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Inspired Red Bulls top FC Dallas

Jun 22, 2008 - 3:20 AM By Simon Lewis PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio praised his players for responding positively to last week's loss to post a 1-0 triumph over FC Dallas on Saturday night.

A week ago, Osorio had seen his once defensively sound team hammered, 4-1, at D.C. United, marking the second time in four games that the Red Bulls had conceded at least four goals.

Having admitted to giving his players a stinging talk behind closed doors in the wake of that defeat, Osorio said he was pleased with the way the team had knuckled down to its task. The Red Bulls responded by tying the New England Revolution, 1-1, on Wednesday before defeating FC Dallas at Giants Stadium on Saturday.

"If we can play like that, we have a chance against any team in this league," Osorio said.

Kevin Goldthwaite had given the Red Bulls just their second win in seven games with a 16th minute header off a corner kick from Sinisa Ubiparipovic to send the Red Bulls (5-4-4) past Dallas (4-6-4) in the Texas squad's first match under former long-time Southern Methodist University head coach Schellas Hyndman, appointed this week as a replacement for Steve Morrow.

"After what I said to them, there was only one way to go," Osorio said. "Thank God they reacted the way we expected. I praise them today in the same way I criticized them inside, not publicly. I think they've reacted very well to all that.

"We've been saying that to the players - we just have to believe in what we're doing. When they step on the field, that's the minimum requirement, that we give our best and that comes from me all the way down to the 25-man roster. We were very good today and (the win was) well deserved. ... I'm very pleased with the performance and the result."

The Red Bulls were missing both their designated players, striker Juan Pablo Angel and midfielder Claudio Reyna, to hamstring strains, but Ubiparipovic made sure their absence was not felt too strongly.

The Bosnian was front and center for the home side as it made a positive start, seeing right-footed shots twice turned round the post by Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala.

The latter effort, in the 16th minute, led to Ubiparipovic sending an inswinging corner from the Red Bulls left to the back post where Goldthwaite was waiting to head home the opening goal.

Dallas had an opportunity to respond three minutes later when Andre Rocha's free kick from the right caused confusion in the New York defense. Failing to clear their lines, the ball fell perfectly to striker Dominic Oduro, who could only shoot straight at Red Bulls keeper Jon Conway from 10 yards out.

There was a further blow for the home side's defense when Goldthwaite became the latest Red Bull player to succumb to hamstring problems in the 24th minute, suffering strains in both legs and forcing Osorio to replace him with Jeff Parke.

With a 1-0 halftime lead, New York looked comfortable and it continued to dominate as it went in search of an insurance goal.

The 16,427 crowd at Giants Stadium had to wait until the 68th minute for the first meaningful shot on goal, however, and when it came, it was Dallas which was on the offensive with Rocha forcing a sharp save from Conway after firing toward the top right of the keeper's goal.

At the other end, Sala needed to be equally alert as New York sub John Wolyniec met Seth Stammler's cross from the left with a fierce header that the Dallas keeper did well to block low to his left.

It was one of the rare high points for a lackluster Dallas side who have given new coach Hyndman plenty to think over ahead of a trip to Texas rivals Houston on Thursday.

"I don't think we played to our best," Hyndman said. "It gives me an opportunity to evaluate the players and see what we need to work on.

"At times we were put under a lot of pressure and we lost 1-0 but it could have been worse."

Hyndman admitted he had had little opportunity to get to know his players since taking charge on Tuesday.

"It is tough," he said, "I'm still getting to know the players' names and we've only had a couple of days' training with them to try and instill some ideas. It's going to take time to get those ideas across but I'm real proud of them for implementing the ideas and trying as hard as they could.

"But it is tough, especially a third of the way through the season. As a coach you're trying to make things better without selecting your players or having the chance to take them through a pre-season."