With the MLS Cup upon us, the MLSnet.com staff takes a moment to see how New York and Columbus stack up.
Record New York: 10-11-9 (5th in East); Columbus: 17-7-6 (1st in East)
Record at HDC NY: 1-0-1 (May 10: NY 2, LA 1; June 28: NY 1, CHV 1); CLB: 0-1-1 (May 31: CHV 2, CLB 0; June 21: CLB 3, LA 3)
Vs. Opponent NY: 2-1-0 -- April 5: NY 2, CLB 0 ( watch) | Sept. 18: CLB 3, NY 1 ( watch) | Oct. 18: NY 3, CLB 1 ( watch)
Season Goal Diff NY: -6; CLB: +14
Road to MLS Cup NY: Conference Semifinal -- NY 4, HOU 1 (aggregate); Western Conference Championship -- NY 1, RSL 0
CLB: Conference Semifinal -- CLB 3, KC 1 (aggregate); Eastern Conference Championship -- CLB 2, CHI 1
New York: Danny Cepero spent much of the year playing on loan with Harrisburg of the USL Second Division. Now, the 23-year-old rookie is a starting ‘keeper in the MLS Cup. Cepero had a bit of luck on his side in the Western Conference Championship, being aided by some friendly posts, but he also stood on his head to make some tremendous saves and the numbers don’t lie. He’s surrendered just one goal in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Columbus: William Hesmer took an enormous step forward in his second year as the Crew's starting goalkeeper, emerging as finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year honors before being edged out by Busch. His 1.14 GAA was good for third-best in the league and his 10 shutouts were tied with Chicago's Jon Busch and Kansas City's Kevin Hartman for tops in MLS. His 17-6-6 record topped the charts.

Edge:
New York: Ironman Jeff Parke’s late-season suspension threatened to tear the Red Bulls’ backline apart, but instead it seems to have brought the line together. Backed by Cepero’s surprising play, the unit has surrendered just one goal in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Kevin Goldthwaite has been the rock of line at left back, while veteran Chris Leitch has stepped in admirably to secure the right side next to center backs Diego Jimenez and Andrew Boyens. Carlos Mendes stepped in for Boyens in the Western Conference Championship and would likely do so again if the 6-foot-4 Boyens can’t go in MLS Cup.

Columbus: The Crew backline spent most of the season in the shadow of more heralded units in Chicago and Houston, but center back Chad Marshall’s Defender of the Year award -– and a victory against Chicago in the Eastern Conference Championship –- perhaps served as vindication for the stingy Columbus defense. Marshall and Danny O’Rourke will have their hands full trying to mark Juan Pablo Angel in the box, but the bigger test may come on the outside, where Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula will look to slow Dane Richards, Dave van den Bergh and a dangerous Red Bulls counter attack. Look for MLS rookie Andy Iro to come on late if the Crew have a lead to protect.

Edge:
New York: Much of the credit for the Red Bulls’ defensive resurgence can be given to rookie Luke Sassano, whose work as a defensive midfielder in the playoffs in place of the injured Seth Stammler has been nothing short of brilliant. He’ll undoubtedly be hanging back again in the Cup, perhaps even shadowing Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Richards and van den Bergh do a great job of extending the field on the wings and are the lynchpins of New York’s counter attack. A hamstring strain knocked central midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic out after 23 minutes against RSL. Depending on Ubiparipovic’s health, creator Jorge Rojas could again play a big role.

Columbus: The glue of the unit is holding midfielder Brian Carroll, whose consistency enables the rest of midfield to routinely push forward in attack. Eddie Gaven, Robbie Rogers and Brad Evans have all found the back of the net in the playoffs as a result. That trio will provide the Red Bulls’ backline with the stiffest challenge its seen to this point in the postseason. Carroll also figures to play a big role in Sigi Schmid’s game plan to slow the Red Bulls counter. Pat Noonan, who played in the past three MLS Cups with New England, and Olympic silver medalist Emmanuel Ekpo bring the unit daunting depth as well.

Edge:
New York: Juan Carlos Osorio is not shy about telling anyone that, when given service, Juan Pablo Angel is the best striker in the league. He’ll be the focus of the Crew backline, which may again open up an opportunity for 31-year-old John Wolyniec, who has been a revelation in these playoffs since his surprise selection in the first leg of the conference semifinal series with the Dynamo. Wolyniec had a goal and an assist in that series, and his work in the box created the lone goal of the Western Conference Championship.

Columbus: Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s playmaking ability led the Crew to the Supporters’ Shield, and now it could make them the first Supporters’ Shield holders since 2002 to come away with an MLS Cup title. The Red Bulls’ defense must know where the MLS assist leader is at all times, but can’t lose sight of Alejandro Moreno, who led the Crew in scoring with nine goals. Steven Lenhart and Jason Garey have also proven to be dangerous scoring threats when brought in as late game substitutions.

Edge:
New York: Juan Carlos Osorio has pushed all the right buttons in the playoffs. He raised more than a few eyebrows with his decisions to bench Jorge Rojas, Juan Pietravallo, Gabriel Cichero and Mike Magee at the start of the postseason after all had started for much of the second half, but the play of Sassano, Ubiparipovic and Wolyniec has breathed new life into this team. In Osorio’s two seasons as an MLS head coach, he has brought the Fire to the Eastern Conference Championship in his first year in Chicago, and now has the Red Bulls in the MLS Cup Final in his first go-around in New York.

Columbus: Sigi Schmid has seemed to have his finger on the pulse of his team all season long, making tremendous use of his depth to bring young players like Iro, Ekpo and Lenhart along. Blessed with every coach’s dream of having almost too much talent, Schmid has found the perfect blend on the field. He has more career playoff victories than anyone in league history, and after winning a slew of trophies -- including the 2002 MLS Cup -- in a six-year stint with the LA Galaxy, Schmid is in excellent position to capture his first trophy in Columbus.

Edge:
New York: The Red Bulls won just one regular season game away from Giants Stadium, but that victory came at The Home Depot Center, a 2-1 victory against the Galaxy on May 10. They also drew 1-1 with Chivas USA on June 28, fielding a lineup remarkably similar to the one they’ll likely trot out on Sunday, minus an injured Juan Pablo Angel.

Columbus: The Crew played well on the road this season, but they did not play well at The Home Depot Center, suffering a 2-0 loss to Chivas USA on May 31 fielding nearly an identical lineup to the one that will take the field on Sunday. They also drew 3-3 with the Galaxy on June 21, though they played without an injured Eddie Gaven in that match.

Edge:
New York: In yet another strange twist of fate, the Cinderella Red Bulls find themselves in the MLS Cup against a team they beat twice this season. Granted, the first win came in their season opener, with players such as Adam Moffat, Stefani Miglioranzi, Claudio Reyna and Oscar Echeverry involved, and the second came in the second-to-last game of the season with Columbus fielding a lineup full of reserves, having already clinched the Supporters’ Shield. The Red Bulls will need to pull yet another massive upset to come away with the title, but win-or-lose in the MLS Cup, we will all remember the Red Bulls’ historic, underdog run for a very long time.

Columbus: The Crew won the 2008 Supporters' Shield for a reason. Front-to-back, they are the most well-rounded team in MLS. They possess quality depth at all three lines of play and top-notch goalkeeping to boot. Recent history could perhaps be working against Columbus though, as no Supporters' Shield holder has won an MLS Cup title since the 2002 LA Galaxy. That team's coach though? Sigi Schmid. This Red Bulls team is vastly different from the one the Crew defeated on Sept. 18, but while the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs have belonged to New York, the 2008 MLS season has belonged to Columbus.

Edge: