but both teams certainly have larger goals. Hosts FC Dallas come into the Pizza Hut Park matchup with their postseason future secure; the Hoops sit in third place in the Western Conference, but mathematically could still snatch home-field advantage in the conference semifinal series from in-state rival Houston Dynamo. Chivas USA come into the match in the lead in the West, three points ahead of Dynamo, and just three points in back of D.C. United for the Supporters' Shield with a game in hand over the current overall leaders.
REFEREE: Brian Hall. SAR (bench): Craig Lowry; JAR (opposite): George Vergara; 4th: Terry Vaughn
MLS Career: 136 games; FC/gm: 28.9; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 33; pens: 40
Games involving FC Dallas: P31 W16 L9 T6; FC/gm: 28.2; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 6; pens: 12
Games involving Chivas USA: P10 W4 L4 T2; FC/gm: 27.8; Y/gm: 2.7; R: 2; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS - OUT: DF Clarence Goodson (R hamstring), MF Pablo Ricchetti (L groin), FW Roberto Mina (L knee), MF Marcelo Saragosa (R knee); DOUBTFUL: DF Alex Yi (back spasms) ... CHIVAS USA - OUT: Carlos Llamosa (L knee ACL surgery), Anthony Hamilton (L knee MCL sprain); PROBABLE: Ante Razov (L hamstring strain), Lawson Vaughn (L ankle tendonitis)
SUSPENDED: DAL: Carlos Ruiz (through Oct. 12)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Chris Gbandi, Aaron Pitchkolan, Marcelo Saragosa ... CHV: Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DAL: Denilson, Drew Moor, Dominic Oduro, Pablo Ricchetti, Dario Sala, Juan Toja, Alex Yi ... CHV: Jason Hernandez, Orlando Perez, Lawson Vaughn
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHV: Ramon Nuñez (Honduras; Oct. 14 v Panama)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (10 meetings): FC Dallas 5 wins, 17 goals ... Chivas USA 3 wins, 14 goals ... Draws 2
AT PIZZA HUT PARK (5 meetings): FC Dallas 3 wins, 8 goals ...Chivas USA 1 win, 5 goals ... Draws 1
• This is the third and final league meeting between the clubs this season, the second of two at Pizza Hut Park. The teams have split their first two meetings, each winning on their home ground.
• A year ago, Chivas USA took the season series, winning two of the four meetings, with the teams also playing to a draw. Chivas won a game at each ground.
• The FC Dallas win in the last meeting ended a four-game winless streak against Chivas, with the Red-and-White winning three games in that run.
• Coaches record: Steve Morrow vs. CHV: P2 W1 L1 D0 ... Preki v DAL: P2 W1 L1 D0
2007 (MLS)
5/26: CHV 2, DAL 0 (Galindo 51; Razov 93+)
7/4: DAL 2, CHV 0 (Nunez 41; Oduro 86)
• In the first meeting on May 26, Chivas USA claimed a 2-0 victory with a pair of goals in the second half, both coming through their strike pair, and both coming from long range.
• In the 51st minute, Maykel Galindo dispossessed FC Dallas midfielder Juan Toja in the FCD half, and leapt to his feet toward the Hoops goal. Some 30 yards from goal he ripped a wicked right-footed drive that sailed past goalkeeper Dario Sala and inside the left-hand post.
• Ante Razov finished off the scoring in stoppage time with a bizarre goal. Sala was at the halfway stripe, trying to keep the ball forward as FCD chased the equalizer, and Chivas cleared the ball back out. Razov was quickest to it and knocked into the goal from inside the center circle past Sala, finally rolling slowly across the line for what was essentially an empty-net goal.
• FC Dallas returned serve on July 4 at home with a 2-0 victory. Ramon Nunez had started the game on the substitutes' bench, but put the Hoops into the lead in the 41st minute with a stunning strike, rifleing a rising blast into the upper left corner.
