The road to the 2010 MLS Cup will not go through Red Bull Arena. It will not go through Columbus Crew Stadium or Rio Tinto Stadium. It will not go through any venue east of the Rocky Mountains.

It will go through Commerce City, Colorado and Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

And it will also go through Carson, California and the Home Depot Center, where Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy host Schellas Hyndman's FC Dallas in the 2010 Major League Soccer Western Conference Finals.

Time to take a look at...the protagonists.


FC DALLAS

Schellas Hyndman's FC Dallas have a big chip on their shoulders. They were unable to solve the Los Angeles Galaxy in their regular season meetings, losing 1-0 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas and 2-1 at the HDC.

On Sunday night, the third time could be the charm for the Hoops.

FC Dallas finished the 2010 regular season with a 12-4-14 record (50 points), good for fourth place overall in the league and third in the MLS Western Conference.

The Hoops defeated Real Salt Lake 2-1 in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal at the Oven. Goals by Jeff Cunningham and super sub Eric Avila paced FC Dallas to the win.

They then held Jason Kreis's club to a 1-1 draw in Sandy, Utah to prevail 3-2 on aggregate. Dax McCarty's 17th minute goal proved to be the series winner.

Cunningham and MLS league MVP candidate David Ferreira are the two players that the Galaxy will look to neutralize. Cunningham led FC Dallas with 11 goals in the regular season, while Ferreira has 13 assists and eight goals for the campaign.

Jair Benitez, Ugo Ihemelu, George John and Jackson Goncalves will need to put up a spirited performance defensively.

Brek Shea will need to step his game up, whether as a sub or in the starting lineup. Shea ended his 2010 regular season with five goals and four assists and will be counted on.

Also, look for Atiba Harris to be an X-factor offensively. He was the lone scorer in the Oct. 24 tie at Victoria Street and is dangerous with the ball.

Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman finished the 2010 regular season with a 10-1-8 record, 56 dives, a 0.62 goals against average and a 78.9 percent save percentage. The former Galaxy goalkeeper was between the pipes for the playoff series against Real Salt Lake and seems to have recovered from the injury dealt to him by New York's Thierry Henry earlier this season.

FC Dallas have yet to play in their first MLS Cup.



LOS ANGELES GALAXY


It seems like FC Dallas is, in a way, like that holiday specialty known to its frequenters as a McRib sandwich. No matter how it opts for something different, that old friend comes back to say hello in its own special way.

Sunday will mark the second time in four weeks Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy meet their old friends from FC Dallas at the Home Depot Center.

Los Angeles ended their regular season campaign as the best team in Major League Soccer, sporting an 18-7-5 record (59 points).

The Galaxy, thanks to Edson Buddle, shut out the Seattle Sounders 1-0 in the first leg of the 2010 Western Conference semifinals on Oct. 31 before closing the door on the Sounders 2-1.

First-half goals from Buddle and Omar Gonzalez were more than enough for LA on Nov. 7.

A key part to the Galaxy chances of returning to the MLS Cup will be the play of Landon Donovan and David Beckham on the wing. Their speed, defending and ball distribution will be a focal point for FC Dallas to stop.

Beckham had been instrumental in the Galaxy's home victory over Seattle and his skill with the set pieces could be a sign of worry for the Hoops. If the No. 23 gets the timing right on the corners and free kicks, Los Angeles could send the visitors packing early with Buddle reading the last rites.

Defensively, the back line of Eddie Lewis, Sean Franklin, A.J. De La Garza and Gonzalez frustrated the Sounders attack and will need to do it again on Sunday. De La Garza has stepped his game in taking over for Gregg Berhalter, and Gonzalez's ability to stop and sweep will force Ferreira, Cunningham and Harris to be creative in their offensive sequences. Watch for Juninho and Dema Kovalenko to add some added pressure in the midfield.

After shaking off an early second-half injury, Donovan Ricketts proceeded to deliver another scintillating performance. The 2010 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finished the regular season with an 18-7-4 record, 79 saves, a 0.90 goals against average and a 76 percent save percentage. The Big Cat from Montego Bay will look to be in form and in good health heading into the Western Conference Finals.

Los Angeles has been in the MLS Cup for a few year now, sporting a 2-4 record. They won the 2002 edition off a golden goal from Carlos Ruiz over the New England Revolution and in 2005, they defeated the Revs in overtime 1-0.

The last two matches between the Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Dallas have been tenacious affairs. But this weekend, I expect the Galaxy to break open this contest. The play of Beckham and Donovan will be important, as will the performance of the backline to bend, but not break. Watch for Ricketts to upstage Hartman, should this divulge into a goalkeepers' clinic.

I like Dallas getting an early one before the Galaxy set things in order soon after. Let's try this scoreline.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. PT on Nov. 14 and will be televised by ESPN 2 and ESPN Deportes.

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