The MLS Multiplex continues the ongoing series of reflections of the past 19 MLS Cup finals leading up to the 2015 Major League Soccer season. In this segment, we take a look at the 2001 MLS Cup final. The 2001 Major League Soccer season would be a bittersweet one, as the final week of regular season play would be canceled due to the September 11 attacks. Once again, teams would be divided into three divisions: East, Central and West.
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As with last season, the playoffs went to a points system. That’s three points for a win, zero points for a loss, one point for a draw, and it was a first to five points system. Also, in this points system, Added Sudden Death Extra Time and Sudden Death Extra Time were used a game and series tie breakers, The season would also be the final shining moment of glory for the Miami Fusion, who won their only Supporters’ Shield with a record of 16-5-5 (53 points) before folding one year later.
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However, no season sparked the rivalry between the Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes like 2001 MLS season and MLS Cup 2001. A certain Landon Donovan was beginning a career that would see him rise as one of the greatest American soccer players that ever played the game. But Donovan wasn’t the only top player on Frank Yallop’s 2001 Quakes side. The Quakes also featured Joe Cannon, Jeff Agoos, Jimmy Conrad, Ronald Cerritos, Ramiro Corrales, Harut Karapetyan…and Mr. Canadian Soccer himself, Dwayne De Rosario.
The Earthquakes finished the regular season with a record of 13-7-6 (45 points), good for second place in the West. San Jose opened up their postseason with a 6-0 quarterfinal sweep of the Columbus Crew, defeating Columbus 3-1 and 3-0. In the semifinals, the Quakes rallied from a 1-0 defeat to win 4-0 and 1-0 in sudden death extra time to win 6-3 on points.
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The Los Angeles Galaxy, under manager Sigi Schmid, were no slouches but were fast becoming the Buffalo Bills of the competition. The Galaxy were led by stars such as Kevin Hartman, Cobi Jones, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Brian Mullan, Peter Vagenas, Greg Vanney, Danny Califf. Luis Hernandez and Ezra Hendrickson. Los Angeles finished the 2001 regular season with a record of 14-7-5 (47 points), good for first place in the MLS Western Division.
Los Angeles got to MLS Cup 2001 the hard way. In the quarterfinals, the Galaxy drew with the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) 1-1, lost 4-1 and then rebounded after a 3-2 win with a sudden death extra time goal from Cienfuegos in the eighth minute. In the semifinals, the Galaxy derew with the Chicago Fire 1-1 before winning matches in added sudden death extra time 1-0 and 2-1 to advance 7-1 on points.
MLS Cup 2001 took place at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 21, 2001. Down 1-0 on a goal from Luis Hernandez in the 21st minute, Donovan equalized in the 43rd minute before De Rosario scored the game-winner in the 96th minute of play. The silver lining for the Galaxy in that match was that they secured their first-ever U.S. Open Cup that year.