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FC Dallas-Chivas USA Preview

Jun 25, 2010 - 11:52 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

FC Dallas (3-2-6) at Chivas USA (3-8-1), 10:30 p.m. EDT

Chivas USA entered the World Cup break having matched a team record for consecutive MLS defeats. During its time off, the club suffered a more debilitating loss.

For the first time in four years, Chivas won't be able to rely on star midfielder Sacha Kljestan on Saturday night when it tries avoid a sixth straight defeat against visiting FC Dallas.

With Kljestan absent, Chivas USA fell 1-0 at New York on June 5. Five days later, he completed a transfer to join Belgian club Anderlecht. The 24-year-old midfielder, selected fifth overall in the 2006 SuperDraft, was the Red and White's all-time leader in assists (30) and games played (112).

"It's very tough news," defender Jonathan Bornstein told the team's official website. "We're definitely going to miss Sacha."

Chivas signed Brazilian midfielder Paulo Nagamura - who played with the team from 2007-09 - on Friday, but he won't be eligible to play until July 15. With his team last in the Western Conference, first-year Chivas coach Martin Vasquez will have to rework his lineup to make up for Kljestan's departure until then.

He may need to lean on goalie Zach Thornton in Saturday's game.

The reigning MLS goalkeeper of the year, Thornton recorded two of his league-leading 12 shutouts last season against Dallas. However, after posting the second-lowest goals-against average in MLS history (0.87) in 2009, he's allowing 1.45 goals per game this season.

Perhaps venting his frustrations, Thornton received a red card in the final minutes of a 3-2 loss to D.C. United on May 29. That forced him to miss a matchup with one of his former teams, the Red Bulls.

His replacement, Dan Kennedy, gave up the lone goal to New York on Seth Stammler's low shot from about 30 yards. Chivas' fifth straight defeat matched its skid from June 10-Aug. 8 last season.

Before heading into the break, FC Dallas snapped an 0-1-2 slide with its best offensive showing in more than a month.

Brek Shea scored twice in a two-minute span to lead his team to a 2-0 win over San Jose on June 5. It marked the first time Dallas (3-2-6) scored twice in a game since a 4-2 loss to D.C. United on April 28.

"I thought we did some really good things (against San Jose) as far as possession and going in the right direction," coach Schellas Hyndman said. "Going to Chivas, we will have a good performance because we've worked hard (at practice) and we've had a taste of what our team wants to do."

Chivas beat Dallas twice last season to and an 0-2-2 stretch in this series, and is 3-3-1 all-time against FC Dallas at the Home Depot Center.