FRISCO, Texas - Despite a pair of losses last week, FC Dallas is now just one point away from clinching its second consecutive postseason berth and ninth in 11 years. The Hoops can reach the postseason with a win or a draw on Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park when they host Real Salt Lake, who defeated FCD 3-2 on Saturday night in Salt Lake City, in their next-to-last home game of the year.
SCHEDULE:
Monday, Sept. 18: Training - 10 a.m. (CT) at Pizza Hut Park
Tuesday, Sept. 19: DAY OFF
Wednesday, Sept. 20: Training - 10 a.m. (CT) at Pizza Hut Park
Thursday, Sept. 21: Training - 10 a.m. (CT) at Pizza Hut Park
Friday, Sept. 22: Training - 10 a.m. (CT) at Pizza Hut Park
Saturday, Sept. 23: FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake - Pizza Hut Park - 7:30 p.m. (CT)
Sunday, Sept. 24: DAY OFF
- Schedule is subject to change. All times Central.
NOTES:
- FC Dallas can qualify for the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs with a win or draw against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park. The Hoops currently have 46 points, leaving them 10 points ahead of Real Salt Lake and 13 points ahead of Los Angeles. If Dallas gets at least a point against Salt Lake, neither of those clubs will be able to match FCD's point total, giving the team a playoff berth for the second straight season.
- The 46 points accrued by FCD so far this season surpasses the point total of seven of the team's first ten seasons while matching the point total from the 2000 campaign. The most points a Dallas team ever accumulated was during the 1999 season, when Dave Dir's side finished with a record of 19-13-0 for a club record 51 points. Dallas finished with 46 points in 2000 (14-14-4) and 48 points in 2005 (13-10-9).
- FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz snapped a career-long 11-game scoreless streak with a pair of first half goals in Saturday's 3-2 loss at Real Salt Lake. Ruiz now leads the team with 10 goals on the season.
- Ruiz has now scored 10 or more goals in all five of his seasons in MLS. With his two goals, Ruiz has also become the seventh player in team history to score 20 or more goals in a Dallas uniform and the eighth player in league history to score 20 or more goals for two different clubs.
- FC Dallas forward Abe Thompson had two assists in Saturday night's 3-2 loss at Real Salt Lake. It was the first time in Thompson's career that he had tallied more than one assist in a single game. Thompson now has a career-high four assists to go along with one goal on the season.
- FC Dallas is now six points ahead of second place Houston atop the Western Conference. The Hoops are 14-10-4 (46 points) while Houston holds a 10-8-10 record (40 points) with each having four games left. If Dallas can hold onto this lead and win the Western Conference, it will be the first time in MLS history that a Dallas team finishes atop its conference standings. For the complete MLS standings, please click here http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/standings/
