The Galaxy, Fire and Sounders all are playing for history, while the Red Bulls are trying to keep their postseason hopes alive in a wild night of MLS action.
Oct 4, 2011 - In their infinite wisdom, MLS schedule maker decided to do their part to ... supplement? ... Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup final with a rescheduled New York Red Bulls-LA Galaxy match. The game could have easily been put on Wednesday, which is the more common MLS fixture date, but this was a decision clearly made with something bigger in mind. Whether or not that was a good idea is, of course, something only time will tell. In the meantime, we figured it would be good to provide a quick-reference viewer's guide to the proceedings:
What's at stake: The Galaxy can clinch the Supporters' Shield with a victory, which would give them two in a row. Even a tie would set a new post-shootout era MLS record for points in a season with 65. As it is, they currently share that record with the 2005 San Jose Earthquakes. Of note: They will be without Designated Players Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan.
In more pressing matters, the Red Bulls are in a fight for their playoff lives as they currently cling to the final playoff spot with only a tiebreaker separating them from the Portland Timbers. Rafael Marquez will be back at central midfield where he is supposedly more comfortable, but where he looked just as out of place as usual on Saturday.
What's at stake: You mean aside for the U.S. Open Cup? From a historical standpoint, it's hard to imagine a more significant match ever having been played in this tournament's 98-year-history. The Sounders will be trying to tie a record by winning their third consecutive title, while the Fire are trying to tie a record with their fifth overall title.
It's fitting that these teams would play one another. Both of these teams have historically taken the tournament quite seriously, as the Fire have now appeared in seven finals and the Sounders have advanced to the semifinals for five straight years (they did it in each of their final two years in the USL). A CONCACAF Champions League berth is also on the line.
Just to ramp up the stakes a little more, an Open Cup record crowd will also be on hand at CenturyLink Field where at least 35,000 people are expected to pack in.
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