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Editorial: Looking Back On MLS Cup 2006 (VIDEO)

By Jo-Ryan Salazar

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As Christmas approaches, the MLS Multiplex continues its stroll down memory lane with a look back at the 2006 MLS Cup between the Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution. This is part of an ongoing series of reflections of the past 19 MLS Cup finals. This series will conclude with one more look back at the 2014 MLS Cup final, complete with my personal recollections of the event on Dec. 7, 2014.

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The 2006 Major League Soccer season saw more sweeping changes. The MetroStars were bought by Red Bull and are currently known as the New York Red Bulls. The San Jose Earthquakes were unable to locate a soccer-specific stadium in San Jose and relocated to become the Houston Dynamo, They were originally to be known as Houston 1836 but due to complaints from the Hispanic-American community there, the name was changed to the Dynamo. Finally, the Chicago Fire moved into their current home, Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Chivas USA’s star would rise this year, as they were able to outperform the Los Angeles Galaxy, who were going through a slump under Steve Sampson. Meanwhile, Dominic Kinnear’s Dynamo were full of running and finished the regular season with a 11-8-13 record (46 points), good for second place in the MLS Western Conference. Notable players included Brian Ching, Paul Dalglish (the son of Kenny Dalglish and current manager of the Austin Aztex), Pat Onstad, Craig Waibel, Patrick Ianni, Stuart Holden, Ricardo Clark, Brad Davis, Chris Wondolowski, Alejandro Moreno and Dwayne De Rosario. Wondo, in particular, would later return to San Jose when their club was resuscitated years later.

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    • Houston opened up their playoff run in the Western Conference Semifinals against Chivas USA. After falling 2-1 in the first leg with Ching scoring in the 75th minute, goals from Davis (64′) and Ching (90′ + 3′) gave the Dynamo a 2-0 win in the second leg and a 3-2 victory on aggregate. In the Western Conference Championship, the Dynamo defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-1 on a Paul Dalglish brace (10′, 21′) and a 71st minute insurance strike from Mullan.

    Steve Nicol’s New England Revolution were hoping that the third time was the charm, after falling short to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002 and 2005. The team featured players such as ESPN color commentator Taylor Twellman, current Revs gaffer Jay Heaps, current Galaxy goalkeeper coach Matt Reis, current Galaxy assistant coach Pat Noonan, and longtime Revs bookend Shalrie Joseph. New England ended the regular season with a record of 12-8-12 (48 points), good enough for second place in the MLS Eastern Conference.

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    The Revolution opened their postseason run in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Fire. After losing the first leg 1-0, goals from Twellman (41′) and Noonan (58′) in the second leg forced extra time, and then penalties. New England won the penalty shootout 4-2, not missing a single penallty in the process. In the Eastern Conference Championship, Twellman’s fourth-minute strike gave the Revs a 1-0 win over D.C. United to send them to the MLS Cup final.

    MLS Cup 2006 took place on Nov. 12, 2006 at Toyota Stadium (then known as Pizza Hut Park) in Frisco, Tex. After a scoreless draw in regulation, Twellman (113′) and Ching (114′) exchanged goals in the second half of extra time before it went to penalties. Houston won the penalty shutout 4-3 on conversions from Kelly Gray, Holden, De Rosario and Ching.

    Joseph, Reis and Twellman converted for the Revs in the shooutout. In the end, this shootout would be infamous for Heaps’s miss that sealed both New England’s fate and the deal for the Dynamo, who joined the Fire as the second team to win MLS Cup in their inagural year. In addition, Houston also became the first relocated MLS club to win the cup in their inaugural year.

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