Hoops upbeat after losing lead

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For the second successive match, FC Dallas held a lead at halftime that they failed to hold onto. But unlike last weekend's 2-1 loss to Columbus, Saturday's 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards was a more acceptable result.

With the 1-0 lead, early in the second half midfielder Pablo Ricchetti was ejected after receiving his second yellow card after committing a reckless tackle on Davy Arnaud. Despite being shorthanded for nearly a half hour, the Hoops were able to hold the Wizards scoreless until defender Jimmy Conrad rammed the ball into the net after receiving a crossing pass from forward Josh Wolff during stoppage time to tie the game.

"Obviously when you give up a goal in extended time you feel like something got away. But it's also nice that we got a point on the road, and we played 30-plus minutes with a man down," said FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman. "I'm glad to get a point."

The game had certainly started out on an upbeat note for the Hoops. In the seventh minute, midfielder Dax McCarty sent a long cross pass to midfielder Andre Rocha, who blasted a 35-yard shot high inside the upper left corner to give FC Dallas an early lead. It was Rocha's first goal of the season.

It was a bittersweet return for McCarty, who had missed three matches while playing with the U.S. team in the Beijing Olympics. In just his second start for the Hoops since the end of April, also because of injury, McCarty had played a pivotal role in the team's only score, but his team was unable to secure the victory.

"It is simple," Dario Sala said. "We dominated on defense, but we didn't attack on offense."

Sala also gave credit to the Wizards for the effort they made to get the late result.

"They fought the whole game," Sala said.

FC Dallas still have a slim hold on third place in the Western Conference and the final automatic playoff spot in the division. FCD remains on the road next weekend, playing at the Columbus Crew on Saturday, Aug. 30.

"I always have a good game in Kansas City. Someone reminded me before the game about last year which was my first game in Kansas City and I had a good game as well," Sala said. "But unfortunately in the last minute we gave up two points. But if we would have known before the game that we would have been one man down on the road, and pulled out a tie we would have taken it right away."