FC DALLAS (4-2-3-1): Raul Fernandez - Zach Loyd, George John, Matt Hedges, Jair Benitez (London Woodberry 88) - Andrew Jacobson, Michel - Jackson, David Ferreira (Eric Hassli 90), Fabian Castillo (Ramon Nunez 85) - Blas Perez. TEAM NEWS Blas Perez scored his first goal since April 20, hitting for two goals in a game for the second time in his two MLS seasons (also doing last Sept. 29 at San Jose). “We didn’t create ourselves a lot of chances, we were banged up. But at the same time you know we stuck to our game plan and I’m very happy to come away with a point,” said FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman. “ … Blas didn’t get a lot of chances but he was pretty damn good on his finishing, wasn’t he?” Pérez will miss the Portland match while on national team duty – but he was not available either for Panamá for the crunch World Cup qualifier against the USA on Tuesday, suffering from gastroenteritis. “When you’re on the road, altitude, difficult times. … we’ve got a player gone with the national team, leaving us with two starters at home,” said Hyndman. “So we had a lot of reasons to fold but I think it showed a lot of character on our part to go down and come back, go down again, and come back. And I just congratulated the boys on what great character they have. And for us, we got another point to keep us right where we want to be in the league.” After a four-match absence, Andrew Jacobson returned to the FC Dallas lineup, playing the full 90 minutes in the center of midfield alongside Michel. “I’m still a little rusty but it felt good to get out there and do a little bit of running. I got a little tired towards the end. Touch felt OK. It’s just getting back that match sharpness. It’s been a month but I felt good,” said Jacobson. Striker Kenny Cooper missed his first league game of the season, kept out of the team after suffering a concussion in the May 25 win against San Jose that forced him off after 68 minutes. “We just wanted to be a little bit safe and didn’t take him to Colorado,” Hyndman said. “We’ll get him training and bring him along slowly.” On Wednesday, FC Dallas reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup with a 3-0 win against the Houston Dynamo in Frisco. Kenny Cooper scored on either side of halftime and Zach Loyd hit for a late capper. FC Dallas will meet the Portland Timbers in a quarterfinal on June 26. Here’s the FCD team: Chris Seitz, Zach Loyd, George John (Stephen Keel 88), Matt Hedges, Jair Benitez, Jackson, Michel (Bobby Warshaw 78), Andrew Jacobson, Kenny Cooper, Eric Hassli, Fabian Castillo (David Ferreira 72).
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