FC Dallas continue their three-game homestand when they face the
Philadelphia Union on Saturday evening (7:30 p.m. CT, FSSW). FCD are unbeaten in their last
four games, coming off a 1-0 win over Toronto FC on Wednesday. The Union
are also coming off short rest from a midweek game after a 1-1 draw
against the LA Galaxy on Wednesday night at PPL Park.
REFEREE: Jasen Anno. SAR (bench): Chris Strickland; JAR (opposite): Frank Anderson; 4th: Armando Villarreal MLS Career: 22 games; FC/gm: 22.7; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 15; pens: 6
INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS – OUT: DF Edson Edward (R knee ACL tear); MF David Ferreira (R ankle); DF Jair Benitez (L knee); FW Maykel Galindo (L plantar fascia strain); FW Milton Rodriguez (IT band syndrome); PROBABLE: MF Bruno Guarda (R hip flexor strain) PHILADELPHIA UNION – OUT: GK Thorne Holder (concussion); DOUBTFUL: MF Stefani Miglioranzi (R groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Gabe Farfan (L hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: DAL: Victor Ulloa (U.S. U-20 national team)
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: PHI: Sheanon Williams, Danny Mwanga
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (2 meetings): FC Dallas 1 win, 4 goals … Union 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 1
AT DALLAS (1 meeting): FC Dallas 1 win, 3 goals … Union 0 wins, 1 goal … Ties 0
RETURN MATCH: 8/13: Philadelphia Union vs. FC Dallas, 6:30 p.m. CT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/15: PHI 1, DAL 1 (Mwanga 90 – Shea 13)
8/8: DAL 3, PHI 1 (Ferreira 24; Cunningham 75, 81 – Moreno 9)
• After the teams played to a draw in their first-ever meeting last
year in Philadelphia, FC Dallas came away 3-1 winners in the second,
Aug. 8 at Pizza Hut Park.
• Coaches record: Schellas Hyndman v PHI: P2 W1 L0 D1 … Peter Nowak vs. DAL: P9 W3 L3 D3
FC DALLAS
FC Dallas stretched their undefeated run to four games, knocking off
Toronto FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening at Pizza Hut Park. FCD has 14 points
from nine games on the season, moving into a tie for third place in the
Western Conference.
LAST MATCH(vs. Toronto FC)
• Just after the stroke of haltime, the hosts were awarded a penalty
when Toronto center back Adrian Cann pulled down Dallas defender George
John on a free kick service. Referee Yader Reyes saw enough to point to
the penalty spot, and from the resulting spot kick, Daniel Hernandez
sent goalkeeper Stefan Frei the other way.
• FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made two changes to the team
that reached a scoreless draw with D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Jackson
and Eric Alexander returned to the team, in place of Eric Avila and
Milton Rodriguez.
• FC DALLAS (4-3-1-2): Kevin Hartman - Jackson Goncalves, George
John, Ugo Ihemelu, Zach Loyd - Eric Alexander (Bruno Guarda 78), Daniel
Hernandez, Brek Shea - Andrew Jacobson - Marvin Chavez (Bobby Warshaw
93+), Fabian Castillo (Ruben Luna 65).
TEAM NEWS
• In the days leading up to the match, FCD head coach Schellas
Hyndman was intent on changing his team tactics by moving to a
twin-striker setup, closing training to keep the scheme quiet.
• “We have to look whether it’s structurally or individually, and
I’d rather make those privately,” Hyndman said. “Not just so the media
doesn’t get it and everyone else doesn’t get it, but I also think that I
need to have conversations with individual players personally.”
• But after forward Fabian Castillo let it slip that the change was
coming, Hyndman initially started his side with a lone striker and Eric
Alexander in a central role alongside Andrew Jacobson. Yet after 15
minutes, Marvin Chavez moved from a wide right spot to partner Castillo
in a 4-4-2.
• “What made me switch? It was Castillo telling everyone in the
world what we were going to do. We lost the element of surprise, so we
went back to what we normally do and made the change [later],” Hyndman
said.
• With usual penalty taker David Ferreira injured, Daniel Hernandez
was chosen to take the spot kick, though Castillo was lobbying for the
chance.
• "He played for me at SMU, where he took all the PKs, so I had a
lot of confidence in him," Hyndman said. "He's captain of the team and
there was a lot of pressure and I thought Daniel did a very good job
with it."
