GAME 1 Thursday at Toyota Park
7:30 p.m. – TV: ESPN2
GAME 2 Nov. 1 at D.C. United
6:30 p.m. – TV: ESPN2
5 reasons Fire will advance
1. Blanco’s mission
At his pep rally in April, Cuauhtemoc Blanco said he would do all he could to bring a title to the Fire. He wasn’t kidding. At 34, Blanco is hustling and showing his win-at-all-cost attitude when running at physical defenders. The Fire has only two losses in the 14 games Blanco has played.
2. Mental edge
The Fire owns United in the playoffs, winning all three postseason meetings by a combined 10-0 scoring margin. The last playoff game between the Fire and United in 2005 ended in a 4-0 victory for the Fire in front of United’s home crowd.
3. Momentum
The Fire closed the season by snapping the Los Angeles Galaxy’s six-game unbeaten streak and extending its own unbeaten streak to eight games (3-0-5).
4. Defense
The Fire doesn’t need a lot of goals to win games thanks to goalkeeper Matt Pickens and the improving defense, which has yielded only 10 goals in its last 14 games. Wilman Conde’s defense has been especially dominant and should give United’s attack a few headaches.
5. D.C. dinged up
Midfielder Josh Gros is out for the year (wrist). MVP candidate Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno won’t be 100 percent for Thursday. Both suffered ankle injuries last weekend.
5 reasons they won’t
1. Inconsistent forwards
The Fire was able to defeat the Galaxy even after blowing countless scoring chances. United isn’t the Galaxy. It finished with the league’s best record and will make the Fire pay for missed opportunities.
2. United attack
Emilio led MLS with 20 goals. Even if he isn’t on top of his game, the Fire still has to worry about Moreno, MLS’ all-time leading goal scorer, and Christian Gomez, the 2006 MLS MVP.
3. Blanco dependency
The Fire attack, at times, lives and dies with Blanco, which is troubling considering he had no break between the Mexican and MLS seasons and is starting to show fatigue.
4. Ben Olsen
The temperamental Blanco is due for a blow-up and Olsen is the pesky sort of player who can rattle the Mexican striker and take him off his game.
5. Comeback troubles
The Fire has struggled when playing from behind this season, which is why it can’t allow United to score first–especially with the second leg taking place at RFK Stadium. The Fire is 1-10-2 this season in games in which the other team took the lead.
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PREDICTION: FIRE WINS SERIES 3-2 on aggregate
The Fire’s confidence is higher than it has been all season, and that will carry into the closely fought playoff series, won on goals by Blanco and teammate Chris Rolfe.
Rest of MLS playoffs
N.E. REVOLUTION vs. N. Y. RED BULLS
Game 1: Saturday at New York, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: Nov.3 at New England, 6:30 p.m.
Story line: Neither team ended on a high note, but the Revs know how to turn it on, having represented the East in three of the last five MLS Cup finals. Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel is capable of scoring plenty of goals, but his team is capable of allowing just as many. The Red Bulls have allowed 13 goals in their last seven games.
PREDICTION: REVOLUTION 5-4 on aggregate
HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. FC DALLAS
Game 1: Saturday at FC Dallas, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Nov. 2 at Houston, 7:30 p.m.
Story line: Dynamo defender Ricardo Clark may be suspended the rest of the season, but the roster of the defending champion is loaded with talent that can make up for his absence. Dallas has one win in its last seven games.
PREDICTION: DYNAMO 3-1 on aggregate
CHIVAS USA vs. K. C. WIZARDS
Game 1: Saturday at Kansas City, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Nov. 3 at CD Chivas, 9:30 p.m.
Stroy line: Whether the Wizards can pull off the upset will depend on forward Eddie Johnson, who finished fourth in scoring with 15 goals. Standing in his way is Goalkeeper of the Year favorite Brad Guzan and three-time World Cup veteran Claudio Suarez.
PREDICTION: CHIVAS 4-2 on aggregate
EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
REVOLUTION vs. FIRE
Nov. 8: TBD, 6:30 p.m.
PREDICTION: REVOLUTION WINS 1-0
WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
CHIVAS USA vs. DYNAMO
Nov. 10: TBD, 11 a.m.
PREDICTION: DYNAMO WINS 2-1
MLS CUP FINAL
REVOLUTION vs. DYNAMO
Nov. 18: TBD , 11 a.m.
PREDICTION: DYNAMO WINS 3-2