May 23 — Tampa Bay at Dallas
Location: Cotton Bowl
Kickoff: 7:30 (ET)
Television: ESPN2
Satellite: Galaxy 5, Tr. 14
Injuries: TB — Adam Frye (D) is questionable because of a strained hip flexor. Dallas reports no injuries.
Preview: Once again, the Mutiny jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and once again, they let its opponent — in this case San Jose — stage a rally. Unlike its collapse in the Meadowlands, though, Tampa held on for a 3-2 win last Sunday. Still, head coach Thomas Rongen is desperate for a solid 90 minutes from his team.
Tampa’s three U.S. national team call-ups (Vasquez, Pittman and Lassiter) will play, as will Trinidian midfielder Evans Wise, who missed the Mutiny’s last two games playing for his country’s Olympic team.
Dallas won 2-1 in Tampa April 28 on free-kick masterpieces from Jason Kreis and Washington Rodriguez, who will probably play tonight as a substitute. Subs will be important, as the temperature at game time could be as high as 90 degress for the 6:30 p.m. kickoff at the behest of ESPN2.
Neither team will find it easy to stop the other. Valderrama and Lassiter were superb against San Jose’s flat back four in the first half, and the return of Wise adds options on the flank. Dallas is coming off three straight wins; Hugo Sanchez, who scored in his MLS debut last Saturday, will start with John Kerr Jr. up front and Ted Eck in close support. The Burn has given up only three goals in four home games, all wins, this year. Tampa has won twice on the road, at Columbus and Colorado, and its only away loss was in the shootout at the Meadowlands.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Tampa Bay — Dougherty, Kooiman, Pittman, Yallop, Vasquez, Ralston, Wise, Backman, Valderrama, Lassiter, Hunjak.
Dallas — Dodd, Lozzano, Farrer, Santel, Sonora, Kreis, Ashton, Haynes, Eck, Sanchez, Kerr.
Prediction: Dallas is a shade better, 3-2.