1996 Major League Soccer season
Season | 1996 |
---|---|
MLS Cup | D.C. United |
Supporters' Shield | Tampa Bay Mutiny |
Matches played | 160 |
Goals scored | 539 (3.37 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Roy Lassiter Tampa Bay Mutiny Goals: 27 |
Longest winning run | Los Angeles Galaxy Games: 12 (04/13 - 06/30) |
Longest losing run | Columbus Crew Games: 6 (05/15 - 06/22) |
Highest attendance | Los Angeles Galaxy Season: 462,650 Game Avg.: 28,916 |
Lowest attendance | Colorado Rapids Season: 163,413 Game Avg.: 10,213 |
Average attendance | MLS Season: 2,785,001 Game Avg.: 17,406 |
The 1996 Major League Soccer season was the inaugural season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 84th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, and the 18th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada.
Contents
- 1 Overview
- 2 Team locations
- 3 Stadiums
- 4 Standings
- 5 Playoff bracket
- 6 Conference semifinals
- 7 Conference finals
- 8 MLS Cup '96
- 9 Team awards
- 10 Player of the Week
- 11 Player of the Month
- 12 Individual awards
- 13 Top goal scorers
- 14 Goalkeeping leaders
- 15 Team attendance totals
- 16 Winningest coaches (by wins)
- 17 References
- 18 External links
Overview
Preparation for first season
Major League Soccer had originally intended to begin competitive action in 1995. Various difficulties forced the league to postpone its first season until 1996. In preparation for its first season, the league began signing what it called marque players, beginning with Tab Ramos on January 3, 1995.[1] Beginning in October 1995, the league apportioned the marque players in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Allocations.[2] Each team received two national team and two foreign players in the allocation.[3] The league then invited about 250 players to a tryout the second week of January 1996 on the campus of UC Irvine.[4] On February 6 and 7, 1996, the league held its 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft in which the ten teams selected 160 players over sixteen rounds. The Columbus Crew selected Brian McBride with the first pick of the draft. On March 4, 1996, the league then held the 1996 MLS College Draft followed by the 1996 MLS Supplemental Draft later that day. Despite the numerous drafts, the teams were not obligated to sign only players from the drafts.
Pre-season
The preseason began the first week of March. The teams reduced their rosters to twenty-two players by March 25 and had to make a final roster reduction to eighteen by April 15.[5] The teams had a $1,200,000 salary cap with no player allowed to receive more than $192,500. In order to promote American players, teams were limited to five foreigners on the roster.[6]
Season
The teams played thirty-two games each. Each win was worth three points, a loss counted for zero and a shootout win earned a team one point. Fear of alienating fans with tied games had led the league to adopting the shootout when games ended even. The league also adopted a count down clock instead of running clock. The league also divided the teams equally into two conferences - Eastern and Western. The league began its first season on Saturday, April 6, 1996 when the San Jose Clash hosted D.C. United at Spartan Stadium. ESPN carried the game live which the Clash won on a goal by Eric Wynalda. That goal was selected as the 1996 MLS Goal of the Year. The regular season ended on September 22. The playoffs began two days later.
