The Colorado Rapids and the San Jose Earthquakes are in the MLS East Finals, one game away from the MLS Cup. 

Each team has made the MLS Semi-Finals twice before in their histories, with San Jose going on to win two MLS titles and the Rapids never advancing to the MLS Cup.

This year's tale of the tape has the seventh (Colorado) and eighth (San Jose) place finishers in the MLS table battling it out in a one-game, winner-takes-all shot at the Final. 

Because of MLS' somewhat odd table/conference playoff scheme, both Colorado and San Jose ended up playing in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket as the #5 (Colorado) and #6 (San Jose) seeds.

San Jose defeated the number one team in the East, the high-spending New York Red Bulls with Juan Pablo Angel, Thierry Henry,and Rafa Marquez 3-2 in the aggregate score, including their 3-1 pasting of the Red Bulls on the road in New York.

The Rapids defeated the No. 2 team in the East, the perennial MLS powerhouse Columbus Crew, in Colorado 1-0.  In Columbus, the game ended 2-1 in favor of the Crew, or 2-2 aggregate, which forced two scoreless fifteen minute overtime periods, followed by penalty kicks. 

The Rapids were a perfect 5-for-5 on their penalties, and Columbus' last kicker, Brian Carroll, couldn't handle the pressure and skied the last attempt over the crossbar for a Rapids win.  

On to the matchup:

San Jose Earthquakes

The Earthquakes possess MLS Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski, whose 18 goals out of 34 is the second highest percentage of team goals in MLS history. 

Wondolowski's run at the end of the season was truly marvelous, as he scored 4 goals, including a hat trick, in his last two regular season games to take the title away from USMNT 2010 World Cup player Edson Buddle, and put his team in the eighth spot for the playoffs. 

In addition, Wondolowski scored the go-ahead goal vs. the Red Bulls to win the quarterfinals for the Earthquakes on aggregate in New York. 

Colorado Rapids

The Rapids possess one of the best striker tandems in MLS in Omar Cummings and Conor Casey, accounting for 27 goals and 9 assists between them, and they have Mac Kandji, the late-season trade from the NYRB coming off the bench for late game support.   

Why The Rapids Will Win

Both teams are getting hot at the right time.  San Jose lost at home 1-0 to high-priced New York, then went on to torch them 3-1 in NY for the win. 

Colorado closed out their season with a tie against FC Dallas, a win against the L.A. Galaxy, and a tie against defending MLS champion Real Salt Lake, eliminated from the playoffs by FC Dallas.  FC Dallas and the Galaxy are in the other Semi-Final for the MLS Cup. 

Balance.  After Wondolowski's 18 goals, the next highest scorer on the Earthquakes has three goals.  Yes, you read that right.  The Cummings-Casey combo is much harder to contain.  Plus, Colorado's second-best scorer, Jeff Larentowicz, managed four goals (wink).

Offense + Defense.  Colorado also has a league 4th best +12 goal differential.  San Jose's goal differential?  +1.  Only the remaining Western Conference semifinalists, LA Galaxy (+18) and FC Dallas (+14) best Colorado in goal differential. 

Midfield.  Colorado's midfield contained Columbus home and away, and should be able to contain a team that squeaked into the playoffs.

Weather and Altitude.  Colorado does well at home.  The Rapids are 8-5-2 at home.  That's right.  They've only lost two games at home this season.  

The temperature at kickoff on Saturday is expected to be 39 degrees and falling.  Colorado has had the chance to practice at this temperature all week long.  San Jose, not so much. 

Prediction

The game will come down to a late goal when San Jose is tired from the altitude and cold. 

Colorado 2-1.

Oh, and where's the MLS Cup being played?  In Toronto ;) 

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