Sounders-FC Dallas Preview

With their Western Conference lead gone and a franchise record-tying win streak snapped, the Seattle Sounders seek to get back on track with their first season sweep of FC Dallas.

Although Dallas has been struggling a bit, the club hasn't lost at home in nearly four months.

After resting some key players, both teams could be at nearly full strength for Wednesday night's matchup in Texas.

Seattle had won five straight across all competitions - including a U.S. Open Cup championship victory over Philadelphia on Sept. 16 - before a 4-1 defeat at New York on Saturday. That loss coupled with Los Angeles' 2-1 win over Dallas put the Sounders (17-8-3) into a tie atop the West and in the Supporters' Shield race.

"I think we're ready to get back to it after having a slip up in New York," said midfielder Lamar Neagle, whose team has clinched a playoff berth. "Going into Dallas, we definitely know we need these points so I think people are motivated to get back on track."

Following its 120-minute win in the Open Cup, Seattle rested DeAndre Yedlin and Brad Evans. Leading goal scorers Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey didn't appear until the final 31 minutes with Dempsey scoring the lone goal, his 12th in 20 games.

Dempsey has scored four goals in four MLS games in Dallas and has made two trips to the town where his youth career began since joining the Sounders in August 2013. He tallied two goals in the latest visit, a 3-2 victory April 12, but did not get on the score sheet in a 2-1 home victory May 7.

Kenny Cooper and Neagle scored in the second half of that win with Martins assisting on both goals, as the Sounders improved to 7-1-1 in the last nine league matchups.

FC Dallas (13-10-6) has dropped three of four with all those losses coming on the road by one goal. It has still won six straight league matches at home since a 2-1 loss to San Jose on May 31, and is seeking its first seven-game home win streak since a franchise-best eight in a row in 1999.

Dallas, fourth in the West and eight points up on the playoff cutoff, rested one of its top goal scorers - Fabian Castillo - and captain Matt Hedges in a 2-1 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday.

Blas Perez tied Castillo for the team lead with his ninth goal in the 54th minute but Dallas conceded two in the next 30 minutes.

"All of our minds right now are on the Wednesday's game," coach Oscar Pareja told the league's official website. "We have to turn this page quick and be focused on Seattle. ... That's where we are."

While Castillo and Hedges could return Wednesday, midfielder Mauro Diaz's status is unknown after he left following a 27-minute stint Saturday. Diaz hasn't played more than 54 minutes in his eight games since returning from right knee surgery July 4.

The Sounders are 3-1-3 all-time in Dallas.