2007 Major League Soccer season explained

Season:2007
Mlscup:Houston Dynamo (2nd title)
Shield:D.C. United (4th shield)
Continentalcup1:2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Houston Dynamo
D.C. United
N.E. Revolution
Chivas USA
Continentalcup2:2008 SuperLiga
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:D.C. United
Chivas USA
Houston Dynamo
N.E. Revolution
Continentalcup3:2008 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:Houston Dynamo
D.C. United
League Topscorer:Luciano Emilio
D.C. United
Goals: 20
Matches:195
Total Goals:518
Longest Wins:D.C. United
Games: 6
(08/05/ – 09/01)
Longest Unbeaten:D.C. United
Games: 13
(08/05 – 10/13)
Longest Losses:Los Angeles Galaxy
Games: 6
(08/09 – 09/01)
Highest Attendance:Los Angeles Galaxy
Season: 363,782
Game Avg.: 24,252
Lowest Attendance:K.C. Wizards
Season:173,784
Game Avg.: 11,586
Attendance:3,270,210
Average Attendance:16,770
Prevseason:2006
Nextseason:2008

The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 95th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States, and the 29th with a national first-division league.

This year marked the inaugural season for expansion franchise, Toronto FC who began play in the Eastern Conference. Two new soccer-specific stadiums opened as well. The Colorado Rapids moved into Dick's Sporting Goods Park in the Denver-suburb of Commerce City and, before the season began, BMO Field opened for expansion side, Toronto FC.

This season is often cited as the first in the modern-era of Major League Soccer because of the introduction of the Designated Player Rule which permitted each team to sign one big-ticket player without it counting against the salary cap. Six such players were signed for the 2007 season: David Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Juan Pablo Ángel, Luciano Emilio, Denílson and Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

The regular season began on April 7, and concluded on October 21. The 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 25, and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18. For the first time in league history, the same two clubs consecutively won the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield. The Houston Dynamo repeated as MLS Cup Champions by defeating the New England Revolution in the final and D.C. United won the Supporters' Shield by edging Chivas USA by two points in the standings.

Overview

Season format

The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup on November 18. The 13 teams were split into two conferences with 7 playing the Eastern Conference and 6 playing in the Western Conference. Each team played 30 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team twice, home and away, for a total of 26 games. The remaining four games were played against four regional rivals, two at home and two away.

The top three teams from each conference automatically qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. In addition, the two highest remaining point totals, regardless of conference, also qualified. 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. Also, Toronto FC, as a Canadian-based team, could not qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League through MLS, and had to instead qualify through the Canadian Championship.

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.

Qualification for the SuperLiga was determined by the overall table with the top four overall finishers qualifying for the 2008 edition.

Stadiums and locations

See main article: List of Major League Soccer stadiums.

TeamStadiumCapacity
Chicago FireToyota Park20,000
Chivas USAHome Depot Center27,000
Colorado RapidsDick's Sporting Goods Park18,061
Columbus CrewColumbus Crew Stadium22,555
D.C. UnitedRFK Stadium46,000
FC DallasPizza Hut Park21,193
Houston DynamoRobertson Stadium32,000
Kansas City WizardsArrowhead Stadium81,425
LA GalaxyHome Depot Center27,000
New England RevolutionGillette Stadium68,756
New York Red BullsGiants Stadium80,200
Real Salt LakeRice-Eccles Stadium45,017
Toronto FCBMO Field21,566

Personnel and sponsorships

TeamHead coachCaptainShirt sponsor
Chicago Fire Dave Sarachan
Chivas USA PrekiComex
Colorado Rapids Fernando Clavijo
Columbus Crew Sigi Schmid Frankie Hejduk
D.C. United Tom Soehn
FC Dallas Steve Morrow
Houston Dynamo Dominic Kinnear Wade Barrett
Kansas City Wizards Curt Onalfo
LA Galaxy Frank YallopHerbalife
New England Revolution Steve Nicol
New York Red Bulls Bruce Arena Claudio ReynaRed Bull
Real Salt Lake John Ellinger Jason Kreis
Eddie Pope
Toronto FC Mo Johnston

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming coachDate of appointment
Chicago Fire Dave SarachanFiredJune 20, 2007 Juan Carlos OsorioJuly 1, 2007
Real Salt Lake John EllingerFiredMay 3, 2007 Jason KreisMay 3, 2007

Standings

Overall standings

MLS Cup Playoffs

See main article: 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs. 1 The Kansas City Wizards earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference.
They represent the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs.

