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FC Dallas-Fire Preview

May 30, 2009 - 5:55 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

FC Dallas (1-6-3) at Chicago (5-0-6), 3:00 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Fire's unbeaten run through the first third of their schedule looked like it was certain to come to an end earlier this week.

After a stunning comeback win, it'd be even more surprising if it doesn't extend at least one more game.

Two late goals against the league's best team stretched Chicago's undefeated streak to 11 games, and it can tie the MLS record for the longest unblemished run to begin a season Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park against struggling FC Dallas.

The Fire (5-0-6) began a three-game road trip with a pair of victories, but it looked like their growing unbeaten streak was on the verge of ending Thursday at Chivas USA.

Trailing in the 89th minute, substitute Patrick Nyarko tipped in a Chris Rolfe deflection to tie the score at 2. After Brian McBride was taken down inside the 18-yard box in added time, Cuauhtemoc Blanco converted his second penalty kick of the game to give Chicago an astonishing 3-2 win over the Western Conference leaders.

"From the start, the game had a playoff-type feeling," Fire coach Denis Hamlett told the team's official Web site. "We just kept believing in what we're capable of doing and pushing the game and in the end, we got the three points."

Back home for the first time since May 9, Chicago will look to match the season-opening 12-game unbeaten streaks of the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1996, and the Kansas City Wizards in 2000.

The Fire will have to tie the record without Blanco, who joined the Mexican national team Friday to prepare for World Cup qualifiers. In addition, Chicago will be without defenders Bakary Soumare (Mali) and Gonzalo Segares (Costa Rica).

Nyarko, however, feels the Fire are deep enough to overcome the losses of three key players.

"That's the luxury this team has," Nyarko said. "Any team we put out there, we feel like we can win the match. All the guys on the bench have the potential to step on the field and change the game."

Chicago has only won once in four tries at home, but Dallas (1-6-3) is 0-4-1 on the road, where it has scored just once in its last three contests.

Dallas' two most recent games were 1-all draws at Pizza Hut Park. Drew Moor's second goal of the season gave Dallas a point May 23 against Los Angeles, despite Marcelo Saragosa's being sent off in the 26th minute with a red card.

"It was a difficult game for us, a very stressful game," coach Schellas Hyndman said. "The players were put under a lot of pressure early. On the positive side, we got a point at home against a team we played 65 minutes with a man down."

Dallas will be undermanned with Saragosa and injured midfielders Bruno Guarda and Andre Rocha unavailable. Defenders George John and Steve Purdy are on the shelf as well.

Striker Jeff Cunningham, though, should be ready to go after missing last week's game, and Hyndman has hinted he'll put Cunningham in Rocha's right midfield spot.

The Fire won their season opener against Dallas 3-1 on March 21. Dallas has won its last three visits to Chicago.