Galaxy and Fire Battle for Final Playoff Spot

By Todd McClamroch in News on Oct 21, 2007 3:00PM

Neither the Los Angeles Galaxy nor the Chicago Fire have lost in their last seven games. Their recent successes have helped make up for poor starts and given them both a chance to earn the final playoff spot this afternoon in the Major League Soccer regular-season finale. The Fire advance to the post-season with a win or a tie, but the Galaxy need a victory to advance.

The game will feature two of Major League Soccer's stars in the Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the Galaxy's David Beckham, who made an early recovery from an injury this week when he entered in the 68th minute of Thursday night's game against the Red Bulls. Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop said Beckham won't start today's game, but that he will play.

Chicago Fire head coach has prepared his team for Beckam, saying at a press conference, "If he plays out wide we have to deal with early crosses into the box. If he plays in the central position we have to deal with his distribution and his ability to pass the ball, but in both cases I think we have enough tools to counter that ,and defend that, and we also have our own threats that we concentrate on the most."

Chicagoist is excited to see Blanco and Beckham on the same pitch. Blanco holds the statistical edge this year with four goals and six assists to Beckham's zero goals and 2 assists in MLS games. Though the goal or assist that earns a playoff birth for their team tomorrow will be more important than anything else they have done for their team this year.

The game will be broadcast on My50 and TeleFutura at 2pm.