Team locations
Stadiums
Colorado Rapids | Columbus Crew | D.C. United | Dallas Burn | Kansas City Wiz |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mile High Stadium | Ohio Stadium | RFK Memorial Stadium | Cotton Bowl | Arrowhead Stadium |
Capacity: 76,273 | Capacity: 102,329 | Capacity: 46,000 | Capacity: 92,100 | Capacity: 81,425 |
150px |
Los Angeles Galaxy | New England Revolution | NY/NJ MetroStars | San Jose Clash | Tampa Bay Mutiny |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rose Bowl | Foxboro Stadium | Giants Stadium | Spartan Stadium | Houlihan's Stadium |
Capacity: 92,542 | Capacity: 60,292 | Capacity: 80,200 | Capacity: 30,456 | Capacity: 74,301 |
Standings
Conference standings
Eastern Conference
|
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Pos | Club | Pts | GP | W | L | SOW | GF | GA | GD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 58 | 32 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 66 | 51 | +15 | |
2 | D.C. United | 46 | 32 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 62 | 56 | +6 | |
3 | New York/New Jersey MetroStars | 39 | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 45 | 47 | −2 | |
4 | Columbus Crew | 37 | 32 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 59 | 60 | −1 | |
5 | New England Revolution | 33 | 32 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 43 | 56 | −13 |
1996 MLS Cup Playoffs |
Western Conference
|
||||||||||
Pos | Club | Pts | GP | W | L | SOW | GF | GA | GD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 49 | 32 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 59 | 49 | +10 | |
2 | Dallas Burn | 41 | 32 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 50 | 48 | +2 | |
3 | Kansas City Wiz | 41 | 32 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 61 | 63 | −2 | |
4 | San Jose Clash | 39 | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 50 | 50 | 0 | |
5 | Colorado Rapids | 29 | 32 | 9 | 21 | 2 | 44 | 59 | −15 |
1996 MLS Cup Playoffs |
Overall standings
Major League Soccer
|
||||||||||
Pos | Club | Pts | GP | W | L | SOW | GF | GA | GD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tampa Bay Mutiny (E1) | 58 | 32 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 66 | 51 | +15 | |
2 | Los Angeles Galaxy1 (W1) | 49 | 32 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 59 | 49 | +10 | |
3 | D.C. United1 (E2) | 46 | 32 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 62 | 56 | +6 | |
4 | Dallas Burn (W2) | 41 | 32 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 50 | 48 | +2 | |
5 | Kansas City Wiz | 41 | 32 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 61 | 63 | −2 | |
6 | San Jose Clash | 39 | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 50 | 50 | 0 | |
7 | New York/New Jersey MetroStars | 39 | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 45 | 47 | −2 | |
8 | Columbus Crew | 37 | 32 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 59 | 60 | −1 | |
9 | New England Revolution | 33 | 32 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 43 | 56 | −13 | |
10 | Colorado Rapids | 29 | 32 | 9 | 21 | 2 | 44 | 59 | −15 |
MLS Supporters' Shield, 1996 MLS Cup Playoffs | |
1996 MLS Cup Playoffs |
- ^Note 1 - CONCACAF Champions' Cup berths awarded to the participants of MLS Cup 1996 (D.C. and Los Angeles)
Playoff bracket
Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | MLS Cup '96 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
4 | Columbus Crew | 0 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
1 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 1 | 1 | x | |||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | D.C. United | 4 | 2 | x | |||||||||||||||
2 | D.C. United | 2 (5) | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
3 | NY/NJ MetroStars *(pen.) | 3 (6)* | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||
E | D.C. United (aet) | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W | Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
4 | San Jose Clash | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||
1 | Los Angeles Galaxy *(pen.) | 2 | 2 (3)* | x | |||||||||||||||
Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | Kansas City Wiz | 1 | 1 (1) | x | |||||||||||||||
2 | Dallas Burn | 2 | 2 | 2 (2) | |||||||||||||||
3 | Kansas City Wiz *(pen.) | 3 | 1 | 3 (3)* |
- Best of Three series winners will advance.
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
September 24, 1996
Game 1 |
NY/NJ MetroStars | 3 – 2 6 – 5 (SO) |
D.C. United |
---|---|---|
De Ávila 38' Savarese 75' |
Díaz Arce 24' Moreno 56' |
October 2, 1996
Game 3 |
D.C. United | 2 – 1 | NY/NJ MetroStars |
---|---|---|
Rammel 67' Diaz Arce (pen.) 89' |
De Ávila 86' |
- D.C. United wins series 2 - 1, advances to Conference finals.
October 2, 1996
Game 3 |
Tampa Bay Mutiny | 4 – 1 | Columbus Crew |
---|---|---|
Vásquez 3' Lassiter 41',58' Pittman 55' |
McBride 35' |
- Tampa Bay Mutiny wins series 2 - 1, advances to Conference finals.
