2009 Major League Soccer season 14th season of Major League Soccer
Football league season
Wikinews has news related to:
The 2009 Major League Soccer season was the 14th season of Major League Soccer . It was also the 97th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States , and the 31st with a national first-division league.
The Seattle Sounders FC debuted as the league's 15th club and were the second team in history to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs in their inaugural season. The club set a league record for attendance and averaged 30,943 per regular season match at Qwest Field .[ 3]
After three seasons, the MLS Reserve League was discontinued. As a result, each team's Developmental Roster spots were reduced from 10 to four, and each team's Senior Roster spots were increased from 18 to 20. This had the effect of reducing each team's total roster from 28 to 24 players.
The regular season began on March 19, and concluded on October 25. The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 29, and concluded with MLS Cup 2009 on November 22. Real Salt Lake won their first MLS Cup by defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy in a penalty shootout .
Overview
The season began on March 19 and concluded with MLS Cup on November 22. The 15 teams were split into two conferences with 7 playing in the Eastern Conference and 8 playing in the Western Conference. Each team played 30 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team twice, home and away, for a total of 28 games. The remaining two games were played against four regional rivals, one at home and one away.
The top two teams from each conference automatically qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs . In addition, the four highest remaining point totals, regardless of conference, also qualified. 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 and qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League . Additionally, the winner of MLS Cup , and the runner-up, also qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League. An additional berth in the Champions League was also awarded to the winner of the U.S. Open Cup . If a team qualified for multiple berths into the Champions League, then additional berths were awarded to the highest overall finishing MLS team(s) not already qualified. Also, Toronto FC , as a Canadian-based team, could not qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League through MLS, and had to instead qualify through the Canadian Championship .
Automatic qualification for the U.S. Open Cup was awarded to the top six overall finishers. The rest of the U.S.-based MLS teams had to qualify for the remaining two berths via a series of play-in games.
Qualification for the SuperLiga was awarded to the top four overall finishers not already qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League .
Stadiums and locations
Team
Stadium
Capacity
Chicago Fire
Toyota Park
20,000
Chivas USA
Home Depot Center
27,000
Colorado Rapids
Dick's Sporting Goods Park
18,061
Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew Stadium
22,555
D.C. United
RFK Stadium
46,000
FC Dallas
Pizza Hut Park
21,193
Houston Dynamo
Robertson Stadium
32,000
Kansas City Wizards
CommunityAmerica Ballpark
10,385
LA Galaxy
Home Depot Center
27,000
New England Revolution
Gillette Stadium
68,756
New York Red Bulls
Giants Stadium
80,200
Real Salt Lake
Rio Tinto Stadium
