The 2002 MLS Cup

MLS Cup

The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...

was the championship game of the 2002 Major League Soccer season

Major League Soccer 2002 season

The 2002 Major League Soccer season was the league's 7th of competition. On January 8, 2002, after only four years in existence, the Miami Fusion F.C. ceased operations due to low attendance and a unfavorable stadium deal, and the Tampa Bay Mutiny also ceased operations due to the lack of local...

. The game was played on October 20, 2002, at Gillette Stadium

Gillette Stadium

Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...

 in Foxborough, Massachusetts

Foxborough, Massachusetts

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...

. The Los Angeles Galaxy

Los Angeles Galaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

 beat the host New England Revolution

New England Revolution

The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...

 1-0 in the second overtime on a sudden-death goal from regular season scoring champion Carlos Ruíz. To date it has the largest attendance (61,316) of any MLS Cup.
Lineups:
New England Revolution

New England Revolution

The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...

:
Adin Brown

Adin Brown

Adin Brown is an American soccer player who is currently without a club.-College:A highly-touted prospect and a starting goalkeeper for the United States in the run-up prior to the 2000 Summer Olympics, Brown played college soccer at the College of William and Mary...

, Carlos Llamosa

Carlos Llamosa

Carlos Llamosa is a Colombian American soccer defender who last played for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer....

 (Rusty Pierce

Rusty Pierce

Rusty Pierce is a former American soccer player.-College:Pierce played college soccer at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1997 to 1999, appearing in 51 games during his time there...

 as substitute), Joe Franchino

Joe Franchino

Joe Franchino is a retired American soccer player.-College:Franchino played youth club ball in Alta Loma, CA for such competitive teams as the Aztecs and Arsenal. His first club team, the Aztecs, won the State Cup Championships the first year the Under-10 age bracket started...

, Daouda Kante

Daouda Kanté

Daouda Kante is a Malian football defender. He spent three seasons in Major League Soccer, and two in the Major Indoor Soccer League.-Youth:...

, Jay Heaps

Jay Heaps

Jay Heaps ) is a former American soccer player. He is the current head coach for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer....

, Leo Cullen

Leo Cullen (soccer)

Leo Cullen is a former American soccer defender.Cullen played college soccer at the University of Maryland, where he was ACC player of the year first-team All-American in 1997, his senior year. The Miami Fusion made him the first draft pick in team history, taking Leo first overall in the 1998 MLS...

,
Daniel Hernandez, Steve Ralston

Steve Ralston

Steve Ralston is a retired American soccer player and a current assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo.-Professional:...

, Brian Kamler

Brian Kamler

Brian Kamler is a retired American soccer midfielder, who played two seasons in the USISL, winning the 1995 U.S. Open Cup and league titles with the Richmond Kickers, and ten seasons in Major League Soccer....

 (Winston Griffiths

Winston Griffiths (soccer)

Winston Griffiths was a Jamaican soccer player who last played for Sporting Central in the Jamaican National Premier League.-College:...

 as sustitute), Taylor Twellman

Taylor Twellman

Taylor Twellman is a retired American soccer player who currently works as a television analyst for the Philadelphia Union and ESPN soccer.-Youth and College:Taylor was raised in St...

, Wolde Harris

Wolde Harris

Wolde Sealassie Harris is a Jamaican football striker who played professionally in Major League Soccer and was the 1996 A-League Rookie of the Year...

 (Alex Pineda Chacon

Alex Pineda Chacón

Alex Pineda Chacón is a former footballer who is currently the head coach of Atlanta Silverbacks in the North American Soccer League.-Club career:...

 as substitute)

Los Angeles Galaxy

Los Angeles Galaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...

:
Kevin Hartman

Kevin Hartman

Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...

, Alexi Lalas

Alexi Lalas

Panayotis Alexander Lalas is a retired American soccer player who played mostly as a defender for the United States national team in the 1994 FIFA World Cup...

, Danny Califf

Danny Califf

Daniel Benjamin "Danny" Califf is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...

, Tyrone Marshall

Tyrone Marshall

Tyrone Marshall is a Jamaican footballer who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Marshall moved to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area when he was twelve years old...

, Ezra Hendrickson

Ezra Hendrickson

Ezra Hendrickson is a retired Vincentian footballer. He played professionally in the United States' Major League Soccer with New York MetroStars, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, and Chivas USA, and was also a member of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national team...

, Sasha Victorine

Sasha Victorine

Sasha Victorine is a retired American soccer player.He spent his entire professional career in Major League Soccer in the United States, making over 100 appearances for both Los Angeles Galaxy and Kansas City Wizards, before finishing his career with Chivas USA...

,
Mauricio Cienfuegos

Mauricio Cienfuegos

Mauricio Cienfuegos is a retired Salvadoran soccer player.-Club career:Cienfuegos began his professional career in 1985 with Racing Junior...

 (Peter Vagenas

Peter Vagenas

Panayiotis Alexiou "Peter" Vagenas born February 6, 1978 in Pasadena, California is an American soccer player who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...

 as sustitute), Simon Elliott

Simon Elliott

Simon John Elliott is a New Zealand International footballer who currently plays for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.-Semi-Professional & College career:...

, Cobi Jones

Cobi Jones

Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...

, Alejandro Moreno

Alejandro Moreno

Alejandro Moreno is a Venezuelan footballer. He played for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club before attending UNC Greensboro. He currently plays for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.-College:...

 (Chris Albright

Chris Albright

Christopher John Albright is an American soccer player who most recently played for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Albright attended William Penn Charter School...

 as substitute), Carlos Ruíz

Most Valuable Player:
Carlos Ruíz (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Additional sources