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Toronto FC-FC Dallas Preview

Sep 3, 2010 - 6:07 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Toronto FC (7-8-6) at FC Dallas (9-2-10), 8:30 p.m. EDT

A week after posting the longest road unbeaten streak in MLS history, FC Dallas has a good opportunity to tie a franchise record for the longest home winning streak.

Dallas looks for a sixth consecutive victory at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday night when it faces short-handed Toronto FC, one of the league's worst road teams.

Dallas (9-2-10) extended its road unbeaten stretch to 10 games (3-0-7) with last Saturday's scoreless tie against Eastern Conference-leading Columbus. Riding a 7-0-5 run overall, FCD has moved to third in the West and within three points of second-place Salt Lake.

The team hasn't lost since a 1-0 defeat to league-best Los Angeles at Pizza Hut Park on May 20. Dallas has since outscored opponents 9-1 while winning five in a row at home, one shy of the franchise record which bridged the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

Kevin Hartman continues to have an outstanding first season with Dallas. The 36-year-old goalkeeper was named MLS player of the month for August after going 3-0-1 while allowing two goals. He leads the league with a 0.65 goals-against average.

Still, Hartman is quick to credit his teammates for his success.

"It starts up top," Hartman told the team's official website. "You have guys that are making sure that they shape the ball the right way. At the end of the day, it's an attribute to the number of goals we've conceded and to how good defensively we've been all year."

The club will be dealing with the absences of midfielders Atiba Harris and Daniel Hernandez, who are suspended for yellow-card accumulation. Dallas also may be without forward Milton Rodriguez, who hurt his shoulder during last Saturday's match.

Rodriguez's lone goal in seven games for Dallas came late in a 1-all tie with Toronto on July 24. If he's unable to play, coach Schellas Hyndman would likely opt to start Jeff Cunningham, the league's second all-time leading scorer with 128 goals - four shy of D.C.'s Jaime Moreno.

Cunningham also leads FCD with seven goals on the season, netting three in four games off the bench.

Dallas is 2-0-1 all-time against TFC (7-8-6) at home, and the Canadian club is 1-7-1 on the road this season.

Toronto is two points behind San Jose for the final playoff position but enters in a 1-4-2 slump after playing to a scoreless tie with Salt Lake last Saturday.

The club will be without midfielders Dwayne De Rosario and Julian de Guzman and defender Nana Attakora, who are with the Canadian national team for a friendly against Peru on Saturday.

De Rosario leads Toronto with nine goals.

"From the first day, we've said that we have to be really confident in the group we have, no matter who's here," coach Preki said. "That goes the same for this game. We have to gut it out and put up a fight."

Preki may see the return of forward Maicon Santos, who has one goal in five games but has missed the last three with a knee injury.