Win and in for Red Bulls

MONTCLAIR, N.J. -- With three teams vying for the two wild card berths into the MLS Cup Playoffs, there's several different scenarios that play out in the final weekend of the Major League Soccer season.

But there's just one permutation the New York Red Bulls are concerned with.

"If we win, we're in," Dave van den Bergh said. "It's as easy as that."

Indeed, a win against the rival Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on Thursday night will book the Red Bulls passage into the postseason. Even a draw would go a long way toward qualification. But another loss in Bridgeview would mean New York would be anxiously watching Kansas City and D.C United play over the weekend.

"We don't want to be, after this game, waiting for something else to happen in order for us to qualify for the playoffs," Juan Pablo Angel said. "We've got to get the job done and fly back nice and safe with the qualification in our hands."

Chicago has little to play for after already being locked into an Eastern Conference Semifinal Series against the New England Revolution, though they still have to secure home-field advantage. But Osorio, who coached the Fire last season before bolting for New York, expects Chicago to play its best possible team.

"For obvious circumstances I think they will come out with the best team they have and that's (what) I'm preparing for," Osorio said. "In my opinion we're playing against one of the best teams in this league with, as I have said in the past, some of the best players, too."

Osorio has some tough decisions to make in terms of his starting XI for Thursday night. While he wouldn't name names, Osorio apologized to reporters for making them wait on Tuesday because he was speaking to three players who were pleading their cases for inclusion.

After midweek World Cup qualifiers, Dane Richards and Jorge Rojas both came off the bench on Saturday, while Gabriel Cichero was an unused sub. Will Rojas replace Mike Magee in the attacking midfielder role?

Will Juan Pietravallo, who is back from a one-game ban after being sent off in Salt Lake, return as defensive midfielder? Will Cichero, who struggled in back-to-back home losses to Colorado and Toronto, start centrally in the back? And who will provide the pace up the right side, Dane Richards or Matthew Mbuta?

These are just a few of the questions Osorio is pondering this week.

"Obviously three players think they should be in the starting lineup and they are not," Osorio said. "It's always a difficult thing, but I'm here to do the job and to make decisions and hopefully I get those decisions right."

One player who is assured of a starting nod is Danny Cepero, who replaces the suspended Jon Conway, in goal. The rookie is coming off a dream debut against Columbus, not only making two quality saves, but also scoring the first goal by a 'keeper in MLS history to kill the game off.

The soft-spoken Cepero is uncomfortable with his notoriety achieved from his 81-yard lofting free kick that bounced over the head of Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.

"The goal aside from Saturday, consistency is the focus for me right now," Cepero said. "I think I played pretty well Saturday and it's just important to play well and do what I have to do so we can get into the playoffs and get a win over in Chicago."

Scoring a second career isn't necessarily in Cepero's plans on Thursday. Winning over his soccer-crazed mother, Ana, and helping his team clinch a playoff berth, though is another story.

"She's a huge Cuauhtйmoc Blanco fan, he's like her favorite player," Cepero said. "There's a conflict of interest there. She also loves Brian McBride. I'm like, 'What about Danny Cepero?'"