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MLS FC Dallas

FC Dallas Outlasts Rain, Draws Houston 1-1

June 3, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas (8-4-4, 28 points) pulled level with the Colorado Rapids atop the MLS standings with 28 points after tonight's 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo at Toyota Stadium.

FC Dallas and Houston kicked off in a heavy downpour only to have referee Kevin Stott halt the match in the fourth minute due to the unplayable conditions created by the puddling water.

Following a nearly two-hour delay, the Texas Derby resumed at 10:05 p.m. CT.

Dallas put its first shot on goal in the 22nd minute, when defender Walker Zimmerman got on the end of a free kick that was earned and taken by Mauro Diaz. Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric was in good position and made a difficult save on Zimmerman's header look easy.

One minute later, FC Dallas took a 1-0 lead when Fabian Castillo found space on the left flank. The Colombian sped past his defender, applied the brakes and let Houston's Jalil Anibaba fly by him. With time to pick out a pass, Castillo set the table for Ryan Hollingshead, who beat Deric high to the goalkeeper's right side. Deric did well to get a hand on the shot from close range, but the ball caught the bottom of the crossbar and settled into the netting to give Dallas an early edge.

Houston came within inches of tying the match in the 39th minute, when another free kick by Diaz was headed away from danger in Dallas' offensive third of the pitch. The Dynamo quickly started a counter attack that culminated in a shot from Boniek Garcia, 25 yards from goal. Fortunately for Dallas, the rising line drive zipped past the far post just before halftime, keeping FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz's 199-minute shutout streak intact.

Houston's Ricardo Clark brought the streak to an end, 205 minutes after it started, when he hammered a shot just inside the near post. The midfielder reacted first to a loose ball 25 yards from goal and blasted a shot high over Seitz's outstretched arms

The Dynamo's Will Bruin set up Andrew Wenger for a shot to take the lead in the 59th minute. After winning the ball back, Bruin raced down the left flank, put on the brakes and played a ball across the top of the area. Wenger's initial shot was stopped by Seitz, who made a diving save to his left side, but the rebound skipped back to the forward. A desperation slide-tackle by Kellyn Acosta put Wenger's shot off just enough to force Wenger's attempt wide of the right post.

Pushing for a go-ahead goal late, Dallas earned several free kick attempts but Houston's defense held steady and the match ended in a 1-1 draw, extending Dallas' home unbeaten streak to 13 games - the second-longest streak in club history.

FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja

Overall thoughts on the match...

It was a long night for sure, a very long one. I thought the first half we worked hard to not just score the goal, but tried to dominate and control the game. For some part of that half, we did it. In the second half, I thought Houston came out with more aggressiveness. We could not control [the game] that well. In the first few minutes [of the second half], I thought Houston had a couple of chances. They deserved to score. To be quite honest, I thought it was a fair result. We pushed at the end without too many ideas. We wanted three points, but I have learned in this league, and I have told our players, that when you cannot win, you have to walk out with a point. We will look for those two points that we lost today at home. We will have to go and get them somewhere else. But, I thought it was a fair result.

On the importance of getting a positive result tonight...

[Three points] was the idea, the objective. We worked hard during the week understanding what it meant for us to get those three points at home and finish at the top of the league. That was obviously our objective, but I thought we were not consistent tonight, and we have to accept that.

On the first four minutes of play under poor conditions and coming back after a lengthy delay...

It's difficult. It's very difficult. I couldn't predict the game after the delay. For me, the health and taking care of the players is the priority. I was very concerned. It was very wet. The field was very soft. It takes a big piece of the game. It's not just the delaying. It's not just returning to the locker room and warming up three times and the rain and all those things and obviously missing a big part of our fans, but also getting back to a field that was destroyed. It's a tough decision for sure for the referees, and I respect it.

On the delay affecting the team's explosiveness...

It has an influence on it. It has for sure. But, we have to find ways to endure those things, and we're young. It's our responsibility to overcome the difficulties. We have the character to do it. Today, it was very difficult to be explosive on that field, for Houston as well.

FC Dallas midfielder Ryan Hollingshead

On his goal...

It was a big, early goal. [Houston] was on the road, sitting in a guest locker room for two hours. At least we were in our home locker room. After half, we wanted to come out and hold the shutout. That was the most disappointing part. But yeah, Fabian [Castillo] did well to get that ball across to me. It was one of those games where the ball was just sliding and slipping around, so I was just trying to get in front of goal and get it on target. That was our game plan and that was what happened on the goal.

