The road to Toronto begins tonight, as the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs get underway out in Colorado with the Rapids hosting the Columbus Crew (9 p.m., ESPN2/ESPN3.com).

Colorado will look to take advantage of playing at home at altitude, as the Crew visit Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Prolific strike duo Conor Casey and Omar Cummings will test the Crew's defense frequently, in the aims of providing a cushion heading into next weekend's second leg.

Columbus will be missing starting goalie Will Hesmer, who is out for the duration of the playoffs after getting injured in the Crew's 3-1 win over Philadelphia during the final weekend of the regular season. Backup goalie Andy Gruenebaum gets the nod — the 'keeper started every U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League match for the Crew this year — and will have to anchor the defense.

I will be providing commentary through out tonight's game. If you haven't already be sure to have a read over SBI's preview of tonight's game. As usual, feel free to leave any thoughts and comments after the jump. Enjoy the action:

—————

FINAL– Crew are very much alive heading into the second leg. Rapids could have scored two or three goals, and will need to step it up back at Crew Stadium.

That's all from me for tonight. Stay tuned to SBI all weekend for complete playoff coverage in MLS.

—————

FINAL– Colorado 1, Columbus 0. Rapids take the lead, but have to be disappointed it isn't by a bit more. Pickens did well for the Rapids, and Marshall stood out for the visitors as well. Mastroeni with the only goal of the evening.

—————

93rd minute– Late chaos. A clearance of off Gaven's corner is headed out, but a chip back isn't cleared by Pickens and a header glances the post.

—————

92nd minute– Into the last minute, and Mastroeni with a poor turnover and has to take Rogers down and picks up a yellow card.

—————

90th minute– Three minutes of stoppage time. Columbus looking the more likely of the two to score.

—————

89th minute– Kandji has looked poor, with several givaways and some poor touches. Julian Baudet on for Kimura.

—————

86th minute– Colorado look shaky now, and things are getting chippy out there. Still Colorado 1-0.

—————

84th minute– HUGE SAVE PICKENS. Andy Iro has a free header, right in front of the goal, and it's close enough to Pickens that he can make the save. No one picked up the huge central defender, and he should have beat Pickens.

—————

83rd minute– Rapid discipline is on the wane. Larentowicz concedes a free kick that is headed out for a corner. Crew hunting for a tying goal.

—————

81st minute– Kandji with another poor sequence, fouling Mendoza to concede another free kick.

—————

79th minute– Gaven earns a set piece in a dangerous position. Cleared by Rapids defense. Crew mounting late pressure, asking for a hand ball.

—————

79th minute– Brian Mullan with an excellent evening on the wing for Colorado. Has worked hard and pressured Columbus defense when they had the ball.

—————

77th minute– Pickens with a strong punch on a Gaven free kick. Took a shot from Iro in the chest, looks a bit shaken up.

—————

75th minute– Mac Kandji replaces Wells Thompson on the Rapids wing.

—————

74th minute– Rapids a bit complacent now, not pressing as hard to create offense. Will they rue those missed chances?

—————

71st minute– Garey and Iro are on the ground after a corner. Could have collided with each other. Nothing doing from Crew offense yet.

—————

69th minute– Seventh corner for the Rapids, as the game with just over 20 minutes left. Colorado have done well, but the margin remains 1-0.

—————

67th minute– Double substitution for Columbus: Lenhart and Schelotto come out, Jason Garey and Andres Mendoza come in.

—————

65th minute– Larentowicz appears to be nursing his wrist. Should be ok to continue at this point.

—————

62nd minute– The game is slowing down a bit. Rapids look to be a bit too casual for such a slim lead.

—————

60th minute– Crew offense looking much better, more likely that they could nick one here in Colorado.

—————

58th minute– One Crew player who has looked good has been Chad Marshall. He's managed to contain Casey, denying space when the big striker had the ball in a dangerous position.

—————

57th minute– Carroll takes Cummings out, all man, no ball and it's a yellow for the Crew midfielder.

—————

55th minute– Things have gone better in the second half for the Crew. Not all the way there yet, and that last chance could prove a bad miss.

—————

53rd minute– First chance of the game for the Crew. Great run from Ekpo, finds Rogers on the weekend and a poor clearance is skied over by Schelotto.

—————

51st minute– Larentowicz heads over from a corner after another Hejduk giveaway sets up a Rapids corner.

—————

49th minute– Colorado outshot Columbus 10-1 in the first half, but just two on goal. Rapids failing to make the most of things.

—————

47th minute– Better from the Crew. Rogers gets forward, dances around Wallace and sends in a cross that Pickers punches out.

—————

45th minute– Second half gets underway, as Cummings rips a shot just wide after another set of turnovers from the Crew.

—————

HALFTIME– Second half about to start. Can Columbus come back?

—————

HALFTIME– What changes can either side make? Crew need to come out with new determination, concentrate and at the very least keep the deficit at 1. Rapids need to really open things up, and can bury this playoff series with a strong second half.

—————

HALFTIME– This is one of the worst Crew performances of the season, and it should only get better in the second half. Defense looked nervous and couldn't clear competently, and wingers Rogers and Ekpo not doing anything.

