2006 Major League Soccer season

11th season of Major League Soccer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2006 Major League Soccer season was the 11th season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 94th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States, and the 28th with a national first-division league.

Quick Facts Season, MLS Cup ...
2006 Major League Soccer season
Season2006
MLS CupHouston Dynamo (1st title)
Supporters' ShieldD.C. United (3rd shield)
2007 CONCACAF Champions' CupHouston Dynamo
D.C. United
Matches played192
Goals scored503 (2.62 per match)
Top goalscorerJeff Cunningham
Real Salt Lake
Goals: 16
Biggest home winNY 6–0 RSL
Biggest away winNY 1–4 DCU
LA 0–3 RSL
DCU 2–5 LA
Highest scoringNY 5–4 CHV
Longest winning runD.C. United
Wins: 6
(06/21 – 07/15)
Longest unbeaten runD.C. United
Wins: 14
(05/13 – 07/22)
Longest losing runK.C. Wizards
Loss: 7
(06/24 – 07/22)
Los Angeles Galaxy
Loss: 7
(05/06 -06/08)
Highest attendanceLos Angeles Galaxy
Season: 333,016
Game avg.: 20,814
Lowest attendanceK.C. Wizards
Season: 177,322
Game avg.: 11,083
Total attendance2,976,787
Average attendance15,504
2005
2007
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The MetroStars were bought by Austrian company Red Bull and rebranded as the New York Red Bulls.

Due to owner AEG being unable to secure a soccer specific stadium in San Jose, the Earthquakes ceased operations and had their personnel transferred to the expansion Houston Dynamo.

In June, the Chicago Fire moved into their new soccer-specific stadium, Toyota Park, in Bridgeview, Illinois.

The regular season began on April 1, and concluded on October 15. The 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 21, and concluded with MLS Cup 2006 on November 12. Houston marked their inaugural season with a league championship by defeating the New England Revolution on penalties in MLS Cup.

Overview

Summarize
Perspective

Season format

The season began on April 1 and concluded with MLS Cup on November 12. The 12 teams were split evenly into two conferences. Each team played 32 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team in their conference four times, and every team in the opposite conference twice.

The top four teams from each conference qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. In the first round, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners. The conference finals were played as a single match, and the winners advanced to MLS Cup. In all rounds, draws were broken with two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule was not used in any round.

The team with the most points in the regular season was awarded the MLS Supporters' Shield and qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Additionally, the winner of MLS Cup also qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. If a team qualified for multiple berths into the Champions' Cup, then additional berths were awarded to the highest overall finishing MLS team(s) not already qualified. Qualification for the inaugural SuperLiga was also awarded to the MLS Cup Champion and Supporters' Shield winner, as well two invited teams, FC Dallas and LA Galaxy.

Automatic qualification for the U.S. Open Cup was awarded to the top three finishers in each conference. The rest of the U.S.-based MLS teams had to qualify for the remaining two berths via a series of play-in games.

Stadiums and locations

Personnel and sponsorships

Coaching changes

More information Team, Outgoing coach ...
TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming coachDate of appointment
Los Angeles Galaxy United States Steve Sampson Fired June 6, 2006 Canada Frank Yallop June 7, 2006
New York Red Bulls Scotland Mo Johnston Fired June 27, 2006 United States Richie Williams June 28, 2006
New York Red Bulls United States Richie Williams End of interim period July 18, 2006 United States Bruce Arena July 18, 2006
Kansas City Wizards United States Bob Gansler Resigned July 19, 2006 United States Brian Bliss July 19, 2006
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Standings

Eastern Conference

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D.C. United 32 15 7 10 52 38 +14 55 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 New England Revolution 32 12 8 12 39 35 +4 48
3 Chicago Fire 32 13 11 8 43 41 +2 47
4 New York Red Bulls 32 9 11 12 41 41 0 39
5 Kansas City Wizards 32 10 14 8 43 45 2 38
6 Columbus Crew 32 8 15 9 30 42 12 33
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Source: MLS

Western Conference

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 FC Dallas 32 16 12 4 48 44 +4 52 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Houston Dynamo 32 11 8 13 44 40 +4 46
3 Chivas USA 32 10 9 13 45 42 +3 43
4 Colorado Rapids 32 11 13 8 36 49 13 41
5 Los Angeles Galaxy 32 11 15 6 37 37 0 39
6 Real Salt Lake 32 10 13 9 45 49 4 39
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Source: MLS

