Pluses evident for Fire in opening tie

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Returning home with a 1-1 draw to open the season Saturday night in Dallas hardly could be called a downer for the Fire. After all, FC Dallas made it to the Major League Soccer championship game last season, and the Fire has only three wins to show for 14 seasons playing in Dallas.

Another positive was that the Fire notched a point on the road with Patrick Nyarko playing only a limited role. Last year the shifty forward from Ghana was one of the club’s few offensive threats, ranking fifth in MLS with 10 assists on a 9-12-9 team.

Nyarko has been slow to recover from the ankle problems that slowed him the second half of last season. Coach Carlos de los Cobos gave Nyarko only limited playing time in the preseason and didn’t start him in the opener. Nyarko came on in the 42nd minute when Bratislav Ristic suffered a lower-leg injury.

By then, all the scoring had been done. Milton Rodriguez tied the game for FC Dallas just two minutes after Uruguayan striker Diego Chaves put the Fire ahead in the 17th minute. That goal was produced by Fire newcomers as Cory Gibbs and Michael ­Videira assisted.

The fact that Nyarko didn’t start suggests his health is a concern.

“I had an ankle problem early last season and played through it,’’ Nyarko said. “But it got worse at the end of last season.’’

Nyarko underwent surgery immediately after the season, but his recovery has been slow.

“It wasn’t that major a surgery,’’ he said. “I had bone spurs and a minor ligament tear. I can deal with it. It’s not 100 percent yet, but it’s getting close.’’

A healthy Nyarko is a must for the Fire, which last season missed postseason play for only the second time in franchise history. Nyarko’s passes set up plenty of scoring opportunities, but the club lacked finishers. Chaves and Gaston Puerari gave indications they can solve that shortcoming based on their play at Dallas.

“They’re young and more mobile,’’ Nyarko said. “Everyone’s been trying to learn each other’s movements. Pretty much half our team from last year is gone. We’ve got a new team that’s real young and hungry. ’’

They’ll have to be with the Toyota Park opener on tap Saturday against Sporting Kansas City.