When the Houston Dynamo walk into RFK Stadium this Sunday, an appearance in the 2012 MLS Cup is there for the taking.

After a hard-fought regular season, DC United is now faced with the daunting task of overcoming a two-goal deficit in order to stave off elimination. A more concerted effort by United will be necessary if it wants to continue its Cinderella run.

Unfortunately for DC, the pesky Dynamo continue to dominate in the playoffs, especially on the road. 

Houston’s 3-9-5 road record and -12 goal differential in the regular season are the most irrelevant stats in MLS.

As much as United fans continue to champion those statistics and transform them into some sort of rallying cry, the fact remains that Houston is a much better road team come playoff time. The Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City can attest to that.

Given the tactical acumen of Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear, a two-goal lead is almost insurmountable for a bruised and battered United team, but it is not impossible.

RFK has been more than friendly for DC all season. With a desperate team on the ropes, Houston should expect and prepare for everything (including the kitchen sink). 

United is more than capable of turning the tide in the East. The 37 total goals scored at home during the regular season and +20 goal differential was second only to the San Jose Earthquakes.

We are 90 minutes away (an extra 30 if we’re lucky) from crowning an Eastern Conference champion. With Sunday’s match just two days away, here are the five key battles to watch in the second leg of the Conference Final.

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David Beckham is embroiled in a case of he said, she said.

At least his name is.

First came this bit of news out of his former home, Great Britain, courtesy of the BBC:

David #Beckham's representatives approach Australia's Football Federation with view to him moving to A-League, FFA says bbc.in/QKYQqw

Roughly eight hours later, the Associated Press refuted their counterparts on the other side of the pond with this:

David Beckham's management company says he has no plans to play in Australia, disputes FFA's claim: apne.ws/U3XaaZ

So which report is accurate?

Beats me, but after five years with the Los Angeles Galaxy, with whom Beckham signed a new two-year contract in January, it's conceivable that the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star is looking for a new challenge before he's forced to hang up his spikes for good.

He is under contract with the Galaxy, and even a guest-stint in Australia—or anywhere, for that matter—would require jumping through hoops on both sides to make it work.

But here's the thing:

Beckham gains nothing by playing in Australia when the MLS season comes to an end.

Money? He's got more than he knows what to do with.

Fame? Notoriety? Ha! You can't find a more well-known footballer on the planet than David Beckham. He's the face of multiple brands and a global celebrity whose mere presence in public can cause a stampede of fans eager to get close to him.

And he plays in one of the biggest media markets in the world—Los Angeles.

It's not like Beckham has anything left to prove, either. He'll go down in history as one of the greatest players to ever step onto the pitch, a legend in his own time who has been able to transcend the game like very few have ever done.

Becks is also 37 years old. He's not a young man anymore.

While he might want to get as much action in before his career comes to an end, enjoying an offseason where he can rest, relax and allow his body to heal is imperative for him to continue playing at a high level next season, and perhaps for a few years after that.

Heading to Australia, even on a trial basis, makes little sense for Beckham's career.

He's got nothing to gain and everything to lose by putting himself at further risk of injury at this point in his career.

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You would be hard pressed to find a football fan who has not heard of David Beckham. Footballing talent aside, Beckham is a brand name, a public-relations statement. If suggestions are correct, the former English international could be heading to Australia for a 10-match guest stint.

According to Football Federation Australia (h/t ABC News), the A-League governing body was contacted by Beckham's agent regarding the possibility of a stint with an A-League club. An FFA spokesman said:

The approach from David Beckham’s people is another sign of how much the A-League has grown in stature on a global basis

But this approach remains at a very preliminary stage.

The interest only caps off what has been a stellar year for football Down Under. The league recently welcomed the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono; it is believed the capture of Beckham would truly cement the stature of the game in Australia.

Whilst suggestions are that Beckham will only play 10 matches in Australia, it is believed that if his family approve of an Australian lifestyle, this period could be extended. As things stand, Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Heart are leading the race to land the former Manchester United midfielder.

Beckham euphoria has already swept through the league, but in a contradictory statement, Beckham's own camp (the very same people it is believed instigated the rumours) have denied a move is in motion.

Comments made by his representatives (via ABC News) reject all reports, saying, "There are absolutely no plans to play in Australia. David is completely focused on the MLS play-offs and winning another championship with the Galaxy."

If a move does eventuate, though, Beckham could be plying his trade in Australia as early as next month.

