take on FC Dallas on Saturday evening in what should be a thrilling match from start to finish. As Kenny Cooper and Chris Wondolowski headline each of the potent attacks, MLS fans both in attendance and those tuning in should be in for a shootout.
FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper (Matt Visinsky, 3rd Degree)
In the 64th minute of Saturday's 4-2 loss at Seattle, FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made an interesting decision when he decided to bring off Kenny Cooper, who had scored in the 54th minute for Fabian Castillo.
The young Colombian normally enters a game to provide FCD some pace at a time when the legs of the opposition could be tiring a bit.
(On the outcome of the game...) "It's about right. They created a lot of chances, a lot of breakaways, a lot of counterattacks. It seemed like the only time Seattle really put their foot on the ball is when we were down a man.
Seattle Sounders FC 4 2 FC Dallas JOHNSON 16´, 62´ NEAGLE 30´ Cooper 54´ Michel 62´ MARTINS 83´ En el partido mas emocionante que se haya jugado en el CenturyLink Field, la aplanadora verde de los Sounders FC volvió a golear a otro equipo de la MLS Oeste. La victima esta noche ante los [..
Seattle Sounders FC 4 2 FC Dallas JOHNSON 16´, 62´ NEAGLE 30´ Cooper 54´ Michel 62´ MARTINS 83´ En uno de los partidos mas vibrantes que se haya jugado en el CenturyLink Field, la aplanadora verde de los Sounders FC volvió a golear a otro equipo de la MLS Oeste. La victima esta noche [...]
Not to state the overwhelmingly obvious, but FC Dallas needed a win over a reeling D.C. United team on Saturday night in what could definitely be called the definition of a true "trap game". United was heading to Frisco on a six-game losing streak and head coach Ben Olsen juggled his lineup to try and find a spark for a club desperate for a win.
The Portland Timbers were playing their second match of three scheduled in 11 days, a road trip to Frisco, Texas to play FC Dallas. While the stadium has been the site of a few ghastly scorelines for Portland, the team exorcised a few demons with a very balanced effort to earn a 1 all draw away from home.
Kenny Cooper scored a pk to bring the game even. The world scored a great gif(t) as he attempted to celebrate. Isn't it the portly one who's supposed to fall over?
By the time FC Dallas hits the pitch at FC Dallas Stadium on Wednesday night against the Portland Timbers, 10 days will have passed since FCD's 2-2 draw with Vancouver at BC Place back on April 27.
Sure, Dallas did train for most of last week and after a weekend off, the players returned to training refreshed and ready to roll on Monday.
Two teams that both carry seven match unbeaten streaks will meet on May 8 at FC Dallas Stadium when the Portland Timbers visit FC Dallas in a midweek battle. While the Timbers are a bit testy after their draw against New England, FC Dallas hasn't played since drawing with Vancouver back in late April.
"I think the players really get on well before the game and after the game, but once that whistle starts, it's a war. We had a very strong contest in Dallas. Obviously we had a really strong contest here, but I don't think there is any animosity.
Last week, a story was written about FC Dallas looking to add a potential high-profile midfielder once the summer transfer window. Of course, many thought that meant that FCD would be adding someone it envisioned as a starter and someone who could be a Designated Player.
After training on Tuesday, Dallas technical director Fernando Clavijo confirmed that the club does indeed have sufficient room under the salary cap to add such a player that an additional roster move wouldn't be necessary.
When FC Dallas acquired local product Kenny Cooper in February, the first thing on the mind of FCD fans was how many goals and assists the club could expect from No. 33 in the first season of his second stint with FCD.
Through eight games, Cooper has just one goal and one assist, disappointing numbers to say the least, but looking at the bigger picture, the big striker and occasional flank midfielder is still aiding the Dallas attack in several ways, most notable being the way he often holds possession on the flanks so that fellow strikers like Blas Perez and Eric Hassli can get up the field along with more central players like David Ferreira.
FRISCO — Through six games, Jesuit product Kenny Cooper has one goal and one assist while playing as FCD's lone striker, up top as part of a two-striker tandem and as a flanking midfielder.
However, coach Schellas Hyndman has a pretty good idea where the 28-year-old best serves his club.
FC Dallas was a victim of that great adage in Saturday's 2-2 tie in Toronto. A match Dallas wholly bossed until the final 20 minutes after Hyndman made the first of two substitutions. The irony of the subs actually highlighted what had been working so well before they were made.
