Currently sitting atop the Western Conference, FC Dallas head into Saturday's match at Chivas USA seeking their fourth consecutive win, a victory that would make them a perfect 4-0 in May for only the second time in club history.
Last Sunday, FCD defeated Real Salt Lake 2-1, getting goals from the Arturo Alvarez in the 26th minute and fellow Houston native Chris Gbandi in the 82nd to keep RSL winless this season. Chivas USA, on the other hand, played Super Clasico rival Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-1 draw last Sunday, getting their lone goal from striker Maykel Galindo, who leads them with four goals.
The Hoops will be seeking their first win over Chivas USA in nearly a year. FCD last defeated them on June 11, 2006 in a 1-0 victory in Frisco. The Hoops' last win at The Home Depot Center came on May 22, 2005 by a 5-2 score.
FCD head coach Steve Morrow is well aware of his club's recent difficulties against Chivas.
"I think they've been a little up and down (so far this year)," Morrow said. "They were a good team last year and had that element of surprise where you didn't know what you were going to get from them when you played against them. It's like that this year as well.
"(Ante) Razov is always dangerous (up top). We're expecting a tough game when we go there. I thought they played well against L.A. a few days ago, so it's going to be a tough test for us."
The Hoops will enter the match without the services of captain and striker Carlos Ruiz, who will be serving a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season against Real Salt Lake.
In Ruiz's absence, Morrow has several options. He could employ a three-forward lineup featuring Kenny Cooper, who leads FCD with five assists, speedy wing Dominic Oduro (one goal) and either Abe Thompson (two assists in two starts) or Arturo Alvarez, who netted his first goal of the year on Sunday.
Last Sunday, the FCD boss started Ruiz, Alvarez and Oduro up top with Cooper and Thompson coming off the bench. This weekend's match could see both Cooper and Thompson, who have played well when paired together in road wins at Kansas City and Chicago earlier this month, return to the starting 11. The only question is whether or not it will be as part of a two- or three-forward scheme.
For the most part, the midfield looks to be set. Defensive midfielder Pablo Ricchetti has been stellar in his first two MLS starts and got his first career assist on Chris Gbandi's game-winner against RSL on Sunday. Colombian Juan Toja, who has scored two goals in the last three games, has also been solid. Second-year midfielder Dax McCarty, who has two assists, was slowed a bit by a rolled ankle late in Sunday's win but is now healthy.
The big question facing the midfield is whether or not Ramon Nunez will return to the starting 11 on Sunday. Nunez, who has two goals and two assists this year, came off the bench on Sunday. Whether or not the Dallas native starts on Saturday will be a key factor in what formation Morrow chooses.
The back line, which has now gone 16 games without registering a shutout, appears set with Drew Moor on the right, Clarence Goodson and Alex Yi in the middle and Chris Gbandi on the left. Dario Sala will again be in goal.
For Gbandi, Saturday's opponent represents one of the most intriguing matchups of the season to date.
"This is one of my favorite and least favorite teams to play," said Gbandi. "They are a favorite in that they knock the ball around and let you also play an attractive brand of soccer and a least favorite in that they have so many attacking guys like Galindo, Razov, Sacha (Kljestan) and Jesse Marsch."
A win by FCD would give them four road wins so far this season, which would equal their road win total from 2006. Victory would also give the Hoops their first four-game winning streak since last July. FCD will need that momentum in the coming weeks as they will have several key players absent from the fold for coming games because of national team call-ups, including Gbandi and Ruiz.
"It's going to be interesting to see how we deal with their guys up front. But we have guys who can attack their back four," Gbandi said. "It will be a very interesting game. Both teams like to go at each other and play attacking soccer. I think it's a real big game for us because New England is playing well and we have to keep pace."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
