Sun Jul 15 02:56:00 2007

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Dallas rallies from three goals down to tie D.C.

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Washington, D.C. (Sports Network) - Juan Toja scored twice in the second half as FC Dallas rallied from a three-goal deficit to tie D.C. United, 3-3, in an exciting Major League Soccer game on Saturday night.

Toja scored the final two of three straight Dallas goals in the second half, spoiling Luciano Emilio's two-goal effort for D.C. that tied him for the MLS lead with 10 goals this season.

Carlos Ruiz started Dallas' comeback in the 51st minute and Toja scored in the 71st and 81st minutes in a fast-paced game that included chances until the final whistle. Fred scored United's other goal in the 45th minute, which was sandwiched by Emilio's goals in the 8th and 47th minutes.

D.C. wasted a chance to move back into first place in the Eastern Conference. United is two points back of New England, which beat New York on Saturday. FC Dallas picked up a point on Houston in the Western Conference and is just two points out of first.

Emilio put United up early with assists from Jaime Moreno - back from playing with Bolivia in the Copa America - and Fred. Fred made the initial pass to the right side to Moreno, who raced into the box before slotting a perfect square pass in front of the goal. Emilio poked the ball with his left foot into an open goal.

Dominic Oduro had Dallas' best scoring chance of the first half in the 30th minute after stealing the ball from D.C. defender Greg Vanney. Oduro got free on the right side and took a shot wide from a tough angle with teammate Carlos Ruiz open in the middle of the box.

Moreno had two golden opportunities to break a first-place tie with Jason Kreis for most career goals in MLS history, but he had a backheal saved and a header go wide within a four-minute span of the first half.

Although Moreno couldn't find the back of the net himself, he was key for D.C. again late in the first half by assisting on Fred's second goal of the year. United's Bobby Boswell started the play with a pass to Moreno, who then found Fred.

United continued to roll early in the second half when Emilio scored his 10th goal of the season - and his eighth in his last seven games. D.C. midfielder Ben Olsen set up the goal from the right side with a cross right in front of the goal. Emilio just had to tap the ball in - similar to his first goal of the game - to put D.C. up 3-0 two minutes into the second half.

Dallas started to chip away four minutes later when Arturo Alvarez assisted on Ruiz's third goal of the season.

Although overshadowed by his team's offensive outburst, Dallas goalie Dario Sala made one of the biggest plays of his side's comeback when he saved a hard shot from D.C. sub Guy-Roland Kepne in the 70th minute.

After a D.C. corner kick, Dallas countered as Sala, Alvarez and Ruiz helped set up Toja's first goal. Sala had a long outlet to Alvarez, who quickly found Ruiz and he passed to Toja in the box. Toja held off D.C. defender Brian Carroll and placed the ball inside the left post to beat Troy Perkins.

Emilio had a chance for the a trick in the 73rd minute on a breakaway but he put a shot well wide from a tough angle.

Dallas then struck for the equalizer eight minutes later on a great header by Toja. Off a cross from Abe Thompson, Toja jumped high over Perkins as he tried to punch the ball away and headed the ball into an open net. It was the sixth goal of the year for Toja and Thompson's fourth assist.

Sala had one more huge save in the 82nd minute, stopping Fred on a shot from about 15 yards out. Emilio found Fred on the left side of the box with a nice pass from the left side, but Sala dove to get a piece of the shot and a Dallas defender cleared the ball out of the box.

Both teams had numerous scoring chances in the closing minutes, but neither team could find the back of the net as Dallas happily settled for the tie and D.C. walked off the field frustrated.

Sala and Perkins each finished with six saves.

D.C. (7-5-3) will try to bounce back on July 22 when it visits Red Bull New York. Dallas (9-6-3) doesn't play again until Aug. 4 when it hosts Colorado.

Notes: Moreno left the game in the 55th minute with an apparent hamstring injury.