Minnesota United-Dallas gameday preview

7 p.m. vs. FC Dallas • Ch. 29, 1500-AM

Catching the best on a 'blip'

Preview: United (8-15-5, ninth in the West) is coming off winning its first match when allowing the first goal. Meanwhile Dallas (9-8-11, eighth in the West), is on an 0-5-4 run and hasn't recorded a victory in more than two months. And in that nine-match winless streak, Dallas has managed just seven goals. But the Loons have conceded the first goal in the past three matches, and Dallas is undefeated when scoring first this season.

Quotable: "We haven't had back-to-back wins all season. This is a great opportunity against one of the best teams in MLS. They're having a little blip at this moment in time, but I think if you were to ask 20 coaches, 21 coaches in MLS which are the best teams, invariably Dallas would be in that three or four top teams. So we know we're playing a really good team, and if we don't play well, we won't win, that's the bottom line. But we've got to play with the same intensity and desire that we've shown recently." — United coach Adrian Heath.

Numbers: United goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth ranks third in the league with 94 saves, five out of first place.

Absences: Defender Matt Hedges (suspension) and F Bryan Reynolds (national team duty) are out for Dallas. M Bernardo Anor (leg), M Sam Cronin (concussion) and D Thomas de Villardi (Achilles') are out for United. Defender Jermaine Taylor (concussion) is questionable.

Megan Ryan