FC Dallas (4-6-4) at Houston (4-4-6), 9 p.m.

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - New FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman said after last week's 1-0 loss to Red Bull New York - Dallas' sixth in its last 10 games - he's "still getting to know the players' names."

And he wasn't referring to New York's players.

Hyndman was named Dallas' new coach last week and the transition from coaching college soccer at SMU to Major League Soccer certainly wasn't going to happen in less than a week.

He had just four days to work with the team after being hired and the ideas he tried to instill will take a lot more time. Just like learning all the players' names.

"It's hard to make it better when we don't have a chance to select some of the players or take them through some kind of training," said Hyndman, who coached at SMU for 24 years.

"It was a learning opportunity for all of us."

Dallas, which is just 2-6-2 in its last 10, will try to give Hyndman his first MLS win Thursday night against two-time defending MLS champion Houston. In two meetings this season, Dallas and Houston have tied 3-3 and 2-2.

Hyndman knows he's in a position to be successful, especially with a team that started the season on a four-game unbeaten streak.

The veteran coach was hindered in his debut by the absences of defenders Drew Moor and Adrian Serioux because of national team duties. But Moor is back after his stint with the United States and Serioux has returned from Canada.

One thing Hyndman hopes to do as quickly as possible is find a way to get an impressive group of midfield players into roles that helps the team. With Pablo Ricchetti, Andre Rocha, Marcelo Saragosa and Juan Toja among the talent he has to work with, it likely won't take long.

"What we're trying to do is incorporate a style that keeps a lot of the talented players in the middle of the field," Hyndman said.

Although it's been a short time, FC Dallas goalie Dario Sala said the new coach is making a good impression.

"We had a good impression of him this week. He did the best that he could under the circumstances and the little time he had to work with a new team," he said. "We are all on the same page with the same goal and we all recognize the clear messages and ideas that he has for us."

Houston has taken an opposite path from its Texas rivals. The Dynamo opened the season winless in six straight but have gone 4-2-2 in their last eight and are just three points behind first-place Los Angeles in the Western Conference.

Striker Brian Ching, who has missed four games this season while playing with the U.S. national team, has sparked Houston's offense with four goals and two assists in his last five MLS games. He also scored twice for the U.S. in an 8-0 win over Barbados in World Cup qualifying.

Midfielder Dwayne De Rosario has also contributed offensively with four goals and two assists this season.

Getting those two, who have combined for 35 goals in the last two seasons, back on track has been key for the Dynamo.

Despite a 0-0 draw against the Colorado Rapids last week, Ching was still happy with the point because Houston has lost just once in its last five matches.

"We didn't play very well, so I guess we should be happy with the point," Ching said.