PST: Penalty kick choice goes horribly wrong

FC Dallas was at the very edge of something quite special; manager laments choice of late PK taker:

FC Dallas was at the very edge of something quite special.

Despite still missing three of its top starters ? striker Blas Perez and center backs Ugo Ihemelu and George John ? the club had just rallied from two goals down, on the road and against the league?s top side, no less. An 89^th-minute strike left Dallas trailing, 2-1.

About two minutes later, Zach Loyd earned a dramatic stoppage-time penalty kick for the visitors. So Dallas was this close to pulling off something truly memorable. Having won on the road four nights earlier, and with the bottom team in the West coming to Texas this weekend, Dallas had the chance to string together a trio of results that can build real confidence (and make up some serious ground in the playoff chase).

Then Jair Benitez happened.

It was Dallas left back who stepped up to take the critical penalty kick. Brek Shea had been subbed out. So had David Ferreira.

So up stepped Benitez, a man without a goal in 83 MLS matches. He sent the ball well into the San Jose night. The Earthquakes survived. But will FC Dallas? spirits do the same after such a dreadful turn?

Here?s what Hyndman said about the choice:

Unfortunately, Brek [Shea] is the one who normally takes our PKs and we subbed him out. [David] Ferriera is another one that has taken PKs and [Daniel] Hernandez is another one that has taken PKs. So we were looking at potentially three different players and the question became who can do it. In hindsight, we probably should have went with one of the other two.?

Here?s the thing with Benitez: He just keeps costing FC Dallas points. Again and again. Whether it?s due to bad defending, taking sill fouls or leaving his team a man down because he selfishly lashes out, he?s been costing the team points for two years.

Why he?s still on the field, only Hyndman could say.

The 33-year-old Colombian was once an offensive force from the left back spot. Determined attacking tenacity from the left back spot helped Dallas keep teams pinned in.

But that was 2010, when FCD advanced to the MLS Cup final. He simply isn?t that player anymore. Benitez has no assists in 15 contests this year ? and the defensive errors continue to compound.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/19/a-penalty-kick-choice-that-went-horribly-wrong/related/

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