FC Dallas keeps winning. Playing with the urgency and spirit it lacked earlier in the season, Dallas defeated fellow playoff contender Colorado 2-1. The win gives FCD 39 points, tying it with Toronto FC, New England and D.C. United for the eighth and final playoff spot.
On Saturday, Dallas got two unlikely goals from central defenders. First, rookie defender George John headed home a Dave van den Bergh free kick. And Ugo Ihemelu knocked the second over the line after a scramble for a ball served to the far post. "[The] ball was played in and I just anticipated it and I was trying to cover back post and the ball bounced to me. If you knew what went through my head, 'Don't miss this, don't miss this, don't miss this.' I didn't want to overhit it, I just tried to tap it on goal and Preston Burpo did a good job to get across and it just went in. I'll take it."
Ihemelu's scrappy goal typified Dallas' passion and desperation, some qualities that have helped Dallas win its last four games. "From the game, how the whole team performed, you could tell we really wanted to win this game, we're really fighting to make the playoffs," Ihemelu said. "We created tons of chances and I think we did a good job of eliminating theirs. Week after week, we've just been fighting and playing our style of soccer. It's a good brand of soccer, we're creating chances and we've stepped up our defense. This is the way we want to keep going into the next game and hopefully into the playoffs." FC Dallas will travel to Qwest Field to face the Seattle Sounders FC this weekend in its final game of the regular season.
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