Interesting times ahead for football in Australia.

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After two raucous first-legs in each conference’s respective finals on Sunday night, the MLS Playoffs now take a seven day breather before the second-legs kick off this weekend.

In the Eastern Conference Final, the Houston Dynamo jumped out to a controversial 3-1 lead over DC United.

In the Western Conference Final, the LA Galaxy put on an impressive offensive display dismantling the Seattle Sounders 3-0.

Let’s take a look at each series’ first-leg and a look at what’s in store for the second-legs.

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BBVA Compass Stadium, Nov. 11, Houston Dynamo 3, D.C. United 1

Even before D.C. United had fully secured its improbable ticket to Houston and the Eastern Conference Finals, the soft whispers of destiny started to circulate.

They had dodged so many bullets in their series with the New York Red Bulls, how could it not? Never mind that D.C. launched its share of those bullets in circular firing-squad fashion. Still, Ben Olsen’s roaming band of Black and Red youngsters survived.

The Houston Dynamo came into these conference finals also hinting at a little destiny of their own. They were not supposed to beat Chicago or Kansas City.

Suddenly, they were hosting a battered and depleted side in the first leg of a series that would determine which team goes on to the MLS Cup. The Dynamo has yet to lose at BBVA Compass Stadium. D.C. had never won in the state of Texas. Also, there were questions of United fatigue from drama, travel and a short turnaround from Thursday night’s game in New York.

Still, D.C. seemed to have that destiny thing working for it.

Early in the first half, United Coach Ben Olsen could be forgiven for finally giving in to that chatter. His side already was without Andy Najar and Bill Hamid, not to mention last year’s league MVP, Dwayne de Rosario. Adding to the woes, at just 12 minutes into the game, Chris Pontius had to be substituted out for an injury.

Despite all those headwinds, United did what Sporting Kansas City could not. They scored in Houston.

Nick DeLeon, the rookie lone goal scorer in the recent second leg against New York, caught a deflection off the Houston woodwork and touched the ball home.

That wheel of fortune keeps turning, however. It was about to turn against D.C. for the harsh remainder of this match.

Injuries continued to stack up against United. Olsen used all three subs for injuries to Pontius, Marcelo Saragosa and Brandon McDonald. The last came with more than a half hour still to play.

A referee non-decision also played its role. In first half stoppage time, Raphael Augusto was brought down by Andrew Hainault with what appeared to be an arm hold straight out of professional wrestling. Augusto, who came on as one of the subs and who was playing in his first MLS game, had the ball and a half-step on Hainault just outside the 18.

No call was made.

The referee was behind the play, and from that angle the arm takedown may not have been visible, nor the fact that Augusto was ahead of Hainault. The television camera caught the action, though. It was a clear scoring opportunity and an equally clear red card offense.

Even more so than the injuries, this non-call was the turning point.

In the second half, Houston began finding the D.C. net, manned by backup keeper Joe Willis. Willis played a credible game, especially considering the exhausted legs in front of him. The Dynamo attackers were better, though. When the dust cleared from their 19 shots, they had put three second-half goals past Willis.

Minutes after the intermission, Hainault found the equalizer after a quickly taken set piece. While Hainault arguably should not have still been on the field, it was an easy tap courtesy of Oscar Boniek-Garcia’s assist.

Midway through the second, Will Bruin hit a left-footed strike into the bottom left corner, set up by Willis’ save on a Giles Barnes strike. In the scramble following the save, it was Bruin who won the footrace over two D.C. defenders, and his chopping kick sent the ball tumbling through the frame.

Late in the game, Kofi Sarkodie found the net for a third Dynamo goal after a poor D.C. clearance on a Houston corner.

As they had against Kansas City, Dynamo used their charmed home field to build a two-goal lead in the home-and-home aggregate series. Now the “destiny” talk will focus instead on Houston.

Olsen will have a week to regroup. He will have Hamid back for the second leg, and there is an outside possibility de Rosario could return from the knee injury that sidelined him earlier in the season. As for the other walking wounded, the following days will provide those answers.

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It’s unlikely that Mike Petke is the leading candidate for the New York Red Bulls head coaching position.

It’s not impossible; he was just named interim head coach with the team not renewing Hans Backe’s contract. But history tells us the organization will go with the bigger, flashier, more expensive name, both with players and the coaching staff.

While Backe was still the head coach, names like GaryMcAllister and Harry Redknapp have been rumored by various sources to be considered the team’s head coach in 2013.

