Preview: FCD look to get back on track vs. surging Revs

FC DALLAS vs NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
FC DALLAS STADIUM, Frisco, Texas
April 5, 2012 (WEEK 5, MLS Game #37)
7:30 p.m. CT (FS-SW+; CSN-NE+)

FC Dallas return to Frisco trying to regain some homefield magic when they entertain the New England Revolution on Thursday evening at FC Dallas Stadium. FCD is coming off back-to-back losses away from home, last a 4-1 loss at D.C. United on Friday night. The Revolution are coming off back-to-back victories, starting their current road swing with an impressive 3-1 victory at the LA Galaxy last Saturday evening.

REFEREE: Juan Guzman. SAR (bench): Ian Anderson; JAR (opposite): Adam Garner; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 8 games; FC/gm: 29.5; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 4; pens: 2

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INJURY REPORT:

• FC DALLAS - OUT: FW Scott Sealy (L hamstring); MF David Ferreira (R ankle); QUESTIONABLE: MF Fabian Castillo (L knee); DF George John (L hamstring)
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - OUT: FW Zak Boggs (R ankle sprain); MF Benny Feilhaber (L peroneal strain); MF Sainey Nyassi (R hamstring strain); DOUBTFUL: DF John Lozano (R hip flexor strain); DF Kevin Alston (L hamstring tightness)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

SUSPENDED: DAL: Daniel Hernandez (through April 8); Jair Benitez (through April 8)

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (37 meetings): FC Dallas 11 wins (1 shootout), 46 goals...Revolution 23 wins (1 shootout), 65 goals...Ties 3

AT DALLAS (19 meetings): FC Dallas 6 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals...Revolution 11 wins (0 shootout), 28 goals...Ties 2

LAST YEAR (MLS):

6/4: DAL 1, NE 0 (Chavez 69)
9/10: NE 2, DAL 0 (Joseph 14; Lekic 85)

• This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
• FC Dallas won 1-0 in Frisco last year, ending a four-year winless streak against the Revolution at FC Dallas Stadium. FCD's only home win from 2007-2010 vs. New England - including in the 2007 U.S. Open Cup Final - came at the Cotton Bowl in 2009.
• Dallas has not at New England since 2003. The Revs have won seven of the eight meetings since in Foxborough, with one draw (that coming in 2010).
• Coaches record: Schellas Hyndman vs. NE: P6 W2 L2 D2 ... Jay Heaps vs. DAL: first game

FC DALLAS

FC Dallas fell to a second successive defeat on their two-game road swing, going to a 4-1 defeat by D.C. United on Friday evening at RFK Stadium. FCD is tied for sixth place in the Western Conference with 4 points from 4 matches.

LAST MATCH
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• Maicon Santos gave United their first lead of the season with a thunderous strike in the 28th minute. Receiving the ball from De Rosario, the striker quickly cut in on his left foot, and unleashed a rocket from all of 25 yards out that left FCD 'keeper Kevin Hartman no chance.
• FCD pulled back just before halftime through goal with a touch of controversy. United center back Emiliano Dudar failed to deal with a ball knocked back toward the D.C. goal and Blas PÈrez, who started the play in an offside position, was in on goal, sliding a cool and collected finish under goalkeeper Joe Willis.
• United regained the lead for good on the hour. Maicon Santos weighted a ball towards a streaking Nick DeLeon at the far post, and the rookie chested the ball down before roofing a shot past Hartman.
• DeLeon then turned creator as he set up Danny Cruz for another United goal six minutes later, breaking down the left flank and finding a wide-open Cruz at the far post for an easy tap-in.
• Maicon Santos wrapped up the scoring for United in the 73rd minute. Cruz started a quick counter from a Dallas corner, and fed De Rosario on the right. He lofted in a cross, putting it on Santos' head at the far post for a header back across goal and inside the post.
• FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made two changes to the team that fell 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park. Carlos Rodriguez and Brek Shea returned from international duty, returning to the team in place of George John and Bryan Leyva.
• FC DALLAS (4-1-4-1): Kevin Hartman - Zach Loyd, Hernan Pertuz, Ugo Ihemelu, Jair Benitez (Luis Perea 76) - Daniel Hernandez (sent off 77) - Carlos Rodriguez (Bryan Leyva 69), Andrew Jacobson, Ricardo Villar, Brek Shea - Blas Perez.

