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2007 Major League Soccer season
12th season of Major League Soccer
12th season of Major League Soccer
D.C. United N.E. Revolution Chivas USA Chivas USA Houston Dynamo N.E. Revolution D.C. United NY 4–0 CLB TOR 4–0 FCD FCD 0–4 DCU Games: 6 (08/05/ – 09/01) Games: 13 (08/05 – 10/13) Games: 6 (08/09 – 09/01) Season: 363,782 Game Avg.: 24,252 Season:173,784 Game Avg.: 11,586
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
Main article: List of Major League Soccer stadiums
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | Toyota Park | 20,000 |
| Chivas USA | Home Depot Center | 27,000 |
| Colorado Rapids | Dick's Sporting Goods Park | 18,061 |
| Columbus Crew | Columbus Crew Stadium | 22,555 |
| D.C. United | RFK Stadium | 46,000 |
| FC Dallas | Pizza Hut Park | 21,193 |
| Houston Dynamo | Robertson Stadium | 32,000 |
| Kansas City Wizards | Arrowhead Stadium | 81,425 |
| LA Galaxy | Home Depot Center | 27,000 |
| New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium | 68,756 |
| New York Red Bulls | Giants Stadium | 80,200 |
| Real Salt Lake | Rice-Eccles Stadium | 45,017 |
| Toronto FC | BMO Field | 21,566 |
Personnel and sponsorships
| Team | Head coach | Captain | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | COL Juan Carlos Osorio | — | |
| Chivas USA | USA Preki | Comex | |
| Colorado Rapids | USA Fernando Clavijo | — | |
| Columbus Crew | USA Sigi Schmid | USA Frankie Hejduk | — |
| D.C. United | USA Tom Soehn | — | |
| FC Dallas | NIR Steve Morrow | — | |
| Houston Dynamo | USA Dominic Kinnear | USA Wade Barrett | — |
| Kansas City Wizards | USA Curt Onalfo | — | |
| LA Galaxy | CAN Frank Yallop | Herbalife | |
| New England Revolution | SCO Steve Nicol | — | |
| New York Red Bulls | USA Bruce Arena | USA Claudio Reyna | Red Bull |
| Real Salt Lake | USA Jason Kreis | USA Eddie Pope | — |
| Toronto FC | SCO Mo Johnston | — |
Coaching changes
| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | USA Dave Sarachan | Fired | June 20, 2007 | COL Juan Carlos Osorio | July 1, 2007 |
| Real Salt Lake | USA John Ellinger | Fired | May 3, 2007 | USA Jason Kreis | May 3, 2007 |
Standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Overall standings
MLS Cup Playoffs
Main article: 2007 MLS Cup playoffs
| RD1-group1=Eastern Conference | RD1-group2=Western Conference | team-width=200px | RD1-seed1=E1 | RD1-team1=D.C. United | RD1-score1-1=0 | RD1-score1-2=2 | RD1-seed2=E4 | RD1-team2=Chicago Fire | RD1-score2-1=1 | RD1-score2-2=2 | RD1-seed3=E3 | RD1-team3=New York Red Bulls | RD1-score3-1=0 | RD1-score3-2=0 | RD1-seed4=E2 | RD1-team4=New England Revolution | RD1-score4-1=0 | RD1-score4-2=1 | RD1-seed5=W1 | RD1-team5=Chivas USA | RD1-score5-1=0 | RD1-score5-2=0 | RD1-seed6=W4 | RD1-team6=Kansas City Wizards1 | RD1-score6-1=1 | RD1-score6-2=0 | RD1-seed7=W3 | RD1-team7=FC Dallas | RD1-score7-1=1 | RD1-score7-2=1 | RD1-seed8=W2 | RD1-team8=Houston Dynamo (AET) | RD1-score8-1=0 | RD1-score8-2=4 | RD2-seed1=E4 | RD2-team1=Chicago Fire | RD2-score1=0 | RD2-seed2=E2 | RD2-team2=New England Revolution | RD2-score2=1 | RD2-seed3=W4 | RD2-team3=Kansas City Wizards | RD2-score3=0 | RD2-seed4=W2 | RD2-team4=Houston Dynamo | RD2-score4=2 | RD3-seed1=E2 | RD3-team1=New England Revolution | RD3-score1=1 | RD3-seed2=W2 | RD3-team2=Houston Dynamo | RD3-score2=2 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 | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | 20 |
| 2 | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls | 19 |
| 3 | USA Taylor Twellman | New England Revolution | 16 |
| 4 | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | 15 |
| 5 | CUB Maykel Galindo | Chivas USA | 12 |
| 6 | USA Ante Razov | Chivas USA | 11 |
| 7 | ARG Christian Gómez | D.C. United | 10 |
| 8 | USA Jozy Altidore | New York Red Bulls | 9 |
| 9 | USA Landon Donovan | LA Galaxy | 8 |
| USA Robbie Findley | Real Salt Lake |
Hat-tricks
Main article: List of Major League Soccer hat-tricks
| Player | Club | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | New England Revolution | 4–3 | |
| USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | New York Red Bulls | 3–2 | |
| USA Ben Olsen | D.C. United | New York Red Bulls | 4–2 | |
| USA Brad Davis | Houston Dynamo | Chivas USA | 4–0 | |
| USA Nate Jaqua | Houston Dynamo | Real Salt Lake | 4–3 |
Assists
| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA Landon Donovan | LA Galaxy | 11 |
| USA Steve Ralston | New England Revolution | ||
| 3 | USA Davy Arnaud | Kansas City Wizards | 9 |
| ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto | Columbus Crew | ||
| USA Sacha Kljestan | Chivas USA | ||
| 6 | MEX Cuauhtémoc Blanco | Chicago Fire | 7 |
| ARG Christian Gómez | D.C. United | ||
| VEN Alejandro Moreno | Columbus Crew | ||
| 9 | USA Eddie Gaven | Columbus Crew | 6 |
| USA Stuart Holden | Houston Dynamo | ||
| USA Dax McCarty | FC Dallas |
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean |
|---|---|---|---|
| sheets | |||
| 1 | USA Brad Guzan | Chivas USA | 13 |
| 2 | CAN Pat Onstad | Houston Dynamo | 11 |
| 3 | USA Matt Pickens | Chicago Fire | 10 |
| USA Matt Reis | New England Revolution | ||
| 5 | SEN Bouna Coundoul | Colorado Rapids | 9 |
| 6 | USA Troy Perkins | D.C. United | 8 |
| 7 | USA Nick Rimando | Real Salt Lake | 7 |
| 8 | USA Joe Cannon | LA Galaxy | 5 |
| USA Jon Conway | New York Red Bulls | ||
| USA Kevin Hartman | Kansas City Wizards | ||
| USA Will Hesmer | Columbus Crew | ||
| ARG Darío Sala | FC Dallas | ||
| NED Ronald Waterreus | New York Red Bulls |
Awards
Individual awards
| Award | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United |
| Defender of the Year | USA Michael Parkhurst | New England Revolution |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | USA Brad Guzan | Chivas USA |
| Coach of the Year | USA Preki | Chivas USA |
| Rookie of the Year | USA Maurice Edu | Toronto FC |
| Newcomer of the Year | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United |
| Comeback Player of the Year | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards |
| Golden Boot | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United |
| Goal of the Year | MEX Cuauhtémoc Blanco | Chicago Fire |
| Fair Play Award | USA Michael Parkhurst | New England Revolution |
| Humanitarian of the Year | USA Diego Gutiérrez | Chicago Fire |
Best XI
| Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA Brad Guzan, Chivas USA | USA Michael Parkhurst, New England | ||
| USA Eddie Robinson, Houston Dynamo | |||
| USA Jonathan Bornstein, Chivas USA | ARG Christian Gómez, D.C. United | ||
| GRN Shalrie Joseph, New England | |||
| CAN Dwayne De Rosario, Houston Dynamo | |||
| USA Ben Olsen, D.C. United | |||
| ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus | BRA Luciano Emílio, D.C. United | ||
| COL Juan Pablo Ángel, New York Red Bulls |
Player of the Month
| Week | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| April | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards |
| May | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls |
| June | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls |
| July | ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto | Columbus Crew |
| August | USA Troy Perkins | D.C. United |
| September | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United |
| October | USA Matt Pickens | Chicago Fire |
Weekly awards
| Player of the Week | Week | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | USA Jeff Cunningham | Real Salt Lake | |
| Week 2 | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 3 | CUB Maykel Galindo | Chivas USA | |
| Week 4 | USA Landon Donovan | Los Angeles Galaxy | |
| Week 5 | CAN Dwayne De Rosario | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 6 | USA Taylor Twellman | New England Revolution | |
| Week 7 | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 8 | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 9 | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 10 | USA Ben Olsen | D.C. United | |
| Week 11 | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | |
