BURN AT SAN JOSE WEDNESDAY, HOME VS. COLUMBUS ON SATURDAY
The Burn will play a pair of matches this week as they travel to San Jose to face the Earthquakes on Wednesday before returning home to face the Columbus Crew on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT at the Cotton Bowl. Wednesday's match at San Jose will be televised locally on Fox Sports Net at 9:30 p.m.
DALLAS BURN @ SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Wednesday, July 7 at 9:30 p.m. at Spartan Stadium
TV: Fox Sports Net
Radio: La Mejor 910 AM (Spanish)
BURN/EARTHQUAKES SERIES NOTES
San Jose leads the all-time series, 17-12-0 after taking a 2-1 decision at the Cotton Bowl on May 15 ... the Quakes have currently won seven consecutive matches over the Burn and nine of the last ten ... in that seven-match span, the Burn has been outscored 22-5 ... in the last 11 meetings, in which the Burn has won just twice, Dallas has scored more than on goal on just two occasions and has been shut out in five of those matches ... the Burn has lost their last four matches at Spartan, being outscored 15-3 in that stretch ... Quakes forward Landon Donovan has eight goals and three assists for 19 points in only nine matches vs. the Burn.
BURN/CREW SERIES NOTES
The Burn leads the all-time series vs. Columbus, 11-8-5, and posted a 0-0 draw at Columbus on May 1 in the only meeting between the two teams this year ... the Burn has just one victory in the last nine meetings vs. the Crew, posting a 1-4-4 record over that span ... Dallas is 8-3-0 in home matches vs. the Crew ... 14 of the 24 matches in the series have been decided by one goal ... forward Jason Kreis leads all Burn scorers vs. Columbus with six goals and nine assists for 21 points in 18 career matches.
BURN TO FACE SAN JOSE WITH LACK OF FORWARDS
Of the five forwards available on the Burn's roster, only two are available for Wednesday's match at San Jose. Eddie Johnson, the team's leading scorer, is out with a left ankle sprain, Jason Kreis is out after receiving a red card Saturday in Kansas City and Bobby Rhine is still sidelined with a right knee MCL sprain. The only two remaining forwards are Toni Nhleko, who is tied for second in scoring with eight points, and Jason Thompson, who has yet to see any action in 2004.
BURN IN MIDST OF TOUGH STRETCH OF MATCHES
The Burn is currently in the midst of the most grueling stretch of their 2004 schedule. From June 26 through July 24, and including Open Cup matches, the Burn will play eight matches in 29 days, for an average of one match every 3.6 days.
BURN STRUGGLING VS. WEST
While the Burn has enjoyed a great deal of success against teams from the Eastern Conference this year, the same cannot be said vs. the West. In five matches vs. teams from the East, the Burn has posted a 3-0-2 record while outscoring their Eastern foes 8-2. In eight matches vs. the West, the team has posted a 1-5-2 record and has been outscored vs. the West 18-7.
INJURY REPORT
Oscar Pareja - Groin strain - Doubtful
Eddie Johnson - Left ankle sprain - Out
Scott Garlick - Right ankle sprain - Out
Bobby Rhine - Right knee MCL sprain - Out
BURN GAME-WATCHING PARTY WEDNESDAY AT THE STADIUM CAFE
The Burn will host a game-watching party on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. at The Stadium Cafe. The Stadium Cafe features great food, cold drinks (including $2 Budweiser and Bud Light draft and $2 well drinks) and there will also be some great Burn prizes given away at halftime. The Stadium Cafe is located on the south east corner of Addison Road and Beltline Road, in same center as Purdy's and Bennedick's Breakfast Restaurant (www.stadiumcafe.com).
