BURN TO HOST RAPIDS AT 6:00 P.M. SATURDAY AS PART OF DOUBLEHEADER
The Burn will host the Colorado Rapids at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 7 in the first match of a doubleheader at the Cotton Bowl. Following the Burn match, Mexican powerhouse Chivas of Guadalajara will square off against Santos. The Rapids (6-5-8) are currently in third place in the West with 26 points, just three points ahead of the Burn (6-7-5), while the Burn has a game in hand on Colorado.
BURN/RAPIDS SERIES NOTES
The Burn leads the all-time series vs. Colorado 14-13-3...the two teams have met twice this year with each match resulting in 1-1 draws...the Burn is currently riding a five match unbeaten streak at home vs. the Rapids, posting a 4-0-1 record over that span...Colorado's last victory in Dallas came on May 5, 2001...in the last 11 meetings, the Burn is 5-3-3...Jason Kreis leads all Burn scorers vs. the Rapids with eight goals and seven assists for 23 career points...Chris Henderson and John Spencer lead all Rapids scorers vs. the Burn with 15 points apiece.
BURN TO FACE KANSAS CITY WEDNESDAY IN OPEN CUP QUARTERFINALS
The Burn will travel to Overland Park, Kansas to face the Wizards in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Valley District Athletic Complex. The match will mark the first-ever meeting between the Burn and the Wizards in Open Cup play. Dallas and Kansas City have met four times in MLS play this year, with the Wizards taking three of the four matches. The winner of Wednesday's match will face the winner of the San Jose Earthquakes/Minnesota Thunder quarterfinal match in the semifinals on August 25, with the Burn hosting should San Jose advance.
THREE BURN PLAYERS REPRESENT WEST AT MLS ALL-STAR GAME
Three Burn players - Cory Gibbs, Ronnie O'Brien and Jason Kreis - all saw significant playing time last Saturday at the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game. Gibbs and O'Brien both started the match, with Gibbs playing 47 minutes and O'Brien seeing 73 minutes of action. Kreis came on in the 47th minute and led the game in shots on goal with three and scored the final goal for the West side with a rocket in the 89th minute for his third goal in six all-star appearances.
JOHNSON EQUALS POINT TOTAL FROM LAST THREE YEARS COMBINED
In only 15 matches played this year, forward Eddie Johnson has already equaled his total points output from the previous three years combined. Johnson currently has six goals and three assists for 15 points, which is tied for seventh in the league in overall scoring. Through his first three years of league play (43 matches) he had seven goals and one assist for 15 points.
INJURY REPORT
Probable:
Steve Jolley, Back spasms
Carey Talley, Bruised ribs
