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Dallas, Philadelphia both hoping to stop the rot

May 18, 2012 - 8:22 PM Frisco, TX (Sports Network) - A pair of struggling sides will get together at FC Dallas Stadium on Saturday as the Hoops host the Philadelphia Union with both teams attempting to snap three-game losing streaks.

A lack of scoring has troubled both teams so far this season, with the Union scoring more than one goal in a game for the first time in a 3-2 defeat against Red Bull New York last weekend.

Dallas, meanwhile, ended a goalless drought of 230 minutes when Fabian Castillo scored in a 2-1 loss against the Columbus Crew, giving the Hoops their first goal from open play since April 14.

While scoring has been a major issue for the Union this season, much of the attention on the club this week surrounded the trade that sent defender Danny Califf to Chivas USA in exchange for midfielder Michael Lahoud and allocation money.

Califf has been at odds with coach Peter Nowak this year, and the former captain saw his time in Philly come to an end, leaving question marks as to how the Union will change up its back line.

But Nowak is confident the trade won't damage the Union rearguard, and he feels that he now has options with a quicker group of players in defense.

"There's always a question of how we're going to proceed," Nowak said. "But I think during the last couple of weeks we already played with Sheanon Williams (at center back), and the arrival of Ray Gaddis gave us the flexibility to keep the line a little bit higher. We have enough speed right now. The trade is going to give us another option as well."

Dallas doesn't have to worry about anything except how to get back into the win column, which it hasn't done since April 14, a stretch that spans six games.

In Philadelphia, Dallas might have the perfect opponent to help the club snap out of its current funk with the Hoops owning a 2-0-2 mark all time in meetings with the Union.

Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman cannot do anything to change his team's poor start, but he has instead opted to focus on the next 11 games in the hope that his team can turn around its season.

"All we're doing now is focusing on the next 11 games," Hyndman said. "If we can do that, it gives us a very good chance to forget about the last game or the last couple games."