TEAM NEWS

• FC Dallas allowed six goals on their two-game road trip. The four goals conceded to D.C. United matched last year's season-high, set in losses to Sporting KC (June 12) and San Jose (Oct. 22).
• "I thought our defense gave some silly balls away. ... It just seemed that before they scored the second goal there was a period of time when we had a hard time getting the ball and keeping it," said FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman. "Our defense was just under a lot of pressure and it showed."
• With midfielders Brek Shea and Carlos Rodriguez back from attempting to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games with the USA and Panama respectively, Hernan Pertuz moved back to central defense and Jair Benitez resumed his role at left back.
• "We had a lot of mistakes coming out of the back. They did well to capitalize on our mistakes. The score showed that, and now, we have to get back to the drawing board," said defender Zach Loyd. "It's always tough to give up four goals, especially for the defenders. It was just one of those nights where the ball didn't bounce our way and we got caught out of position a few times."
• A year ago, FC Dallas recorded 13 shutouts in 34 games - third-most in MLS (behind LA, 17, and RSL, 14), and tied for the sixth-most in a single season in league history. But they had one clean sheet over the last 11 games, and have not recorded one this season.
• "I think this week is just going to be a week where we come together as a unit. We have to talk about what is working and what isn't working," Loyd said. "The next game is a week away so I think that's plenty of time to refocus and regroup. Hopefully going forward, we can start getting some shutouts and start playing better as a backline."
• Blas Perez scored his second goal in three games, joining Ricardo Villar with two goals for the team lead.
• "I have a lot of faith that I will score more goals, and that's what I'm working for. I wanted to score more here but I needed to get better balls," Perez said. "Luckily, I was given one by D.C.'s central defense and I was able to score. It's good for my self-confidence but it's useless because the team didn't get a win, tie or add points."
• FC Dallas announced on Tuesday that David Ferreira will be sidelined 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a small fracture in his right foot. The injury is not related to the injury Ferreira suffered last April.
• "David's injury hasn't responded to treatment the way we expected Hyndman said. "He went back to the doctor for additional tests and got second and third opinions to be sure he chose the best path to recovery for him. We feel confident this is the best way to get David 100 percent back to the field."

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION

The New England Revolution won for the second time in as many outings, coming away from The Home Depot Center with a 3-1 win against the LA Galaxy on Saturday evening. The Revolution are in a four-way tie for second place in the Eastern Conference with 6 points from 4 games.

WATCH: A.J. Soares interviews Shalrie Joseph
LAST MATCH

• The Revolution were two goals up within the opening quarter-hour. Shalrie Joseph found Kelyn Rowe in the penalty area with a pinpoint cross from the left flank. Galaxy 'keeper Josh Saunders parried Rowe's first attempt in alone at close range, but the rookie buried the rebound.
• Then in the 13th minute, Kevin Alston sent in a rolling pass from the right and found Chris Tierney on the left side of the area, and the defender ripped a low shot past Saunders.
• The Revs put the game on ice in the 65th minute. Ryan Guy flighted in a cross from the right to Saer Sene, who got between defenders at the back post and found enough room to head home his second goal in as many games.
• Robbie Keane cut into the lead in the 78th minute when Edson Buddle played him a brilliant through ball. Keane broke through the New England defense, danced around goalkeeper Matt Reis and slipped it into the back of the net.
• Revolution head coach Jay Heaps made one change to the team that recorded a 1-0 win against the Portland Timbers at Gillette Stadium. Stephen McCarthy returned from suspension, coming back into the team for Blake Brettschneider.
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-4-2): Matt Reis - Kevin Alston (Florian Lechner 46), A.J. Soares, Stephen McCarthy (Alec Purdie 85), Chris Tierney - Kelyn Rowe, Clyde Simms, Shalrie Joseph, Lee Nguyen - Saer Sene (Fernando Cardenas 70), Ryan Guy

TEAM NEWS

• The Revolution did not win back-to-back games over the entirety of the 2011 season. They last won consecutive games in October 2010, a 2-1 win at Houston then a 1-0 home win vs. Kansas City.
• The Revolution also snapped a nine-game winless streak (0-5-4) away from Gillette Stadium. New England last won on the road July 20, 2011 in a 1-0 victory at D.C. United.
• "It was a combination of just keeping the ball, kind of getting them a little bit stretched, and then trying to find the holes. I thought (Lee) Nguyen and Kelyn (Rowe) did a real nice job of finding good spots and when they were able to turn, that's when we find and get space in behind," said Revolution head coach Jay Heaps.
• It was the club's first win on the West Coast since August 2009, a victory against Seattle. The Revolution do not make another trip to the Pacific time zone this season in regular season play.
• "We're still starting to gel, but, on nights like tonight when they all get together, you can see some of the good stuff that we can do," Heaps said.
• Kelyn Rowe's first professional goal came before a large contingent of friends and family in a place where he called home for a couple of years while attending UCLA.
• "I went to college two years, well, I guess a year-and-quarter, but it was great to play in front of family and friends," Rowe told reporters after the match. "To get that first goal in front of those people, it's really fun."
• After starting in a wide midfield role the week before - and moving to fullback in the course of that game - Ryan Guy was given a start up top in partnership with Saer Sene.
• "Ryan was a player this week where we gave him a lot of opportunities up front. Assistant coach Remi Roy was, like, hey look it, he does well up top let's give him a chance. So, we trained him up top this week and he was flying," said Heaps.
• When Kevin Alston was forced off at halftime as a precaution with hamstring stiffness, Florian Lechner made his MLS debut, coming in at right back.
• Goalkeeper Matt Reis was credited with his 99th victory between the posts. Five goalkeepers in MLS history have been awarded 100 victories or more in league play.