• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

FC Dallas-Sounders Preview

Jul 10, 2010 - 2:05 PM By SAMANTHA PANITCH STATS Writer

FC Dallas (5-2-6) at Seattle (4-8-3), 10:30 p.m. EDT

David Ferreira's recent play has helped Dallas FC put together its best stretch of the season.

Now Ferreira will try and help Dallas extend its season-high winning streak to four games Sunday against the Seattle Sounders.

Ferreira comes in having converted a penalty kick in successive games, the latest on July 3 in the 58th minute of a 1-0 win over Kansas City. On June 26, he helped lift Dallas (5-2-6) to a 2-1 victory over Chivas USA.

The Colombian midfielder has three goals and four assists this season, and seems to be playing his best soccer since coming back from the World Cup break.

"As we all saw last year, he's a very, very good player," Coach Schellas Hyndman told the team's official website. "He is a tireless worker. He's just a smart player. I think right now, this is more his team than anybody else's."

Ferreira isn't the only one who has been playing well as of late for Dallas.

Against the Wizards, Dallas was led by another strong performance from goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. He made crucial saves in the second half against his former club to improve to 5-1-3 with a 0.67 goals-against average since taking over the starting job. The shutout also was Hartman's second during Dallas' three-game winning streak.

He was helped by a defense that allowed Kansas City two shots on goal in the first half compared to seven for Dallas.

"We had to win this one. I think we've kind of been on a roll," defender Daniel Hernandez said. "We have three wins in a row and have been playing good soccer. I thought the work rate was excellent from everybody. It was a very important three points for us."

A fourth straight victory looks promising for Dallas against struggling Seattle.

The clubs played to a 2-2 draw on April 22 but the Sounders' season has gone downhill since as they have lost five of their last six against MLS opponents, including a 3-1 defeat to Los Angeles on July 4.

Steve Zakuani scored his fifth goal for Seattle (4-8-3) but defender James Riley conceded an own goal, and the Sounders were outplayed for most of the night.

"We didn't get enough pressure onto them defensively early enough," Sounders coach Sigi Schmid told the team's official website. "That was the story of the night for us. You've got to play with energy and I think we got overrun."

The Sounders will be trying to win their first match at Qwest Field since a 3-0 victory over New England on June 5.