Sun Apr 6 17:59:32 2008

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Late equalizer forces Hoops to share points with Dynamo

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Heading into Sunday's Major League Soccer fixture at Houston, FC Dallas had never beaten its instate rival at Robertson Stadium.

After 90-plus minutes it looked like that streak was going to come to an end, with the Hoops holding a 3-2 advantage, but Dynamo rookie midfielder Geoff Cameron had other ideas.

After taking a pass from Brian Ching, Houston's third-round pick in the '08 draft fired a rocket into the upper right corner of the net from about 20- yards out to knot the score at three, which is how the game ended.

The result is the second straight disappointment for the Hoops (0-0-2), who gave up a late equalizer at Chivas USA last week. They also wasted a two-goal performance from forward Kenny Cooper as well as a goal and an assist effort from striker Arturo Alvarez.

Houston (1-1-0) opened the scoring in the 21st minute when young Argentinean striker Franco Caraccio scored his first MLS goal. After a ball was crossed into the Dallas penalty area from the left side, defender Duilio Davino headed to the left corner. Dynamo winger Corey Ashe then ran it down and crossed it back in to Caraccio who headed home.

The goal was the first in three fixtures in all competitions for the Dynamo.

Dallas evened the score 14 minutes later when Cooper scored his first goal of the season after taking a long ball from Andre Rocha and chipping a shot over Houston goalkeeper Tony Caig.

Caig had entered the game six minutes earlier after starting 'keeper Pat Onstad came off with an injury.

Cooper put the visitors up a goal in the 45th minute when Alvarez took control of the ball on the right wing and played to a Juan Toja breaking into the box. The Colombian midfielder then split Houston defenders Craig Waibel and Bobby Boswell with a pass to Cooper, who one-timed a shot off Caig and into the net from the center of the box.

Houston tied the score up 12 minutes after the break when midfielder Dwayne De Rosario controlled in Hoops box and played to Cameron, who fired across the goalmouth to Brian Ching, who tapped in through a defender.

The Hoops took the lead again before the Dynamo fans were done celebrating Ching's goal, however.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas' Ricchetti played a long ball on the ground to Alvarez, who broke behind the defense and beat Caig with a shot just inside the far post to make it 3-2.

Dallas will try to earn its first victory of the season next Saturday when it hosts the New York Red Bulls while Houston plays its next league fixture at Kansas City the same day.