MLS Cup 2010
Encyclopedia
The MLS Cup 2010 was the fifteenth edition of the MLS Cup
championship game and the final match of the 2010 MLS season
. The championship was played at BMO Field
in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
on Sunday, November 21, 2010. The Colorado Rapids
won the match over FC Dallas
2–1 on an own goal
in extra time, as a Colorado shot by Macoumba Kandji
was inadvertently deflected on goal by George John
of FC Dallas, though some match accounts credit Kandji with the goal. Played in Toronto, it marked the first time the league championship was played outside the United States. It was the fourth MLS Cup to match two teams from the same conference against each other, and the third to feature only Western Conference teams. It was the second consecutive year that two Western teams made the finals, Los Angeles Galaxy
and Real Salt Lake
having played in 2009.
The match kicked off at 8:30PM EST
, and was televised by ESPN
and Galavisión in the USA, and by TSN2
in Canada.
As a result of their victory, Colorado Rapids
earned direct Group Stage berth in the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
. FC Dallas
earned a preliminary round spot in the Champions League. The other two Champions League spots awarded to the United States went to MLS Supporters' Shield
(best regular season record) winner Los Angeles Galaxy
and U.S. Open Cup
champion Seattle Sounders
.
' debut in the MLS Cup championship game, becoming the final original club to qualify for the MLS Cup championship match. The team qualified for the playoffs by finishing fourth place in the overall regular season standings, and third in the Western Conference. Dallas began their playoff campaign with a pair of home and away legs in the quarterfinals against Real Salt Lake
, the defending cup champions. With Salt Lake finishing as the Supporters' Shield finalists, and coming off a convincing group stage run in the CONCACAF Champions League
, Salt Lake were considered to be heavy favorites in the Western Conference semifinal.
The first leg of the quarterfinals was played at FC Dallas' home ground Pizza Hut Park
on October 30, in the northern Dallas suburb of Frisco
. Early in the match, Salt Lake striker Fabián Espíndola
bagged a fifth-minute goal to give the visitors a critical away goal and a 1–0 lead in the match and on aggregate. The Hoops rebounded from the setback thanks to a 44th minute equalizer from Jeff Cunningham
. Shortly into the second half, things looked more promising for Dallas when a dangerous sliding tackle in the 49th minute from Salt Lake's midfielder Javier Morales
resulted in an immediate red-card ejection from the match, resulting in the Royals having to play a man down. Kittian international, Atiba Harris
was ejected in the 88th minute, causing a 10 vs. 10 match for the final two minutes before injury time. While things were looking to stay on parity for the first leg, a last minute goal from Dallas' Eric Avila
gave the Toros a needed 2–1 victory over RSL.
Dallas traveled out to Salt Lake City to take on the Royals for the second leg on November 6. Although the Hoops had a 2–1 aggregate lead, they were playing in Rio Tinto Stadium, considered to be one of the most intimidating soccer atmospheres in the United States; where Salt Lake hadn't lost a match since May 2009. The match drew a near capacity crowd of roughly 19,500 spectators. In the 17th minute of the match, a goal from Dallas midfielder and American international Dax McCarty
gave the Toros a 3–1 lead on aggregate and a 1–0 lead for the match. For a majority of the match, deep into the second half, did Dallas hold this lead. A late equalizer from Robbie Findley
leveled the game at 1–1, but it was too little, too late for RSL as the Hoops would eliminated the defending champions; 3-1 on aggregate.
November 6's victory over Salt Lake propelled Dallas into the Western Conference finals against the MLS Cup runners' up from last year, Los Angeles Galaxy
. Heralding international superstars such as David Beckham
and Landon Donovan
, the Galaxy were coming off a stellar run in the regular season, capturing the MLS Supporters' Shield
with a 17-7-8 record. The Galaxy had defeated Seattle Sounders
in their quarterfinal series to qualify for the championship. Since the Galaxy were the top seed in the Western Conference bracket, while Dallas was the third; Los Angeles hosted the final.
In front of a sold-out capacity crowd of 27,000 at the Galaxy's home ground The Home Depot Center
, the Hoops would dismantle the Galaxy with goals from David Ferreira
, George John
and Marvin Chavez
. In addition to a berth in the MLS Cup championship, the 3–0 victory for Dallas, avenged their 2–0 loss at the HDC, and they handed the Galaxy their worst loss at home since a 4–1 defeat to the Puerto Rico Islanders
in a Champions League play-in proper.
as a dark horse team, finishing seventh overall in the standings, and fifth in the Western Conference. In spite of finishing fifth place in the Western Conference, the team was placed in the Eastern Conference bracket. The reason being was that the Rapids qualified for the playoffs through a wildcard seed. For the MLS Cup Playoffs, wild card seeds qualify for the playoffs regardless of their conference, and consequently, may be placed in a conference they do not participate in. In the playoffs, the top two teams in both conferences are guarenteed playoff berth, while the remaining field is determined through a wildcard system. Due to this system, it allowed for six Western Conference teams to enter, while only two Eastern Conference teams qualified.
The phenomenon of this resulted in the two weakest Western Conference teams to play in the Eastern Conference bracket. Such pairings drew sharp criticism and confusion from fans and media alike, citing that the top Eastern Conference teams were not relatively the strongest teams in the league during the regular season, nor posed a significant threat to the Rapids.
