FC Dallas-Timbers Preview

FC Dallas is happy to have top scorer Blas Perez back, though midfielder Mauro Diaz may be out a second straight contest.

It's clear that Darlington Nagbe poses the biggest threat this weekend to the unbeaten club.

The Portland Timbers midfielder has scored more times against Dallas than versus any other opponent heading into Saturday night's home matchup between teams at opposite ends of the Western Conference standings.

FC Dallas (3-0-1) saw its perfect start to the season end with last Saturday's scoreless home draw with Seattle. Perez, who has three of the team's six goals, was away from the team while playing for Panama while Diaz was a late scratch with a leg injury.

The club has placed Diaz on a special training regimen separate from the rest of the team. His status this weekend is unclear.

Dallas is one of four unbeaten teams with the league's best goal differential at plus-5.

"They're a good team, they're unbeaten," Portland coach Caleb Porter said. "Blas Perez is very good in the box, he's a goal scorer, gets on the end of stuff in the air."

Portland (0-1-3) is one of four winless teams as it continues to play without star midfielder Diego Valeri, out with a torn ACL. Porter chose to use a 4-4-2 formation for the first time in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Vancouver to support forward Fanendo Adi, who has scored the club's three goals.

Nagbe and Rodney Wallace, who has a team-high 11 shots, are still searching for their first tallies.

That could change this weekend for Nagbe, who has scored five times in 10 matches against Dallas. He has 14 goals in his other 125 league contests.

"(It's) probably because they're a good attacking team," Nagbe said. "They like to attack and attack and maybe it leaves a little bit of space for us and myself to get goals."

The Timbers are concerned about slowing down Fabian Castillo, who Porter called "one of the most dangerous 1-v-1 players in the league." Castillo has scored once on his team-high 11 shots for FC Dallas, and has two assists.

"He's creating opportunities, which is the most difficult part," coach Oscar Pareja told the league's official website. "The other part is finalizing the product and just getting those things done."

Dallas will have to replace suspended midfielder Kellyn Acosta, who was sent off last week.

Portland expects to have midfielder Jack Jewsbury available after he missed last week's match due to a concussion. George Fochive started in his place.

The Timbers are 3-0-2 in the all-time series at home, where they play their next two games.

"Right now, we're not where we wanted to be," Porter said. "I think we're not where we deserve to be based on our performance in all honesty. But we've got two games, like I've said, at home and starting with Dallas we need to get three points."