• A counter led to the second FC Dallas goal, four minutes from the end. Pablo Ricchetti raced forward with Dominic Oduro on his left. The Argentinean laid the ball off to Oduro, who cut across the top of the area and lashed a low drive past Chivas 'keeper Preston Burpo.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-2-1-3): Dario Sala - Bobby Rhine, Clarence Goodson, Aaron Pitchkolan, David Wagenfuhr - Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa (Ramon Nunez 12) - Juan Toja - Arturo Alvarez (Chris Gbandi 80), Carlos Ruiz, Abe Thompson (Dominic Oduro 62). Substitutes Not Used: Michael Dello-Russo, Shaka Hislop, Adrian Serioux, Alex Yi
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Preston Burpo - Lawson Vaughn (Rodrigo Lopez 62), Jason Hernandez, Shavar Thomas, Orlando Perez - Alex Zotinca, Jesse Marsch, Francisco Mendoza, John Cunliffe (Ante Razov 62) - Maykel Galindo, Laurent Merlin (Anthony Hamilton 79). Substitutes Not Used: Bobby Burling, Justin Myers, Eder Robles, Erasmo Solorzano
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas finally secured their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, going to Columbus and coming back for a 3-1 victory against the Crew on Saturday night. FCD now has 43 points with two matches remaining, five points behind Houston Dynamo in the bid for home-field advantage in the conference semifinal series.
LAST MATCH
• The Crew came into the game with just one win in their last nine games as they try to get back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004, while FC Dallas were also struggling to seal their postseason spot, with just one win in their last six games.
• The Crew owned the opening 45 minutes, but had just a single goal to show for it. It was a cracker: Alejandro Moreno ran down the ball on the left and laid back to Eddie Gaven, who ripped a long-range drive from outside the area that flashed inside the far post for the 31st-minute opener, his fourth goal.
• But FC Dallas pulled level three minutes after the break. Dominic Oduro slipped the ball inside to Arturo Alvarez, who cut laterally across the top of the area. He got to the top of the area and lashed a curling shot inside the left-hand post for his third goal.
• Needing a win, the Crew pushed numbers forward in the final minutes, and FCD made them pay. In the 86th minute, Ricardinho did the hard work, chasing down a loose ball just before it crossed the endline. He slid it to Abe Thompson outside the right post, and he was able to turn the between two Crew players and the post from a tight angle.
• Then three minutes later, Thompson sealed the match. Alvarez let fly with another long-range effort that Hesmer could only parry, and Thompson strolled in to knock the rebound into the goal for his first career multiple-goal game.
• FCD head coach Steve Morrow made five changes to the team that lost 3-0 to Houston the Sunday before. Aaron Pitchkolan and David Wagenfuhr came back into the team, for Blake Wagner and the injured Pablo Ricchetti. Abe Thompson and Dominic Oduro also came into the attack with Carlos Ruiz suspended and Dax McCarty returning to the substitutes' bench. Ray Burse also made his return between the posts, for Dario Sala.
• Here's Morrow's team (4-4-2): Ray Burse - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson (Bobby Rhine 58), Aaron Pitchkolan, David Wagenfuhr - Denilson (Dax McCarty 80), Adrian Serioux, Juan Toja, Arturo Alvarez - Abe Thompson, Dominic Oduro (Ricardinho 70). Substitutes Not Used: Kenny Cooper, Dario Sala, Blake Wagner, Anthony Wallace
• "We've been through a tough stretch recently so I think the guys showed a lot of character tonight, being able to come from behind to get the victory which, I think, was very deserved," said Morrow.
TEAM NEWS
• For Burse, his appearance was more than a bit of a homecoming. Just two years ago he was playing for Ohio State University, in Columbus, and earlier this year got his degree from the school. He made his league debut earlier this year, starting three games in a row in August, but had not started a game since Aug. 19, a 1-0 loss to Houston.
• "We'd conceded some goals recently, and [Burse] has been working very hard in practice, and looking very sharp," said Morrow. "He deserved his chance tonight and took it very well."
• Abe Thompson is once again rounding into form as the playoffs approach. His two goals gave him five in his last six games in all competitions; a year ago, he started six of FCD's final eight games and scored a goal with five assists. He then scored against Colorado in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals.
• "He always takes his chance well," Morrow said. "Like I've said before, with Abe, we always know what we're going to get. He's an honest, hard-working player and knows what little things in his game he has to keep working on. I see those things getting better all the time. He keeps the ball very well for us and has got a very good touch. He has to concentrate on doing that at a very high level throughout the entire game. He needs to look a little bit more dangerous around the goal and in the box."
• It was also a return to the partnership of Thompson and Oduro in attack. The duo played together over a three-game stretch at midseason, and each scored in a goal in that run.
