By Steve Hunt / MLSnet.com Staff

FRISCO, Texas -- The Chicago Fire came to Pizza Hut Park hoping to kick off their nine-game, season-opening road trip on a positive note. For three-quarters of Saturday's match against FC Dallas they were doing just that, until the home side struck for two goals in a four-minute span to record a 3-2 victory.

It was the second consecutive season that the Fire lost at Dallas to open the season, and they are now 3-3-3 all-time in season openers.

Chad Barrett had given the Fire an early lead, and then after Arturo Alvarez leveled the match, Chris Rolfe again put Chicago in front shortly after the break. But Roberto Mina and Kenny Cooper scored for FC Dallas midway through the second half to give the Hoops the victory.

The Fire got off to a good start, despite playing in front of a hostile crowd on their archrival's home field and missing regular starters Chris Armas and Nate Jaqua, who were both scratched due to injuries.

Chicago's first shot on goal didn't come until the 10th minute, and it came off the foot of Rolfe, one of the top rookies in MLS last season. Rolfe got a great look at the net, but was stopped by FC Dallas goaltender Dario Sala.

Yet just two minutes later, the Fire found the back of the net, and not surprisingly, Rolfe figured in the first tally of the day. He hit a blistering shot right at Sala, who made a great save that went off his chest and bounced free to the far post where Barrett was waiting all alone. The second-year striker pounced on the rolling ball about five yards inside the box to give the Fire the lead.

Chicago controlled the tempo of the game for most of the next 20 minutes until FC Dallas knotted it in the 31st minute. Midfielder Arturo Alvarez benefited from a beautiful pass by Carlos Ruiz, who streaked up the middle of the field before hitting Alvarez in the left side of the penalty area. Alvarez controlled before firing a shot past Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton inside the far post, tying the game at 1.

Things remained deadlocked into the second half until Rolfe connected from the heart of the penalty area, beating Sala to give Chicago a 2-1 edge in the 54th minute. The goal was set up when midfielder Ivan Guerrero streaked up the left side of the pitch and made a perfect cross to find Rolfe, who was camped out in the middle of the field for his first goal of 2006.

Only a few minutes later, Rolfe nearly made it 3-1 but missed a point blank shot at the FC Dallas net, instead hitting the near post in the 56th minute as Sala got the faintest of touches on the ball. In the 61st minute, Chicago midfielder Thiago had a golden opportunity of his own as he too got a great look at the net, but Sala made a terrific save at close range to keep it at 2-1.

It didn't take long for FC Dallas to answer when forward Roberto Mina hit a scorcher from 25 yards out to tie the game after heading the ball to himself. The ball took a deflection off a Fire defender in front of Thornton before hitting the back of the net.

Then just four minutes later FC Dallas hometown product Cooper, who played collegiately at neighboring SMU and hails from nearby Plano, hit a beautiful header for his first career MLS goal after a great cross from teammate Bobby Rhine. Ronnie O'Brien was also credited with an assist after his run split the Fire defense.

The Fire didn't do much to threaten the home side over the final 20 minutes. Chicago (0-1) now has a week to regroup before traveling out west to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy next Saturday. FC Dallas (1-0) will face Real Salt Lake next Saturday in their second home game of the season.

Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

Chicago Fire (0-1-0) vs. FC Dallas (1-0-0)
April 01, 2006 -- Pizza Hut Park

Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Chad Barrett 1 (unassisted) 12
DAL -- Arturo Alvarez 1 (Carlos Ruiz 1) 31
CHI -- Chris Rolfe 1 (Ivan Guerrero 1) 54
DAL -- Roberto Mina 1 (unassisted) 66
DAL -- Kenny Cooper 1 (Bobby Rhine 1, Ronnie O'Brien 1) 70

Chicago Fire -- Zach Thornton, C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin (Jack Stewart 89), Gonzalo Segares, Justin Mapp, Thiago, Diego Gutierrez (Calen Carr 79), Logan Pause, Ivan Guerrero, Chad Barrett (Floyd Franks 91+), Chris Rolfe, Substitutes Not Used: Leonard Griffin, Matt Pickens, Dasan Robinson, John Thorrington

FC Dallas -- Dario Sala, Bobby Rhine, Clarence Goodson, Greg Vanney, Chris Gbandi, Ramon Nunez (Mark Wilson 64), Ronnie O'Brien, Simo Valakari, Arturo Alvarez (Kenny Cooper 65), Roberto Mina (Aaron Pitchkolan 79), Carlos Ruiz, Substitutes Not Used: Ray Burse, Drew Moor, Abe Thompson, David Wagenfuhr

Misconduct Summary:
DAL -- Clarence Goodson (caution; Tackle from Behind) 51
CHI -- Jim Curtin (caution; Tackle from Behind) 61

Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: Greg Barkey; Chris Strickland
4th official: Elias Bazakos
Time of game: 1:52
Attendance: 19,377
Weather: Cloudy -and- 82 degrees

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