MLS Cup Playoffs 2012: Predicting Winners from Each Semifinal

European soccer leagues and the Champions League may get more respect, but let's not look past the very competitive MLS Cup Playoffs currently in the semifinals stage. We've got some of the league's top stars (Landon Donovan, Chris Wondolowski, Thierry Henry) in action. The defending champs, the Los Angeles Galaxy, are on the brink of being eliminated, while there's an epic east coast clash between the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United.Two of the four matches are tied after the first leg, while Sporting Kansas City will try to overcome a two-goal deficit at home. There's plenty of drama left to be had, folks, and I'm here to predict exactly how it will play out.To the predictions! San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles GalaxyThe Galaxy were a stoppage-time free kick away from making this a very tough second leg to predict. Instead, Victor Bernardez's late goal gave the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead heading back to San Jose, making the likelihood of a repeat championship for the Galaxy that much more unlikely.Already boasting the league's best record and top goal scorer (Chris Wondolowski), the Earthquakes were favorites to begin with. They won't blow their advantage at home. Houston Dynamo over Sporting Kansas CityDon't expect the Dynamo to blow ...

MLS Playoffs 2012: Should the MLS Commissioner Implement the Away Goals Rule?

Since its inception, MLS has had the arduous task of appeasing the self-hating American soccer fan—loyal to a brand of European-style football—while simultaneously nurturing a league that embodies the fairness of the American sports culture. The first installment of American soccer vs. European football centered around structure of the MLS playoffs. The single-table format synonymous with traditional leagues is something MLS commissioner Don Garber has not been a proponent of and justifiably so.  Garber’s sole purpose has always been to increase the excitement of MLS, and it is irrefutable that a playoff system achieves that. There is no joy in watching a team celebrate a championship weeks before the season is over. With the popularity of the league increasing, the latest installment of American soccer vs. European football is whether MLS should incorporate the away goals rule. As it stands, away goals in two-leg fixtures of the MLS playoffs carry the same weight as home goals—something Europeans struggle to understand. Used as the first tiebreaker in two-leg fixtures overseas, the rule increases the importance of protecting home soil. It is the perfect system for clubs that not only travel across different countries, it travels across different cultures. I find it ...

MLS Playoffs: Top 10 Players to Watch

The the first leg of the MLS conference semi-finals is complete, and the round will close out in just a couple of days.The Houston Dynamo lead 2-0 over Sporting Kansas City. D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls played to a draw, as did Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders FC. San Jose nabbed a 1-0 victory on the road against the LA Galaxy.The second leg of the conference semi-finals will take place on November 7 and 8. Three matches will be on the 7th, and Real Salt Lake and the Sounders will get underway on the 8th.Here are ten players to watch through the end of the playoffs, or at least until their respective teams are eliminated.Begin Slideshow

MLS Playoff Best XI so Far

In the first week of Major League Soccer playoff games, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Chicago Fire were eliminated, and the remaining eight teams—the LA Galaxy, the San Jose Earthquakes, Real Salt Lake, the Seattle Sounders, DC United, the New York Red Bulls, the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City—all played the first leg of their respective conference semifinals matchups. Let’s see who makes the MLS Playoff XI from this past week’s action.Begin Slideshow

MLS Playoffs 2012: Which Team Is at DEFCON 1 After 1st Leg of MLS Playoffs?

The first legs of the MLS Conference Semifinals are complete.  The final four will be determined after Thursday, but some teams face a serious up-hill battle in order to advance to the Conference Finals. The Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes are in the best position to advance, taking an early lead in the aggregate, while the LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City must win its second leg in order to stave off elimination.   The Seattle Sounders and DC United failed to leave their turf with an early lead, and now face a winner-take-all match on the road. With the second legs just two days away, here are the four teams that are in serious danger of being eliminated and the level of concern their fanbase should have.Begin Slideshow

2012 MLS Playoffs: What to Watch for in Galaxy vs. Earthquakes

The Los Angeles Galaxy will meet the San Jose Earthquakes at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California for the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal matchup.Coming off a nerve-racking 2-1 comeback win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the knockout round of the playoffs, the Galaxy look to defend their title and spoil the Earthquakes' impressive season.This will be San Jose's first playoff match since they qualified as the No. 1 seed in the West. After winning the Supporters' Shield (most points in the MLS regular season), the 'Quakes hope to carry over their dominance over L.A. this season into the playoffs.The Galaxy are coming into this match winning seven of their last eight home games in MLS. But they haven't had much success against the Earthquakes this season. They most recently tied the 'Quakes 2-2 in San Jose without the likes of David Beckham and Landon Donovan. San Jose has been able to pull off some late game heroics and beat L.A. twice. Once they were down 2-0 and went on to win 3-2. Another time the Galaxy had a 3-1 lead, which was squandered as the 'Quakes won 4-3.It doesn't get much better than this in terms of ...

