2006 MLS Cup
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| Houston wins 4–3 on penalties | |||||||
| Date | November 12, 2006 | ||||||
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| Venue |
Pizza Hut Park Frisco, Texas |
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| Man of the Match |
Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo) |
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| Attendance | 22,427 | ||||||
| Weather | Sunny, 61 °F (16 °C) | ||||||
MLS Cup 2006, the 11th edition of Major League Soccer's championship match, was played between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo to decide the champion of the 2006 season. The game was played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas on November 12, 2006. Houston won 4–3 on penalty kicks, after a 1–1 draw following extra time. It was the first penalty shootout in MLS Cup history.
For the first time ever, the MLS Cup Final matched teams which did not win their respective conferences in the regular season. In every final since the inaugural season of 1996, at least one of the teams led its division after the regular-season campaign. On three occasions, the MLS Cup matched two conference regular-season winners (1999, D.C. United vs. Los Angeles Galaxy; 2000, Kansas City Wizards vs Chicago Fire; 2003, San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chicago Fire).
Houston and New England were separated by just two points during the regular season. The Revolution finished with 12 wins, 8 losses, and 12 draws for 48 points. Houston went 11–8–13 for 46 points. It was the narrowest margin between the finalists since 2003, when the Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes were just two points apart in their regular season records. In addition to their similar point totals, the teams finished with identical goal differentials (+4) and both finished 8–3–5 at home.
The teams also split their two regular-season meetings, playing to a pair of 1–1 draws. On May 27 at Gillette Stadium, Steve Ralston put the Revolution ahead with a 55th-minute goal, but a Ryan Cochrane goal five minutes from the end gave the Dynamo the equalizer. On July 22 at Robertson Stadium, an own goal gave New England the lead in the 60th minute, but Stuart Holden pulled Houston level again just three minutes later.
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