2003 Major League Soccer season

2003 Major League Soccer season
Season2003
Teams10
MLS CupSan Jose Earthquakes (2nd title)
Supporters' ShieldChicago Fire (1st shield)
2004 CONCACAF Champions' CupSan Jose Earthquakes
Chicago Fire
Matches150
Goals433 (2.89 per match)
Top goalscorerCarlos Ruiz
Los Angeles Galaxy
Goals: 15
Taylor Twellman
N.E. Revolution
Goals: 15
Biggest home winCHI 4–0 COL
CLB 6–2 CHI
Biggest away winSJ 1–4 CHI
DAL 0–3 SJ
Highest scoringNY 4–4 SJ
CLB 6–2 CHI
Longest winning runColorado Rapids
Games: 5
(07/04 – 08/09)
MetroStars
Games: 5
(04/26 – 05/24)
Longest unbeaten runChicago Fire
Games: 7
(07/19 – 08/24)
Colorado Rapids
Games: 7
(08/16 – 10/01)
Longest losing runColorado Rapids
Games: 4
(05/03 – 05/25)
Dallas Burn
Games: 4
(07/19 -08/13)
Highest attendanceLos Angeles Galaxy
Season: 329,752
Game Avg.: 21,983
Lowest attendanceDallas Burn
Season: 118,585
Game Avg.: 7,906
Total attendance2,234,747
Average attendance14,898
← 2002
2004 →
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Locations of teams for the 2003 Major League Soccer season
Western Conference   Eastern Conference

The 2003 Major League Soccer season was the eighth season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 91st season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States, and the 25th with a national first-division league.

The Los Angeles Galaxy moved into the league's second soccer-specific stadium when the Home Depot Center opened on June 1, 2003. The Chicago Fire continued to play at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville but returned to the newly renovated Soldier Field for their final regular season game.

The number of games was increased to 30 after a reduction to 28 for the 2002 season. Instead of a best-of-three series, the playoffs were tweaked so that the conference semifinals would be determined by a home-and-away aggregate score over two matches, with the higher-seeded team hosting the second leg. Additionally, the two conference finals became single-leg hosted by the higher seed.

The regular season began on April 5, and concluded on October 26. The 2003 MLS Cup Playoffs began on November 1, and concluded with MLS Cup 2003 on November 23. The San Jose Earthquakes won their second MLS Cup in three years with a victory over Chicago.

Overview

Season format

The season began on April 5 and concluded with MLS Cup on November 23. The 10 teams were split evenly into two conferences. Each team played 30 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team in their conference, and two designated opponents from the opposite conference, four times, and the remaining teams in the opposite conference twice.

The top four teams from each conference qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. 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. Additionally, the winner of MLS Cup and the runner-up qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

Stadiums and locations

TeamStadiumCapacity
Chicago FireCardinal Stadium
Soldier Field		15,000
61,500
Colorado RapidsInvesco Field at Mile High76,125
Columbus CrewColumbus Crew Stadium22,555
D.C. UnitedRFK Stadium46,000
Dallas BurnDragon Stadium11,000
Kansas City WizardsArrowhead Stadium81,425
Los Angeles GalaxyHome Depot Center27,000
MetroStarsGiants Stadium80,200
New England RevolutionGillette Stadium68,756
San Jose EarthquakesSpartan Stadium30,456

Personnel and sponsorships

TeamHead coachCaptainShirt sponsor
Chicago FireUnited States Dave Sarachan—
Colorado RapidsUnited States Tim Hankinson
Columbus CrewUnited States Greg AndrulisPepsi
D.C. UnitedEngland Ray Hudson—
Dallas BurnNorthern Ireland Colin Clarke
Kansas City WizardsUnited States Bob Gansler—
Los Angeles GalaxyUnited States Sigi SchmidBudweiser
MetroStarsUnited States Bob BradleyUnited States Eddie Pope—
New England RevolutionScotland Steve Nicol—
San Jose EarthquakesCanada Frank YallopUnited States Jeff AgoosYahoo! en Español

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming coachDate of appointment
Dallas BurnUnited States Mike JeffriesFiredSeptember 15, 2003Northern Ireland Colin ClarkeSeptember 15, 2003

Standings

Eastern Conference

PosTeam
PldWLTGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Chicago Fire3015785343+1053MLS Cup Playoffs
2New England Revolution3012995547+845
3MetroStars30111094040042
4D.C. United30101193836+239
5Columbus Crew30101284444038
Source: MLS

Western Conference

PosTeam
PldWLTGFGAGDPtsQualification
1San Jose Earthquakes3014794535+1051MLS Cup Playoffs
2Kansas City Wizards30111094844+442
3Colorado Rapids30111274045−540
4Los Angeles Galaxy3091293535036
5Dallas Burn3061953564−2923
Source: MLS

Overall standings

PosTeam
PldWLTGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Chicago Fire (S)3015785343+1053CONCACAF Champions' Cup
2San Jose Earthquakes (C)3014794535+1051
3New England Revolution3012995547+845
4Kansas City Wizards30111094844+442
5MetroStars30111094040042
6Colorado Rapids30111274045−540
7D.C. United30101193836+239
8Columbus Crew30101284444038
9Los Angeles Galaxy3091293535036
10Dallas Burn3061953564−2923
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

MLS Cup Playoffs

Bracket

Conference semifinalsConference finalsMLS Cup
          
E1Chicago (wins 4–0 agg.)22
E4D.C. United00
E1Chicago1
Eastern Conference
E3New England0
E2New England (wins 3–1 agg.)21
E3MetroStars01
E1Chicago2
W1San Jose4
W1San Jose (wins 5–4 agg.)05*
W4Los Angeles22
W1San Jose3
Western Conference
W3Kansas City2
W3Kansas City (wins 3–1 agg.)12
W2Colorado10

Eastern Conference semifinals

Chicago Fire2–0D.C. United
Williams 4'
Razov 94'
Attendance: 15,202
D.C. United0–2Chicago Fire
Ralph 17'
Razov 55'
Attendance: 15,312

Chicago Fire won 4–0 on aggregate.