Western Conference
September 26, 1996
Game 1 |
Kansas City Wiz | 3 – 2 | Dallas Burn |
---|---|---|
Johnston 16' McKeon 79' Preki 89' |
Elliott 21' Ashton 25' |
September 29, 1996
Game 2 |
Dallas Burn | 2 – 1 | Kansas City Wiz |
---|---|---|
Kreis 5' Washington 32' |
Preki 30' |
Cotton Bowl
Dallas, Texas Attendance: 10,125 |
October 2, 1996
Game 3 |
Dallas Burn | 2 – 3 2 – 3 (SO) |
Kansas City Wiz |
---|---|---|
Sánchez 27' Elliott 66' |
Chung 41' Takawira 62' |
- Kansas City Wiz wins series 2 - 1, advances to Conference finals.
- Los Angeles Galaxy wins series 2 - 1, advances to Conference finals.
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
October 10, 1996
Game 1 |
D.C. United | 4 – 1 | Tampa Bay Mutiny |
---|---|---|
Díaz Arce 36', 58', 60' Rammel 54' |
Lassiter 42' |
- D.C. United wins series 2 - 0, advances to MLS Cup '96.
Western Conference
- Los Angeles Galaxy wins series 2 - 0, advances to MLS Cup '96.
MLS Cup '96
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October 20, 1996
|
Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 – 3 (AET) | D.C. United |
---|---|---|
Hurtado 5' Armas 56' |
Sanneh 72' Medved 81' Pope 94' |
Foxboro Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts Attendance: 34,643 Weather: Rain, 44 °F Referee: Esse Baharmast |
- D.C. United and Los Angeles Galaxy earn a berth to the 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
Team awards
Player of the Week
Week | Player of the Week | Club |
---|---|---|
Week 1 | Eric Wynalda | San Jose Clash |
Week 2 | Brian McBride | Columbus Crew |
Week 3 | Marcelo Balboa | Colorado Rapids |
Week 4 | Bo Oshoniyi | Columbus Crew |
Week 5 | Giovanni Savarese | MetroStars |
Week 6 | Brian McBride | Columbus Crew |
Week 7 | Jorge Campos | Los Angeles Galaxy |
Week 8 | Preki | Kansas City Wiz |
Week 9 | John Doyle | San Jose Clash |
Week 10 | Eduardo Hurtado | Los Angeles Galaxy |
Week 11 | Mark Dodd | Dallas Burn |
Week 12 | Mark Chung | Kansas City Wiz |
Week 13 | Tony Meola | MetroStars |
Week 14 | Raúl Díaz Arce | D.C. United |
Week 15 | Paul Bravo | San Jose Clash |
Week 16 | Cobi Jones | Los Angeles Galaxy |
Week 17 | Joe-Max Moore | New England Revolution |
Week 18 | Tony Meola | MetroStars |
Week 19 | Adrián Paz | Columbus Crew |
Week 20 | Marco Etcheverry | D.C. United |
Week 21 | Brad Friedel | Columbus Crew |
Week 22 | Brian Maisonneuve | Columbus Crew |
Week 23 | Frank Yallop | Tampa Bay Mutiny |
Week 24 | Brad Friedel | Columbus Crew |
Player of the Month
Month | Player of the Month | Club |
---|---|---|
April | Mauricio Cienfuegos | Los Angeles Galaxy |
May | Carlos Valderrama | Tampa Bay Mutiny |
June | Eduardo Hurtado | Los Angeles Galaxy |
July | Jason Kreis | Dallas Burn |
August | Marco Etcheverry | D.C. United |
September | Brad Friedel | Columbus Crew |
Individual awards
Top goal scorers
Position | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Roy Lassiter | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 27 |