The news broke with one more regular season match remaining for both Colorado and Columbus. Columbus finished the season with a 3–1 victory over 14th-placed Philadelphia Union, but their starting keeper William Hesmer was sidelined with a severe shoulder injury resulting in an early end to his season.
In spite of Columbus coming in as a the second-place seed in the Eastern Conference bracket, many people expected Colorado to "upset" Columbus in their quarterfinal fixture. The Rapids hosted the Crew in the first leg on Oct. 30; while Columbus would host Colorado a week later, on Nov. 6. In the first leg, hosted in Commerce City
, the Rapids won their match thanks to a 23rd minute goal from club captain Pablo Mastroeni
. The lone goal gave the Rapids a goal advantage headed to Columbus
a week later. In the second quarterfinal-leg against the Crew, the Rapids fell 1–0 thanks to a 22nd minute goal from Eddie Gaven
. Things looked more convincing for Columbus when Robbie Rogers
double the lead 2–0 in the 70th. With a 2–1 aggregate lead overall, Columbus look destined to make their first trip to the Eastern Conference
championship since 2008
. Fourteen minutes later, Rapids striker Conor Casey
ruined the clean sheet for Crew backup keeper, Andy Gruenebaum
and the aggregate score was leveled at two apiece. After half an hour of additional time, the match was still equal at two. In a penalty kick shootout, a last shot miss from Brian Carroll
saw the Rapids advance to the semifinals and the Crew eliminated in the MLS Cup
quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
In the cup semifinals, Colorado faced eighth place MLS opponent San Jose Earthquakes
who took a surprising 3–1 victory over New York to win the aggregate series a day earlier. The two sides met in Commerce City for the semifinal match. In the match, a 43rd minute goal from Kosuke Kimura
gave the Rapids the 1–0, which would eventually result in the game-winning goal. The victory sent Colorado to their first cup final since the 1997 MLS Cup
final.
in Toronto
. Before the decision, Commissioner Don Garber
and the committee contemplated whether to have the cup final at the highest seed's home ground, or to have it at the stadium of the Supporters' Shield
winner. In the end; however, the committee agreed to have the 2010 cup final at a neutral venue, although Garber subsequently said to the 2010 final that it's something that may change in the near future, as early as 2011.
, making it the second consecutive year in league history the station carried the match live. The broadcast was available in 1080p
high definition
. Play-by-play announcer Ian Darke
and color commentator John Harkes
were in the booth. Darke was commentating his first MLS Cup
final, making him the first British-speaker to commentate an MLS Cup match. The pre-game show was hosted by Max Bretos
with Alexi Lalas
and Steve McManaman
. The pregame show was a record-tying one hour before the match itself. The same crew did the post-game show, which was 30 minutes following the match.
Prior to the start of the actual match, ESPN suffered severe criticism from fans and the media for their irregular information regarding the championship. At one point, ESPN posted on their website the wrong venue for the championship match, and even failed to mention that the game itself was being carried on one of their channels.
With an average U.S. audience of 1.1 million viewers, the broadcast earned a Nielsen rating of 0.4, it was the lowest-rated MLS Cup
broadcast in league history. This marked the ninth consecutive year in MLS Cup history that the league championship has failed to draw at least 1% of U.S. households watching television. Many believed the reason was because the two sides playing in the cup final were among the least-supported clubs in the league. The 0.4 television rating was a 44% percent decline from 2009
, in which there was a 0.9 rating nationwide.
The telecast's individual ratings in the Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth
metropolitan areas have yet been disclosed. The numbers, were nearly 50% lower than the numbers Los Angeles and Salt Lake drew last year, where the Los Angeles area drew a 1.9 rating, while Salt Lake drew a 5.8 rating. Other reasons the ratings were very poor was the fact it was played primetime on a Sunday evening, when the American Music Awards
was live on ABC
; although the AMA's drew weaker network ratings than last year's MLS Cup final. Additionally, NBC
's Sunday Night Football
NFL
matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles
and New York Giants
was given blame for drawing viewers away from MLS.
It is undisclosed what the ratings were for Canadian audiences and the Toronto area.
Others however, saw FC Dallas as the favorites for the match, as they had finished the regular season with only four losses, and knocked off the Supporters Shield winners, Los Angeles Galaxy, in stunning fashion. Some analysts as early as August predicted Dallas to win the entire MLS Cup final.
Off the pitch, the final contained two league franchises that have historically drawn weaker crowds than their league counterparts. Many, including league commissioner Don Garber
, believed that the fact the two clubs made it to the final would draw interest from both Denver and Dallas media outlets.
in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. Live television coverage was provided nationally by ESPN
.
had the kickoff, and immediately created the first scoring opportunity less than 30 seconds into the game. Nineteen seconds in, Dallas striker and Kittian international Atiba Harris
struck a low strike from the upper corner of the penalty box
that skimmed wide of the crossbar. The shot was barely deflected by Colorado Rapids' goalkeeper, Matt Pickens
. Should have Harris' scored, it would have been the fastest goal scored in MLS Cup
history.
It would not be until the sixth minute of play that the Colorado Rapids
had their first opportunity on goal. Rapids midfielder, Kosuke Kimura
made a long range effort to be saved by Dallas goalie, Kevin Hartman
. Hartman's clearance was quickly intercepted by the Rapids central midfielder, Jeff Larentowicz
who immediately distributed the ball to fellow teammate, Drew Moor
. Moor's shot ended up being off frame of the goal, leading to a goal kick for Dallas.
