|
September 12, 2009
DALLAS TAKES ON L.A. TONIGHT
Chavez expected to make debut
 |
FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman has struggled to find what he expects to be a winning combination on the field. The second-year coach thinks he may be closer than ever as the season enters the final stretch.
Photo by Michael Stephens |
Options for FC Dallas are running out as the team prepares to take on the red-hot Los Angeles Galaxy tonight at 9:30 (CT). The Galaxy are where FCD would like to be. Los Angeles (9-4-11, 38 points) is just two points behind Houston, leading the Western Division and the entire MLS in points. Dallas (6-11-6, 24 points) is seventh in the Western Division. Its playoff hopes hang by a slender thread.
Even winning out, giving FCD 46 points, would be no guarantee of putting Dallas in the elite eight, though it would probably do the trick. Winning six of their last seven games is considered a good bet at the playoffs, but even that is an unlikely scenario.
But even if the Red and White don’t pull off the unlikely win streak, new additions to the team will make the last stretch of the season an intriguing drama.
New signed Marvin Chavez is a likely starter and the speedy Honduran attacker has the ability to make an immediate impact. Daniel Hernandez will be available, but since his last game was three months ago in the Mexican league, it is a sure bet he is not ready to start or play a 90-minute game.
While defender Heath Pearce is just signed, he won’t be available until Dallas receives his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
FCD has some injury issues, making defender Anthony Wallace questionable because a left knee problem; defender Jair Benitez questionable to a left groin and Kyle Davies unlikely to a concussion. Center back Steve Purdy is gone, waived to make room for Pearce. Defender George John will start, but might be stretched to go the full 90 because he is still recovering from hamstring issues.
The Galaxy has much bigger injury woes, with defender Sean Franklin out to hamstring surgery , defender Julian Valentin (right foot fracture), as well as questionable players Chris Birchall (hamstring), forward Edson Buddle (foot sprain), forward Alecko Eskandarian (broken nose) and midfielder Demo Kovalenko (Achilles tendonitis). Yet, the Galaxy has won seven of their last 10 games. Head coach Bruce Arena has had great success in rebuilding the team to his preferences and managed to get results even as top forward Landon Donovan has missed numerous games while on U.S. National Team duty and star midfielder David Beckham missed nearly half the season while at AC Milan and has missed time because of assignment with the English National Team
Dallas, held to a 2-2 tie with D.C. United at Pizza Hut Park last week, have not won in three straight games.
On the positive, Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham is just one goal from moving into the all-time second-place among MLS career scoring. He tied Anti Razov last week with his 114th goal. That put Dallas ahead 1-0. After United tied the game, nifty David Ferreira put FCD ahead again in the second half, 2-1. But soon after that, FCD defender Daniel Torres was given a dubious red card (film replays make it look to be a bad call) and Dallas played nearly half the game a man short and eventually was tied 2-2 by United. Torres will not be available for tonight’s game because of the red card.
|
