Editorial: Looking Back On MLS Cup 2003 (VIDEO)
The MLS Multiplex, part of the FanSided Network, continues its series of looking back at the last 19 MLS Cup finals. In this segment, we take a look at the 2003 MLS Cup Final. The 2003 Major League Soccer season saw the league return to a two-conference format after the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion folded. The season also saw the birth of the StubHub Center (then named the Home Depot Center), a legendary soccer-specific stadium that also included a tennis stadium, a track and field complex, a velodrome, tennis courts and soccer fields.
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A major change was made for the 2003 season. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, the quarterfinal fixtures (or conference semifinals) would be a home and away aggregate over two matches, the team with the higher seed would have the home game in the second leg. The two semifinals (or conference finals) became one match fixtures instead of two legs. The Cup final remained a one-off final. The aggregate series in the postseason would be modified in later years to eventually incorporate the away goals rule.
After missing out in the 2002 MLS Cup playoffs, Frank Yallop’s San Jose Earthquakes reloaded to rise to the top of the MLS Western Conference with a 14-7-9 record (51 points). The Quakes featured a number of star players, including Landon Donovan, Jeff Agoos, Todd Dunivant, Pat Onstad, Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario, Troy Dayak, Craig Waibel and Brian Mullan. Dominic Kinnear, the assistant coach to Yallop, would later go on to become the first manager of the Houston Dynamo before returning as the Quakes gaffer for the 2015 season.
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In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Earthquakes defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 5-4 on aggregate in one of the greatest collapses in league history by Sigi Schmid’s club. Down 2-0 in the second leg and 4-0 on aggregate, San Jose rallied with goals from Agoos (21′), Donovan (35′), Jamil Walker (50′) and Chris Roner (90′) before Rodrigo Faria scored the series-winner in the 96th minute of play. In the Western Conference Championship, the Earthquakes defeated the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City) on goals from Manny Lagos (61′), Mullan (83′) and Donovan (117′).
The Chicago Fire were managed by Dave Sarachan, who is currently an assistant manager to Galaxy boss Bruce Arena. Chicago had a number of star players on their team, including Carlos Bocanegra, DaMarcus Beasley, Damani Ralph, Ante Razov and Chris Armas. Regular season champions of the Eastern Conference, Chicago won the Supporters Shield with a 15-7-8 record (53 points).
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The Fire opened their postseason campaign with a 4-0 aggregate win over D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Andy Williams (4′) and Razov (94′) scored in the first leg at RFK Stadium, while Ralph (17′) and Razov (55′) scored in the second leg at Soldier Field. Armas was the hero in the Eastern Conference Championship at home, scoring a golden goal in the 101st minute to send the Fire to the MLS Cup Final.
MLS Cup 2003 was held on Nov. 23, 2003 at StubHub Center. This was the day in which Landon Donovan shined one more time for the Earthquakes, scoring in the 38th and 71st minutes en route to a 4-2 win and San Jose’s second league championship. Other goalscorers for the Quakes included Ronnie Ekelund (5′) and Richard Mulrooney (50′).
Beasley (49′) and Roner on an own goal (54′) scored for the Fire. There is an afternote to this result: Chicago were denied a chance for a historic treble after being the first to win the U.S. Open Cup and MLS Supporters’ Shield double, something that would not be done until 2014, when the Seattle Sounders accomplished the feat. Seattle, in turn, would be denied the treble honors by Los Angeles.