Posted on Sun, Oct. 12, 2008

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Tie at home damages FC Dallas’ playoff hopes

Previous Columns

Tobias Xavier Lopez

• FC Dallas needs comfort of home one more time
• American-born soccer talent needs to feel at home
• FC Dallas was wigging out over Davino’s return
• FC Dallas lifts playoff hopes with win
• FC Dallas takes the direct approach down stretch
• Ricchetti could be FC Dallas’ most valuable unknown player
• FC Dallas is profitable, but are fans getting their money’s worth?
• FC Dallas’ top forwards need to do more scoring
• In this market, WPS means won’t play soccer
• MMA star Kimbo Slice ready for challenge against veteran fighter
• U.S. men’s soccer team faces the ultimate road challenge — at Cuba
• Soccer Insider: Needham plays in the light in Norway
• Keeping Kenny Cooper a shot on goal for FC Dallas
• Cooper, Toja leaving might mean millions for FC Dallas
• FC Dallas’ Dax McCarty added to U.S. Olympic team
• Mixed achievements for FC Dallas’ stars
• Truly, this is a bad break for U.S. women’s team

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Special to the S-T/ Richard W. Rodriguez

Toronto FC’s Tyler Rosenlund, left, and FC Dallas’ Andre Rocha fight for the header Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park. It was the regular-season home finale for Dallas. Special to the S-T/ Richard W. Rodriguez

FRISCO — For the second week in a row FC Dallas was bailed out by a last-minute penalty kick.

For the second week in a row FC Dallas squandered a home opportunity and slipped away with a draw, this time 2-2 with Toronto FC.

FC Dallas (8-9-11, 35 points) remains in a precarious position in the playoff race with two regular-season games remaining.

Simply put, FC Dallas sits ninth, with the top eight teams making the playoffs. Colorado (10-13-4, 34 points) and D.C. United (10-14-3, 33 points), however, can both move past FC Dallas with victories today.

Saturday marked FC Dallas’ final Major League Soccer regular-season home game. FC Dallas is at Real Salt Lake on Saturday followed by the season finale at the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"That was not the result that we wanted at the beginning of the night," FC Dallas defender Drew Moor said. "We were the better team for 60 minutes, but now we’ve made it tough on ourselves with two tough road games that we have to win."

FC Dallas trailed 2-1 until a stoppage-time, 93rd-minute penalty kick from forward Kenny Cooper.

Dallas defender Adrian Serioux was pulled down in the penalty area by Toronto’s Julius James on a corner kick-like restart to earn the penalty.

Cooper scored both FC Dallas goals to tie Jason Kreis’ single-season club record of 18, set in 1999.

FC Dallas took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Cooper notched his first goal in the 34th minute.

Serioux reigns as one of MLS’ strongest players when it comes to throw-ins. He launched a throw centrally into the Toronto penalty area that midfielder Marcelo Saragosa headed into a crowded area. Saragosa’s flick was deflected laterally across the penalty area.

Cooper pounced on the loose ball and hammered it home from about three yards out.

Toronto (8-12-8, 32 points) tied the score in the second half as FC Dallas suffered a bout of casual defending in a strangely similar goal to FC Dallas’ first strike.

In the 72nd minute, Toronto forward Danny Dichio nodded the throw centrally and an unmarked Marco Velez one-timed an unpressured goal.

Marvell Wynne gave Toronto the 2-1 lead in the 88th minute when he ran onto a Chad Barrett through ball. FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala got caught atop the penalty area, and Wynne chipped in the goal from about 38 yards out.

"It’s really disappointing," Toronto coach John Carver said. "You go into the dying moments of the game and a decision is given against you. "That’s the story of our season. That’s happened all season. ...You step over the white line and it’s in the hand of the gods. On this occasion, it’s gone against us again."