• For Hernandez, it was his first goal since 2002, when he was
playing for the New England Revolution. He scored three goals that
season, then added another in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
• “I don’t score many goals,” Hernandez said. “I don’t get too
excited, as you can tell by my celebration. I was more worried about
getting back and trying to defend to finish out the half.”
• After missing the game against D.C. United,
Jackson returned to right back with Zach Loyd switching sides to the
left of the back four.
• FC Dallas have now recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first
time this season and have gone 219 minutes without conceding a goal.
• "There were a lot of shots from distance and they were shots that I
felt comfortable dealing with," said goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. "I
thought we were really good today. It was a blue collar-type effort, we
were able to nullify some of their strengths."
WATCH: Bobby Rhine previews the keys to the match vs. Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA UNION
The Philadelphia Union returned home and came away with a point, playing to
a 1-1 draw with Western Conference leader LA Galaxy on Wednesday at PPL
Park. The Union have 14 points from eight matches on the year, in second place
in the Eastern Conference.
LAST MATCH(vs. LA Galaxy)
• The Galaxy took the lead in the 24th minute. After receiving a
pass from Sean Franklin, Landon Donovan back-heeled it to a streaking Juan
Pablo Angel. Angel momentarily lost control, but Donovan followed the
play and pounced on the loose ball, drilling it past Union ’keeper Faryd
Mondragón.
• But the Union pulled even in the 84th minute. Danny Mwanga broke his
scoring drought when he picked off a back pass from Galaxy defender Sean
Franklin, dribbled around goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and deposited the
ball into the back of the net for the leveller.
• Union manager Peter Nowak made four changes to the team that lost
1-0 to the Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field. Danny Califf and Jordan
Harvey returned to the back four for Michael and Gabriel Farfan, and
Kyle Nakazawa and Keon Daniel came into the midfield for Amobi Okugo and
Danny Mwanga.
• PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-1-3-2): Faryd Mondragon - Sheanon Williams,
Carlos Valdes, Danny Califf, Jordan Harvey (Jack McInerney 80) - Brian
Carroll - Justin Mapp, Kyle Nakazawa (Roger Torres 67), Keon Daniel
(Danny Mwanga 46) - Sebastien Le Toux, Carlos Ruiz.
TEAM NEWS
• With team manager Peter Nowak in Poland playing in a charity event, assistant John Hackworth guided Union from the bench.
• "I feel disappointed that we didn't get three (points), because at
the end, we had them on their heels,” Hackworth said. “It's a good
result because we were behind to one of the best teams in the league and
we came back. … We showed a lot in coming back, but we're always hoping
to get three points at home."
• For Danny Mwanga, his goal was his first of the season. He scored
seven goals last year in his rookie campaign after being selected first
overall in the 2010 SuperDraft, his first professional goal coming on May
15.
• "You need to get that first one out of the way, and now I can
focus on trying to get more goals to help the team," Mwanga said.
• Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon suffered a groin strain in the
72nd minute, but was able to last out the match after originally calling
for a substitute. Hackworth said Mondragon was “questionable” for the
FC Dallas match and will undergo further tests.
• "By him staying in the game it allowed us to bring Jack
[McInerney] into the game," Hackworth said. "You can't say enough about
what he did."
• Hackworth brought on three attacking changes – Mwanga, McInerney
and Roger Torres. The Union did not have a shot on target until a Torres
effort in the 73rd minute.
• "I think we are all offensive players, so it brings a spark,"
McInerney said. "It's tough, because you have 30 minutes to make a
difference. Tonight was kind of throwing [in] the kitchen sink, but it
worked, and we got a result."
• Mwanga, Sebastien Le Toux and Carlos Ruiz had started four games
together, in variations of a three-pronged attack. But when he came on
as a substitute, with Le Toux and Ruiz as front-runners, Mwanga played a
new role wide on the right of midfield.
• “It is hard to try to align Danny, Carlos and Sebastien,”
Hackworth said. “I just told Danny that he had done an excellent job in
training this week, I had a good feeling about it, I told him he was
going to get one, and he came on and had a lot of confidence. When he is
like that, he is as good as anybody in this league.”
• Hackworth also restored his first-choice back four, with Sheanon
Williams returning to right back after a game in the middle in place of
Danny Califf.
• “We always use our outside backs as attacking players, and Sheanon
did a fantastic job tonight. He does it with his effort, he does it
with getting forward, with his tackles,” Hackworth said. “He is a
fantastic player and he showed you that he is a catalyst to get us back
in that game.”
• The goal allowed by the Union was their first conceded from open play
this year, with each of the first three coming via set pieces.