Although the Rapids are seen as the underdog, in a one game final mistakes are paid high, and FCD is not exempt from committing one.
It is no surprise to be disputing the MLS playoffs in this month of November, as it is no surprise that the final of the MLS Cup will be held in Toronto on 21st of this month. So where is the catch here you might ask, well, that's exactly the same question that many fans are asking themselves when they see the Dallas FCD and Colorado Rapids in the final. If that is not a huge surprise for you, then you could start to seriously think about becoming a fortune teller, because for us this result was unpredictable at the beginning of the season. And the faces of humiliation on the L.A. Galaxy players after losing the Western Conference Final 3-0 to FCD back up our comments.
Seeing the Colorado Rapids -team that finished as the 1997 MLS Cup runner-up- as the Eastern Conference champions also surprised many, as they expected a lot more from the New York Red Bulls after they invested big money in elite players such as the French striker Thierry Henry and Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, who arrived from Barcelona.
Every season has its own story, and that is why two teams that didn't make it to the 2009 playoff rounds enjoy today of the privilege of disputing the final, and no matter who wins it, it will be the third time in a row -Columbus Crew in 2008 and Real Salt Lake in 2009- that a team that has never won it before does it.
The main weapons that the Rapids will have in attack are Conor Casey and Omar Cummings, both of them going through a great moment, specially Cummings who was the best player in the Eastern Conference finals. In the midfield the highpoints of the team are: Captain Pablo Mastroeni and Jeff Larentowicz, who are back up in the defense by Marvell Wynne and Drew Moor, a duo that is strong and makes teammates confident.
The great challenge for the Rapids will be to score a goal against Kevin Hartman, who has definitely played a great role in the success of FC Dallas, with amazing saves like the one from David Beckham's free kick in the Western Conference Finals.
The FCD midfield is controlled by Daniel Hernandez and David Ferreira with their recuperation duties and game administration responsibilities respectively, supplying the only forward in the starting 11 Atiba Harris with scoring opportunities. Added to this Dallas has the Coach of the year Gary Smith, who will try to end this dreamlike season with a title.
Reserve Division will be back in 2011
The 2010 season is not over yet and the MLS Technical Committee has already made official one of the changes that the 2011 season will have: the Reserve Division. According to MLS Commissioner Don Garber the format consists of 3 divisions of 6 teams each. Each of them will play 10 regular season games the day after the first teams or during midweek, with the best 8 advancing to the playoffs to crown a new champion.
About the Author:Andrew Hill has been a prominent writer on sports news and the sports betting industry for many exceptional sports web sites. You may reprint this article in its full content, please note no modifications to it are accepted.