But maybe Petke, a legend to the Red Bull/MetroStars faithful, might not be a bad choice after all.

The trend in Major League Soccer is to hire former, recently retired players as new head coaches. Jason Kreis, Ben Olsen, Jay Heaps and Robin Fraser have all been hired as head coaches in the league since Kreis’ appointment at Real Salt Lake in 2007.

Olsen has brought D.C. United to the semifinals in his second full season as coach, and Kreis has won an MLS Cup championship.

The New England Revolution ownership was heavily criticized for the Heaps hire, mainly because of his lack of coaching experience.

Petke, however, just finished his second season as one of the team’s assistant coaches, both seasons where the team made the playoffs.

Petke is also an MLS veteran. He knows the league, understands the subtleties that are necessary to be successful in this league.

Once again, history shows that foreign coaches have difficulty adjusting from European leagues to MLS. It could be time for the Red Bulls to go back to an MLS-savvy coach who understands how the team must work around the salary cap and how important the draft is to build a team with plenty of depth, two things Backe did not do very well with.

Finally, it’s hard to imagine that there is any person out there who is more passionate about the club and cares more about its success than Petke.

He is a New York native. He played for the team in seven of his 14 seasons in the league. He was drafted by the club. He retired as a member of the franchise. He is active in the community and in connecting with the fans.

In fact, his fan-friendly approach would be a welcome change of pace for the organization whose season-ticket holders can be heard griping about the lack of interest ownership shows in them outside of their payment for seats.

The fact that the team has kept him on staff while letting go of both Backe and head assistant Jan Halvor Halvorsen implies that the team has some faith in Petke’s abilities as a coach.

It might be worth a shot to let him see what he can do on a permanent basis.

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The MLS Cup is down to four teams, and each of the conference finalists will need excellent individual performances from their top players in order to come out on top.

The Los Angeles Galaxy will take on the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference championship while the Houston Dynamo will face D.C. United in the Eastern Conference championship. 

As reigning champions, the Galaxy will be mentally ready for the pressure that comes at this late stage of the tournament. Houston and D.C. also have multiple titles as franchises, leaving Seattle as the only remaining team to never lift the trophy.

Here are the players each team will count on as they make a final surge towards glory.

Los Angeles Galaxy: Landon Donovan

There are a few big names on the Galaxy’s roster, but Donovan does more on the field for his team than his fellow stars. 

He is still a potent goal scorer and has hit the back of the net 10 times this season, placing him second on the team behind Robbie Keane. But Donovan is even more dangerous as a distributor, and his 15 assists is the highest total in the MLS. 

Without Donovan effectively orchestrating the attack, Los Angeles stands little chance at cracking Seattle’s stout defense. The Sounders conceded the fewest goals in the Western Conference during the regular season. 

A fine performance from Donovan will put the Galaxy on the right track toward a second consecutive title. 

Seattle Sounders: Eddie Johnson 

While Seattle’s defense has played extremely well this season, it will need Eddie Johnson to be relentless in order to spark the attack.

The striker leads the team with 14 goals this season and has the ability to torment Los Angeles’ back line, which has been mostly average this season. 

With top-class play from its star striker, Seattle will keep the dangerous Galaxy forwards in a retreated position and limit their impact on the match. This will also keep the defense fresh throughout the 90 minutes. 

Johnson must be active and focused throughout both legs of this round, or the Sounders will find it difficult to knock out the defending champs.

Houston Dynamo: Brad Davis

Davis is another player who drives his team’s attack as both a dangerous goal scorer and a crafty distributor.

His 11 assists are the highest of any Houston player, and he has also scored eight times this season, which is the second-best total on the team.

Houston will desperately need Davis to break down D.C. United’s defense and create space for both himself and his teammates. If he cannot do this, his team stands little chance at keeping pace with their opponent’s potent attack.

But if he can be effective, the Dynamo will be in the final for the second year in a row.

D.C. United: Chris Pontius

With veteran midfielder Dwayne De Rosario out for the season, the D.C. United’s attack is relying on Pontius to be extremely productive throughout the postseason.

The 25-year-old leads the team with 12 goals this season, but was unable to get on the score sheet during two hard-fought battles with the New York Red Bulls.

However, these were both low-scoring matches and Pontius will have more chances in front of goal against Houston. It will not be easy to break down the disciplined Houston defense, but Pontius must lead the effort for his team.

If he can find space in dangerous positions, D.C. United will win this matchup.