MLS Playoffs 2012: Preview and Predictions for Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting KC

The rigor of playoff soccer in the MLS is best suited for the two teams facing off this afternoon.  The Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City will play the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinal, and it will be closer than most people think. Just four days after they outclassed the Chicago Fire for 90 minutes, the Dynamo is looking to continue its Cinderella run to the MLS Cup.  With the first leg at BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston has a grand opportunity to take an early lead in the aggregate.  The Dynamo is unbeaten at home this season (11-0-6). In fact, including the playoffs, the team is unbeaten in its last 25 home games and is yet to lose a match in the newly constructed fortress. Led by Brad Davis (12 assists) and Will Bruin (12 goals), the Dynamo boasts an impressive attack that has given Sporting fits over the last few years. In the previous six meetings between the two, Sporting has only managed to defeat Houston once (a 3-0 victory at home last season). The most crushing defeat came in the Conference Finals of last year’s playoffs—a 2-0 loss at Livestrong Park.  Dynamo head coach Dom Kinnear ...

MLS Playoffs: Red Bulls, United Combine for Strange First Leg

Maybe we should have known this one would be dramatic. But who could have known it would be this odd?Saturday's first leg of the Eastern Conference playoff series between heated MLS rivals New York and D.C. saw both teams score once—on their own goal. The Red Bulls struck first. Roy Miller, brought on at halftime, drove a Chris Pontius cross into the top corner of his own net in the 61st minute. In Miller's defense, he had to make a play on the ball as United's Nick DeLeon was coming after the same cross.It only took four minutes for D.C. to return the favor. With this one, I am struggling to find a comparable defense for the lapse.Thierry Henry played a corner kick too far beyond the back post, and Heath Pearce tried to head the ball back into that zone of danger just in front of the goal and keeper. It was not an easy task, and Pearce missed. The header was in along the goal line, floating instead toward the grasp of United's Bill Hamid.Hamid jumped and caught the ball. He had trouble holding it, because for some odd reason he did not go up with both hands. He then ...

MLS Playoffs 2012: Preview and Predictions for New York Red Bulls vs. DC United

The fervor surrounding the rivalry between the New York Red Bulls and DC United is one of the most intense spectacles the MLS has to offer. Each club is notorious for its supporters—rabid fans that serve as the combating soul for its respective club.  Tonight, the Eastern Conference Semifinals will be the latest chapter in this historic rivalry. With millions of people in the Tri-state area still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy (myself included), the MLS decided to swap the home dates for the playoff series—much to the dismay of some United fans.  Fortunately, players, coaches and members of the front office for DC United are class personified and had no issue with swap.   The fact remains, Red Bull Arena is without power and the region is still struggling to reestablish a mass transit system sufficient enough for a daily commute, let alone a soccer match. Teams that host the second leg of a home-and-home series advance roughly 60 percent of the time. It is not a significant margin considering they are usually the team with the better record. The decision to swap home dates was the correct one. Contrary to popular belief, it will have no ...

MLS Playoffs: Rimando Saves Real Salt Lake from Defeat in Seattle

There are very few goalless draws that can be called entertaining after the full 90 minutes have been played. Friday night's MLS Western Conference Semifinal first leg between Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders has one of the select few 0-0 draws that left spectators and critics alike speechless.The man who single handedly made the match his own personal highlight reel was RSL keeper Nick Rimando. The United States international saved his club from being down by a few goals at the match played at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.Rimando's first moment of brilliance came in the 33rd minute when he saved the shot of Sammy Ochoa. He was at it again less than a minute later when denied Jhon Kennedy Hurtado's headed attempt on goal.Seattle's efforts on the RSL goal continued in the second half and again it was Ochoa who had an attempt on goal but he sent his shot high over the net after a wide open look in front of an empty net.Right after Ochoa's miss in front of goal, Rimando jumped back into the middle of the action with a save on Christian Tiffert.That interaction between Tiffert and Rimando would not be the last the two would have on ...