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FC Dallas-Earthquakes Preview

Sep 10, 2010 - 5:24 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Editor

FC Dallas (10-2-10) at San Jose (9-7-5), 10:00 p.m. EDT

Even though FC Dallas hasn't lost in more than three months, the club still faces an uphill climb to finish the season atop the Western Conference.

Dallas hopes to run its record unbeaten streaks to 14 games overall and 11 on the road as it visits the surging San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.

Coach Schellas Hyndman's club already has set a franchise record by going 13 games - including eight wins - without a defeat since a 1-0 loss to Los Angeles on May 20.

But FCD's road run may be even more impressive. Dallas (10-2-10) has gone 3-0-7 away from home since a 2-1 defeat at New York on April 17, the longest stretch without a road loss in MLS history.

That has all but assured FCD of its first playoff berth since 2007, but the team remains four points behind both Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles in the West. It has one game in hand on the Galaxy and two on RSL.

Dallas has won four of five overall, including a 1-0 victory over Toronto FC last Saturday. That victory came at a cost, however, as standout center back George John left with a hamstring injury.

John, limited to 16 games by a similar problem last year, is unlikely to play Saturday.

"It's not one of those things that he's not tough enough to go play on it, it's that he's unable to play the way he needs to play on it," Hyndman told MLS' official website. "We're monitoring that quite closely."

Captain Daniel Hernandez and Atiba Harris return from suspension for Dallas, but FCD is also without center back Ugo Ihemelu (concussion), leaving its defensive corps in limbo as the team tries to extend a three-game shutout streak.

San Jose, meanwhile, has been adding pieces to its attack lately as it tries to reach the postseason for the first time since 2005, before the franchise's two-year hiatus.

Khari Stephenson and Geovanni both joined the Earthquakes (9-7-5) last month, and each player scored in a 2-1 win at Houston on Sunday - the club's third victory in four matches.

While Stephenson is questionable Saturday with a leg injury, Dallas will be wary of Geovanni, the first designated player in Earthquakes history. The Brazilian standout set up Stephenson's goal in his first MLS start.

"I liked both (the goal and the assist), but what I liked most of all was that we won," Geovanni said through a translator. "That's one of the goals that I have, to be able to help the team get to the playoffs."

Although they're sixth in the West, the Earthquakes occupy the final MLS playoff spot because they're eighth in the overall standings.

San Jose must play without suspended midfielder Sam Cronin as it tries to avenge a 2-0 loss at Dallas on June 5. Brek Shea scored two goals in a three-minute span in the second half of that game.

FCD also won its most recent visit to Buck Shaw Stadium, 2-1 on Oct. 7.