| Week 12 | USA Brad Davis | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 13 | JAM Nicholas Addlery | D.C. United | |
| Week 14 | USA Stuart Holden | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 15 | COL Juan Toja | FC Dallas | |
| Week 16 | ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto | Columbus Crew | |
| Week 17 | USA Ante Razov | Chivas USA | |
| Week 18 | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | |
| Week 19 | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 20 | USA Jozy Altidore | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 21 | CUB Maykel Galindo | Chivas USA | |
| Week 22 | USA Ben Olsen | D.C. United | |
| Week 23 | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | |
| Week 24 | TTO Scott Sealy | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 25 | USA Ante Razov | Chivas USA | |
| Week 26 | BRA Fred | D.C. United | |
| Week 27 | USA Abe Thompson | FC Dallas | |
| Week 28 | ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto | Columbus Crew | |
| Week 29 | TTO Scott Sealy | Kansas City Wizards |
| Goal of the Week | Week | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | USA Sacha Kljestan | Chivas USA | |
| Week 2 | USA Herculez Gomez | Colorado Rapids | |
| Week 3 | USA Jozy Altidore | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 4 | USA Taylor Twellman | New England Revolution | |
| Week 5 | USA Chris Brown | Real Salt Lake | |
| Week 6 | ENG Danny Dichio | Toronto FC | |
| Week 7 | LBR Chris Gbandi | FC Dallas | |
| Week 8 | CAN Jim Brennan | Toronto FC | |
| Week 9 | ENG Danny Dichio | Toronto FC | |
| Week 10 | USA Ben Olsen | D.C. United | |
| Week 11 | COL Juan Pablo Ángel | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 12 | USA Brad Davis | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 13 | CUB Maykel Galindo | Chivas USA | |
| Week 14 | USA Stuart Holden | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 15 | ZWE Joseph Ngwenya | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 16 | CAN Dwayne De Rosario | Houston Dynamo | |
| Week 17 | USA Kerry Zavagnin | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 18 | USA Robbie Findley | Real Salt Lake | |
| Week 19 | USA Jozy Altidore | New York Red Bulls | |
| Week 20 | MEX Cuauhtémoc Blanco | Chicago Fire | |
| Week 21 | BOL Jaime Moreno | D.C. United | |
| Week 22 | USA Eddie Johnson | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 23 | USA Taylor Twellman | New England Revolution | |
| Week 24 | TTO Scott Sealy | Kansas City Wizards | |
| Week 25 | USA Chris Rolfe | Chicago Fire | |
| Week 26 | BRA Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | |
| Week 27 | BRA Paulo Nagamura | Chivas USA | |
| Week 28 | USA Edson Buddle | Los Angeles Galaxy | |
| Week 29 | ENG Danny Dichio | Toronto FC |
Attendance
| Club | Games | Season | Game Avg. |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA Galaxy | 15 | 363,782 | 24,252 |
| D.C. United | 15 | 314,506 | 20,967 |
| Toronto FC | 15 | 301,947 | 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 |
| Real Salt Lake | 15 | 239,395 | 15,960 |
| Houston Dynamo | 15 | 238,240 | 15,883 |
| Columbus Crew | 15 | 228,451 | 15,230 |
| FC Dallas | 15 | 227,182 | 15,145 |
| Colorado Rapids | 15 | 221,209 | 14,747 |
| Chivas USA | 15 | 214,578 | 14,305 |
| Kansas City Wizards | 15 | 173,784 | 11,586 |
| **OVERALL** | **195** | **3,269,690** | **16,768** |
International competitions
CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2007
Main article: CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2007
USA D.C. United Defeated HON Club Deportivo Olimpia in the Quarterfinals Lost MEX Club Deportivo Guadalajara in the Semifinals.
USA Houston Dynamo Defeated CRC Puntarenas FC in the Quarterfinals. Lost MEX C.F. Pachuca in the Semifinals.
SuperLiga 2007
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
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
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
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.
References
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