COLUMBUS -- Like the season series that resulted in two ties, Thursday's Eastern Conference Championship between the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire appears to be even.
The difference could come down to penalty kicks if the score is deadlocked after 90 regulation minutes and 30 more in extra time. Again, though, there's not much to differentiate between the Fire's MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Jon Busch and the Crew's William Hesmer, a finalist for the award.
Hesmer stopped three of five spot kicks this season but hasn't faced one since Landon Donovan of Los Angeles scored on June 21. Busch, who stopped 14 of 17 attempts in his Crew career from 2002-06, made a save against Toronto FC's Rohan Ricketts on Oct. 18 in the only penalty he faced.
The teams played to a 2-2 draw in Columbus on July 5 and had the same score at Chicago on Oct. 12. They also were 2-2 in the U.S. Open Cup in Peoria, Ill., on June 10 before the Fire scored in the winner in overtime.
That's why Hesmer and his teammates practiced penalty kicks Tuesday morning in Crew Stadium.
"Anytime you have PKs it's the goalie's time to shine, your moment to come up big for the team," Hesmer said. "After all, goalkeepers aren't supposed to save them. That's the viewpoint of most but I put a little more pressure on myself to save at least a couple out of five."
With so much riding on the match it could come down to set pieces. Led by MVP candidate Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the Crew was a force on corner kicks and restarts. Defender of the Year Chad Marshall alone scored four headers off restarts.
But it was the Fire who put in two in the last meeting -- both by Brian McBride in his first match against his former club.
"It was a little bit uncharacteristic of us," Hesmer said. "Some of it was being a bit unlucky in our end. The ball just happens to pop off to McBride, wide open. But at the same time we can't leave a guy, especially of McBride's caliber, wide open like that on set pieces. We have to be mindful of where he is on the field."
Crew midfielder Brad Evans said those plays have been burned into the brain.
"We haven't given up many set-piece goals this year. That's something we prided ourselves on. We've looked over things and hopefully we've figured it out," he said. "The ball fell to (McBride) twice. That's a testament to his knowing where to be. He's done that his whole playing career. He's been a menace in the box. Obviously, we're going to have a tough challenge with him and the defenders coming forward."
The Crew won the Supporters' Shield and the right to host the match in Crew Stadium with a 17-7-6 regular season record and 11-2-2 at home, where they have now won seven in a row and outscored opponents 16-2 with five shutouts since July 17.
Countering that is the Fire's 4-0-3 record in Columbus since July 3, 2004.
"Since we play at home, we have to press them and try to score first. After that we have to play like we did all season. We don't have to change a thing," defender Gino Padula said. "They have a very good team. They have smart players from the backline to the frontline. It will be a very tough game."
Columbus was second in the league with 50 goals while the Fire were fifth (44). Chicago was second in defense (33 allowed), just ahead of the Crew's 36, and each 'keeper had 10 shutouts.
"Their attack is extremely potent," Evans said. "If we can stay strong defensively and finish a few chances on offense and get a few big saves out of Will it will be like any other game.
"We're very even teams. Both have balanced attacks, getting goals from different places. Both teams are good defensively and both have very good goalkeepers. It's been a stalemate twice."
Midfielder Brian Carroll sees a versatile attack in the Fire with such players as McBride, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Justin Mapp and Ohio native Chris Rolfe.
"You've got (John) Thorrington coming out of the midfield and you have set pieces to watch out for," Carroll said. "They're a dangerous team but we've got to be willing to impose our game on them, limit their chances and come up with some big plays to keep them out of the net."
He also knows the Fire (13-10-7 in the regular season) will have trouble with the Crew attack that had 14 players score; 10 had two or more goals. The Fire's numbers were 13 and eight, respectively.
"We cause some of the same problems as they do," Carroll said. "They've got to watch out for Guillermo; watch out for our outside guys, they're playing well. Alejandro (Moreno) is always dangerous as well."
The match could come down to the battle of international superstars: Mexico's Blanco (seven goals and 11 assists) and Schelotto.
"Guillermo is the best," said fellow Argentinean Padula. "He had 19 assists and seven goals. We won the Supporters' Shield. He deserves the MVP."
The feisty Blanco is known for agitating opponents to get them off their game.
"We know Blanco likes to talk a lot so we have to play our game and that's it," Padula said. "The last time we don't talk. I don't know if with another guy he did, but with me, no."
Said Schmid: "Blanco draws a lot of fouls. How many are fouls, who knows?"
What the Crew understands is that a dangerous free kick or even a penalty drawn by Blanco could be fatal.
"He likes diving," Padula said. "Sometimes he's dives and the referee gives him free kicks. He did the last game. We have to be careful about that. One free kick can win the series so we have to be smart and be careful with the ball from 18 yards or from where he free kicks.
"The referee has to be calm, intelligent because everyone knows Blanco. I hope he doesn't give too many free kicks to them."
Schmid has another concern.
"They've got this thing with McBride where he likes to stand offside on free kicks and then he sort of drops back but he really doesn't drop back and I think that doesn't get seen as well," he said.
However, he feels the 22 players on the field will be the deciding factors.
"It's all about the game," said Schmid. "The referees aren't going to win or lose it for us and the referees aren't going to win or lose the game for Chicago. At least that's what we hope."
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