Following the early wave of attack from Dallas, the Rapids leaned to a more defensive, conservative style of play. The Rapids were able to capitalize on numerous fouls that they caused Dallas to inflict on them. For the following three minutes, Dallas caused four fouls on Colorado, including a Brek Shea
fouling Omar Cummings
in the ninth of play, which led to a dangerous set piece for Colorado.
Dallas continued to prounce of goalscoring opportunities for a majority of the first half, only to see a majority of their shots either go wide or saved.
In the 35th minute of play, FC Dallas defender George John ran down the right flank of the pitch, and made a long cross into the penalty box. The cross was successfully met with Dallas striker David Ferreria. Ferreria, who had previously been announced the league's Most Valuable Player
, buried the ball in the back of the next, opening the score sheet and giving Dallas a 1-0 lead over Colorado.
Going into halftime, Dallas held a 1-0 lead over Colorado.
. In chaos surrounding the clash of players, the ball was loose near Casey's right foot, and while sitting down, kicked the ball into the net, leveling Colorado with Dallas.
For the remainder of the match, most of the possession was dominated by Dallas, who consistently failed to find the back of the net, and even hit the post in the 86th minute. Frantic play from Colorado at the end almost cost them the game, but a shot inches wide led to extra time.
For most of the first period, only Dallas was able to make any threatening scoring opportunities on Colorado, even though the Rapids were able to create a handful of counterattacks. Many of their shots failed to be threatening.
In the second period of extra time, in the 107th minute, Senegalese-striker Macoumba Kandji
of Colorado, slowly dribbled the ball into the goal box and attempted to chip the ball into the goal. Dallas-defender George John
attempted to deflect the cross, but it inadvertedly struck the wrong side of his thigh barreling into the net, for an own goal
. Kandji ended up tearing his ACL on the tackle after his shot. The goal gave Colorado the victory, and their first MLS Cup
title in club history. It was also the first time an American soccer club based in Colorado won a cup title since the Colorado Foxes
won the APSL
championship in 1993.
e style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center>
COLORADO RAPIDS:
|
GK
18
Matt Pickens
DF
3
Drew Moor
DF
22
Marvell Wynne
DF
27
Kosuke Kimura
DF
6
Anthony Wallace
MF
20
Jamie Smith
MF
11
Brian Mullan
MF
25
Pablo Mastroeni
(c)
MF
4
Jeff Larentowicz
FW
14
Omar Cummings
FW
9
Conor Casey
Substitutes:
MF
15
Wells Thompson
DF
21
Julien Baudet
FW
10
Macoumba Kandji
Manager:
Gary Smith
won the Stanley Cup
after the 2000-2001 NHL season. As champions, the Rapids earned a direct berth into Group Stage of the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, which will be their second-ever appearance in a CONCACAF
competition. FC Dallas will earn their first ever trip to any CONCACAF-competition by earning a Preliminary Round spot in the Champions League.
Colorado's head coach, Gary Smith
, became the first British coach to win the MLS Cup championship.
Later on, the result of the Cup and the Playoffs caused MLS to make drastic revisions to its playoff structure, which it had been using since 2006. The new changes to the playoffs, included the top three clubs in each conference a guaranteed playoff spot. This format guarantees at least one club from each conference will play in the conference championship round. This is a likely decision following two clubs, Colorado and San Jose, who competed for the conference title for a division they do not play in.
The following season, both clubs returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs, but neither reached the championship. In the newly-created wildcard round, FC Dallas was eliminated by New York Red Bulls. The Colorado Rapids were eliminated by Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
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...
championship game and the final match of the 2010 MLS season
2010 Major League Soccer season
The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...
. The championship was played at BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on Sunday, November 21, 2010. The Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado 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, having competed in the league...
won the match over FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
2–1 on an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
in extra time, as a Colorado shot by Macoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Early Life and College:Kandji was born in Senegal, raised in The Gambia, and came to the United States in 2003...
was inadvertently deflected on goal by George John
George John (soccer)
George John is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
of FC Dallas, though some match accounts credit Kandji with the goal. Played in Toronto, it marked the first time the league championship was played outside the United States. It was the fourth MLS Cup to match two teams from the same conference against each other, and the third to feature only Western Conference teams. It was the second consecutive year that two Western teams made the finals, 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...
and Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
having played in 2009.
The match kicked off at 8:30PM EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
, and was televised by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Galavisión in the USA, and by TSN2
TSN2
TSN2 is a secondary feed of the Canadian English language Category C specialty channel TSN, owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc., a joint venture of Bell Media and ESPN...
in Canada.
As a result of their victory, Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado 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, having competed in the league...
earned direct Group Stage berth in the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League is the 4th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 26, 2011 and will finish with the second leg of the final April 24–26, 2012. Monterrey is the defending champion...
. FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
earned a preliminary round spot in the Champions League. The other two Champions League spots awarded to the United States went to MLS Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
(best regular season record) winner 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...
and U.S. Open Cup
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 97th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October.The tournament proper featured teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
champion Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
.
FC Dallas
It was FC DallasFC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
' debut in the MLS Cup championship game, becoming the final original club to qualify for the MLS Cup championship match. The team qualified for the playoffs by finishing fourth place in the overall regular season standings, and third in the Western Conference. Dallas began their playoff campaign with a pair of home and away legs in the quarterfinals against Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
, the defending cup champions. With Salt Lake finishing as the Supporters' Shield finalists, and coming off a convincing group stage run in the CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
, Salt Lake were considered to be heavy favorites in the Western Conference semifinal.
