Major League Soccer Playoffs, Leg 2: Colorado Rapids Take A Lead To Columbus

Columbus Crew (0) vs. Colorado Rapids (1), Columbus Crew Stadium, 4 pm ET, Saturday, Telefutura

What we learned in leg 1: Columbus were seriously lacking in bite in midfield. For the vast majority of the first leg, the game was completely dominated by Colorado's holding midfielders Pablo Mastroeni and Jeff Larentowicz. For the last 15 minutes, they let up a bit after some questionable (read: stupid) substitutions by both teams changed the game for the worst from a quality standpoint. It's not surprising that Colorado were the better team in the middle, but it was surprising how wide the margin was. They completely dominated. Obviously, Columbus can't win if this happens again.

Omar Cummings was also fantastic, and this was also expected. When he drifted out to the right wing from his striker position, Columbus left back Shaun Francis had no answer for him. Cummings was given way too much space by a Columbus defense that was obviously scared of him, which is why he was able to put in the cross that lead to the Colorado goal.

What we expect to change in leg 2: Robert Warzycha is going to have to make some adjustments to his side for the home leg. If he starts the same group of guys, they're probably going to get overrun in the center of the pitch again. With Emmanuel Ekpo, Eddie Gaven, and Robbie Rogers all in the game, Larentowicz and Mastroeni can control the game. Sadly for Warzycha, his options in the center of the pitch are lacking. Adam Moffat is much more of a ball winning central midfielder than Ekpo or Gaven, but he has a questionable head on his shoulders, as is evidenced by this picture:

You'll know Columbus is in trouble if: They don't score very quickly, or at least look extremely dangerous. If 30 minutes have passed in the match and Columbus haven't either scored or created multiple clear cut chances, they're in some serious trouble. Colorado kept eight clean sheets in the regular season, including one against Columbus. They're really good at bunkering, and with the partnership of Cummings and Conor Casey up top, they can afford to put nine men behind the ball and play a long ball oriented attacking style.

You'll know Colorado is in trouble if: They allow an early goal. This seems simple, but there would be no other reason to believe they were in trouble, unless Gary Smith makes some kind of unexpected, absurd team selection. There really is no reason to believe that Colorado are going to concede until they actually do it. Unless Matt Pickens is standing on his head, you won't know they're in trouble until they actually are in trouble.

Columbus needs a big game from: Whoever the starting center forward is, either Steven Lenhart or Jason Garey. Lenhart was invisible in the first leg, but this is mostly because he didn't get any supply. Whoever plays up top for Columbus might have to take getting involved in the game into their own hands if Colorado plays anything like they did in the first leg. If their center forward isn't involved in the game, Columbus will obviously be hard pressed to find a goal.

Colorado needs a big game from: Their central defenders, Marvell Wynne and Drew Moor. Neither is a traditional central defender and both have played above and beyond their historical ceilings this season. Wynne is a guy who has always been good for a bad error in defense in the past and will have to avoid that for his team to advance. With Columbus chasing a lead, Wynne and Moor should have plenty of work to do.

Projected lineups and statistics: Rapids-Crew Leg 2 Preview