MLS Playoffs Preview: Columbus Crew vs. Real Salt Lake

Who: Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake

What: 2009 MLS playoffs, first leg

When: 6:00 EST, Saturday, Oct. 31

Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake

The Gist:

The 2008 MLS champions Columbus Crew begin their trek to a repeat against the team that barely made the playoffs, Real Salt Lake, with the first leg at Rio Tinto Stadium.

A glittering regular season saw the Crew come into the post-season as the winners of this year’s Supporters Shield, given to the team with the league’s best record. With many of their players still on the roster from last season, the Crew are poised to go back to the final this season.

Real Salt Lake come into the match stumbling down the stretch. Two wins in their last seven matches saw them barely qualify for the playoffs. It took a 3-0 victory Colorado Rapids in the Rocky Mountain Cup to push them into the postseason.

One of the highest scoring teams in the league, RSL will be up against a tough Columbus defense. Anchored by former MLS defender of the year Chad Marshall, the Crew play an organized system that the likes or Robbie Findlay and Yura Movsisyan will be hard pressed break through.

At the other end, the Crew are led up top Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who again was near the top of the MLS scoring charts. With the tireless work of Alejandro Moreno, the Crew come forward through hard work and dedication to winning the ball.

Not in their mid-season form coming into the playoffs, Columbus has lost its last two games. That shouldn’t worry head coach Robert Warzycha too much, though, as he has a veteran team with plenty of leaders to keep the club goings in the right direction. Heavily favored in the match, Columbus should work to shut down any RSL attack through their relentless holding midfielders.

If RSL can take something from the match going into the second leg at Crew Stadium, they may have a chance to knock off the reigning champs, but it will certainly be difficult.

Players To Watch:

Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus Crew: The Crew offense goes when Schelotto goes and stalls when he falters. He’s the distributor, the scorer, the helper—you name it—and without him the Crew are much less imposing.

Yura Movsisyan, Real Salt Lake: In what could be one of his last games as a Real Salt Lake player, Movsisyan will want to leave a good impression in the hearts of the RSL fans before he leaves for Randers in January.

Prediction: Real Salt Lake 1 - 3 Columbus Crew

Shane Evans, Goal.com

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