The first leg of the quarterfinals was played at FC Dallas' home ground Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park is a soccer-specific stadium with a 21,193-seat capacity, built and owned by the city of Frisco, Texas. Its primary tenant is Major League Soccer team FC Dallas, which relocated from the Cotton Bowl in central Dallas to the fast-growing suburb...
on October 30, in the northern Dallas suburb of Frisco
Frisco, Texas
Frisco is an affluent city in Collin and Denton Counties in the U.S. state of Texas and a rapidly growing suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 Census, 116,989 people were living in Frisco up from 33,714 in the previous census. Frisco was the fastest growing city in the United States in 2009, and also...
. Early in the match, Salt Lake striker Fabián Espíndola
Fabián Espíndola
Fabián Espíndola is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-South America:...
bagged a fifth-minute goal to give the visitors a critical away goal and a 1–0 lead in the match and on aggregate. The Hoops rebounded from the setback thanks to a 44th minute equalizer from Jeff Cunningham
Jeff Cunningham
Jeff Cunningham is a Jamaican-born American soccer player who played on multiple Major League Soccer teams. He is the MLS all-time leader in goals scored with 134.-College:...
. Shortly into the second half, things looked more promising for Dallas when a dangerous sliding tackle in the 49th minute from Salt Lake's midfielder Javier Morales
Javier Morales
Javier Morales is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-Argentina:...
resulted in an immediate red-card ejection from the match, resulting in the Royals having to play a man down. Kittian international, Atiba Harris
Atiba Harris
Atiba Harris is a Kittitian footballer who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer. He is the first cousin of Manchester City footballer Micah Richards-Professional:...
was ejected in the 88th minute, causing a 10 vs. 10 match for the final two minutes before injury time. While things were looking to stay on parity for the first leg, a last minute goal from Dallas' Eric Avila
Eric Avila
Eric Humberto Avila is an American soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
gave the Toros a needed 2–1 victory over RSL.
Dallas traveled out to Salt Lake City to take on the Royals for the second leg on November 6. Although the Hoops had a 2–1 aggregate lead, they were playing in Rio Tinto Stadium, considered to be one of the most intimidating soccer atmospheres in the United States; where Salt Lake hadn't lost a match since May 2009. The match drew a near capacity crowd of roughly 19,500 spectators. In the 17th minute of the match, a goal from Dallas midfielder and American international Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty is an American soccer player who currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
gave the Toros a 3–1 lead on aggregate and a 1–0 lead for the match. For a majority of the match, deep into the second half, did Dallas hold this lead. A late equalizer from Robbie Findley
Robbie Findley
Robert "Robbie" Findley is an American international soccer player who plays professionally for English club Nottingham Forest...
leveled the game at 1–1, but it was too little, too late for RSL as the Hoops would eliminated the defending champions; 3-1 on aggregate.
November 6's victory over Salt Lake propelled Dallas into the Western Conference finals against the MLS Cup runners' up from last year, 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...
. Heralding international superstars such as David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
and Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
, the Galaxy were coming off a stellar run in the regular season, capturing the MLS Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
with a 17-7-8 record. The Galaxy had defeated Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
in their quarterfinal series to qualify for the championship. Since the Galaxy were the top seed in the Western Conference bracket, while Dallas was the third; Los Angeles hosted the final.
In front of a sold-out capacity crowd of 27,000 at the Galaxy's home ground The Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was...
, the Hoops would dismantle the Galaxy with goals from David Ferreira
David Ferreira
David Ferreira is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
, George John
George John (soccer)
George John is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
and Marvin Chavez
Marvin Chávez
Marvin Chávez is a Honduran footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, on loan from Marathón.-Club:...
. In addition to a berth in the MLS Cup championship, the 3–0 victory for Dallas, avenged their 2–0 loss at the HDC, and they handed the Galaxy their worst loss at home since a 4–1 defeat to the Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in a Champions League play-in proper.
Colorado Rapids
The Rapids came into the MLS Cup PlayoffsMLS Cup Playoffs
The MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer held at the end of the regular season en route to the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. 10 teams in total from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference qualify for the tournament based on regular-season...
as a dark horse team, finishing seventh overall in the standings, and fifth in the Western Conference. In spite of finishing fifth place in the Western Conference, the team was placed in the Eastern Conference bracket. The reason being was that the Rapids qualified for the playoffs through a wildcard seed. For the MLS Cup Playoffs, wild card seeds qualify for the playoffs regardless of their conference, and consequently, may be placed in a conference they do not participate in. In the playoffs, the top two teams in both conferences are guarenteed playoff berth, while the remaining field is determined through a wildcard system. Due to this system, it allowed for six Western Conference teams to enter, while only two Eastern Conference teams qualified.
The phenomenon of this resulted in the two weakest Western Conference teams to play in the Eastern Conference bracket. Such pairings drew sharp criticism and confusion from fans and media alike, citing that the top Eastern Conference teams were not relatively the strongest teams in the league during the regular season, nor posed a significant threat to the Rapids.
The news broke with one more regular season match remaining for both Colorado and Columbus. Columbus finished the season with a 3–1 victory over 14th-placed Philadelphia Union, but their starting keeper William Hesmer was sidelined with a severe shoulder injury resulting in an early end to his season.