Player statistics

Goals

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Luciano EmilioD.C. United20
2New York Red Bulls19
3 Taylor TwellmanNew England Revolution16
4 Eddie Johnson15
5 Maykel GalindoChivas USA12
6 Ante RazovChivas USA11
7 Christian GómezD.C. United10
8New York Red Bulls9
9 Landon Donovan8
Robbie FindleyReal Salt Lake

Assists

Rank Player Club Assists
1 Landon DonovanLA Galaxy11
New England Revolution
3 Davy ArnaudKansas City Wizards9
Guillermo Barros Schelotto
Sacha KljestanChivas USA
6 Cuauhtémoc BlancoChicago Fire7
Christian GómezD.C. United
Columbus Crew
9 Eddie Gaven6
Stuart HoldenHouston Dynamo
Dax McCartyFC Dallas

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets
1 Brad GuzanChivas USA13
2 Pat OnstadHouston Dynamo11
3 Matt PickensChicago Fire10
Matt ReisNew England Revolution
5 Bouna CoundoulColorado Rapids9
6 Troy PerkinsD.C. United8
7 Nick RimandoReal Salt Lake7
8 Joe CannonLA Galaxy5
Jon ConwayNew York Red Bulls
Kevin HartmanKansas City Wizards
Will HesmerColumbus Crew
Darío SalaFC Dallas
Ronald WaterreusNew York Red Bulls

Awards

Individual awards

AwardPlayerClub
Most Valuable Player Luciano EmilioD.C. United
Defender of the Year Michael ParkhurstNew England Revolution
Goalkeeper of the Year Brad GuzanChivas USA
Coach of the Year PrekiChivas USA
Rookie of the Year Maurice EduToronto FC
Newcomer of the Year Luciano EmilioD.C. United
Comeback Player of the Year Eddie JohnsonKansas City Wizards
Golden Boot Luciano EmilioD.C. United
Goal of the Year Cuauhtémoc BlancoChicago Fire
Fair Play Award Michael ParkhurstNew England Revolution
Humanitarian of the Year Diego GutiérrezChicago Fire

Weekly awards

Monthly awards

Attendance

ClubGames SeasonGame Avg.
15363,782 24,252
D.C. United 15 314,506 20,967
Toronto FC 15301,947 20,130
New England Revolution 15 251,132 16,742
New York Red Bulls 15 247,948 16,530
Chicago Fire 15 247,536 16,502
15239,395 15,960
15 238,240 15,883
15 228,451 15,230
FC Dallas 15 227,182 15,145
Colorado Rapids 15 221,209 14,747
Chivas USA15 214,578 14,305
Kansas City Wizards 15 173,784 11,586
OVERALL1953,269,69016,768

International competitions

CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2007

See main article: CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2007.

D.C. United
Defeated Club Deportivo Olimpia in the Quarterfinals
Lost Club Deportivo Guadalajara in the Semifinals.

Houston Dynamo
Defeated Puntarenas FC in the Quarterfinals.
Lost C.F. Pachuca in the Semifinals.----

SuperLiga 2007

See main article: North American SuperLiga 2007.

FC Dallas
Finished in fourth place and did not advance from
Group A after going 0-1-2 in group play.

D.C. United
Runner-up of Group B after going 1-1-1 in group play.
Lost to Los Angeles Galaxy in Semifinals.

Houston Dynamo
Winner of Group B after going 2-0-1 in group play.
Lost to C.F. Pachuca on penalty kicks in the Semifinals.

Los Angeles Galaxy
Winner of Group A after going 2-1-0 in group play.
Defeated D.C. United in the Semifinals
Lost to C.F. Pachuca on penalty kicks in the Final.----

Copa Sudamericana 2007

See main article: Copa Sudamericana 2007.

D.C. United
Lost to Club Deportivo Guadalajara on away goals in the Round of 16.----

Other competitions

2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

See main article: 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Eight of the twelve U.S.-based MLS teams entered the tournament in the third round.

D.C. United
Lost to Harrisburg City Islanders in the third round.

Los Angeles Galaxy
Lost to Richmond Kickers in the third round.

Chicago Fire
Lost to Carolina RailHawks in the third round.

Houston Dynamo
Lost to Charleston Battery in the third round.

Chivas USA
Lost to Seattle Sounders (USL) in the third round

Colorado Rapids
Defeated California Victory in the third round.
Lost to Seattle Sounders (USL) in the Quarterfinals.

FC Dallas
Defeated Atlanta Silverbacks on penalty kicks in the third round,
Defeated Charleston Battery after extra time in the Quarterfinals,
Defeated Seattle Sounders (USL) after extra time in the Semifinals,
Lost to New England Revolution in the Final.

New England Revolution
Defeated Rochester Raging Rhinos in the third round.
Defeated Harrisburg City Islanders in the Quarterfinals.
Defeated Carolina RailHawks after extra time in the Semifinals.
Defeated FC Dallas in the Final.----

All-Star game

See main article: 2007 MLS All-Star Game.

The 2007 MLS All-Star Game was held at Dick's Sporting Goods Park
in Commerce City, Colorado, home of the Colorado Rapids on July 19.
The opponent was Celtic F.C. of the Scottish Premier League.

Final Score:
MLS All-Stars 2-0 Celtic F.C.

External links