FRISCO, Texas -- On two occasions, FC Dallas drew ahead but they couldn't hold their leads and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo before 8,541 fans Wednesday night at Pizza Hut Park.
The Hoops got a first half goal from Kenny Cooper and another from Drew Moor in the second. But both times, Houston answered. First it was Corey Ashe in the 59th and then it was Dwayne DeRosario in the 93rd minute.
Both sides finished with 10 men after Houston's Eddie Robinson got his second yellow of the game in the 80th minute and FCD's Andre Rocha was shown a straight red after a pushing match between Robinson and Saragosa inside the Houston box. Saragosa also got a yellow for his role.
Cooper's tally, his team-leading sixth of the year, was assisted by Pablo Ricchetti. After Houston forward Kyle Brown was called offside, Ricchetti took the restart near midfield and floated a great ball to Cooper, who was on the left flank and about 20 yards from goal.
The Dallas native corralled the ball with his right heel and then dribbled about three yards inside the box with Houston's Craig Waibel in pursuit. Cooper then hit a curling ball that landed in the right side of the net just past an outstretched Pat Onstad to give the home side a 1-0 edge.
As for Ashe's goal, the first of his MLS career, it came after some great ball movement by two of the Dynamo's marquee players. Dwayne De Rosario worked his way free and dashed up the right flank before sending a great ball to Brian Ching inside the FCD box. The Houston striker trapped the ball beautifully before spotting Ashe on the left side. Ashe then pounded it into the left side of the goal to tie the match at 1-1.
FCD struck pay dirt again in the 69th when Moor headed one home for his first goal of the year. Rocha got his fifth assist of the year after serving in a great corner from the near flag. Moor, who was left unmarked from about 10 yards out, headed the ball perfectly, which bounced before going into the right side of the net.
But the Orange weren't finished. After Ashe hit a great cross from the right flank in the 93rd minute, Ching got off a header that was saved by Sala. The rebound fell to the feet of DeRosario, who punched it home for the equalizer.
Both sides were forced to make several changes to their starting 11. With starting left back and team captain Wade Barrett unable to because of a left adductor strain, Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear inserted Craig Waibel into his spot.
Kinnear also inserted rookie Geoff Cameron in at right back and moved Richard Mulrooney to the central midfield to take the spot of Ricardo Clark, who is away with the U.S. National Team. Up top, the Dynamo gave Brown his first start since joining the team on March 4 after being claimed off waivers from Colorado.
FCD interim head coach Marco Ferruzzi also made several changes to his starting 11 from a 2-1 win on Saturday over Real Salt Lake. At left center back, Adrian Serioux returned after missing the RSL game on suspension for a red card he received after a hard tackle on L.A. midfielder David Beckham in a 5-1 loss on May 18.
Blake Wagner, who just returned from playing for the U.S. Under-23 team at the Toulon Tournament in France, returned for the Hoops at left wingback, replacing Anthony Wallace. Also, Andre Rocha moved from the central midfield to the right flank with Saturday starter Bobby Rhine serving a suspension following a first half red card. Ferruzzi also put 2007 MLS All-Star Juan Toja back into the starting 11 in the midfield. And Dominic Oduro, who has scored all three of FCD's goals in the last two games, started up top for Abe Thompson.
It was actually FCD who got the first chance of the game when Cooper got a nice look in the seventh minute but saw his attempt go high and wide right over the Houston goal and Onstad.
In the 11th minute, Mulrooney took the first corner of the game for the visitors from the far flag. A perfectly-placed ball landed at the feet of Stuart Holden but his shot was saved by FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala at the left post.
Three minutes later, Holden nearly capitalized on a miscue by the Hoops backline. Holden got the ball well inside the FCD box but his shot went wide left. In the 18th, Holden was issued a yellow card after a hard foul on FCD's Marcelo Saragosa near the midfield.
After a 19th-minute shot by Toja went wide right, the home side blew a golden opportunity when in the 26th minute, Cooper found some room on the left flank and sent a great left-footed cross through the box. Saragosa was streaking unmarked toward the far post and had a great look at the net, but the Brazilian midfielder chose to try and hit it with his left foot, didn't hit the ball squarely and the shot went wide right.
Houston midfielder Dwayne De Rosario lined up to take a free kick for the visitors in the 29th minute about 30 yards from goal but his shot went high. Another effort by the Canadian international in the 37th sailed to the left of goal.
About seven minutes after the goal, the Dynamo attack finally looked to awaken. Holden had a shot deflected in the 41st, just before Mulrooney, who was with FCD in 2005 and 2006, hit a great shot from long range in the 42nd that was saved by Sala but went over the endline.
Houston nearly converted on the ensuing corner, which was also taken by Mulrooney. His kick was headed at the left post and then landed at Robinson's feet but his shot at the equalizer went high.
Just before the first half whistle, Cooper shot one wide right. At the break, Houston had eight shots to FCD's five. One shot was on frame for each side in the opening 45 minutes.
Both coaches had to go to their benches early in the second half. Houston brought on Ashe for Brian Mullan to start the second half after Mullan complained about feelings of exhaustion at halftime.
Ferruzzi also had to make an early sub when captain Duilio Davino left the pitch in the 47th for Aaron Pichkolan. Davino had been kicked in the first half and suffered a right ankle injury. Ricchetti took the captain's armband for the Hoops as he left the field.
After being quiet for the entire first half, Ching was finally heard from in the 48th minute. It wasn't much of a chance and he wasn't able to muster a serious bid at a tying goal and his shot went high. In the 57th, Robinson was shown yellow for a deliberate handball.
FCD had a great chance to pull ahead again in the 60th minute. Toja showed great pace in dribbling up the left flank and sent a great cross toward Ricchetti, who was just in front of the Houston goal. Toja's ball hit Ricchetti in the back and Onstad had the presence of mind to swat the ball away and out of danger.
In the 75th, DeRosario made another bid to find the back of the net but this time was thwarted by Sala. In the 76th, a Houston corner by Brad Davis was brought down by Cameron but his shot went wide right.
Both sides return to action this weekend. Houston hosts New York at Robertson Stadium on Saturday night while FCD travels to Colorado to face the Rapids at Dicks Sporting Goods Park on Sunday afternoon.
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