In spite of Columbus coming in as a the second-place seed in the Eastern Conference bracket, many people expected Colorado to "upset" Columbus in their quarterfinal fixture. The Rapids hosted the Crew in the first leg on Oct. 30; while Columbus would host Colorado a week later, on Nov. 6. In the first leg, hosted in Commerce City
Commerce City, Colorado
The city of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and now the 18th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado...
, the Rapids won their match thanks to a 23rd minute goal from club captain Pablo Mastroeni
Pablo Mastroeni
Pablo Mastroeni is an Argentine-born American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, and for the United States national soccer team.-Youth:...
. The lone goal gave the Rapids a goal advantage headed to Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
a week later. In the second quarterfinal-leg against the Crew, the Rapids fell 1–0 thanks to a 22nd minute goal from Eddie Gaven
Eddie Gaven
Eddie Gaven is an American soccer player who currently plays for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.-Youth:Gaven attended Steinert High School in New Jersey but did not play college soccer...
. Things looked more convincing for Columbus when Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers is an American soccer player who currently plays for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer and the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth and College:...
double the lead 2–0 in the 70th. With a 2–1 aggregate lead overall, Columbus look destined to make their first trip to the Eastern Conference
MLS Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences.-Current members:*Chicago Fire*Columbus Crew*D.C. United*Houston Dynamo*New England Revolution*New York Red Bulls*Philadelphia Union*Sporting Kansas City*Toronto FC...
championship since 2008
2008 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs were the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2008 season, and culminated with MLS Cup 2008 on November 23, 2008 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Format:...
. Fourteen minutes later, Rapids striker Conor Casey
Conor Casey
Conor Casey is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
ruined the clean sheet for Crew backup keeper, Andy Gruenebaum
Andy Gruenebaum
Andy Gruenebaum is an American soccer player who currently plays for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
and the aggregate score was leveled at two apiece. After half an hour of additional time, the match was still equal at two. In a penalty kick shootout, a last shot miss from Brian Carroll
Brian Carroll
Brian Carroll is an American soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
saw the Rapids advance to the semifinals and the Crew eliminated in the 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...
quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
In the cup semifinals, Colorado faced eighth place MLS opponent San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
who took a surprising 3–1 victory over New York to win the aggregate series a day earlier. The two sides met in Commerce City for the semifinal match. In the match, a 43rd minute goal from Kosuke Kimura
Kosuke Kimura
is a Japanese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.He is the only player in the league's history who was born in Japan, and was a starting defender for the Rapids in its run to the MLS Cup Championship in 2010.-College and amateur:Kimura's career in...
gave the Rapids the 1–0, which would eventually result in the game-winning goal. The victory sent Colorado to their first cup final since the 1997 MLS Cup
MLS Cup 1997
Lineups:'COLORADO RAPIDSMarcus Hahnemann, Chris Martinez , Steve Trittschuh, Peter Vermes, Matt Kmosko, Marcelo Balboa,Sean Henderson , Chris Henderson, Paul Bravo , David Patino, Steve Rammel...
final.
Pre-match
Venue Selection
On March 31, 2010, MLS elected to host the Cup final at BMO FieldBMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Before the decision, Commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
and the committee contemplated whether to have the cup final at the highest seed's home ground, or to have it at the stadium of the Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
winner. In the end; however, the committee agreed to have the 2010 cup final at a neutral venue, although Garber subsequently said to the 2010 final that it's something that may change in the near future, as early as 2011.
Television
The match was televised live in the United States on ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, making it the second consecutive year in league history the station carried the match live. The broadcast was available in 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
. Play-by-play announcer Ian Darke
Ian Darke
Ian Darke is an English football and boxing commentator who currently works for ESPN US. Darke was previously one of Sky's 'Big Four' football commentators alongside Martin Tyler, Alan Parry and Rob Hawthorne. He was also the main commentator for Sky's big boxing fights, along with Jim Watt, they...
and color commentator John Harkes
John Harkes
John Harkes is an American former soccer player. Harkes was the first American ever to play in the English Premier League, and the second American to score at Wembley Stadium. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He appeared in two FIFA World Cup tournaments, and won two MLS Cup...
were in the booth. Darke was commentating his first 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...
final, making him the first British-speaker to commentate an MLS Cup match. The pre-game show was hosted by Max Bretos
Max Bretos
Max Bretos is an American sports reporter, who currently works for ESPN. Bretos' broadcast specialization is soccer.Bretos attended the Judith Weston Acting Studio in Los Angeles, California, and formerly played for ....
with 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...
and Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
. The pregame show was a record-tying one hour before the match itself. The same crew did the post-game show, which was 30 minutes following the match.
Prior to the start of the actual match, ESPN suffered severe criticism from fans and the media for their irregular information regarding the championship. At one point, ESPN posted on their website the wrong venue for the championship match, and even failed to mention that the game itself was being carried on one of their channels.
With an average U.S. audience of 1.1 million viewers, the broadcast earned a Nielsen rating of 0.4, it was the lowest-rated 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...
broadcast in league history. This marked the ninth consecutive year in MLS Cup history that the league championship has failed to draw at least 1% of U.S. households watching television. Many believed the reason was because the two sides playing in the cup final were among the least-supported clubs in the league. The 0.4 television rating was a 44% percent decline from 2009
MLS Cup 2009
The 2009 MLS Cup was the championship match of the 2009 Major League Soccer season, the 14th season of the league. The final was played at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington on November 22, 2009. The match was contested by Eastern Conference champion Real Salt Lake and Western Conference champion...
, in which there was a 0.9 rating nationwide.