Even with FC Dallas currently being atop the Western Conference and Supporters Shield standings with a 4-1-0 record, one question many wonder about FCD is when will forward Eric Hassli, one of the club's higher-profile additions this off-season, be fully fit and ready to contribute?
Here's an update on Hassli's status from FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman, who discussed the French-born striker after training on Wednesday.
We have in the past here at 3rd Degreeplayedthe occasional April Fools joke on the site. Fake ex-boxer signing, check. Owner taking over as technical director, check. The return of Carlos Ruiz, check.
Being a the Dallas Morning News for such a short period of time, it justseemedlike a April Fools joke was out of order this year.
After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of the New England Revolution players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5 average, 10 perfection). This week Brian O'Connell and Sean Donahue contributed ratings for theNew England Revolution's 1-0 loss to FC Dallas.
On controlling the first half but not getting a goal...
There is always the frustration when you are controlling a game, and I thought the first half we did a very good job controlling it. Second half, we were just a little bit anxious to try to get that killer ball.
El Capitán is headed back to Dallas, turmoil in the United States National Team's locker room, March Sadness is underway, and World Cup Qualifying resumes, it's time for your Friday goals.
There was a bit of a controversy on Kenny Cooper's game winning goal against Houston last weekend. Quite a few people thought it was a hand ball, the broadcast crew sure did. Now the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) has come out with a statement saying the correct call was made.
Here's the important bit:
When we look at the Laws of the Game we see that Law 12 states: "Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with his hand or arm.
PRO, the Professional Referee Organization that provides and governs officials in the U.S. and Canada, released a statement on Thursday defending referee Jair Marrufo for not calling a handball in the 90th minute, on a play that resulted in a goal.
Last Sunday, FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper used his right shoulder and biceps to control a cross, before scoring the game-winner in a 3-2 victory over Houston.
I'm not quite sure what gamedays at BBVA Compass Stadium will feel like with El Capitán firing off prior to each home game, but I'll know soon enough.
Dynamo nemesis Kenny Cooper sealed the return of El Capitan to Dallas with a 90th minute goal to give FC Dallas a 3-2 victory. Two late Houston goals had tied the game up and it appeared the Dynamo would escape with a draw after giving up two first half goals.
Here are the highlights from FC Dallas' win againstHoustonDynamo in the EL Capitan match this Saturday.
Scoring Summary: DAL – George John 34 DAL – Andrew Jacobson (David Ferreira) 36 HOU – Andrew Driver (Kofi Sarkodie) 79 HOU – Brad Davis 83 DAL – Kenny Cooper (Michel) 90
FC Dallas – Raul Fernandez, Jair Benitez (Je-Vaughn Watson 73), George John, Matt Hedges, Zach Loyd, David Ferreira, Andrew Jacobson, Michel, Jackson (Fabian Castillo 80), Blas Perez, Kenny Cooper (Eric Hassli 90+2).
The following post was written by long time 3rd DegreecontributorDJ Walker.
The encyclopedia says Stream of Consciousness is "a narrative mode that seeks to portray an individual's point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character's thought processes." In other words, DJ watches games, and writes down whatever comes to mind.
Last week was an ugly win at home against Colorado. This time it was an ugly loss on the road to Chivas USA. Win, loss the common word in both is, "ugly".
No matter your allegiance, Sunday's somewhat shocking 3-1 loss was terribly played by both sides. Chivas came out playing very rough and instantly put the pain on Dallas' midfielders.
We played a very good team, and there's obviously a rivalry there. I didn't think we had a very good first half. We gave a lot of balls away. I didn't think we held the ball very well, but at the end of the first half we started doing better.
Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy (Google Creative Commons)
Two of the top three teams in the Western Conference face off Saturday as third place LA Galaxy visits first place FC Dallas in the weekend's most intriguing match.
LA Galaxy is coming off a 2-2 draw away at Toronto FC in their last MLS match and currently sits with a 2-0-2 record and a solid eight points.
The MLS season isn't even a month old, and yet it's already turned into a roller coaster ride of sorts for the Houston Dynamo. Though they started their campaign in high fashion, with a 2-0 win over D.C. United and a 1-0 victory over Santos Laguna, fortunes quickly changed. With the second weekend of the season a bye for the Dynamo, the idea was to rest players for the CONCACAF Champions League second leg in Mexico.
