Frisco, TX (Sports Network) - FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids enter their
match at FC Dallas Stadium on Sunday in similar positions through the first two
months of the season.
The two clubs, tied in the Western Conference on 12 points apiece, have played
much better at home than on the road - FC Dallas has managed a 3-0-2 record at
home but is winless on the road, while Colorado is 3-1-0 at home and 1-4-0 on
the road.
Fortunately for Dallas, it will be hosting the Rapids Sunday night.
Schellas Hyndman's men are winless in their last three league games, taking
just two points from that stretch with successive draws in their last two
outing. The club looked destined to collect three points at The Home Depot
Center against the Los Angeles Galaxy, but Pat Noonan struck for the home side
to earn a share of the spoils.
"Your whole mentality is to get points," said Hyndman. "For us we were talking
about, we have yet to win on the road and we have yet to get a point on the
road. We were two minutes away from getting that first win, but I'm proud that
we come away with not only a point but, I think, one of our better performances
to date."
The clash against Colorado is a crucial one as it is the first of two
consecutive home games before Dallas hits the road for four of its next five.
The health of the club's talisman, Brek Shea, will be something to monitor over
the course of the next few games. Shea scored the club's lone goal against Los
Angeles from the penalty spot, but appeared to do so with somewhat of a limp.
"I've been fighting turf toe since last Saturday," Shea said after the match.
"I guess I'm running around kind of awkward so it's spreading throughout my
whole foot. We've had the traveling and three games in a week so it finally
caught up to me."
Colorado is slumping of late, losing four of its last five. The Rapids took a
first-half lead against the New England Revolution on Wednesday but still
managed to lose, adding more disappointment to that poor run.
"Unfortunately, we failed again and had some mistakes, especially on set
pieces," said Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja. "That is costing us a lot early
in the season so far. That has been one of our big concerns and then
[Wednesday] was no different.
"After that, we had the initiative and tried to tie the game, and I thought it
was our players on the field who looked more for the game, but we couldn't get
the equalizer and we get out of game that we should have gotten more out of."
The Sports Network