The telecast's individual ratings in the Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
metropolitan areas have yet been disclosed. The numbers, were nearly 50% lower than the numbers Los Angeles and Salt Lake drew last year, where the Los Angeles area drew a 1.9 rating, while Salt Lake drew a 5.8 rating. Other reasons the ratings were very poor was the fact it was played primetime on a Sunday evening, when the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
was live on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
; although the AMA's drew weaker network ratings than last year's MLS Cup final. Additionally, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
was given blame for drawing viewers away from MLS.
It is undisclosed what the ratings were for Canadian audiences and the Toronto area.
International telecasts
| Nation | Channel(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
 Australia |
ESPN ESPN Australia ESPN Australia is a 24 hour sports channel offered in Australia and New Zealand.Initially, ESPN was known as Sports ESPN on the Optus Vision cable television system, and focused on sports aired by its home network in the United States, including American football, baseball, and basketball... |
|
 Belgium |
ESPN America | |
 Belize |
Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited Tropical Vision Limited, or as it is locally known, Channel 7, is a Belize City based television station operating since 1981.Its Managing Director is Nestor Vasquez.- Schedule :Weekdays... , Great Belize Television Great Belize Television Great Belize Television, or as it is locally known, Channel 5, is a Belize City-based local television station established in December of 1991. Channel 5 airs mostly American and Caribbean programs, as well as a variety of locally produced programs... |
|
 Brazil |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Bandsports BandSports BandSports is a Brazilian cable television network that has its programming based on all sports, launched in 2002 by Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação.... - live started at 21:00 (Brazilian Summer Time Time in Brazil Brazil has three time zones. Daylight saving time is also observed by the Southern, Southeast and Central-Western Brazilian states. A proposal to switch the entire country to a single UTC offset is under consideration.... ) and Rede Bandeirantes Rede Bandeirantes Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967... - condensed version aired at 00:30 BRST |
|
 Canada |
CBC Television CBC Television CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are... , CBC 2 and TSN The Sports Network The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels... |
|
 Chile |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Fox Sports Latin America |
|
 Costa Rica |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Fox Sports Latin America |
|
 Denmark |
ESPN America | |
 Europe |
ESPN America | |
 Finland |
ESPN America | |
 Early Modern France |
ESPN America | |
 Germany |
ESPN America | |
 Honduras |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Fox Sports Latin America |
|
 Iraq |
ESPN Middle East ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... |
|
 Republic of Ireland |
ESPN America and on Sky Sports Sky Sports Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland... 2 and HD 2 |
|
 Israel |
ESPN Middle East ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... |
|
 Italy |
ESPN America | |
| Japan |
ESPN Middle East ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... |
|
| ESPN Middle East ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... |
||
 Mexico |
ESPN Dos ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... /Dos Mexico, ESPN+ ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.... , ESPN3.com |
|
 New Zealand |
ESPN ESPN Australia ESPN Australia is a 24 hour sports channel offered in Australia and New Zealand.Initially, ESPN was known as Sports ESPN on the Optus Vision cable television system, and focused on sports aired by its home network in the United States, including American football, baseball, and basketball... |
|
 Norway |
NRK2 NRK2 NRK2 is one of the TV channels of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation . It was launched in 1996. It has traditionally concentrated on more on cultural and in-depth programmes than its mother channel NRK1 and has also shown drama series, comedies, and news. When not broadcasting regular... |
|
 Peru |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Fox Sports Latin America |
|
 Portugal |
SportTV 2 Sport TV SportTV is the brand name for a group of seven Portuguese sports-oriented television channels. SportTV is the dominant subscription television sports brand in Portugal. The first channel, then known as only SportTV, was launched on 16 September 1998 and is produced by ZON Multimédia and... and on SportTV HD Sport TV SportTV is the brand name for a group of seven Portuguese sports-oriented television channels. SportTV is the dominant subscription television sports brand in Portugal. The first channel, then known as only SportTV, was launched on 16 September 1998 and is produced by ZON Multimédia and... started at 23:00 (WET Western European Time Western European Time , defined legally as Greenwich Mean Time in the United Kingdom, is the time zone covering parts of western and northwestern Europe, and includes the following countries and regions:... ) |
|
 Spain |
ESPN Deportes ESPN Deportes ESPN Deportes is a cable television and radio network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day to the Spanish-speaking community in the United States... |
|
 Sweden |
TV6 | |
 United Kingdom |
ESPN America and on Sky Sports Sky Sports Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland... 2 and HD 2 |
|
 Venezuela |
ESPN ESPN Latin America ESPN Latin America is an ESPN channel that broadcasts in Latin America, not to be confused with ESPN Deportes, which is another channel which broadcasts in the United States in Spanish. ESPN Latin America is not available in the U.S., because is not authorized to air most of the programming seen on... , Fox Sports Latin America |
|
Analysis
The match was foreseen by many as an unexpected pairing in the championship match, although some criticized Colorado and Dallas' trip to the final to be a massive fluke, namely due to the seeding MLS used for the playoffs. The match, by some, was deemed a "David vs. David" match with no clear winner.Others however, saw FC Dallas as the favorites for the match, as they had finished the regular season with only four losses, and knocked off the Supporters Shield winners, Los Angeles Galaxy, in stunning fashion. Some analysts as early as August predicted Dallas to win the entire MLS Cup final.