Is that swan dive your goal celebration from now on?

I guess so... I thought I was going to slide so much further than I did - they really squeegeed that field well.

FC Dallas defender Zach Loyd

On playing right back for the first time in over a year...

It was good. That is where I started my career so it still feels natural for me to go back out there. I thought we did well tonight, given the circumstances. It was unfortunate to give up that goal but we played well enough to get three points. We came up a little short.

On the fans staying throughout the match despite the conditions...

It's awesome. It is awesome to know that we have supporters behind us no matter what the conditions are. I was actually surprised by the turnout when we finally came back out of the locker room. Huge credit to our fans - huge credit to the organization. The team continues to grow and supporters continue to back us no matter the conditions or the results. It's nice to have that loyalty.

FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz

On the strange game with the long delay...

Ugh, we should be used to it (laughs). Once a year we get these games. It's hard. It's probably harder for Houston than it is for us. We had everything we needed here in our locker room. At the end of the day, it's up in the air... No one took their eyes off what was in front of us, but I think we did well to respond and get a goal after the long delay. We kind of lost the game for part of the second half.

On the opening four minutes of the match...

It was the ugliest four minutes of soccer I've ever seen. That is for sure. Kellyn [Acosta] 'megged someone. It was very... interesting... It looked like Under-8 level soccer. No one could get the ball off their foot. It was definitely entertaining.

On his save on Andrew Wenger at the beginning of the second half...

I was going to come out for the original ball, but I saw Walker [Zimmerman] sliding over. I stutter-stepped and let him make the play. [Will] Bruin cut back. He passed the ball across, and at that point I tried to stay big and take up as much of the goal as I could, and he hit it near me.

On keeping the home unbeaten streak alive...

This one feels more disappointing... It feels like two points lost rather than one point gained. We'll have to try and find a way to get them back, whether it is on the road or in a different game. But this break will be good for us to get some guys healthy... To get some other guys back out on the field who have not had an opportunity yet. Hopefully, we can get our legs back a little bit. We have a big second half coming up with a couple more competitions coming into the mix. That is what we are built for... We are ready for it.

On the fans...

We appreciate everyone sticking around and cheering us on. It's not easy for us, but it is harder for them. They're out here cheering us on, giving us an edge to try and get some points. We really appreciate everyone sticking around and showing us their support.

Houston Dynamo coach Wade Barrett

On tonight's game...

It was difficult circumstances tonight. Any time you start a match and get four minutes in and have to reset, it's difficult for the players to come out and adjust, but I thought our guys did an excellent job of handling that the best they could. It's not an easy thing to do. Even in the first half, they were very disciplined and tough to play against. They really did a good job of limiting (Mauro) Diaz and (Fabian) Castillo's touches on the ball. Castillo gets through for the (goal), but I tell you what, in the game our players learned their lesson and they didn't let it happen again. We make one error, they (FC Dallas) get one goal, and the guys stepped up and didn't let it happen for the rest of the game I was really proud of them.

On starting the game under such poor weather conditions...

None of us wanted the game to go forward in those kinds of conditions. It's not good for the players or the fans. A game can't be played in those conditions. At least nothing terrible happened in the first four minutes.

On Ricardo Clark's goal...

Obviously a good shot, but overall, I thought the guys did a really good job of coming out. We maintained our shape and our discipline, but we had a lot more play in the attacking part of the field. In the first half, we talked about how we weren't moving the ball from one side to the other and spreading them out enough. The guys did a really good job. We were spreading the field out and moving the ball well, and Collen Warner was always maintaining good shape to give us that security against the break. The guys moved the ball well, we found little pockets of space and we looked like the team that was going to score a goal for a good part of the second half.

Houston Dynamo defender David Horst

On the adjustments made at halftime...

In the first half, we let (Mauro) Diaz get in some good spots and hurt us a little bit, and in the second half we did a really good job of eliminating that and Rico (Clark) did a good job of interrupting his passing lanes and it really showed they didn't have that many chances until the very end. It was a real credit to our midfield for shutting Diaz down.

Houston Dynamo defender Jalil Alibaba

On the defensive performance...

I thought we bounced back well from the goal. Defensively, I thought we were very organized. We reacted well and didn't sit back too much. We were aggressive and took out chances. I thought we responded very well.

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