Season | 2005 |
---|---|
MLS Cup | Los Angeles Galaxy (2nd title) |
Supporters' Shield | S.J. Earthquakes (1st shield) |
Matches played | 192 |
Goals scored | 551 (2.87 per match) |
Top goalscorer |
Taylor Twellman N.E. Revolution Goals: 17 |
Biggest home win |
CHV 5-1 RSL DCU 5-1 RSL |
Biggest away win | CLB 0-4 KCW |
Highest scoring | NY 5-4 NE |
Longest winning run |
N.E. Revolution Games: 6 (04/09 – 05/14) S.J. Earthquakes Games: 6 (08/20 – 09/21) |
Longest unbeaten run |
S.J. Earthquakes Games: 14 (07/20/2005) |
Longest losing run |
Real Salt Lake Games: 10 (08/10 – 10/05) |
Highest attendance |
Los Angeles Galaxy Season: 387,256 Game Avg.: 24,204 |
Lowest attendance |
K.C. Wizards Season: 155,060 Game Avg.: 9,691 |
Average attendance |
MLS Season: 2,900,716 Game Avg.: 15,108 |
The 2005 Major League Soccer season was the tenth season of Major League Soccer. The season began on April 2, 2005, and concluded on November 13, 2005 with the first Supporters' Shield victory for the San Jose Earthquakes and a second MLS Cup victory for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
The New England Revolution and FC Dallas began the year as the league's dominant teams, especially when Dallas acquired Carlos Ruiz in a trade after Landon Donovan returned from a disappointing stint with Bayer Leverkusen and wanted to play with his hometown Los Angeles Galaxy. Injuries and inconsistent play slowed FC Dallas down as the season wore on, and the 2001 and 2003 MLS Cup champion San Jose Earthquakes eventually won the regular-season Supporters' Shield with the third-best record in the league's 10-year history. FC Dallas opened its new stadium, Pizza Hut Park, in August, although it did not operate at full capacity until November. As he did at the Home Depot Center, Ruiz scored the first two goals in the new stadium in a 2-2 tie against the MetroStars.
Expansion franchises Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA struggled in their first season, making playoff qualification a routine matter for the other four Western Conference teams. Chivas USA proved a disappointment in terms of consistent attendance, but its derbies against Los Angeles added excitement and intensity to the calendar, even though the Galaxy won all five (four regular season and one U.S. Open Cup) meetings. Real Salt Lake finished second in the league in attendance.
The MetroStars fired head coach Bob Bradley late in the season and qualified for the playoffs with a 2-0 win over Chivas USA on the final day of the season. Their campaign was boosted by former French international Youri Djorkaeff, who proved one of the league's most successful international signings and took over as MetroStars captain.