With just three goals from four matches, the Ventura County Fusion knows what it needs to get its Premier Development League season back on track.

"I want to see goals," said head coach Graham Smith. "I've seen everything else that pleases me, particularly (last weekend) at San Francisco."

Entering this weekend's pair of home matches, the Fusion (0-2-2) sits in ninth place in the 10-team Southwestern division after earning two points and the three goals from its first four matches.

The Fusion hosts defending division champion Fresno at 7:30 tonight at Buena High and San Francisco on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Fusion and Fuego played two exciting 3-2 matches last season, with the home team ending up on the winner's side both times.

"They're a team that will score goals," said Smith of Fresno, which reached the PDL Final Four last season. "They've got a big Brazilian (Pablo Campos) up front who is very sharp outside and a little runner (fellow Brazilian Amaury Nunes) that goes off him."

Campos, the defending PDL national Most Valuable Player, and Nunes have already scored five goals apiece in five games for the second-place Fuego (3-1-1).

Conversely, the Fusion released one of its stars with Brazilian blood, Jason Leopoldo, this week after the former Thousand Oaks High star missed Saturday's 1-0 loss at San Francisco.

In search of goals, Smith may turn to attacker Gabe Farfan, who scored twice in the Fusion's 3-2 comeback win last season at Newbury Park High.

Farfan and his twin brother Michael returned Sunday from a series of trials at French clubs Caen and L'Orient.

Smith also hopes to get former Rio Mesa High striker Jaime Ambriz going in a Fusion uniform this weekend.

"We're still waiting to see what Jaime can do," said Smith. "I just think he needs to get off the mark and his confidence will soar."

The Fusion will be without defender Lee Stephens, who was sent off in Saturday's 1-0 loss at San Francisco, and attacker Jean Alexandre, who was called into the Haitian national team's training camp in Florida this week.

Without Stephens and the departed Brad Rusin on defense, Smith said Westmont College product Dillon Barna may get a chance to make an impression in the center of defense.

Fusion women near full strength: After a weekend off, the Fusion women (0-2-1) are near full strength as they return to W-League play Saturday night at 7 against the first-place Pali Blues (2-0) at Pacific Palisades.

The powerful Blues have scored nine goals without conceding in two games, including the 5-0 win at Buena High on May 10.

But the Fusion expects to be able to partner its two star defenders, USC's Kasey Johnson and Texas' Kasey Moore, together in the center of defense for the first time as Moore has joined the team after completing duty with the U.S. Under-23 women's national team.

USC midfielder Ashley Nick could also make her Fusion debut.