The MLS Eastern Conference final kicks off tonight with the Supporters Shield-winning Columbus Crew taking on the Chicago Fire (7:30pm, ESPN2).
The teams tied their two regular season meetings and both squads are loaded with award winners and all-stars.
Will the Crew maintain their impressive home form, or will the Fire show why they had the best road record in MLS this year?
Will it be Schelotto or Blanco to work the magic? Marshall or Soumare to be the defensive rock? Busch or Hesmer to make the match-winning save?
If you will be watching tonight’s match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the match.
Thomas…fair-ish point. BUt I still think it makes more sense to add a playoff game/revenue/a chance for each team’s fans to see a home game + it makes it a more competitive series, adds intrigue, and makes a team earn it in the playoffs as opposed to simply getting the HUGE advantage in getting a 1 game playoff at home. I just think it’s too big of an advantage, and the 1st round of the playoffs is a good enough advantage to bestow the higher seed in the conf. finals as well. There are just way more reasons to add the xtra game, im perfect o. 😉
I didn’t notice much diving, especially compared to any other league in the world. It was a close game, but the Crew have been outstanding this year, and deserve to be in the MLS cup.
The Galaxy were fools for ever letting go of Sigi.
Some people have said they would prefer a home and away for the final. I will speak for the other side and say that I’m glad a better record in the regular season gets you something at somepoint in the playoffs.
If they had a home and away for the conference final too and a neutral championship than there would be no advantage to finishing as the Suporters Shield winners vs. squeezing in like RBNY.
The set up they have now is ideal…in my perfect…I mean, humble opinion.
-T
Wisconsin,
Go to a Hannah Montana chat room for name calling. Quit using your parents PC to look up soccer when you should be in bed.
The Crew have a very talented squad. The Crew fans were very impressive tonight and absolutely did MLS justice. As an avid Fire Supporter I do hope that diving is not what comes from this game because it was the best match I have seen since the Galaxy at RBNY 4-5 last season. I also hope that RBNY win this weekend in hopes that the HDC will have no empty seats on national television.
This Guy… you are a douche.
Don’t care for either team but what a game. I’m a Galaxy fan so i’ll root for the Crew now. Sigi deserves it.
That was fun. Good turnout by Crew fans. Man I wish there was a 2nd leg!
Inane argument: basketball is like soccer. Oh wait, no. They’re two different sports for obvious reasons.
All sports involve skill and some sort of physicality, but to varying degrees of their applications.
Soccer is physical and the best players use physicality to their advantage. I obviously concede that some players cheat whine and all that, (also another unique aspect of our game), but I didn’t see any extraordinary examples this evening. Every game has someone not doing “what they’re supposed to do” in reference to going to ground or whatever, and everyone on the pitch has to deal with the same circumstances.
But moving on, I think the game was very enjoyable to watch for the most part. I’m glad it wasn’t typical MLS playoff garbage with everyone sitting back, not attacking. Both teams attacked quite a bit, and even if that isn’t the smartest ploy tactically, it’s a whole lot easier to watch … when soccer games actually involve soccer. It’s too bad Chicago doesn’t really possess any true game-changing subs, because Nyarko and whoever just don’t have the experience to come into a game like that and alter it in their favor. I think Columbus does deserve the win and deserve to be in the finals.
Making no play on the ball and running through a guy to get to it is not what the game is about.
In basketball a player can get position with leverage and positioning to get a rebound which takes a lot of skill but it is not within the rules to shove another player out of the way while he is going for the ball or grab his jersey and pull him away.
CD,
I have a challenge for you or anyone else who believes that their was not an unusual amount of bodies hitting the pitch tonight.
The Conference tournaments start tomorrow in college soccer. Watch a full match, I will be watching the IU game(s). Count how many players hit the pitch. I watched Northwestern vs. Indiana about a week ago (Sunday) and not one player fell. It’s not about body checks or running through players it’s about playing the game and not whining or cheating.