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Cooper's penalty kick lifts FC Dallas by Crew

Jun 21, 2009 - 4:11 AM By AMIT KALUSKAR STATS MLS Correspondent

FRISCO, Texas (STATS) - A late surge finally resulted in a win at home for FC Dallas.

Dallas got two goals in the final 10 minutes, including Kenny Cooper's penalty kick in the 87th, for a 2-1 win over Columbus on Saturday night that snapped the Crew's nine-game unbeaten streak.

"Hopefully we're back on track, it's a big win against the defending (MLS Cup) champion Crew," Cooper said.

Schellas Hyndman's club recorded ties in three straight home games from May 16-June 7.

"We've tied enough at home, that slippery slope is getting more slippery and we need to start getting more wins," the Dallas coach said. "They? (Columbus) were a little tired and we kept pressing."

Dallas (3-7-4) was awarded a penalty kick after Crew defender Chad Marshall was called for a reckless foul inside the penalty box on David Ferreira.

Cooper notched his seventh goal of the year by putting the kick into the left corner of the net.

"I felt like I ?got my arm in front of him and position," said Marshall of the call. "I'm 6'4" and he (Ferreira) is 5'4", he's going to go down in that position."

Dallas had tied the game when Eric Avila, who entered just four minutes earlier for Anthony Wallace, scored his first career MLS goal in the 80th minute.

Avila curled a right-footed volley from outside the top left corner of the penalty box and into the right corner of the net.

"As soon as I got in I tried to attack," Avila said. "As soon as I touched the ball inside I knew I had a shot. I've been waiting almost a year."

Columbus took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute after an own goal by FC Dallas captain Pablo Ricchetti. A corner kick from Guillermo Barros Schelotto was headed by Eric Brunner toward the Dallas net, then bounced off Ricchetti's chest and into the right corner.

It was the second time in three games that Ricchetti has been the victim of an own goal. Ricchetti's other own goal was in a 2-2 tie against San Jose on June 7.

"We didn't want to settle for a tie," Avila added. "They were sitting back they gave us a lot of chances to attack them."

FC Dallas outshot the Crew 14-13, including 8-6 in the second half.? Columbus almost allowed an own goal in the 60th? minute after Dave van den Bergh's shot bounced off of Crew defender Gino Padula and drifted a few feet wide right of the post.???????????????

"At some point we have to lose a game," Crew coach Robert Warzycha said. "I think in the second half we dropped too much. Obviously we don't want to lose on a penalty kick."