Real Salt Lake

Coach Jason Kreis acknowledged being surprised by the way the Columbus Crew gambled against his Real Salt Lake team in the first leg of their playoff series, by leaving two of his best players on the bench.

Well, he's not the only one.

The strategy has been a hot topic around Columbus, since RSL basically ruined it with a late goal and a 1-0 victory last weekend, and at least one writer is wondering whether the discouraged Crew have what it takes to bounce back — even with playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelott back in the lineup.

“There is little time remaining,” columnist Michael Arace wrote in the Columbus Dispatch. “Work it out, or those thugs from Salt Lake City will be dancing … and all anyone will remember is that Schelotto was benched for a playoff game.”