Week 30 Preview – Coming Down to the Wire

By: travis | October 17th, 2008

And no, I don’t mean the TV Show. We’re not heading down to the inner city of Baltimore and combating the drug problem. Rather, it’s the huge games this weekend that will go a long way in determining what three teams are playing late into October, and what teams are home, getting ready for next season. DC already got their three points as I write this, and that puts the pressure on the rest of those looking to make it at the end. Here’s a quick look at what’s at stake.

Toronto v Chicago
TFC bids farewell to their fans this year, unless they make an improbable run at a playoff spot. It’s a bit of a stretch to say they even have a shot, and it’s a disappointing end to what had seemed like a promising year. The addition of Carlos Ruiz doesn’t seem to have made a huge impact, although Marvell Wynne has sparkled in the last couple of weeks. The Fire are making a bid to have home field advantage against the Revolution in their playoff series. Chicago might let some of their key players sit on the bench, but I’ll bet they’ll come out firing to try and secure the advantage against New England.
Toronto 2-1 Chicago

New York v Columbus
This is a tough one for the Bulls. After the loss of Conway and Parke to suspension, they’ll be hard pressed to get a result against the Crew, who are surging towards the end of the season. Can Juan Pablo step up? Are Dane Richards or Jorge Rojas going to have any impact after their international appearances? With the Supporters’ Shield secured for the Crew, they could give Schelotto a rest in the lead up to the playoffs, but they’ll be looking to stay on top of their game – it is concerning how poor they marked McBride last weekend, and New York might be able to get a point off this one.
New York 1-1 Columbus

Kansas City v San Jose
Late season success now sees the Wizards on the inside track for a playoff spot. It’s as simple as win and their in. The Quakes, on the other hand, are going, going, (almost) gone – which is a shame, considering how they managed to turn it around after early struggles. I think the Wizards will come out fired up, ready to boost their playoff chances and also show their fans appreciation after a topsy turvey season.
Kansas City 2-0 San Jose

Houston v Los Angeles
The Dynamo have the best record in the West in their sight. The Galaxy are on the outside looking in – for the second season in a row. Beckham has not been on top of the game, and there are rumors swirling that he could be loaned to Europe. Quite frankly, I hope that the Galaxy don’t make it, because that is always the focus on the MLS. And it’s frustrating – watching the game on Thursday, the commentators couldn’t stop gushing about LA’s chances. Is this Landon’s second to last MLS game? Will he give Europe another shot? We’ll see. The Dynamo should roll in this one.
Houston 3-1 Los Angeles

Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas
This is the big one right here – a “six pointer” if you will. Both teams are in the hunt and closing in on a playoff spot. A win gives either one a bit of a buffer over the other one for that third in final spot. Right now, Real is sitting in third, a point ahead of Dallas. RSL welcomes another team to Rio Tinto and looks for a win. Maybe they wish they were still in Rice Eccles, with the turf giving them true home field advantage. Kenny Cooper and Jeff Cunningham must step up and put pressure on Nick Rimando – plus I hope Cooper overtakes Donovan for the Golden Boot and maybe actually accepts an invitation for the national team. A tough one to call – I see another draw.
Real Salt Lake 1-1 FC Dallas

Chivas v Colorado
You got to give it to Preki. He’s managed to patch together a great season for the Goats despite a long list of injuries to just about every player. They already have clinched home field advantage for their first playoff series, and maybe Preki will give some of his regulars a break. The Rapids blew a chance last week in LA to get a better grasp on a playoff spot, but fell victim to a spectacular Brandon McDonald strike. I think they’ll dig deep and surprise the Goats in LA.
Chivas 1-2 Colorado