Let me start by saying I still think that the Brimstone Cup should have been buried when FC Dallas rebranded.
- No Dave O'Brien, no Tommy Smyth. I'm actually looking forward to this.
- ESPN showing a 4-3-3 with Bruno Menezes outside right. Logan Pause at right mid and Chris Rolfe at left. We'll see if it mutates into a 4-2-4, but if Menezes and Segares pinch in effectively, it might actually work.
- Either Segares is actually playing left mid, or he already got caught napping on a first minute throw-in. And Pause seems to be inside left while Rolfe is on the right.
- Technical difficulties as I continue to try to get Comcast and TiVo to play nice and in high-def. Hopefully restarting the DVR won't clobber the recording.
- Okay, there will be a couple of gaps, but I've got most of the game intact. Just like the Fire's defense, and some of those gaps have been a little worrisome in the first ten minutes.
- Barrett doing well to keep the ball on the end line, but again, doesn't have his head up and makes a bad pass. Then Bruno Menezes passes to the sideline. Barrett with a real good pass to Wanchope, but his first touch is too heavy.
- Our shape is still really, really weird in the back -- Barrett looks like he's dropped back into the midfield on the left side -- but it springs Wanchope and the Costa Rican gets shut down before he can find a wide open Chad Barrett making a good run from that deeper position.
- Bad transition defense from the Fire results in a good chance wasted from Dallas.
- Barrett has to release the ball more quickly. Got himself in too deep and blasts a shot wide, but a good spot to get himself into nonetheless.
- 29th minute, and Chris Rolfe is back. That quick shot on target is why I don't like him hanging back in the midfield.
- Rejoining action in the 35th minute, and now Rolfe is definitely on the left, and they're saying Blanco hasn't done much.
- Tip of the hat to the ESPN Deportes guy, who just pointed out that the Fire aren't getting bodies forward. Preaching to the choir.
- Rolfe with another good attack, but should have gone right instead of left. And now Waldo agrees with me about getting him up top.
- Dasan Robinson -- heck, the entire backline give or take Bruno Menezes -- has been having a quietly solid match as of halftime. Yeah, there were a couple of near-mistakes and bad bounces, and about fifteen minutes that I've missed, but they seem to be doing alright.
- In the 53rd minute, more evidence of why I like Logan Pause. Instead of taking the ball himself, he let Menezes take it, because what we need right now is for those outside backs to push forward -- the announcers just pointed it out with Segares a few minutes ago.
- Yeah, Wanchope got a lick in on Goodson, but it's the retaliation that always gets you. Always. Good call.
- Menezes with an absolutely beautiful shot off a corner kick, but Sala gets a hand on it.
- Did I mention Chris Rolfe is back? Chris Rolfe is definitely back. What a wonderful goal.
- Chad lets himself down again. Yow.
- Sorry, not really afraid of Chris Gbandi cutting into the box. Game has settled down a bit, which is good for us.
- Allen Hopkins catches up with Barrett on the sideline, who can't find the word "arrogance" to describe what they weren't sure whether or not to expect from Blanco, and settles on "energy" instead.
- Pickens come up big to preserve the lead after a good buildup and a big cross from Dallas. On the counter, Wanchope passes too far in front of Menezes.
- That's Blanco. Knocked down, doesn't get the call, threads a pass while still sitting on the ground.
- Now C.J. saves the day as Arturo Alvarez took too long to get a shot off when he was wide open in the corner of the penalty area.
- Fire withstanding a lot of pressure, but no signs of panic. This is a pretty huge and welcome change for this backline.
- C.J. again cleaning up a Pickens rebound on the doorstep, and Pickens rewards his defender with a huge hug. Again, huge game from Brown, Robinson and Segares, being everywhere they need to be on defense.
- Logan Pause has had a couple of encounters with Dallas' Brazilian contingent where it looks like he gets beat, but once the ball gets by, he effectively shields the player and the play gets killed. Dirty work.
- Guh. No sooner said, and Menezes does a lousy job contesting for a header, Ruiz gets in alone and now Calen Carr and Paulo Wanchope are very much on the hook for not doing more with those late chances, or at least stepping on the ball in the corner.
- Still, this was a pretty herculean effort from the defense for 92 minutes, and Chris Rolfe is back on track. Disappointing? Yes, of course. But there's a lot to take away from this one. At some point, you have to wonder if Osorio will lose patience with Wanchope, who just has not been sharp since he's arrived. He was more effective at stopping the Fire attack than anyone except Dario Sala.