FIFA bans Peru

Some interesting news I didn't get to touch on yesterday was FIFA's decision to ban Peru from all international competition. The ban comes as a result of the Peruvian government getting into a dispute with the Peru's soccer federation (FPF).

"The Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) will only return on the basis of negotiations with the president and the board of the FPF," said a statement.

The issue in question began when Peruvian President Alan Garcia choose not to accept the election of Manuel Burga as the FPF's president. This in turn has suspened all Peruvian teams from competing in international competitions ranging from youth tournaments, to club commitments and even World Cup qualifying. Peru currently sits last in the 10-team table and is a long shot at making it to South Africa 2010.

However this recent turn of events is just another blow to a once respected federation. Peru's national team, who was a promising side in the 70s and early 80s, has become a bottom feeder in the CONMEBOL.

Earlier this year they also suffered from an embarassing story as several key players stayed up past curfew, snuck women into the hotel and drank the night away just two days before a World Cup qualifer at Ecuador which they ended up losing 5-1. The players are still serving hefty suspensions for their disgraceful acts .

According to the statement, Peru has one month to sort out this mess or they could be expelled entirely.

Crew's Control: Columbus wins MLS Cup

The Columbus Crew have capped off their dream season with their first ever MLS Cup. Yesterday afternoon's 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls wasn't as decisive as the score might indicate but it was enough to finish the Crew's impressive season on a good note.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto wasn't the MVP of the league, and of the game, for no reason. He simply tore up the Red Bulls, tallying three assists in the process. His most impressive; a chip through ball that allowed for Crew defender Franke Hejduk to head the ball over an oncoming Danny Cepero. Schelotto's patience, creativity and touch were all on display on that single play.

The first half saw Juan Carlos Osorio's group attack more and looked poised to pull off yet another upset. But inaccuracy and sloppy defending prevented that as a timid Columbus Crew offense drew first blood with a goal in the 31st minute.

The second set of 45 minutes saw the Crew respond with a much stronger performance and the Red Bulls began to falter. Schelotto stepped up and took control of the game as he curled in a corner that led to Chad Marshall's 53rd minute response to John Wolyniec's equalising strike two minutes prior. And the Argentine midfielder sealed things off with a beautiful assist to Hejduk in the 82nd minute.

There were some negatives though. As I had claimed earlier in the playoffs, Red Bulls goalkeeper Danny Cepero, who was outstanding throughout the post-season, was too inexperienced to not make one costly mistake. He kept proving me wrong, but the inexperience showed on the Crew' first goal yesterday.

Schelotto released Alejandro Moreno down the right flank with a long distance pass. As the veteran forward received the pass he took a couple of steps and noticed that Cepero was cheating too much towards the near post. Moreno released a low shot to the far post that the Red Bulls goalkeeper got a piece of, but it still managed to find the side netting, which in turn set the tone for the Crew's first MLS title.

MLS Cup Final: Columbus Crew v New York Red Bulls

We are less than an hour away from the 2008 MLS Cup Final between the Columbus Crew and the New York Red Bulls. Both teams will be making their first appearances in the MLS Championship but only one will prevail today.

The two teams paved their road to the championship game under completely different circumstances. The Crew were the top-seeded team in the East and ran over the Kansas City Wizards before finishing a come-from-behind victory against the Chicago Fire. Meanwhile in the West, the New York Red Bulls stunned the defending champion Houston Dynamo before blanking Real Salt Lake at the Rio Tinto Stadium.

Expect two South American stars to play big roles in determining who comes out on top tonight. Crew's Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who was named 2008 MLS MVP earlier this week, has played a huge role in Sigi Schmid's team.

But if anyone has been just as important to their team's playoff success, it's been Red Bulls striker Juan Pablo Angel. The former Aston Villa forward constantly draws attention away from defenders allowing for his teammates to find space in the attack. Such has been evident by Dane Richards emergence during the Red Bulls dream playoff run.

One could argue that even with the star-studded Colombian on their roster, the Crew are clearly more talented, but Juan Carlos Osorio's Red Bulls have managed to up-end more talented teams before and the team that sneaked its way into the playoffs may have it in them to do it one more time.

With both teams one step away from MLS history, who will rise to the occasion and be crowned MLS Champion? The answer to that question starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC and Telefutura.