The previous five weeks have been a warm up. One game per week will become a sorely missed luxury. Thursday's match versus FC Dallas marks the beginning of a tough string of road trips, short weeks and little time for rest. It doesn't hurt that the Texan team currently sits in the basement of the conference.
While it would be easy to dismiss this as an early-season "gimme" win over a poorly performing team, there is a good chance the Sounders might get surprised by a hungry squad.
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Dallas has yet to claim victory this season, but has tied two of the league's best teams, Houston and Columbus, earning a point each for their efforts.
The match history against the Sounders paints a similar story. The first match played at Pizza Hut Park on May 16, 2009 was a 1-1 draw. Seattle squeaked past 2-1 in their second meeting held at Qwest Field on October 24, 2009, snapping a four-game winning streak by Dallas.
In the last two games, Dallas has been able to score first, eventually earning a draw and a loss, but it shows that points aren't easy to come by when playing Dallas. This team is due for a win and unless Seattle stays sharp, they could find themselves on the receiving end of a rout heading to Toronto.
The Sounders need to approach this game as a must-win. They are five points back from the L.A. Galaxy, who remain undefeated in first-place in the conference with several teams between. Seattle would do well to add three points on the road. With the U.S. Open Cup and the CONCACAF Cup looming ahead on the calendar, any cushion will be welcome.
Reach Galen Helmgren at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
