f Super Bowl Week is the highlight of the National Football League season, shouldn't MLS Cup week serve the same purpose for Major League Soccer? Indeed, the league has a plethora of events planned for the days leading up to and until the big game (Sunday, 3:30pm Eastern time, in case you forgot). There are many other unofficial events as well. This is the resource to track thema€"all of them (or at least as many as possible).

The choice of verb is every bit intentional, as Real Salt Lake hit the post four times but didn't score Saturday night, allowing the New York Red Bulls to escape with a 1-0 victory and advance to its first MLS Cup in franchise history.

When Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls face off in the Western Conference finals at Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday night, they will be playing not only for a spot in MLS Cup but for the ethereal "turning point in franchise history."

A pair of quick goals shortly after half time carried the Columbus Crew to a 2-1 Eastern Conference Championship victory Thursday against the Chicago Fire and the first MLS Cup berth in the club's history. American Soccer News was there to document the historic occasion.

If the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew's previous meetings this season are any guide, Thursday night's oeuvre at Crew Stadium stands to be a close, high-scoring affair; each of the three games ended in a 2-2 deadlock after 90 minutesa€"only the June 10 U.S. Open Cup tie was able to produce a winner, that in overtime.

Landon Donovan has started a 10 day trial with Germany's Bayern Munich, the club reported on its Web site Tuesday.

Dane Richards (pictured) scored one goal and set up another in a deciding portion of the first half as the New York Red Bulls beat the defending Houston Dynamo to pull off a stunning upset in the first round playoff series. It is only the second time in franchise history that New York has advanced past the first round of the playoffs, but the first time (2000) was not unexpected. Sunday's triumph, by contrast, goes down as one of the more shocking upsets not only in the history of the club but of the entire league.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or something. In other words, the same two teams are at the top of the standings as last week. But you want to know who they are so you're going to check it out anyway because, well, you're just like that aren't you?

Despite a valiant effort Chivas USA saw their playoff run ended, as Real Salt Lake held on for a 2-2 draw in the second leg of their first round Western Conference semifinal, Saturday night at the Home Depot Center. Real won the first leg 1-0 and advances to the next round with a 3-2 aggregate score.

It took nearly 140 minutes, but the Fire were able to score a goal and add two more as they defeated the New England Revolution to take the first round series against their old nemesis.Chris Rolfe, quiet in the first leg of the series, got the eventual game winner on the stroke of halftime.

Where American Soccer News and other news organizations track the likelihood of U.S. soccer players (in Major League Soccer and elsewhere) signing for European clubs. Updated regularly.

With an otherwise slow news day Wednesday, American Soccer News previews the Chicago Fire vs New England Revolution second leg of the first round playoffs. The first leg ended in a 0-0 draw in a game that was noteworthy only for being boring.

With Liverpool, last week's No. 1 team, losing last week the top spot was up for grabs. But who to move into it? Read on and you'll see.

Real Salt LakeYura Movsisyan. Despite the late goal, one could hardly argue with the result, as RSL were the aggressors throughout the match while out-hustling Chivas on both ends of the pitch.

With 10 games left in the season, Gary Smith officially assumed the role of head coach. The Rapids were out of playoff contention. They seemed to rally around Smith's more direct coaching style as they earned 14 points of 30 points with 4 wins, 2 ties, and 4 losses.What do you, the fan think? Should the Rapids retain Smith for '09?