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The MLS Eastern Conference Final will pit two of the most celebrated teams in league history against each other in the playoffs for the first time.

With six of the 16 MLS Cups between them, the Houston Dynamo and DC United are on the verge of adding another star to their iconic crests.

They now stand in each other's way.

After a five-year hiatus from the playoffs, the most storied franchise in MLS history is back. DC is relevant once more.

Against all odds, United’s resilient style of soccer has carried them to this point. No other team in MLS has faced and preserved through more adversity than DC.

Left for dead after the injury to reigning MVP Dwayne De Rosario (knee), United are now unbeaten in their last nine matches (6-0-3). It has not been the most beautiful soccer ever played, but it has been the most effective.

They are not looking for style points. They are looking for wins and have clearly assumed the identity of their head coach Ben Olsen. 

Bill Hamid’s red card in the semifinal match versus New York will force him to sit out the first leg of the series with an automatic suspension. Joe Willis, whose remarkable penalty kick save salvaged DC’s season, will likely take his place.

That does not bode well for DC. His 1.73 goals-against average is the 10th worst in MLS and United has only won four of their 11 matches with Willis in net.

United will also be without the services of Honduran international Andy Najar, as he continues to pay for his peevish outburst in the first leg of the semifinals.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee suspended the fiery 19-year-old for both legs of the Conference Finals.

With critical personnel missing for DC, the contributions of Perry Kitchen and Nick DeLeon will be vital. Their maturity and ability to handle the pressures of a Conference Final will be tested.

DC has not gotten the recognition it deserves, and Coach Olsen has been able to rally the troops with his us-against-the-world mentality in recent weeks. Nobody believes in his team; however, that same sentiment will be echoed in the opposing locker room as well. 

DC may feel like they are the underdogs, but the Houston Dynamo are the lower seed—something head coach Dom Kinnear will surely communicate to his team.

This is the worst possible matchup for United. They will not be able to out-coach, out-hustle, or out-muscle the Dynamo—their recipe for success thus far.

With Will Bruin in top form (league-leading three playoff goals) and Boniek Garcia’s versatility in the midfield, DC will have its hands full.

As Sarah Lerner of dcunited.com points out, United's only chance is to score early and to score often. The Dynamo have only won one match (1-9-2) when conceding the first goal and DC is undefeated (7-0-0) when leading at the half. 

Easier said than done. Houston keeper Tally Hall’s 0.50 goals-against average and 90 percent save percentage are both MLS playoff records. 

This is an uphill battle for DC. The Dynamo have an extra day’s rest and are hosting the opening leg at BBVA Compass Stadium. 

Houston has never lost on its own turf (12-0-6) and south Texas has not been friendly to United either. They are a pitiful 0-8-1 all time in the Lone Star State. 

The deck is stacked against United heading into the first leg and this time I do not expect them to persevere. They will lose the first leg, but the manner in which they do will ultimately decide this series. 

Anything more than a one-goal lead for Houston will be fatal for United. Nobody parks the bus better than the Dynamo—Sporting Kansas City can attest to that.

I bet against Coach Kinnear once and I refuse to do it again.

(Even though I am perfect on my Western Conference predictions, United fans should be elated with my decision given how deplorable my picks were for the Eastern Conference semifinals) 

This will not be a pretty series. Houston will advance to the MLS Cup for a second consecutive season, but there is no need to worry about a repeat final. 

A Seattle Sounders victory (as predicted by me) will send the Dynamo to CenturyLink field in search of their third title.

First Leg Prediction: Houston Dynamo 2-0 DC United

Second Leg Prediction: DC United 2-1 Houston Dynamo

Houston advances 3-2 on aggregate 

Follow Eduardo on Twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @BR_Mendez

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The MLS Cup Playoffs are now down to the final four. The D.C. United will take on the Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Seattle Sounders will take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in the West.

What can we expect from these two matchups? Read on to find out.

D.C. United vs. Houston Dynamo

The United are coming off an improbable victory against the Red Bulls, while Houston went past Kansas City to get to this game.

Houston has issues with speedy players, but lucky for the Dynamo, the United don't have too many of those. Oscar Boniek Garcia is a creative midfielder and Will Bruin is the leading scorer in the playoffs.

For the United, they feature a lot of talent, led by midfielder Nick DeLeon, who scored the series winner against the Red Bulls. They are down to their backup goalie, Joe Willis, but he has played admirably.

