For once, the favorites came through.
The Los Angeles Galaxy became the first No. 1 seed from the Western Conference to survive the first round since Kansas City progressed back in 2004. That had also been the last time that both higher seeds in the West prevailed, a feat Houston helped match with their defeat of Seattle.
It sets up a titanic clash of two teams that tied for the top spot in the conference standings, with the Galaxy earning the No. 1 seed based on their head-to-head record against the Dynamo.
The home-field advantage that is practically non-existent in the first round now becomes massive at the conference final stage, and the Galaxy are pleased to carry that edge into Friday's match.
(1) Los Angeles Galaxy vs. (2) Houston Dynamo
Breaking down Los Angeles:
The good: The Galaxy's defense, which looked so fragile in the first leg against Chivas USA, returned to its tenacious ways in the return encounter, and remains the backbone of the team. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts has proved to be a calming presence and proved his playoff credentials against Chivas, delivering several sharp saves.
In attack, it's the Landon Donovan and David Beckham Show, although players like Edson Buddle and Mike Magee are more than capable of inflicting damage if too much attention is directed elsewhere.
"Obviously, the set pieces are a plus for them because of Beckham," said Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear. "The game can go back and forth at [The Home Depot Center], and the one thing they have is when the ball turns over, they have a guy in Beckham who can pass the ball, and another guy in Donovan who reads dangerous situations like no one else."
The bad: The Galaxy's lack of pace in the center of defense remains a trouble spot, as Chivas speedster Maykel Galindo posed some problems for L.A. during the first round. With the pacy Dominic Oduro now a major part of Houston's offense, expect that weakness to be tested repeatedly.
The X-factors: Ever since the league began using conferences to determine the two MLS Cup participants back in 2003, home teams are an impressive 9-3 in conference finals. But beyond enjoying the comforts of The Home Depot Center, the Galaxy have proven to be adept at exploiting the wide open spaces of their home venue. With Houston playing their home games within the much tighter confines of Robertson Stadium, limiting the space of L.A.'s difference-makers could prove to be a challenge for the Dynamo.
And while it seems counterintuitive to label a prolific player like Donovan as an X-factor, he has shown an otherworldly knack for scoring in the playoffs, and his 16 career postseason goals currently tie him for first with Carlos Ruiz on the all-time list.
"[Donovan] is probably the most dangerous [player] in MLS as far as stepping up when it matters," said Houston forward Brian Ching. "We going to be constantly aware of where he is on the field, and try to make things difficult for him.
The winning formula: While the Galaxy's backline must minimize the impact of Oduro and the always dangerous Ching, they'll also need to deny the wide service of Brian Mullan and Brad Davis, the latter of whom tied for the league lead in assists with 12 on the year.
The L.A. midfield will be required to help out in this regard, and holding midfielder Dema Kovalenko will have to be at his aggressive best to stifle the attacking forays of Stuart Holden.
In attack, not only will Donovan and Beckham have to find enough space to be effective, but a player along the lines of Buddle or Magee will have to provide an additional threat in order to draw some attention away from their teammates.
Breaking down Houston:
The good: Like L.A., Houston rode an airtight defense for most of the season, and Defender of the Year finalist Geoff Cameron gives the Dynamo the kind of athleticism needed to successfully chase down a player like Donovan. Bobby Boswell has also quietly put together a solid season.
Houston's midfield provides the team with incredible balance on both sides of the ball, as well as from wing to wing. In the center of midfield, the creativity and passing of Holden combines well with the range and tackling of Clark, who is also a threat to score from distance.
Out wide, Davis provides another creative element with his passing, while on the opposite flank, Brian Mullan looks to create havoc with his near endless running and ability to break teams down off the dribble. This was evident in the run-up to the series-winning goal against Seattle, where his refusal to give up kept the play alive for Ching to eventually score. Mullan's duel with former teammate Todd Dunivant will also be an interesting battle to watch.
Up top, the combination of Ching and Oduro provides an enviable combination of strength and speed, with Ching continuing to forge a reputation as a clutch playoff performer.
"[Ching] is a complete forward, and it requires complete concentration from your backline," said L.A. head coach Bruce Arena. "He can be hiding in certain segments of games, but when he has the opportunity to jump on a chance, he's there, as we saw in this past game when he struck in overtime against Seattle."
The bad: While L.A.'s defense lacks pace in the middle, Houston's defense has looked vulnerable out wide at times, and with usual right back Mike Chabala suspended, old standby Wade Barrett will likely fill in on the left, with Andrew Hainault sliding over to the right side.
Barrett's experience of winning three MLS Cups will certainly stand him in good stead, but this season he's been reduced to spot duty, and don't be surprised if L.A. tests him often to see how sharp he is.
Whether this happens through Donovan is an open question. The Galaxy attacker has lined up in all manner of positions during the playoffs, and it's possible L.A. might choose to try to isolate him against either Hainault or Barrett.
The X-factors: It wasn't that long ago that Oduro was something of an afterthought among the Dynamo's stable of forwards. But after scoring against Chivas USA in the season finale, Kinnear opted to start him in both legs against Seattle. While he didn't get on the scoresheet, his speed proved to be an effective compliment to Ching's holdup play.
Now Oduro will be counted on to test the Galaxy's lack of foot speed in the center of defense. If he can sustain a level of performance similar to that of the Seattle series, it could be enough to tip the match in Houston's direction.
"We're going to have to be aware of the qualities Oduro brings to the game ... and make the proper adjustments during the game," said Arena.
If penalty kicks are used to decide the game, goalkeeper Pat Onstad could be the difference given his history of saving spot kicks.
The winning formula: It's imperative that Houston adjust to the bigger field quickly, and thus limit the space of Donovan and Beckham. And with weapons like Davis, Holden, Ching and Oduro, it's just as important that the Dynamo use the wider dimensions to their advantage as well.
The ability of outside backs Hainault and Barrett to hold their own defensively will also allow Davis and Mullan to focus more on attack.
Jeff Carlisle is a regular contributor to ESPN Soccernet, and covers the San Jose Earthquakes for Center Line Soccer and MLSnet.com. Jeff can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
