BURN AT LOS ANGELES SATURDAY
The Burn will travel to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy this Saturday, October 9th in a match that is a must win if the team has any hopes of making the post season. Dallas (10-13-5, 35 points) is currently in 5th place - 1 point behind San Jose for the fourth and final Western Division playoff spot. Dallas and San Jose will face off one more time in the final regular season match of the year on October 16th. Los Angeles (10-8-10, 40 points), meanwhile, are in second place with 40 points and have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
BURN/GALAXY SERIES NOTES
The Burn and the Galaxy have squared off three times this year, with Los Angeles taking the first two matches, 3-1 in Dallas on May 8 and 4-1 at the Home Depot Center on May 29 and the Burn picking up the last match with a 2-0 victory at the Cotton Bowl on September 18th...the Galaxy leads the all-time series vs. Dallas 16-10-7...Over the last six matches, Los Angeles owns a 4-1-2 record...the Burn has just two victories in the last 13 meetings, posting a 2-5-6 record over that span...Dallas is 3-11-2 in away matches at Los Angeles dating back to the inaugural 1996 season ...Jason Kreis leads all Burn scorers vs. the Galaxy with ten goals and seven assists for 27 points in 29 career matches.
JOHNSON STILL IN HUNT FOR GOLDEN BOOT HONORS
Despite being held scoreless in his last two matches, Burn forward Eddie Johnson is still in the hunt for the league's "Golden Boot" honors as the player with the most goals scored during the regular season. With 11 goals, Johnson is tied with Brian Ching, Pat Noonan, Damani Ralph and Carlos Ruiz. The last time the Burn had a player at the top of the goal-scoring charts this late in the season was in 1999 when Jason Kreis finished tied for the top spot in goals scored with 18. If Bruce Arena's form holds true, Eddie will be called up to the National Team for this weekend's World Cup qualifying match which very likely would mean he will miss the Burn/Galaxy match.
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE
With their 2-0 loss to the Revolution on Saturday, combined with San Jose's tie with Colorado, the Burn trail San Jose by just 1 point for the fourth and final playoff position in the West. San Jose faces Western Conference leader Kansas City at home Saturday. With a victory on Saturday, the Burn can ensure that the season finale against San Jose at the Cotton Bowl will determine who makes the playoffs and whose season will be over. The Burn truly controls their own destiny. Winning both remaining games will ensure the team a spot in the playoffs. Should the Burn lose this weekend combined with a San Jose victory would eliminate the team from playoff contention.
Kansas City - @ San Jose, vs. Los Angeles
Colorado - vs. Columbus
Los Angeles - vs. Dallas, @ Kansas City
Dallas - @ Los Angeles, vs. San Jose
San Jose - vs. Kansas City, @ Dallas
INJURY REPORT
Doubtful:
Jeff Cassar, Left hamstring pull
Questionable:
Steve Jolley, Right ankle sprain
Eric Quill, Right hamstring strain
BURN GAME-WATCHING PARTY SATURDAY AT THE STADIUM CAFÉ
The Burn will host a game-watching party on Saturday at 9:00 p.m. at The Stadium Café. The Stadium Café features great food, cold drinks (including $2.00 Budweiser and Bud Light draft and $2.00 well drinks) and there will also be some great Burn prizes given away at halftime. The Stadium Café is located on the south east corner of Addison Road and Beltline Road, in the same center as Purdy's and Bennedick's Breakfast Restaurant (www.stadiumcafe.com).
