Week 31: Examiner.com's MLS preview, Part II: FC Dallas mounting blitzkrieg

October 16, 11:42 PMMLS ExaminerCharlie Corr

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  AP photo / Dax McCarty and FC Dallas have won four of their last five matches.

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FC Dallas' late-season run has been pretty impressive, hasn't it?

The journey for the postseason still is an uphill climb, but FCD (36 points) can certainly help itself with Saturday's match against the visiting Colorado Rapids. The Rapids currently sit above the playoff dividing line with 40 points, two ahead of New England's 38 in the eighth playoff spot.

Dallas has unearthed itself in a way so uncharacteristic of this season filled with everyone clawing and scratching for countless draws. FCD has a 4-1 record over its past five matches and a 6-3-1 mark since the July 29 All-Star Game. Colorado, on the other hand, is in the midst of a four-game streak of draws.

Not only is the playoff picture an interesting one, but having the league's top two scorers - Dallas' Jeff Cunningham and Colorado's Conor Casey - adds another exciting element to the mix.

Colorado's forward tandem of Casey and Omar Cummings looks superb when things are in sync. Of late, it hasn't been that way. Casey has had to put away some late tallies just to salvage a couple of draws. Cummings has been nonexistent ever since his two-goal performance against the Chicago Fire on Aug. 23, only to see the host Fire tally three unanswered for the 3-2 victory.

Dallas' Cunningham is mounting a blitzkrieg on the offensive third, and there are very few signs of him letting up. He currently has the top spot for the Golden Boot with 17 goals.

Momentum favors Dallas. The home vs. road aspect definitely favors Dallas (FCD is 7-3-4 at home; Colorado is 2-6-5 on the road).

FCD clearly has the hot hand.

SATURDAY'S MATCHES

• Real Salt Lake (10-11-7) at Toronto FC (9-10-9): Winner - Toronto FC (Check out Real Salt Lake Examiner Jeffrey Krotosky's coverage.)

• Chicago Fire (10-7-11) at New England Revolution (10-10-8): Winner - Chicago Fire (Check out Chicago Fire Examiner Roman Kashuba's and Boston Soccer Examiner L.E. Eisenmenger's coverage.)

• Columbus Crew at D.C. United: Winner - Columbus Crew (Check out D.C. United Examiner Ed Morgans' coverage.)

• Seattle Sounders FC (10-7-11) at Kansas City Wizards (8-12-8): Winner - Seattle Sounders FC (Check out Seattle Soccer Examiner David Falk's and Kansas City Wizards Examiner Brent Lager's coverage.)

• Colorado Rapids (10-8-10) at FC Dallas (10-12-6): Winner - FC Dallas (Check out Colorado Rapids Examiner Deron White's coverage.)

• San Jose Earthquakes (7-13-8) at Chivas USA (13-9-5): Winner - Chivas USA (Check out Bay Area Soccer Examiner Giovanni Albanese Jr.'s and Chivas USA Examiner John Santos' coverage.)

SUNDAY'S MATCH

• Los Angeles Galaxy (11-6-11) at Houston Dynamo (12-8-8): Winner - Houston Dynamo (Check out Los Angeles Galaxy Examiner Matthew Hall's coverage.)

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(Prediction record last week: 3-0 with 1 draw. My cumulative record: 61-44 with 43 draw. ***Please note, all draws are actual MLS draws - this forum only decides winners and losers each week.***)

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Charlie Corr is a freelance sports writer based in Chicago. In addition to his Major League Soccer duties, he is the Chicago Sports Examiner and the creator of a Chicago-based soccer Web site, SlideTackles.net.

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