SoccerRed Bulls' saviour could be an Angel

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Consider almost any comparative statistic leading into the game and everything points to a win for Columbus. The Crew, for example, were head and shoulders above the Red Bulls during the regular season, finishing 18 points ahead of their weekend rivals. Columbus scored more, conceded fewer, were better at home and much better on the road than the underdogs from New York.

But before we write off the climax of the Major League Soccer season as a hopelessly one-sided final, let’s also take into account the fact New York won two of the three games between the teams this season before embarking on an unlikely charge through the playoffs few could have predicted.

After scraping into the post-season in the final week of the campaign courtesy of D.C. United’s loss to the Crew, New York was expected to be easy prey for two-time defending champion Houston. Suffice it to say, the Dynamo’s dominant dynasty came to an abrupt and barely believable halt in its own backyard as the Red Bulls cruised to a 3-0 (4-1 aggregate) success.

Real Salt Lake’s sparkling new stadium was the next stop for New York - a team that boasted just one regular season road win. A full house in Utah watched in horror as their heroes out-shot the visitors 24-11, hit the woodwork frequently but ultimately could not fashion a reply to Dave van den Burgh’s lone strike.

Two huge road wins in the space of a week catapulted New York from playoff also-rans to MLS Cup finalists to the immense surprise of just about everyone. And the men from the Big Apple may not be finished yet. Their run to the final has proved two things soccer fans have always known: there is no such thing as a favourite in this game, and you ride your luck when it presents itself.

Every team needs some quality to achieve success and in the land of the Red Bulls quality equals Juan Pablo Angel. Thirty-three goals in 47 regular season appearances take some beating, and despite a series of injury problems during 2008 the Colombian striker is, without question, the biggest threat to Columbus.

Angel’s experiences in his native country, Argentina and in England’s Premier League have made him the consummate forward - a player who doesn’t need an invitation to shoot and who can turn a half-chance into a goal celebration.

A year ago, Angel was asked how he felt about the playoff system in North America. He replied: “It’s very American…it’s interesting…it’s a little bit unfair”.

Should the Red Bulls complete Mission Impossible and lift the MLS Cup for the first time in franchise history, I have a feeling he may change his tune.

Angel cannot, of course, win the Cup single-handedly. He’ll need teammates like van den Burgh, Dane Richards and Carlos Mendez to be on top of their game to first nullify the Crew’s offence and then provide sparks of creativity at the other end. New York will also rely on another solid performance from rookie goalkeeper Danny Cepero who had never stepped onto an MLS field until barely a month ago.

Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio clearly has an ability to get the best out of his players. He led Chicago out of the basement to the Conference final last year before making the move to New York. Against all odds he’s gone one better in 2008 and after less than 18 months in MLS he’s made it all the way to L.A. and New York are finalists for the first time.

His team may be underdogs against Columbus - but, as the old saying goes, every dog has its day.

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