—————

HALFTIME– Colorado must be careful though. For their domination, they have just a one goal lead, and there is plenty of talent on Columbus. The question remains if they can put together a coherent second half.

—————

HALFTIME– Rapids 1, Columbus 0. Visitors lucky not to be down by at least two or three more goals — Columbus has been dominated in just about every aspect of the first half. Mastreoni with the first playoff goal of his career.

—————

45th minute– Ekpo with a dash forward, but Wallace easily disposses the midfielder.

—————

44th minute– Halftime nears, and it would be huge for Columbus to be down just one goal at the break. It's been all Colorado in the first half.

—————

41st minute– Colorado pressing when they don't have the ball and threatening when they do have it. Crew have no space and are turning the ball over almost as fast as they get it.

—————

39th minute– Rogers again is skinned by Wells Thompson, who shoots into side netting thanks to a deflection.

—————

38th minute– Suspect defending from Columbus. Robbie Rogers gets past Kimura, and Iro with a poor clearance results in a corner.

—————

36th minute– Cummings all over the Crew left flank once again but Casey mishits the cross from his counterpart. Not great service in.

—————

34th minute– Ref plays on after a tackle on each side. Cummings dances around at the top of the penalty box, doesn't pull the trigger. Rapids 1-0 still.

—————

31st minute– Rapids all over the Crew defense. Kimura gets in and fires a cross that Cummings sends wide. Can Columbus weather the storm here?

—————

30th minute– Robbie Rogers and Ekpo are practically invsible. Schelotto can't cary the offense like he used to — need something from at least one of the young wingers.

—————

28th minute– Cummings receives the ball again on the right from Mullan, Casey skies over, however.

—————

27th minute– And whoever had Mastroeni on long odds as the first goal scorer, collect your earnings.

—————

26th minute– The Crew almost answer back as Schelotto is given time and space on the ball, but his threaded pass to Gaven find the midfielder just offside.

—————

24th minute– Columbus with work to do. They haven't shown that they can track and keep a close eye on Cummings, and when they do, they can't keep up.

—————

24th minute– GOAL Rapids. Andy Iro heads it straight to a Rapid, who finds Cummings on the flank, and Casey misses it going near post, but Mastroeni is there to smash it home into an empty net.

—————

23rd minute– Hejduk with a poor clearance attempt from a Mullan cross that bounces right in front of the goal, but Gruenebaum snares it.

—————

21st minute– A poor clearance by Iro is pounced on by Cummings but he can't get a good shot off and it goes wide of Gruenebaum's net.

—————

19th minute– Crew on the ball now, as both sides are turning the ball over in the midfield. Still no score.

—————

16th minute– Eddie Gaven and Jeff Larentowicz is a matchup to watch in the middle of the park. Two jostle for position, as both sides continue to get a feel for the conditions.

—————

14th minute– Casey with an excellent ball in behind for Cummings, but the Jamaican striker is just offside.

—————

12th minute– Another Crew corner after a Schelotto cross is deflected, sent in and punched away by Pickens. Carroll lofts it back in but wide of the frame.

—————

10th minute– Great ball in for Cummings who crosses to Casey instead of shooting, but Casey elects not to slide for it and the chance goes begging.

—————

9th minute– Some sloppy moments from the Crew. Rapids mounting pressure, and a few poor clearances produces a nervy moment or two for Columbus.

—————

7th minute– Corner cleared as Columbus keeps the pressure up on the Rapids defense.

—————

6th minute– Ekpo gets forward, and his shot is deflected out for a corner. Schelotto to take.

—————

5th minute– Columbus clears easily.

—————

4th minute– Rapids earn a free kick as Anthony Wallace is sent to the deck by Ekpo. First movement forward by Colorado, and they'll have a set piece.

—————

3rd minute– The Crew out on the front foot, as the Rapids sit back a bit.

—————

1st minute– Columbus gets the game started.

—————

PRE-GAME– Rogers and Ekpo could be huge on the flanks for Columbus. Both have the talent to make an impact, but have failed to find consistency this year.

—————

PRE-GAME– It appears Robert Warzycha has learned his lesson from last year, when he benched Guillermo Barros Schelotto in last year's playoff first leg. The Argentine starts, likely as a withdrawn forward with Steven Lenhart.

—————

PRE-GAME– Columbus has a chance to make last year's playoff disappointment a distant memory, and a tie or win at Colorado would be a massive step in that direction.

—————

PRE-GAME– Share any predictions for tonight's game in the comments section below.

—————

PRE-GAME– Welcome to tonight's commentary. Straight forward lineups from both sides, with Wallace getting the nod at left back for the Rapids, while rookie Shaun Francis gets the nod at the same spot for Columbus.

—————

Here are tonight's lineups:

COLUMBUS CREW

———-Schelotto————Lenhart————–

Rogers————-Gaven—————Ekpo

———————-Carroll—————————-

Francis——–Iro————Marshall———–Hejduk

———————Gruenebaum—————————

COLORADO RAPIDS-

———-Cummings—————-Casey———

Thompson————————————Mullan

——–Larentowicz———Mastroeni———–

Wallace——-Moor——-Wynne———Kimura

———————-Pickens—————————