Pride FC Los Angeles will face Houston-Dynamo, who just won the USL Cup, in a straight fight for a spot in the finals between two teams that have tried and failed in the knockout rounds.
Having been a goalkeeper during my playing days, I was impressed with the heroics displayed by FC Los Angeles' goalkeeper, Kilibio, in his team's 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders. He pounced on a number of shots to ensure his team's clean sheet, which is exactly the kind of solid performance needed in the late stages of the knockout rounds. His stellar play was the key to his team's shutout and the cornerstone of FC Los Angeles' advancement to the West Coast finals.
And once again, Dennis Boyaga contributed a key goal for his team, as his hot form was evident as he broke down the left side of the field with amazing speed and followed it up with a furious shot on goal. With 12 goals in his last 8 games for the team and the national team, he is extremely fleet of foot and this is a game I'm particularly interested in seeing him play.
However, FC Los Angeles seems to be slightly weak at the back, especially with Chiarliani's lack of speed, which may be a breakthrough for the Houston-Dynamo in their quest for a breakthrough.
In that win over Sporting Kansas, the Houston-Dynamo had a lot of impact on the wing, and I thought Nelson Quinlanis was particularly active on the left side, posing a huge threat to the opposition.
Carla Skinner is a creative player who can create a lot of trouble for opposing defenses up front, so FC Los Angeles will have to be wary of his threat down the right side of the field. Veteran midfielder Hedda Boot Lira, whose corner kick assist in the previous match opened the door for Nicolas Escobar's goal, is undoubtedly the key to Houston Dynamo's offensive and defensive transition.