Off the pitch, the final contained two league franchises that have historically drawn weaker crowds than their league counterparts. Many, including league commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
, believed that the fact the two clubs made it to the final would draw interest from both Denver and Dallas media outlets.
Match
The 2010 MLS Cup Final was played on November 21 at BMO FieldBMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Live television coverage was provided nationally by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
First Half
The 2010 MLS Cup championship kicked off at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, following a thirty minute pre-match show on ESPN. FC DallasFC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
had the kickoff, and immediately created the first scoring opportunity less than 30 seconds into the game. Nineteen seconds in, Dallas striker and Kittian international Atiba Harris
Atiba Harris
Atiba Harris is a Kittitian footballer who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer. He is the first cousin of Manchester City footballer Micah Richards-Professional:...
struck a low strike from the upper corner of the penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
that skimmed wide of the crossbar. The shot was barely deflected by Colorado Rapids' goalkeeper, Matt Pickens
Matt Pickens
Matt Pickens is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and Amateur:...
. Should have Harris' scored, it would have been the fastest goal scored in 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...
history.
It would not be until the sixth minute of play that the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado 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, having competed in the league...
had their first opportunity on goal. Rapids midfielder, Kosuke Kimura
Kosuke Kimura
is a Japanese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.He is the only player in the league's history who was born in Japan, and was a starting defender for the Rapids in its run to the MLS Cup Championship in 2010.-College and amateur:Kimura's career in...
made a long range effort to be saved by Dallas goalie, Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
. Hartman's clearance was quickly intercepted by the Rapids central midfielder, Jeff Larentowicz
Jeff Larentowicz
Jeffery Adam Larentowicz is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-College:...
who immediately distributed the ball to fellow teammate, Drew Moor
Drew Moor
Drew Moor is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He is consistently ranked by major publications as one of the top defenders in the league.-College:...
. Moor's shot ended up being off frame of the goal, leading to a goal kick for Dallas.
Following the early wave of attack from Dallas, the Rapids leaned to a more defensive, conservative style of play. The Rapids were able to capitalize on numerous fouls that they caused Dallas to inflict on them. For the following three minutes, Dallas caused four fouls on Colorado, including a Brek Shea
Brek Shea
Dane Brekken "Brek" Shea is a footballer who currently plays midfielder for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer and the U.S. national team...
fouling Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings is a Jamaican international footballer who plays professionally for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, as a forward.-Youth and amateur:...
in the ninth of play, which led to a dangerous set piece for Colorado.
Dallas continued to prounce of goalscoring opportunities for a majority of the first half, only to see a majority of their shots either go wide or saved.
In the 35th minute of play, FC Dallas defender George John ran down the right flank of the pitch, and made a long cross into the penalty box. The cross was successfully met with Dallas striker David Ferreria. Ferreria, who had previously been announced the league's Most Valuable Player
Major League Soccer MVP Award
The Major League Soccer MVP is a soccer award for players in Major League Soccer. The award is given to the player deemed the most valuable player in the league each season. From 1996 to 2007 the award was sponsored by Honda. The award is now sponsored by Volkswagen.Preki is the only player to win...
, buried the ball in the back of the next, opening the score sheet and giving Dallas a 1-0 lead over Colorado.
Going into halftime, Dallas held a 1-0 lead over Colorado.
Second Half
In the 57th minute, Conor Casey received a low cross from Jamie Smith. As he collected the ball in the penalty box, Casey collied with FC Dallas goalkeeper, Kevin HartmanKevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
. In chaos surrounding the clash of players, the ball was loose near Casey's right foot, and while sitting down, kicked the ball into the net, leveling Colorado with Dallas.
For the remainder of the match, most of the possession was dominated by Dallas, who consistently failed to find the back of the net, and even hit the post in the 86th minute. Frantic play from Colorado at the end almost cost them the game, but a shot inches wide led to extra time.
Extra time
With the Rapids and FC Dallas tied at one apiece at the end of regulation, the match went into extra time, consisted of two, fifteen-minute periods, culminated by penalty kicks if needed. It was the second-consecutive year the cup final went into extra time, and the fourth time in the past five years that an MLS Cup final went into extra time.For most of the first period, only Dallas was able to make any threatening scoring opportunities on Colorado, even though the Rapids were able to create a handful of counterattacks. Many of their shots failed to be threatening.
In the second period of extra time, in the 107th minute, Senegalese-striker Macoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Early Life and College:Kandji was born in Senegal, raised in The Gambia, and came to the United States in 2003...
of Colorado, slowly dribbled the ball into the goal box and attempted to chip the ball into the goal. Dallas-defender George John
George John (soccer)
George John is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
attempted to deflect the cross, but it inadvertedly struck the wrong side of his thigh barreling into the net, for an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
. Kandji ended up tearing his ACL on the tackle after his shot. The goal gave Colorado the victory, and their first 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...
