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Wondolowski seeks Golden Boot as S.J. hosts FC Dallas

Oct 21, 2011 - 10:31 PM Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - FC Dallas and the San Jose Earthquakes conclude their Major League Soccer regular seasons at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday with much to play for.

Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski is one goal shy of the league scoring lead with 15 goals on the year, trailing D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario.

"He started the season out well and had a little bit of a dry patch in the middle of the year," head coach Frank Yallop said of Wondolowski. "He is a goal scorer; he has 15 goals this season, no penalty kicks. That is a good tally for anyone in any league, not just this one.

"He is a good player. He is dangerous around the goal and when he gets a good chance he usually scores."

Wondolowski has been a bright spot throughout an otherwise dull campaign for the 'Quakes, who are out of playoff contention. He has scored all of San Jose's five goals over the last four games.

"As a striker you go through hot spells and cold spells," Wondolowski said. "I just happen to be at this time on a hot streak and I just have to go as far as I can."

FC Dallas, meanwhile, is playoff bound and can secure the third spot in the Western Conference by claiming more points on Saturday than Real Salt Lake. The two teams are tied for third place with 52 points apiece.

With two straight wins, FC Dallas appears to have broken free of a sluggish spell that saw the club lose four successive league matches.

"I think when you look at the number of games we've played this year and you look at all of the traveling we did and suspensions and injuries, I think it was very normal for us to kind of hit a wall," said head coach Schellas Hyndman. "We just didn't have the energy. The ball didn't bounce right. Things weren't going well for us. So I don't think it's abnormal for teams to hit that wall.

"The thing I am really proud of the boys for is being able to recover at the right time. We're sitting now with 52 points, and we would have taken that in the beginning of the year."

FC Dallas first met San Jose this season back in March with the Earthquakes earning a 2-0 win at Pizza Hut Park. Wondolowski bagged a first-half brace to hand his side all three points.