CRUICAL WESTERN CONFERENCE BATTLES AHEAD FOR THE HOOPS:
With a playoff spot now secured, FC Dallas can go about its business of trying to solidify its position in the Conference and try to ensure home field advantage in the opening round. Landon Donovan and the Los Angeles Galaxy are level on 39 points with FCD with the two teams facing each other twice more in the league in the next two weeks. The first of those encounters will come at Pizza Hut Park on Wednesday night. A win for the Hoops will keep their hopes of a first-ever #1 seed heading into the playoffs alive, though a loss to the Galaxy combined with a San Jose win over Chicago later in the evening will see the Earthquakes clinch the top seed throughout the postseason.
FC Dallas will be back in action on Saturday night when it travels to San Jose to take on the Earthquakes. A win by Colin Clarke's side in this game will keep the Hoops hopes alive for home field advantage throughout the postseason.</p>
You can listen to Wednesday night's game against the Galaxy on KFCD 990AM (English) with Ray Canevari or Radio AYO 1540AM (Spanish) with Carlos Alvarado and Jesus Padilla. For Saturday's game against the Earthquakes you can listen live on the radio on KFCD 990AM or watch it live on KLDT TV 55 with Brad Sham and Dave Dir having the call starting at 9:00 p.m. from Spartan Stadium.</p>
TRAINING SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, September 20: 9:30 a.m. @ Pizza Hut Park
Wednesday, September 21: FC Dallas (11-9-6, 39 points) vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (11-11-6, 39 points) at 7:30 p.m. (CDT)
Thursday, September 22: 9:30 a.m. @ Pizza Hut Park
Friday, September 23: TRAVEL DAY
Saturday, September 24: FC Dallas (11-9-6, 39 points) at San Jose Earthquakes (15-4-8, 53 points) at 9:00 p.m. (CDT)
Sunday, September 25: TRAVEL DAY
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
PLAYOFFS AWAIT FOR FCD: Three years of waiting was officially ended on Sunday afternoon when FC Dallas clinched its first playoff spot since 2002 with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at Pizza Hut Park. With the win, FCD now has 39 points, compared to Real's 19 points, with the expansion team having just six games left on its schedule.
The Hoops win also assured the Galaxy of a spot in the postseason for the 10th straight year as they are level with the Hoops on 39 points, though Dallas has two games in hand on Wednesday night's opponent, and a pair of games still to go against L.A.
Dallas last qualified for the postseason in 2002 when it finished third in the Western Conference at 12-9-7, 43 points, before losing to Colorado in the MLS Quarterfinals in a series deciding mini-game at the Cotton Bowl. </p>
CALIFORNIA DREAMING: The next two weeks will be all about The Golden State here in Dallas as the Hoops have four games on their schedule in the next 13 days, with all coming against California clubs. Staring with Wednesday night's game at home against the Galaxy, FC Dallas will then train for one day in Frisco before departing for San Jose. The team will return from San Jose on Sunday morning before heading back to the West Coast, this time Los Angeles, where it will be stationed from Tuesday until Sunday for Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup Final and Saturday's league match between the Galaxy and FCD at The Home Depot Center.
On the year, Colin Clarke's side is 4-2-3 against the three California teams (Earthquakes, Galaxy and Chivas USA), but just 1-2-2 against the two that it will face in the coming days.
MINA'S MONSTER DAY: Roberto Mina produced the first multi-goal game of his MLS career on Sunday to lead FC Dallas to its 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake. His two goals, one on either side of halftime, made him the second FCD player, joining Carlos Ruiz who did so in the Stadium Dedication Game against the MetroStars on August 6, to score two goals in a game at Pizza Hut Park. Mina is the third FC Dallas player to register a multi-goal game this season, joining Ruiz and Clarence Goodson, and it is the fourth multi-goal game of the year for the Hoops. Mina, whose opening goal in the 17th minute has been nominated for Sierra Mist MLS Goal of the Week, is the 15th different Dallas player to record a brace for the franchise in a regular season MLS match.
FC DALLAS WEEKLY TAKES OVER DAVE AND BUSTER'S IN FRISCO: Please join us this Thursday night for the weekly FC Dallas Radio Show with Ray Canevari on KFCD 990 AM. "FC Dallas Weekly" airs every Thursday from 6 - 7 p.m. on KFCD. This Thursday Canevari and KFCD will once again take the show to Dave and Buster's at the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. Canevari is scheduled to recap Wednesday night's crucial six-pointer against the Los Angeles Galaxy while also previewing Saturday night's battle against the Western Conference leading San Jose Earthquakes. Head Coach Colin Clarke and goalkeeper Scott Garlick will join Canevari as will Colin McCarthy, President and Founder of Soccer Silicon Valley and other special guests.
