If everything goes according to plan, then the Chicago Fire will reach Major League Soccer's promised land for the second time in two years while leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy the bridesmaid for the third time.

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A quick look at the quarterfinals

No. 4 Tampa Bay Mutiny (16-12-4) vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Galaxy (14-10-8)

OK, as I write this, I already know the result of the opener. That was played on Thursday: L.A. 1, TB 0. Regardless of the result, I feel this series, the most competitive quarterfinal matchup, at least on paper, will go the distance. It's a battle of the extremes, pitting scoring champion Mamadou Diallo (with 26 goals, but none in three consecutive matches), and midfield general Carlos Valderamma (26 assists) and midfielder Steve Ralston (17 assists) against the more conservative but still talented Galaxy.

After Thursday, the Mutiny has dropped seven straight playoff games and hasn't scored a goal in the post-season in 414 minutes, since Gilmar found the back of the net in a 2-1 loss to the Columbus Crew on Oct. 5, 1997. The Galaxy has more than enough experience and veteran players to find a way to prevail.

The pick: L.A. in three.

No. 3 NY/NJ MetroStars (17-12-3) vs. No. 6 Dallas Burn (14-4-4)

Let's see. The MetroStars, who have never gotten out of the opening round in two appearances, have slumped badly after the All-Star break. They have a defense that has turned into a giant sieve, and that's being diplomatic. Their goalkeeper -- Paul Grafer -- is an emergency call-up from the A-League while Mike Ammann recuperates from a season-ending injury and Tim Howard is at the Olympics. Their star central defender, Lothar Matthäus, has underachieved of late, and their leading scorer and MVP candidate, Clint Mathis, decided to pick one helluva time to go into his worst drought (three games) of the season.

Translated: The MetroStars are sitting ducks for a hungry team such as the Burn, one of only two clubs to make the playoffs in each of the league's five seasons. Jason Kreis and Ariel Graziani make for one dangerous dynamic duo for any team to handle. While Matt Jordan has played most of the year in the net for the Burn, it will be interesting to see if coach David Dir pulls him for veteran Mark Dodd, as he did last year. The MetroStars won both games in the season series, but you can throw out those results due to the record shoddy play of their defense.

The pick: Burn in three games.

No. 2 Chicago Fire (17-9-6) vs. No. 7 New England Revolution (13-13-6)

His team decimated by injuries, Olympic and national team call-ups, Fire coach Bob Bradley keeps reinventing his side. A healthy Hristo Stoitchkov, even in a part-time role, is among the most dangerous players in the league, thanks to his skill, experience and vision. After watching Josh Wolff dominate the wing in the 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic in the U.S. Olympic opener on Wednesday, the Fire will have a potent one-two punch (Ante Razov is the other) when he returns. Defensive midfielder Chris Armas and defender Lubos Kubik (both have knee injuries) are expected back in a week.

The Revs, in the playoffs for the first time in three years and at .500 for the first time ever behind the masterful coaching of Fernando Clavijo, managed a 1-0-1 mark vs. the Fire. But when push comes to shove at this juncture of the season, they have too many holes to get past a quality side such as Chicago. But they are certainly headed in the right direction.

The pick: Fire in two.

No. 1 Kansas City Wizards (16-7-9) vs. No. 8 Colorado Rapids (13-15-4)

K.C.'s stifling defense (league-low 29 goals) and goalkeeper Tony Meola managed to shut down Diallo twice in a week. The Rapids won't fare too much better, even with Junior Agogo returning to the lineup after being sidelined since Aug. 16 with an ankle injury. As the only sub-.500 team in the playoffs, the Rapids are a true Cinderella side in waiting. They have scored the fewest goals (43) of the eight quarterfinalists and allowed the most (59). They also have lost five consecutive playoff games dating back to MLS Cup '97. The Wizards should remember the last time they tangled with a Cinderella side in the playoffs -- the Rapids, who swept them in two games three years ago.

The pick: K.C. in two.

No Arena or Reyna futbol for a while

Wow. That is all I can say after learning about the multiple-game suspensions handed down by FIFA against U.S. national coach Bruce Arena (three matches) and playmaking midfielder Claudio Reyna (two games).

Unless there was something that wasn't shown on TV immediately after the match, I don't think their conduct warranted a suspension, although a heavy fine definitely was in order. Yes, Arena was angry and Reyna had to be restrained by teammates from going after referee Peter Prendergast, but they never touched him.

I realize Arena had some strong words of criticism about Prendergast two months ago, but he wasn't the only one who dumped on the ref -- and rightfully so.

I just wonder if yours truly will be, ahem, sanctioned by FIFA in the wake of some of the scathing comments I wrote about Mr. Prendergast after the botched call.

And while Arena and Reyna must sit, Prendergast marches on, giving players their marching orders at the highest levels of the game. He is working the Olympics, having run the middle of the very first men's match -- Italy's 1-0 win over Australia on Wednesday.

Lothar's corner

MetroStars coach Octavio Zambrano criticized his star defender Lothar Matthäus, after the team's 3-2 loss to the Miami Fusion in the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night, saying he did not play up to par or to expectations.

Sack of the week

Gianluca Vialli was given the boot by Chelsea on Tuesday after the former Italian international admitted he had lost the confidence of the English Premiership team. Vialli was fired after Chelsea had registered only one win after five matches. Vialli, who directed the London side for 2 1/2 years, will be paid for the rest of his contract, which runs out after this season. Assistant coach Graham Rix took over for Vialli on a temporary basis. During Vialli's tenture, Chelsea won the League Cup in 1998, the European Cup Winners Cup in 1998 and the FA Cup last season.

No Dutch treat here when Ghent axed coach Henk Houwaart of the Netherlands on Wednesday after the team was routed by visiting Dutch power Ajax Amsterdam 6-0 in a UEFA Cup first-round, first-leg match. Houwaart began the first casualty of the Belgian season, which began five weeks ago.

Chip shots

Word out of the D.C. United locker room has the Hispanic players -- midfielder Marco Etcheverry and midfielder Jaime Moreno -- refusing to come back if embattled coach Thomas Rongen does return next season. They are very upset with Rongen and his training methods, according to sources. Sounds like Rongen and general manager Kevin Payne have a lot of patching up to do.

Here's an interesting scenario: Bob Bradley and the Chicago Fire are negotiating a contract for 2001 and beyond. If a deal isn't worked out, who knows? -- Bradley could wind up in D.C. if Rongen somehow doesn't return.

Also on the rumor mill: Bob Gansler, who rebuilt the Kansas City Wizards and then guided them to the top seed in the playoffs, doesn't have a contract for next season. Sources say he probably won't be back.