The United will need Dwayne De Rosario to come back from a leg injury to have a chance, but he's in a race against the clock. If he can come back and be effective, the United will have a good shot. If not, Houston will take this easily.

Look for Houston to advance to the final round.

Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles Galaxy

The Galaxy are the defending champs, but Seattle is up to the task. The Sounders beat the Galaxy twice in three regular season matchups.

The Galaxy have a great offense, led by Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan and Mike Magee. When they're on, it's hard to stop.

Superb Sounders goalie Michael Gspurning will have a tough task ahead of him, but he'll rely on the MLS' second-best defense in front of him to stop them.

The Galaxy have the upper hand as the defending champs, and this is the first time that Seattle has gotten past the conference semifinals round.

The Galaxy know how to handle the pressure if things get rough. Seattle might not.

For that reason, look for LA to have a chance to defend their title in the finals. 

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$13.8 million, that is the combined salaries of Thierry Henry ($5.6 million), Rafa Márquez ($4.6 million) and Tim Cahill ($3.6 million). 

The New York Red Bulls are home to three of the four highest-paid players in MLS, and the only thing the franchise has to show for it is a bunch of Red Bulls gear circulating around Mexico and a half-empty stadium.

No trophies. No championships. Just a miserably faithful fanbase.

In recent years, the Red Bulls have adopted the prototypical New York blueprint when it comes to building a championship team—throw a bunch of money at stuff and hope it sticks.

In the last decade, the New York Yankees have approximately spent a combined $1.94 billion in payroll for one World Series title. 

The New York Knicks spent $63.4 million last year to celebrate their only playoff victory like an NBA championship. They would be obliterated and eliminated by the Miami Heat just three days later.

The 2012 Red Bulls are just the latest installment of spending big to come up small in the definitive moments of the season. Their league-high $16.7 million payroll could not even produce a single goal in the playoffs.

(Unless you are willing to count Bill Hamid’s incompetence as a goalkeeper. I certainly am not.)

Cahill and his $3.6 million salary has to accept some culpability for his subpar play since his arrival from Everton; however, given the recent reports of Cahill playing through a tear in his calf (via Franco Panizo, Red Bulls beat writer), I will reserve my judgements on him for a later date.

Not to mention, the leadership qualities Cahill exuded following New York's loss are promising for the Red Bulls.

Henry, however, is a different story. The MLS’ highest-paid player did not take a crucial free kick in the waning moments of Thursday’s match.

His excuse? The free kick was best suited for a left-footed taker (via soccerbyives.net).

While it is hard to knock a man whose incredible talents (15 goals with 12 assists) carried New York to the playoffs, it must be done. When you are paid $5.6 million, you take that free kick, period.

Left footed or not, Roy Miller is not paid the big bucks ($112,495) to take the most important shot of the season.

Having said all that, the title for the biggest waste of money in MLS history belongs to Márquez.

Henry has always voiced his support for his former Barcelona teammate, but it is in his best interest if he bites his tongue this time around. 

Márquez seemed disinterested from the start of Thursday’s match (one might wonder if his halftime spat with Hans Backe in the first leg of the series had anything to do with it).

His first yellow 61 minutes into the match foreshadowed the monumental error that would ultimately cost New York a victory. That selfish and toxic personality finally sank the hearts of Red Bulls fans everywhere.

New York has paid $4.6 million for a man that started only 32 of 68 games since his arrival. His mysterious injuries, nasty shots at teammates and postgame antics finally culminated in a brutal tackle that sent him off in the 75th minute. 

Márquez has expressed his interest in being loaned during the offseason. For the sake of the franchise, it is best if he does not return from that destination, wherever it may be.

Wondering what could have been, the Red Bulls will now be forced to watch the Houston Dynamo and D.C. United battle for a spot in the MLS Cup Finals. The combined salaries for the two teams is a whopping $7.3 million.

For those of you doing the math at home, that’s $6.5 million less than the combined salaries of Márquez, Henry and Cahill. That is enough left over to purchase the entire Seattle Sounders roster as well ($4.2 million).

Changes are coming in New York.

The decision to no longer extend the contract of head coach Hans Backe and the hiring of Andy Roxburgh as the new sporting director exemplify that, but the most imperative change that must be made is a change in philosophy. 

This is how jerseys are sold. This is not how championships are won. With another team set to arrive in New York, it would behoove the Red Bulls to get it right sooner than later.

Follow Eduardo on Twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @BR_Mendez

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