GAME GUIDE: New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew SC

Home-field advantage in the playoffs: You can take advantage of it or waste it away. Columbus Crew SC took full advantage in their 2-0 first-leg win over the New York Red Bulls in front of a sold-out MAPFRE Stadium to move within one game of their first MLS Cup final since 2008. Crew SC midfielder Justin Meram wasted no time in scoring the fastest goal in MLS Cup Playoffs history with his goal 9 seconds into the match (watch here). Cedrick Mabwati, one of the catalysts in the Crew SC's second-leg win over the Montreal Impact in the Eastern Conference semifinals, came on in the 80th minute for Ethan Finlay and made a quick impact. In the 85th minute, Mabwati blew by Dax McCarty and Gonzalo Veron and forced Luis Robles into a diving save, only for Kei Kamara tap the loose ball into the back of the net to double the lead (watch here). The last time the Crew SC advanced to MLS Cup was in 2008, against the New York Red Bulls, when they won the title 3-1 at The Home Depot Center.

The Red Bulls will have some work ahead of them to make up the two-goal deficit at Red Bull Arena, but there's reason to think they can. The Red Bulls were 12-3-2 at home during the regular season. The Red Bulls scored two or more goals in 12 out of 17 regular-season home games and ended the year having scored at least two goals in nine consecutive home games. Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips was tied for second in the league with Kei Kamara for the most goals scored at home during the regular season with 13. In their one home game against Columbus on Oct. 3, New York defeated the Crew 2-1 behind goals from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Lloyd Sam. Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Luis Robles will have to be in superb form at home, where he's posted seven shutouts at Red Bull Arena during the regular and postseason, if the Red Bulls are to advance to their first MLS Cup since that same 2008 final.