MLS Playoff Preview: The MLS Cup Final

2008 MLS Cup Final: New York vs. Columbus at the Home Depot Center

Season series: New York won the season series 2-1-0

Series overview: This is a tough series to predict. We've got two newcomers to the MLS Cup Final facing off. We've got the winners of the Supporters' Shield against a team who barely made it into the playoffs. We've got a team who was the model of consistency during the regular season against a team who beat them twice, scoring five goals in those two games.

You can expect the unexpected next Sunday.

Columbus rides in full of momentum having just dispatched the second-best team in the East and a trendy upset pick in the Chicago Fire. New York could have been playing the "we're just happy to be here" card the whole time, but haven't looked like it in dispatching the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo and playoff newcomers Real Salt Lake.

Here's what Columbus must do to win:

• Guillermo Barros Schelotto must show up. As Schelotto goes, so goes the Crew. He's been their best player this season and is one of the best distributors in MLS history. If Columbus want to score goals, Schelotto is the man that will be setting them up. His 19 regular season assists on 50 Crew goals (just shy of 40%) would seem to back that up.
• Contain Juan Pablo Angel. Angel will be one of the most dangerous men on the field next weekend. He can score from distance, he can tap in rebounds, and he can just be a general nuisance for defenses everywhere. Angel brings plenty of big-time experience to New York and must be stopped if Columbus is to win. In three games against Columbus this season, Angel has three goals.
• Win the goalkeeping battle. New York rookie netminder Danny Cepero made his MLS debut on Oct. 18th against the Crew. When the dust cleared 90 minutes later, Cepero had scored one of New York's three goals in a 3-1 victory. Keep Cepero off the scoresheet.

Here's what New York must do to win:

• Get solid defensive play. New York has looked better in the last two games than they have all season, and it's started with defense. They've gotten two straight clean sheets from Danny Cepero and have been very successful with a "bend, not break" philosophy in back. Columbus boasts a strong offense, so the New York back line will need to be ready.
• Dave Van den Bergh must play well. While JP Angel is obviously the big name on New York's roster, Van den Bergh's play is a very good barometer of how New York will fare in a given match. When he makes an impact offensively, good things happen for the Red Bulls. If Van den Bergh steps up, Columbus will have to account for multiple offensive threats and could be stretched out at the back.

Prediction: New York has had a wonderful playoff run, but I suspect that they may be running out of gas. Columbus finished with the best record in a strong conference for a reason, and will put the finishing touch on their great run next Sunday. Expect a resounding 3-1 victory for the Crew as they hoist their first ever MLS Cup.

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