SALT LAKE CITY – FC Dallas suffered its first road loss of the season Saturday, dropping a 2-1 decision to Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

"A frustrating loss, a disappointing loss," said Dallas coach Steve Morrow, whose squad fell to 2-2-3 overall and 1-1-2 away from Pizza Hut Park.

FCD outshot Salt Lake , 16-15, but never held a lead.

"We still had our chances to tie the game up towards the end but didn't," Morrow said.

Forward Kenny Cooper put an end to a lengthy Dallas scoring drought with a goal in the 56th minute. The goal, off an assist by Andre Rocha, was the team's first since Abe Thompson netted one in the 80th minute of a 2-0 victory at Chivas USA on April 20.

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FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper (right) tangles up with Real Salt Lake's Nat Borchers and Tony Beltran.

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Dallas failed to score in its next two matches – a loss to New England (1-0) and a tie with San Jose.

The breakthrough goal against Salt Lake allowed Dallas to pull even after a disappointing first half, when Dallas outshot Salt Lake, 11-8.

It didn't, however, alter the outcome.

Salt Lake responded with a game-winning goal in the 73rd minute when midfielder Kyle Beckerman scored off a lob by teammate Andy Williams.

Dallas never retaliated down the stretch and lost to Salt Lake for the first time since Sept. 16, 2006 – a span of five games.

Real took a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. Midfielder Javier Morales capped a wild sequence by kicking the ball into an empty net inside the penalty area after it had been deflected by three Dallas players – goalkeeper Dario Sala, Rocha and defender Drew Moor.

"A very scrappy unlucky goal that could have been prevented," Morrow said. "We know it's a difficult place to play, but we got ourselves back in the game after not playing too well in the first half."

Salt Lake played without coach Jason Kreis. The former Dallas Burn star served a one-game suspension for criticizing MLS officials in a newspaper article earlier in the week.

Dirk Facer is freelance writer in Salt Lake City.