• "We look to use each other's assets to one another's advantage," Thompson said. "Dom (Oduro) makes good runs in behind and I just have to be buzzing around him, supporting him, posting him up and bringing him and other guys into play. It's just us causing defenders to look at two different styles of play."
• Said Morrow: Morrow agreed: "It's a good combination and I think they complement each other well. It's good to have someone up top who holds the ball and someone who can run off them and give you speed to get behind and a different option."
• Carlos Ruiz missed the first of his two-game suspension, after he was sent off against Houston in a game where he also surpassed the yellow card limit.
• "It was obviously a straight swap, myself in there for Fish (Ruiz)," Thompson said. "I have to do what he does-cause problems for the opposing team, be dangerous in front of the goal, anticipate loose balls and crosses that guys will send in. I was able to do that and was rewarded with two goals."
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA moved back atop the Western Conference, claiming a 3-2 victory against Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday evening. Chivas USA now have 51 points with three matches remaining, three points ahead of Houston Dynamo and with a game in hand, and now three points behind D.C. United for the Supporters' Shield.
LAST MATCH
• Real Salt Lake were the only team mathematically eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs, despite a four-game unbeaten run, while Chivas USA hadn't lost in nine games.
• Assured of a playoff berth, strike pair Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo had the weekend off; between them, they have 23 goals. But the replacement strike pair combined to open the scoring in the 24th minute. Laurent Merlin broke down a defender and got in a cross from the right, and John Cunliffe bundled it home from close range.
• After the break on a rainy night on the Wasatch Front, the game burst into life. Real pulled level in the 52nd minute when a long ball was headed on from the flank by Fabian Espindola, and Chris Brown burst between defenders to slot home a shot under Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan.
• But Cunliffe, making his first start since July 4, put Chivas back into the lead just two minutes later. Sacha Kljestan led the Englishman with a perfectly weighted through ball, and Cunliffe lashed it home inside the left-hand post. Paulo Nagamura then doubled the Chivas lead with a wonder goal, hitting a shot from all of 35 yards that sailed over RSL 'keeper Chris Seitz and dipped just under the crossbar.
• Real pulled a goal back five minutes later when Andy Williams drove a bounding cross from the right side to the far post where Robbie Findley turned it home, but RSL couldn't find the equalizer.
• Chivas USA head coach Preki made three changes to the team that came back for a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire at home the weekend before. The first-choice strike force of Maykel Galindo (suspended) and Ante Razov did not make the trip, so John Cunliffe and Laurent Merlin came into the team. Alex Zotinca also came into the team for Lawson Vaughn.
• Here's Preki's team (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Alex Zotinca (Orlando Perez 82), Claudio Suarez, Shavar Thomas, Jonathan Bornstein - Sacha Kljestan, Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Francisco Mendoza - Laurent Merlin (Jason Hernandez 84), John Cunliffe (Ramon Nunez 70). Substitutes Not Used: Desmond Brooks, Preston Burpo, Jorge Flores, Rodrigo Lopez
• "Sometimes you need to be lucky. For the most part of the game we were organized, disciplined, and we played hard. We gave up two goals from basically nothing, I would call it, but that's sometimes how the game goes," Preki said. "(Real) Salt Lake could have equalized there at the end, it's just one of those days. But we're happy to get three points."
TEAM NEWS
• Razov was kept out of the 18-man traveling party to nurse a minor injury while Galindo was suspended, but Cunliffe in particular took his opportunity well.
• "We have a deep squad this year," said Preki. "These young guys have been waiting for an opportunity, tonight they got it. They got three goals -- you can't ask for more than that."
• Said the Englishman: "We're confident with the players we have in our 18-man roster. Obviously, when everyone is fit, Maykel and Ante are the stars but, I think the way the team plays develops a solidarity. We've got a lot of depth in our squad right now."
• The victory could not have been assured another stellar outing from Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan. "Brad played a really good game," said Preki. "He made a couple of really great saves early on, and he was, for me, man of the game."
• The season has been a real learning experience for Chivas - faced with different situation than the club has seen, and responding to the point where they are challenging for the league's best overall record. Saturday's game could also have provided another test for the upcoming playoffs, one that could be vital as the autumn continues on.
• "This is our first bad weather game, actually," said Jesse Marsch. "We like to be a good passing team, but in games like this it's not all about pretty soccer. It's just about digging in at times, winning tackles, winning second balls and not losing bad balls in the back. We did that pretty well and we were able to get some goals and that always helps out."