2 | Raúl Díaz Arce | D.C. United | 23 |
3 | Eduardo Hurtado | Los Angeles Galaxy | 21 |
4 | Preki | Kansas City Wiz | 18 |
5 | Brian McBride | Columbus Crew | 17 |
6 | Steve Rammel | D.C. United | 14 |
7 | Paul Bravo | San Jose Clash | 13 |
Jason Kreis | Dallas Burn | ||
Giovanni Savarese | NY/NJ MetroStars | ||
Vitalis Takawira | Kansas City Wiz |
Goalkeeping leaders
(Minimum 1,000 minutes)
No. | Player | Club | Games Played |
Minutes | Goals Against |
GA Average |
Wins | Loses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jorge Campos | Los Angeles Galaxy | 24 | 2025 | 27 | 1.20 | 13 | 8 |
2 | Dave Salzwedel | San Jose Clash | 14 | 1168 | 17 | 1.31 | 9 | 4 |
3 | Tony Meola | NY/NJ MetroStars | 29 | 2610 | 38 | 1.31 | 14 | 15 |
4 | Mark Dodd | Dallas Burn | 31 | 2776 | 45 | 1.46 | 17 | 14 |
5 | Mark Simpson | D.C. United | 15 | 1260 | 21 | 1.50 | 7 | 6 |
6 | Mark Dougherty | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 28 | 2520 | 47 | 1.68 | 17 | 11 |
7 | Aidan Heaney | New England Revolution | 19 | 1534 | 29 | 1.70 | 8 | 9 |
8 | Tom Liner | San Jose Clash | 20 | 1712 | 33 | 1.73 | 7 | 12 |
9 | Garth Lagerwey | Kansas City Wiz | 23 | 1959 | 38 | 1.75 | 12 | 10 |
10 | Jim St. Andre | New England Revolution | 15 | 1346 | 27 | 1.81 | 6 | 9 |
11 | Chris Woods | Colorado Rapids | 23 | 2070 | 43 | 1.87 | 8 | 15 |
12 | Jeff Causey | D.C. United | 19 | 1620 | 35 | 1.94 | 9 | 10 |
13 | Bo Oshoniyi | Columbus Crew | 13 | 1170 | 33 | 2.54 | 3 | 10 |
Team attendance totals
Club | Games | Season totals | Game average |
---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Galaxy | 16 | 462,650 | 28,916 |
NY/NJ MetroStars | 16 | 382,360 | 23,898 |
New England Revolution | 16 | 304,392 | 19,025 |
Columbus Crew | 16 | 303,202 | 18,950 |
San Jose Clash | 16 | 275,712 | 17,232 |
Dallas Burn | 16 | 256,173 | 16,011 |
D.C. United | 16 | 244,199 | 15,262 |
Kansas City Wiz | 16 | 206,044 | 12,878 |
Tampa Bay Mutiny | 16 | 186,856 | 11,679 |
Colorado Rapids | 16 | 163,413 | 10,213 |
OVERALL | 160 | 2,785,001 | 17,406 |
Winningest coaches (by wins)
Coach | Club | Wins | Loss | PCT. | PTS. | SOW |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Rongen | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 20 | 12 | 0.625 | 58 | 1 |
Lothar Osiander | Los Angeles Galaxy | 19 | 13 | 0.594 | 49 | 4 |
Dave Dir | Dallas Burn | 17 | 15 | 0.531 | 41 | 5 |
Ron Newman | Kansas City Wiz | 17 | 15 | 0.531 | 41 | 5 |
Bruce Arena | D.C. United | 16 | 16 | 0.500 | 46 | 1 |
Laurie Calloway | San Jose Clash | 15 | 17 | 0.469 | 39 | 3 |
Frank Stapleton | New England Revolution | 15 | 17 | 0.469 | 33 | 6 |
Carlos Queiroz | NY/NJ MetroStars | 12 | 12 | 0.500 | 34 | 1 |
Bobby Houghton | Colorado Rapids | 11 | 20 | 0.355 | 29 | 2 |
Tom Fitzgerald | Columbus Crew | 9 | 1 | 0.900 | 23 | 2 |
Timo Liekoski | Columbus Crew | 6 | 15 | 0.286 | 14 | 2 |
Eddie Firmani | NY/NJ MetroStars | 3 | 5 | 0.375 | 5 | 2 |
Roy Wegerle | Colorado Rapids | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 |