Final
Crew-FC Dallas Preview
Jun 19, 2009 - 3:28 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS WriterColumbus (4-2-7) at FC Dallas (2-7-4), 8:30 p.m. EDT
Last year, Guillermo Barros Schelotto played a major role in leading the Columbus Crew to their first MLS Cup title by setting up goals. He's now scoring them, powering the Crew's nine-game unbeaten run.
Coming off a pair of two-goal performances, the reigning MLS MVP will try to help the Crew extend their streak to 10 games without a loss when they visit FC Dallas on Saturday night.
Schelotto had seven goals and a league-high 19 assists in 2008, helping Columbus to the Supporters' Shield before getting MVP honors for a three-assist performance in a 3-1 win over New York in the MLS Cup final Nov. 23.
The 36-year-old midfielder-forward has gone from playmaker to scorer this season, leading MLS with 10 goals of the Crew's 19 total, while adding two assists.
"He is at the right place at the right time," first-year Columbus coach Robert Warzycha said. "I think this season he is playing better, I think he is sharper than last year."
Schelotto's impressive production continued Sunday, when he earned league player of the week honors after netting a pair of goals in the second half to rally the Crew (4-2-7) to a 2-1 win over CD Chivas USA. The effort came eight days after he scored twice in a 2-0 win at Kansas City.
He has seven goals in five starts over six games. The only contest he didn't score was a 1-all draw at Seattle on May 30, when schedule congestion and playing on artificial turf limited him to 21 minutes as a substitute.
The Crew's nine-game unbeaten streak matches their longest from last year. They haven't had a 10-game run since a league-record 19 game unbeaten streak bridging the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Schelotto totaled four assists to help Columbus win both meetings against Dallas (2-7-4) last year to even the all-time series at 14-14-6. He assisted on both goals in a 2-1 win at Pizza Hut Park on Aug. 30.
Dallas is seventh in the Western Conference, one point ahead of last-place San Jose.
The team has a 1-4-3 mark in its last eight games, dating back to a 3-2 win over Toronto on April 19. That victory is the last one Dallas posted at Frisco, Tex., going 0-1-3 since.
Dallas fell at home again last Saturday, losing 3-1 to Houston after opening a three-game homestand with a 2-all tie with the Earthquakes.
"We are disappointed, obviously, with the result," FCD defender Drew Moor said following last Saturday's loss. "We are looking for points right now and we came away with nothing. In the second half, we were chasing the game a little bit and we just weren't good enough on the night."
Moor, who is in his fifth season after being drafted fifth overall in 2005 by his hometown club, has a career-high three goals after finding the back of the net against the Dynamo. He's scored twice in the last four games, and his season total ranks second on the team to Kenny Cooper's six.
Cooper has only two goals in the last eight games after starting the season with four in the first five. The forward hasn't scored in four career games against the Crew.
- MLS
COLUMBUS 1
FC DALLAS 2 FINAL
Jun 20 10:37 PM - MLS UPDATE
COLUMBUS 1
FC DALLAS 2
FC DALLAS PENALTY GOAL: Kenny Cooper in the 87th minute
Crew 1, FC Dallas 2 87'Jun 20 10:21 PM - MLS UPDATE
COLUMBUS 1
FC DALLAS 1
FC DALLAS GOAL: Eric Avila in the 80th minute
Crew 1, FC Dallas 1 80'Jun 20 10:14 PM - MLS
COLUMBUS 1
FC DALLAS 0 HALFTIME
Jun 20 9:27 PM - MLS UPDATE
COLUMBUS 1
FC DALLAS 0
COLUMBUS GOAL: Eric Brunner in the 17th minute
Crew 1, FC Dallas 0 17'Jun 20 8:55 PM
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