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Revolution-FC Dallas Preview

Sep 29, 2009 - 4:53 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

New England (10-8-7) at FC Dallas (8-12-6), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Facing FC Dallas would appear to be a great chance for the New England Revolution to improve their position in the tightly packed playoff race. Overcoming the loss of Steve Ralston to a season-ending knee injury might be a stiffer task.

The Revolution will try to continue their dominance of Dallas on Wednesday night when they play the first of two road games in four days.

New England (10-8-7) holds the eighth and final playoff position, one point ahead of D.C. and two behind the sixth-place tie between Chivas USA and Seattle, which trail fourth-place Colorado by one point. The Revs visit the Rapids on Saturday and hold two games in hand on them and the Sounders.

The Revolution have a good opportunity to move atop that crowd after rallying for a 2-1 win over Seattle behind two second-half goals by midfielder Shalrie Joseph on Saturday.

"We knew we needed to get three points because we're going to have a tough game in Colorado and in Dallas, and we have to take care of business," said Joseph, who leads the team with career highs of eight goals and eight assists. "No matter where we play right now, we know that the playoff picture is coming around and we need points no matter where we go."

Those points may be harder to come by after New England learned it will be without Ralston, the league's all-time leader in games played (378) and assists (135).

The 35-year-old midfielder tore the ACL in his right knee in the 19th minute Saturday. Ralston, second on the team with seven goals and seven assists, came down awkwardly while going for a ball.

The Revs, though, have thoroughly dominated Dallas (8-12-6), going 10-1-1 dating to a 2-1 loss Aug. 2, 2000. They've won the last six meetings by an 11-4 margin, not including a 2007 victory in U.S. Open Cup play.

The Revolution haven't lost to FCD since a 4-0 defeat at Pizza Hut Park on May 20, 2006, and are 22-9-1 in the all-time series with an 11-4-1 road mark.

Ralston scored the eventual winner with 10 minutes to play in the last meeting, a 2-1 home victory April 4.

Dallas still has faint playoff hopes after winning two of three, but it's seven points back of New England with four games to play.

"Let's see where we can take this thing. Crazier things have happened in soccer," midfielder Dave van den Bergh told the team's official Web site. "The best thing about those last four games is we have nothing to lose. We can take it game-by-game. We don't even have control over our own destiny any more. So all we can do is play well, play hard and take it game-by-game."

Dallas' resurgence has been helped by improved play at home, where it's 5-0-1 after a 1-3-3 stretch.

The club won at home again Saturday, beating Salt Lake 3-0 as Jeff Cunningham scored twice and van den Bergh notched two assists.

Cunningham has 12 goals in his past nine games, including six in the last four. That surge has moved the Jamaican forward into a tie with the Rapids' Conor Casey for the league lead at 15.

Cunningham's 119 career goals rank him second all-time in MLS.