New England Revolution2–0MetroStars
Fabbro 17'
Noonan 65'
Attendance: 10,211
MetroStars1–1New England Revolution
Guevara 45' (pen.)Noonan 21'
Attendance: 14,823

New England Revolution won 3–1 on aggregate.

Western Conference semifinals

San Jose Earthquakes0–2Los Angeles Galaxy
Victorine 59'
Ruiz 62'
Attendance: 20,201
Los Angeles Galaxy2–5 (a.e.t.)San Jose Earthquakes
Ruiz 7'
Vagenas 13'		Agoos 21'
Donovan 35'
Walker 50'
Roner 90'
Faria gold-colored soccer ball 96'
Attendance: 14,145

San Jose Earthquakes won 5–4 on aggregate after golden goal extra time.

Kansas City Wizards1–1Colorado Rapids
Harris 3'Borchers 53'
Attendance: 6,434
Colorado Rapids0–2Kansas City Wizards
Simutenkov 45'
Klein 63'
Attendance: 10,712

Kansas City Wizards won 3–1 on aggregate.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

New England Revolution0–1 (a.e.t.)Chicago Fire
Armas gold-colored soccer ball 101'
Attendance: 14,610

Western Conference

Kansas City Wizards2–3 (a.e.t.)San Jose Earthquakes
Simutenkov 57'
Klein 72'		Lagos 61'
Mullan 83'
Donovan gold-colored soccer ball 117'
Attendance: 16,108

MLS Cup

Chicago Fire2–4San Jose Earthquakes
Beasley 49'
Roner 54' (o.g.)		Ekelund 5'
Donovan 38', 71'
Mulrooney 50'
Attendance: 27,000

Player statistics

Goals

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Guatemala Carlos RuizLos Angeles Galaxy15
United States Taylor TwellmanNew England Revolution
3United States Ante RazovChicago Fire14
Scotland John SpencerColorado Rapids
5United States Landon DonovanSan Jose Earthquakes12
United States Brian McBrideColumbus Crew
United States PrekiKansas City Wizards
8United States Mark ChungColorado Rapids11
Jamaica Damani RalphChicago Fire
10United States Edson BuddleColumbus Crew10
United States Pat NoonanNew England Revolution

Assists

RankPlayerClubAssists
1United States PrekiKansas City Wizards12
2Honduras Amado GuevaraMetroStars9
3United States Mark LisiMetroStars6
United States Ross PauleColumbus Crew
United States Steve RalstonNew England Revolution
6United States Cobi JonesLos Angeles Galaxy5
United States Manny LagosSan Jose Earthquakes
United States Brian MullanSan Jose Earthquakes
United States Richard MulrooneySan Jose Earthquakes
United States Pat NoonanNew England Revolution
United States Eric QuillKansas City Wizards
Jamaica Andy WilliamsChicago Fire

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets
1United States Scott GarlickColorado Rapids9
Canada Pat OnstadSan Jose Earthquakes
3United States Zach ThorntonChicago Fire8
4United States Nick RimandoD.C. United7
5United States Adin BrownNew England Revolution4
United States Jon BuschColumbus Crew
United States Kevin HartmanLA Galaxy
United States Tony MeolaKansas City Wizards
United States Jonny WalkerMetroStars
10United States D.J. CountessDallas Burn3
United States Tim HowardMetroStars

Awards

Individual awards

AwardPlayerClub
Most Valuable PlayerUnited States PrekiKansas City Wizards
Defender of the YearUnited States Carlos BocanegraChicago Fire
Goalkeeper of the YearCanada Pat OnstadSan Jose Earthquakes
Coach of the YearUnited States Dave SarachanChicago Fire
Rookie of the YearJamaica Damani RalphChicago Fire
Comeback Player of the YearUnited States Chris ArmasChicago Fire
Scoring ChampionUnited States PrekiKansas City Wizards
Goal of the YearJamaica Damani RalphChicago Fire
Fair Play AwardUnited States Brian McBrideColumbus Crew
Humanitarian of the YearUnited States Ben OlsenD.C. United

Best XI

GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards
United States Tim Howard, MetroStarsUnited States Wade Barrett, San Jose
United States Carlos Bocanegra, Chicago
United States Alexi Lalas, LA Galaxy		United States Mark Chung, Colorado
Denmark Ronnie Ekelund, San Jose
Colombia Óscar Pareja, Dallas
United States Steve Ralston, New England		United States Jeff Cunningham, Columbus
Guatemala Carlos Ruiz, LA Galaxy
United States Taylor Twellman, New England

Attendance

ClubGamesSeasonGame Avg.
Los Angeles Galaxy15329,75221,983
Colorado Rapids15251,57816,772
Columbus Crew15243,75616,250
MetroStars15237,32615,822
Kansas City Wizards15233,59415,573
D.C. United15233,47615,565
New England Revolution15219,61114,641
Chicago Fire15210,08014,005
San Jose Earthquakes15156,98910,466
Dallas Burn15118,5857,906
Totals1502,234,74714,898

References

  • MLS Site
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