Trinidad & Tobago International Hislop looking to prove himself

By Steve Hunt / MLSnet.com Staff

FCD goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has been an improved player of late. FRISCO, Texas -- When FC Dallas open their 2007 campaign Saturday night against Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium, they will do so without one of the key components of last year's regular season Western Conference title. That's because goalkeeper Dario Sala will begin serving a six-game suspension for an post-game altercation after FCD lost to Colorado in the conference semifinal series.

In his place between the posts for the season opener will be Shaka Hislop, a veteran of the English Premier League who last summer delivered a scintillating performance for Trinidad and Tobago in a surprising draw against heavily-favored Sweden in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

FCD signed him last July and Hislop joined the Hoops about a month later. But his performance since coming to Frisco has been up and down. In his first match, a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal at Houston last August, Hislop allowed three goals in a less-than-stellar debut.

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