FC Dallas-Rapids Preview

Oscar Pareja left the Colorado Rapids to return to FC Dallas, and the move has paid off with a playoff spot.

The Rapids didn't come close to joining their former coach.

Pareja returns to Dick's Sporting Good Park for the first time since tendering his resignation as Dallas attempts to complete a sweep of the three-game season series Saturday.

Pareja spent two seasons at the helm of the Rapids, leading them to the postseason last year, when they fell 2-0 at Seattle in the knockout match.

Despite seemingly having Colorado on the rise in the Western Conference, Pareja resigned from his position Jan. 4 and six days later announced his return to the club he represented as a player and assistant.

Now, he may get a chilly reception in his first game back in Colorado, and that may not matter since FCD (15-11-6) is back in the playoffs after a two-year absence.

"It feels great. This is home," Pareja told the team's official website. "My commitment was to bring the playoffs back this year and we're here. I feel great, but the job is not done yet. There are a lot of things to work on and I really think we can qualify third and fight for that spot and have a long run in the playoffs."

Dallas secured its postseason berth Sunday, when Fabian Castillo scored in the 88th minute to complete a second-half rally and beat Los Angeles 2-1.

The team has a chance to finish as high as third in the West, which would mean avoiding the knockout round where Colorado (8-16-8) was eliminated in 2013.

David Texeira credits Pareja for Dallas' success, but the speedy midfielder has contributed three goals in three games after scoring against the Galaxy.

"Every player wants to fight for big things, for trophies, so that's the most important thing," Texeira said. "When you play, you want to win things. You have to have hunger. You have to believe. He says you have to believe that we're a good team and anything is possible. That's what we're doing every match, we show it on the field and we believe in ourselves."

That's certainly been in the case while outscoring the Rapids 6-3 while winning two home meetings. Castillo had a goal in each of those games, including the final tally of a 3-1 victory Aug. 9.

The forward has four goals and three assists in his past seven games versus Colorado, and he has a good chance to build on that since the Rapids are winless in a franchise-record 12 straight games (0-10-2).

The Rapids, who have been outscored 36-12 over that stretch, failed to capitalize on a 22-7 shot advantage while falling 2-1 loss to Chivas USA last Saturday.

"Again, I think our trouble isn't so much scoring goals but being better defensively," first-year coach Pablo Mastroeni told the team's official website. "Unfortunately, not capitalizing on our opportunities and not defending well enough in those moments costs us."

Colorado has allowed a league-high 60 goals and will be without defender Thomas Piermayr for the final two games of the season due to an MCL sprain suffered last weekend.