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FC Dallas Suffers 4-3 Defeat to Brazil's Parana in Preseason Game in Curitiba

March 2, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


CURITIBA, Brazil (Monday, March 2, 2009) - FC Dallas fell 4-3 to Brazil Serie B side Parana in a preseason game played Monday afternoon at the training facility of Clube Atletico Paranaense. Recent acquisition David Ferreira started and assisted on the game's opening goal scored by Jeff Cunningham just nine minutes in.

In the early goings, it was Dallas that looked like the more comfortable team playing in the Brazilian heat. The team moved the ball quickly in the first few minutes and wasted little time in creating its first chance, a shot by Cunningham that was saved by Parana goalkeeper, Ney, in the 4th minute.

However, Cunningham would bury his next opportunity just five minutes later. After winning a loose ball near midfield, the forward turned and found Dax McCarty ten yards ahead. McCarty then played the ball to Ferreira, who had found open space inside the penalty area. The Colombian international received the ball and calmly side-stepped a converging defender before laying it off to Cunningham, who finished with a left-footed shot past Ney.

Two minutes later, Dario Sala received his first real test of the game when Parana's Edu Silva fired a hard left-footed shot from 25 yards out. The attempt was intended for the upper left corner, but Sala read it early and was able to make the save. It was one of several key stops the Argentinean goalkeeper would make in the first half.

Dallas appeared to grab a two-goal lead in the 16th minute when Cunningham got his head on the end of a cross from van den Bergh. However, Cunningham was called for offside.

Continued tough defensive work in the midfield would pay off in the 27th minute, when Dave van den Bergh helped set up a Kenny Cooper goal. The Dutch midfielder intercepted a pass in the middle of the park, quickly touched ahead to Cooper, and then made an overlapping run past his teammate. Cooper dribbled at a Parana defender, drawing him to commit, and then rewarded the left winger by feeding him just inside the edge of the box. Van den Bergh reached the end line and then crossed to Cunningham at the back post, whose header found Cooper at the penalty spot for a left-footed finish.

Two minutes from the halftime whistle, FCD would have another apparent goal taken away. Argentine trialist Gaspar Paez slid and knocked a loose ball into the net just as the goalkeeper lunged in an attempt to make the save, but Paez was whistled for a foul.

Leading two-goals-to-none at the half, Dallas made two substitutions to open the second period, with Ray Burse replacing Sala in goal and Andre Rocha entering for McCarty on the right side of the midfield.

FCD's lead was cut in half just ten minutes into the second stanza, after Burse was whistled for holding the ball longer than the allotted six seconds. On the ensuing indirect free kick, Parana's Gedeon finished with a right-footed blast from just inside the 18 yard box.

One minute later, forward Wando scored the equalizer. Wando received a long ball that was played up from Parana's half of the field, turned and hit a hard right-footed shot past Burse from 16 yards out.

Dallas defender Steve Purdy reclaimed his team's lead in the 67th minute when he rose above the Parana defense to head home an in-swinging corner kick from van den Bergh. However, the Brazilian club would again tie the game up just one minute later. Wando made a run up the right flank and sent a cross into Clenio inside the box for the finish.

Eugeton scored what would become the game-winner in the 74th, when his left-footed shot from near the right sideline, snuck just under the crossbar and inside the far post to make the score 4-3.

FCD made a late push for the equalizer, which resulted in three corner kicks in the final minutes. Trialist Jamie Watson nearly found the back of the net after a McCarty service was redirected to the top of the box. Watson slid and struck a well-timed half-volley on frame, which was saved by the Parana 'keeper and the final whistle would blow less than a minute later.

Parana's Maican (40th minute) and FCD's Andre Rocha (57th minute) were each sent off for separate dissent-related infractions. The teams were permitted to replace the players with substitutes.

Dallas, 3-2-2 in preseason play, now turns its focus to Wednesday night, when the team will face Brazilian partner Clube Atletico Paranaense in the first leg of the USA-Brazil Challenge at Arena da Baixada (3:30 pm CT).

Scoring Summary: FCD - Jeff Cunningham (David Ferreira) 9

FCD - Kenny Cooper (Jeff Cunningham, Dave van den Bergh) 27

PAR - Gedeon 55

PAR - Wando 56

FCD - Steve Purdy (Dave van den Bergh) 67

PAR - Clenio (Wando) 68

PAR - Eugeton 74

FC Dallas 1st Half - Dario Sala (GK), Blake Wagner, Steve Purdy, Drew Moor, Marcelo Saragosa, Dave van den Bergh, Pablo Ricchetti, David Ferreira, Dax McCarty, Jeff Cunningham, Kenny Cooper (Gaspar Paez* 42).

FC Dallas 2nd Half - Ray Burse (GK), Blake Wagner, Steve Purdy, Drew Moor (Aaron Pitchkolan 65), Marcelo Saragosa (Michael Dello-Russo 67), Dave van den Bergh (Rafael Abrao* 77), Pablo Ricchetti (Dax McCarty 73), David Ferreira (Jamie Watson* 73), Andre Rocha (Eric Avila 57), Jeff Cunningham (Jonathan Artura* 55), Gaspar Paez* (Bruno Guarda 77).

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*on trial

Misconduct Summary:

PAR - Maicon (ejection) 40

FCD - Andre Rocha (ejection) 57

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