The Columbus Crew, owners of the best regular
season record in Major League Soccer this season, are set to host the Chicago
Fire on Thursday night for the right to represent the Eastern Conference in
the MLS Cup championship game on Nov. 23 in Carson, Calif.
"I'm excited, I know the team and the players are excited going into this
game," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said. "It's great to have the conference final
and be in the conference final but it's even better to have the conference
final here in Columbus."
The home-field advantage could be key, with the Crew owning the best home
record in the league at 11-2-2 as well as winning the last seven fixtures
overall at Crew Stadium.
"Obviously it is what we have played for all season," Schmid said.
The teams, which have never met in the MLS Cup playoffs before, tied 2-2 both
times they squared off this season, meaning neither has an edge heading into
Thursday's contest.
"They don't quit," Fire attacker Chris Rolfe said. "The previous year, once
you got a goal on them, they would drop their heads. At their place, we took
[a 2-0] lead and they responded [this year]."
Rolfe will probably be key for the Fire. He has scored five goals in the past
five regular season games then followed it up with a goal and an assist to
help dispatch of the New England Revolution in the Eastern semis.
"He seems to play his best on ESPN Thursday nights and I'm glad we are playing
the next game on a Thursday," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said.
"Chris Rolfe has been scoring a lot of goals lately," Crew forward Alejandro
Moreno said. "He seems to score a lot of goals on ESPN nights, I don't know
why."
MVP finalist Guillermo Barros Schelotto will be key for Columbus.
"Guillermo has obviously had a big impact on our team," Schmid said. "He is a
quality player, very similar to what [Cuauhtemoc] Blanco has done in Chicago.
He is a player with an awful lot of experience. Having him and [forward]
Alejandro [Moreno] and [left winger] Robbie Rogers from the beginning of the
season, being able to go through preseason was a big help. The understanding
of each other as a unit is much increased.
"[Schelotto] has had a big impact on our team. The other thing that he brings
us is when a player has been through as many experiences as he has, there is a
calm and composure that he has going into big games that rubs off on others."
The Crew will aim to become the first Supporters' Shield winners since 2002 to
advance to the MLS Cup championship.
"Certainly we think that the Chicago Fire is a very challenging opponent,"
Moreno said. "They have a lot of good players that are doing a lot of good
things."
"We are looking forward to this match, it's going to be a tough game, we know
that," Schmid said. "We expect nothing less. We also feel confident that if we
play our game and continue to do what we've done well all season, which is to
play as a unit both offensively and defensively, and different guys have
stepped up at different times, that we can be successful."
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