In a meeting of a pair of teams fighting for their playoff lives, FC Dallas got goals from Andre Rocha, Jeff Cunningham and Kenny Cooper for a 3-0 win against D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at Pizza Hut Park.
Rocha scored after just nine minutes, then Cunningham scored early in the second half before Cooper's stoppage-time goal capped the win. United played the final six minutes a man down after Jaime Moreno was sent off in the 84th minute.
It was the first victory in three tries for FCD against United at Pizza Hut Park. It also ended a winless streak against D.C. that had reached six games. FCD won consecutive matches for only the third time this season, while United lost for the third time in their last four league matches.
Rocha gave FCD the early lead on a direct free kick from about 28 yards out. The Brazilian connected on a perfect ball that sailed some 24 yards in the air before bouncing just inside the six-yard box and floating into the far side of the net.
His goal came on the first shot of the game for either side and marked the first time this year that FCD had scored directly on a free kick. So far in 2008, the Hoops have found the back of the net seven times in the first 15 minutes of play and have a 5-0-2 mark when that occurs.
In the 22nd minute, D.C. United's Ivan Guerrero was booked after delivering a hard shoulder to FCD rookie Bruno Guarda. Once again, Rocha took the resulting free kick, from almost the same spot from which he scored but on the opposite side of the field. Rocha delivered another well-struck ball that found the head of Cooper, but his effort was right at Crayton and he made the save from close range.
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Utter disgrace in United's part.
FC Dallas-DC United 3-0 ft
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