Overall standings

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 D.C. United (S) 32 15 7 10 52 38 +14 55 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
2 FC Dallas 32 16 12 4 48 44 +4 52 North American SuperLiga
3 New England Revolution 32 12 8 12 39 35 +4 48
4 Chicago Fire 32 13 11 8 43 41 +2 47
5 Houston Dynamo (C) 32 11 8 13 44 40 +4 46 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
6 Chivas USA 32 10 9 13 45 42 +3 43
7 Colorado Rapids 32 11 13 8 36 49 13 41
8 New York Red Bulls 32 9 11 12 41 41 0 39
9 Los Angeles Galaxy 32 11 15 6 37 37 0 39 North American SuperLiga
10 Real Salt Lake 32 10 13 9 45 49 4 39
11 Kansas City Wizards 32 10 14 8 43 45 2 38
12 Columbus Crew 32 8 15 9 30 42 12 33
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Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

MLS Cup Playoffs

Summarize
Perspective
Conference semifinals Conference finals MLS Cup
          
E1 D.C. United 1 1
E4 New York 0 1
E1 D.C. United 0
Eastern Conference
E2 New England 1
E3 Chicago 1 1 (2)
E2 New England (p) 0 2 (4)
E2 New England 1 (3)
W2 Houston (p) 1 (4)
W1 Dallas 2 2 (4)
W4 Colorado (p) 1 3 (5)
W4 Colorado 1
Western Conference
W2 Houston 3
W3 Chivas USA 2 0
W2 Houston 1 2

Conference semifinals

More information D.C. United, 1–0 ...
D.C. United1–0New York Red Bulls
Gómez 77' Report
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Attendance: 8,630
Referee: Michael Kennedy
More information New York Red Bulls, 1–1 ...
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Attendance: 21,455
Referee: Tim Weyland

D.C. United advance 2–1 on aggregate.


More information New England Revolution, 0–1 ...
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Attendance: 10,217
Referee: Tim Weyland
More information Chicago Fire, 1–2 (AET) ...
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Attendance: 9,372
Referee: Jair Marrufo

New England Revolution advance 4–2 on penalties (2–2 aggregate after extra time).


More information FC Dallas, 2–1 ...
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Attendance: 4,176
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
More information Colorado Rapids, 3–2 (AET) ...
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Attendance: 15,486
Referee: Abiodun Okulaja

Colorado Rapids advance 5–4 on penalties (4–4 aggregate after extra time).


More information Houston Dynamo, 1–2 ...
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Attendance: 15,110
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
More information Chivas USA, 0–2 ...
Chivas USA0–2Houston Dynamo
Palencia Yellow card 57' Yellow-red card 58' Report Davis 64' (pen.)
Ching 90+3'
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Attendance: 17,440
Referee: Michael Kennedy

Houston Dynamo advance 3–2 on aggregate.


Conference finals

More information New England Revolution, 1–0 ...
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Attendance: 19,552
Referee: Kevin Stott

New England Revolution advances 1–0 in single elimination.


More information Colorado Rapids, 1–3 ...
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Attendance: 23,107
Referee: Brian Hall

Houston Dynamo advances 3–1 in single elimination.


MLS Cup

More information Houston Dynamo, 1–1 (AET) ...
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Attendance: 22,427
Referee: Jair Marrufo

Player statistics

Goals

Assists

Clean sheets

Awards

Individual awards

Best XI

Attendance

More information Club, Games ...
Club Games Total Average
Los Angeles Galaxy 16 333,016 20,814
Chivas USA 16 317,432 19,840
Houston Dynamo 16 302,957 18,935
D.C. United 16 291,442 18,215
Real Salt Lake 16 261,855 16,366
FC Dallas 16 239,714 14,982
New York Red Bulls 16 233,112 14,570
Chicago Fire 16 225,775 14,111
Columbus Crew 16 212,699 13,294
Colorado Rapids 16 192,894 12,056
New England Revolution 16 188,569 11,786
Kansas City Wizards 16 177,322 11,083
Totals 192 2,976,787 15,504
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