Sunday
New York vs. Columbus
Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif. 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Favored Crew meet surprising Red Bulls
By all accounts, the 2008 MLS Cup Final should be a mismatch, with the dynamic and dangerous Columbus Crew taking on the short-handed and overachieving New York Red Bulls.
It shouldn't be hard to predict the outcome when the Crew's multitalented attack takes on the Red Bulls and their patchwork defense, but given the dramatic path the Red Bulls have taken to their first MLS Cup final, nobody is likely to be in a hurry to write off a team that has already overcome so much.
Despite the disparity in their regular-season records, the Crew and Red Bulls should make the 2008 MLS Cup final a memorable one. Can Juan Carlos Osorio find a game plan to slow down Guillermo Barros Schelotto and the Crew's high-octane attack? Will star forward Juan Pablo Angel shine on Major League Soccer's biggest stage and show us why he is widely regarded as the league's best player? Can a team of quality stop a team of destiny?
These are just some of the questions this All-East MLS Cup final will present Sunday. You should also watch out for the following:
Five story lines to follow
1. The Red Bulls' Cinderella story.
After backing into the playoffs on the last day thanks to a D.C. United meltdown, the Red Bulls have taken full advantage of that second chance to pull off a pair of road upsets and capture the imagination and interest of media and fans in New York and New Jersey.
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Entire article:
ESPNsoccernet - MLS - Galarcep: MLS Cup 2008 preview