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Crew-FC Dallas Preview

Apr 9, 2010 - 5:12 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Columbus (1-0-0) at FC Dallas (0-0-1), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Columbus Crew looked every bit capable of winning another Supporters' Shield after an impressive performance in their home opener.

Picking up three points in their first road game may not be quite as easy.

Columbus looks to continue its solid start Saturday night when it visits FC Dallas, which tries to stretch its unbeaten streak at Pizza Hut Park to 10.

The Crew made an early playoff exit in 2009, hardly the defense of their MLS Cup title they were looking for after finishing with the league's best record for a second straight year.

One game into 2010, Columbus seems like it's hardly lost its footing among the league's elite. Though midfielder Adam Moffat lamented the Crew only beating Toronto FC 2-0 on March 27, saying "we probably should have won three-, four-, five- nil," it was three points all the same.

"It's too early to talk dynasty and all that, but if we could win three Supporters' Shields in a row, that would be something special that has never been done before," defender Frankie Hejduk said. "We want to be the best team in the league. Having said that, we can't get ahead of ourselves."

Columbus has won three of four against Dallas over the past two seasons. The Crew led 1-0 in the 80th minute June 20 before goals from Eric Avila and Kenny Cooper gave Dallas a 2-1 home victory, then Chad Marshall and Eddie Gaven scored in a 2-0 Columbus win Aug. 15.

Marshall, the 2009 MLS Defender of the Year, sat out against Toronto with a hamstring injury but should return Saturday.

Gaven has three goals in his last six games in the series, while Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham - the league's leading scorer with 17 goals in 2009 - has scored two of his 121 career goals against Columbus, his first MLS team.

Dallas' win over the Crew last season sparked an impressive run at Pizza Hut Park. Coach Schellas Hyndman's club closed the season on a 7-0-1 run there and picked up another point at home in its 2010 opener. Houston's Mike Chabala opened the scoring in the 36th minute before Atiba Harris' goal 2 minutes later gave Dallas a 1-1 draw.

"I was very pleased with our play because we were down a goal to a very good team," Hyndman said. "They have that mentality of stepping onto you when you're down. I was very pleased with our mental attitude of coming back."

The point may have come with a price. Defender Kyle Davies is expected to miss at least six weeks after surgery to repair a broken right arm.

These teams are both owned by Clark Hunt, and even though they are in opposite conferences, Dallas midfielder Dax McCarty said a rivalry exists.

"You always expect the same thing from Columbus. At the end of the day, they're definitely one of the best teams in MLS," McCarty said. "We're owned by the same ownership group, so there's always a little bit more competitive fire in the game."