title in club history. It was also the first time an American soccer club based in Colorado won a cup title since the Colorado Foxes
Colorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
won the APSL
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
championship in 1993.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | FC DALLAS: | |||
| GK | 1 | Kevin Hartman Kevin Hartman Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:... |
||
| DF | 6 | Jackson Gonçalves Jackson Henrique Gonçalves Pereira Jackson Henrique Gonçalves Pereira, commonly known as Jackson , is a Brazilian footballer currently playing for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, on loan from São Paulo... |
||
| DF | 14 | George John George John (soccer) George John is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:... |
||
| DF | 3 | Ugo Ihemelu Ugo Ihemelu Ugochukwu "Ugo" Ihemelu is a Nigerian-born American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-College:... |
||
| DF | 5 |  Jair BenitezJair Benítez Jair Benítez is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, on loan from Deportivo Cali.-Professional:... |
||
| MF | 18 | Marvin Chavez Marvin Chávez Marvin Chávez is a Honduran footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, on loan from Marathón.-Club:... |
||
| MF | 13 | Dax McCarty Dax McCarty Dax McCarty is an American soccer player who currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:... |
||
| MF | 2 | Daniel Hernandez (c) |
||
| MF | 20 | Brek Shea Brek Shea Dane Brekken "Brek" Shea is a footballer who currently plays midfielder for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer and the U.S. national team... |
||
| FW | 10 | David Ferreira David Ferreira David Ferreira is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Professional:... |
||
| FW | 16 |  Atiba HarrisAtiba Harris Atiba Harris is a Kittitian footballer who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer. He is the first cousin of Manchester City footballer Micah Richards-Professional:... |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| DF | 19 | Zach Lloyd |
||
| FW | 9 | Jeff Cunningham Jeff Cunningham Jeff Cunningham is a Jamaican-born American soccer player who played on multiple Major League Soccer teams. He is the MLS all-time leader in goals scored with 134.-College:... |
||
| MF | 12 | Eric Avila Eric Avila Eric Humberto Avila is an American soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| Schellas Hyndman Schellas Hyndman Schellas Hyndman is an American former soccer player. He is currently the head coach of FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.Despite having a limited career as a professional athlete, Hyndman is one of the most successful college soccer coaches in American sports history, compiling a 466-122-49 record... |
||||
Matt PickensMatt Pickens
Matt Pickens is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and Amateur:...
Drew MoorDrew Moor
Drew Moor is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He is consistently ranked by major publications as one of the top defenders in the league.-College:...
Marvell WynneMarvell Wynne (soccer)
Marvell Wynne is an American soccer player who is known for his 96 pace on popular sports game He currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
Kosuke KimuraKosuke Kimura
is a Japanese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.He is the only player in the league's history who was born in Japan, and was a starting defender for the Rapids in its run to the MLS Cup Championship in 2010.-College and amateur:Kimura's career in...
Anthony WallaceAnthony Wallace (soccer)
Anthony Wallace is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Jamie Smith Brian MullanBrian Mullan
Brian Mullan is an American soccer player who plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He has previously played for Wisconsin Rebels, Colorado Comets, Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo. He is one of only two players to have won MLS Cup five times, the other being...
Pablo MastroeniPablo Mastroeni
Pablo Mastroeni is an Argentine-born American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, and for the United States national soccer team.-Youth:...
(c)
Jeff LarentowiczJeff Larentowicz
Jeffery Adam Larentowicz is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-College:...
Omar CummingsOmar Cummings
Omar Cummings is a Jamaican international footballer who plays professionally for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, as a forward.-Youth and amateur:...
Conor CaseyConor Casey
Conor Casey is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
Wells ThompsonWells Thompson
Thomas Wells Thompson is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-High school and College:...
Julien BaudetJulien Baudet
Julien Baudet is a former French footballer and current manager.- Europe :Although excelling as a skier in his youth, Baudet chose to concentrate on football, beginning his career with Toulouse FC in France, where he spent two years, clocking up 21 league appearances.In 2001 Baudet moved to Oldham...
Macoumba KandjiMacoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Early Life and College:Kandji was born in Senegal, raised in The Gambia, and came to the United States in 2003...
Gary SmithGary Smith (footballer born 1968)
Gary Smith is an English former football player.-Playing career:A midfielder with a "hard man" reputation, Smith spent several years playing professionally in the lower divisions of the English Football League with Fulham, Colchester United and Barnet, and several seasons playing non-League...
Assistant referees: Marvin Torrentera Hector DelgadilloFourth official: Mauricio Morales |
Statistics
Overall| Dallas | Colorado | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 1 | 2 |
| Total shots | 17 | 7 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 3 |
| Saves | 2 | 5 |
| Corner kicks | 5 | 1 |
| Fouls committed | 11 | 16 |
| Offsides | 4 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
Post-match
With the cup title, Colorado Rapids became the first Coloradan club to win any cup or league championship since the Colorado AvalancheColorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
after the 2000-2001 NHL season. As champions, the Rapids earned a direct berth into Group Stage of the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, which will be their second-ever appearance in a CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
competition. FC Dallas will earn their first ever trip to any CONCACAF-competition by earning a Preliminary Round spot in the Champions League.
Colorado's head coach, Gary Smith
Gary Smith (footballer born 1968)
Gary Smith is an English former football player.-Playing career:A midfielder with a "hard man" reputation, Smith spent several years playing professionally in the lower divisions of the English Football League with Fulham, Colchester United and Barnet, and several seasons playing non-League...
, became the first British coach to win the MLS Cup championship.
Later on, the result of the Cup and the Playoffs caused MLS to make drastic revisions to its playoff structure, which it had been using since 2006. The new changes to the playoffs, included the top three clubs in each conference a guaranteed playoff spot. This format guarantees at least one club from each conference will play in the conference championship round. This is a likely decision following two clubs, Colorado and San Jose, who competed for the conference title for a division they do not play in.
The following season, both clubs returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs, but neither reached the championship. In the newly-created wildcard round, FC Dallas was eliminated by New York Red Bulls. The Colorado Rapids were eliminated by Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.