RSL takes a beating from MLS' 'best team'

DALLAS — It was a sobering homecoming for Jason Kreis. Kreis and his Real Salt Lake teammates continued to take their lumps in their inaugural season as RSL fell to FC Dallas, 3-0, Saturday in front of 9,134 at the Cotton Bowl.

RSL (1-2-1), which seemed to take a step forward after last week's 1-0 victory over Colorado, took two steps back against one of the league's best teams.

"In my honest opinion, that team that we played tonight is the best team in the league," Kreis said. "The talent they have on that team and the experience they have on that team is second to none."

Kreis was the face of FC Dallas (3-0-1), then known as the Dallas Burn, and Major League Soccer for almost a decade. Kreis played in Dallas for nine years and is the league's all-time leading scorer with 92 goals. But Dallas traded Kreis, 32, in November to make way for younger forwards Eddie Johnson, Carlos Ruiz and Ronnie O'Brien. The move has paid off for both clubs. Dallas is undefeated and has the most points (10) in the league. RSL, an expansion team, received instant credibility with Kreis patrolling the front.

But Kreis had few opportunities to add to his record total as Dallas dominated. Dallas outshot RSL, 11-3, in the first half and allowed only one shot in the first 35 min-

utes. RSL, conversely, had trouble passing in the midfield and committed turnovers forcing RSL to chase. Dallas outshot RSL, 19-7, in the match.

Saturday's match was to be RSL's toughest test on defense and it was. Johnson, Ruiz and O'Brien form one of the most dangerous scoring trios in the league, and Richard Mulrooney is a gifted creator in the midfield. Three of them played roles in Dallas' goals. Mulrooney scored on a free kick in the fourth minute, and he and Ruiz set up Johnson's goal in the 35th minute. The deficit could have been worse had Ruiz connected on a shot that hit the post in the first half and Johnson converted an attempt that slammed into the crossbar early in the second half. Dallas' Ramon Nunez also hit the crossbar late in the second half.

Ruiz added Dallas' third goal on a penalty kick in the 48th minute. To slow Dallas' attack, RSL had to pressure Mulrooney, but Mulrooney and Co. had ample room and time to generate scoring chances.

"We got outworked in the first half," RSL coach John Ellinger said. "Just got to get better and more consistent defensively."

Although RSL's offense was shut down, Kreis did have his moments. He and Clint Mathis engineered a nifty give-and-go in the 23rd minute, but Mathis' shot was high.

Kreis almost scored in the 48th minute but Dallas goalkeeper Scott Garlick stopped his shot with a diving save to his right.

Kreis is focused on helping build RSL into a competitive and successful organization. Saturday's performance proved that will take some time.

"We're a new team," Kreis said. "Let's be honest. It's going to take us some time to figure out consistency."

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Note: Milenko Martinovich is a Dallas-based free-lance writer.