20,213
San Jose Earthquakes
Buck Shaw Stadium
10,525
Seattle Sounders FC
Qwest Field
68,740
Toronto FC
BMO Field
21,566
Results table
Abbreviation and Color Key:Chicago Fire – CHI • Chivas USA – CHV • Colorado Rapids – COL • Columbus Crew – CLB • D.C. United – DCFC Dallas – DAL • Houston Dynamo – HOU • Kansas City Wizards – KC • Los Angeles Galaxy – LA • New England Revolution – NENew York Red Bulls – NY • Real Salt Lake – RSL • San Jose Earthquakes – SJ • Seattle Sounders FC – SEA • Toronto FC – TORWin • Loss • Tie • Home
Club
Match
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Chicago Fire
DAL
DC
NY
SJ
KC
CLB
SEA
NE
TOR
NY
CHV
DAL
HOU
DC
COL
CLB
SJ
SEA
RSL
HOU
KC
LA
COL
DC
RSL
CLB
TOR
LA
NE
CHV
3-1
1-1
0-1
3-3
2-2
2-2
1-1
1-1
2-0
1-0
3-2
3-0
1-0
1-2
2-1
0-0
0-2
0-0
0-1
2-3
2-0
2-0
2-3
1-0
1-1
2-2
2-2
0-1
0-0
0-1
Chivas USA
COL
DAL
CLB
LA
SEA
TOR
DAL
SJ
RSL
DC
KC
CHI
SEA
HOU
CLB
LA
NE
COL
NY
TOR
RSL
LA
NE
SEA
NY
DC
KC
SJ
CHI
HOU
1-2
2-0
1-2
0-0
0-2
0-1
0-2
1-0
0-1
2-2
1-1
3-2
0-1
0-1
1-2
1-0
0-2
0-4
2-0
0-2
0-4
0-1
0-2
0-0
1-1
2-0
0-2
2-2
0-1
3-2
Colorado Rapids
CHV
KC
LA
CLB
HOU
LA
RSL
NE
SEA
NY
RSL
DC
DAL
SEA
CHI
DAL
DC
NY
CLB
CHV
CHI
HOU
TOR
TOR
SJ
SJ
KC
NE
DAL
RSL
1-2
1-2
3-2
1-1
0-1
1-1
0-2
1-1
2-2
3-2
1-1
0-3
1-1
0-3
2-1
0-1
1-3
0-4
1-0
0-4
2-3
0-1
0-1
2-3
1-1
1-1
0-0
1-1
1-2
0-3
Columbus Crew
HOU
TOR
RSL
CHV
COL
CHI
TOR
KC
LA
SJ
SEA
KC
CHV
DAL
NY
DC
CHI
RSL
TOR
COL
SJ
DAL
NY
HOU
CHI
LA
SEA
NE
DC
NE
1-1
1-1
1-4
1-2
1-1
2-2
1-1
2-3
1-1
1-2
1-1
2-0
1-2
1-2
0-1
1-1
0-0
1-3
2-3
1-0
3-0
0-2
0-1
1-2
2-2
0-2
1-0
1-0
0-1
1-0
D.C. United
LA
CHI
HOU
RSL
NE
NY
DAL
KC
TOR
CHV
RSL
NE
NY
CHI
SEA
COL
CLB
COL
SJ
HOU
TOR
LA
CHI
DAL
KC
SEA
SJ
CHV
CLB
KC
2-2
1-1
0-1
1-2
1-1
3-2
1-2
1-1
3-3
2-2
0-0
1-2
0-2
1-2
3-3
0-3
1-1
1-3
2-2
3-4
0-2
0-0
1-0
2-2
0-1
2-1
2-1
2-0
0-1
2-2
FC Dallas
CHI
CHV
NE
TOR
TOR
CHV
DC
HOU
SEA
LA
CHI
SJ
HOU
CLB
COL
NY
COL
RSL
KC
HOU
CLB
NY
DC
LA
KC
RSL
NE
SJ
COL
SEA
3-1
2-0
1-2
1-1
2-3
0-2
1-2
0-1
1-1
1-1
3-0
2-2
3-1
1-2
1-1
1-2
0-1
2-4
0-6
0-1
0-2
2-3
2-2
6-3
2-3
0-3
0-1
2-1
1-2
1-2
Houston Dynamo
CLB
SJ
DC
NY
COL
NE
DAL
NY
SJ
TOR
CHI
CHV
DAL
RSL
LA
KC
SEA
TOR
NE
DC
DAL
CHI
RSL
SEA
COL
CLB
RSL
KC
LA
CHV
1-1
2-3
0-1
0-0
0-1
2-0
0-1
1-1
1-3
0-3
1-0
0-1
3-1
1-1
0-1
1-0
1-2
1-1
1-0
3-4
1-0
2-3
0-0
1-1
0-1
1-2
2-3
1-1
0-0
3-2
Kansas City Wizards
TOR
COL
SJ
SEA
CHI
NY
TOR
DC
CLB
RSL
CHV
LA
CLB
NE
HOU
NE
LA
DAL
CHI
SJ
RSL
NE
DC
NY
DAL
COL
HOU
CHV
SEA
DC
3-2
1-2
0-2
1-0
2-2
0-1
0-1
1-1
2-3
2-0
1-1
1-1
2-0
1-3
1-0
0-0
1-1
0-6
2-0
0-1
1-0
4-2
0-1
1-0
2-3
0-0
1-1
0-2
3-2
2-2
Los Angeles Galaxy
DC
COL
CHV
SJ
COL
NY
RSL
SEA
CLB
DAL
KC
TOR
RSL
SJ
HOU
NE
CHV
NY
KC
NE
SEA
CHI
DC
CHV
DAL
TOR
CLB
CHI
HOU
SJ
2-2
3-2
0-0
1-1
1-1
0-1
2-2
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-1
2-1
2-0
1-2
0-1
0-1
1-0
3-1
1-1
2-1
2-0
2-0
0-0
0-1
6-3
0-2
0-2
0-1
0-0
0-2
New England Revolution
SJ
NY
DAL
DC
RSL
HOU
CHI
COL
TOR
DC
NY
KC
LA
KC
CHV
HOU
TOR
LA
SEA
RSL
SJ
KC
CHV
NY
SEA
DAL
COL
CLB
CHI
CLB
1-0
1-1
1-2
1-1
0-6
2-0
1-1
1-1
1-3
1-2
0-4
1-3
0-1
0-0
0-2
1-0
1-1
2-1
1-0
1-3
1-2
4-2
0-2
1-1
1-2
0-1
1-1
1-0
0-0
1-0
New York Red Bulls
SEA
NE
CHI
HOU
RSL
KC
DC
LA
SJ
HOU
CHI
COL
DC
NE
TOR
SEA
TOR
CLB
DAL
LA
COL
CHV
DAL
CLB
KC
NE
CHV
SJ
RSL
TOR
0-3
1-1
0-1
0-0
0-2
0-1
3-2
0-1
1-4
1-1
1-0
3-2
0-2
0-4
1-3
1-1
0-2
0-1
1-2
3-1
0-4
2-0
2-3
0-1
1-0
1-1
1-1
0-1
0-2
0-5
Real Salt Lake
SEA
CLB
DC
NY
NE
COL
LA
CHV
KC
DC
SJ
COL
LA
HOU
TOR
SJ
CLB
DAL
CHI
SEA
HOU
NE
CHV
KC
CHI
HOU
DAL
NY
TOR
COL
0-2
1-4
1-2
0-2
0-6
0-2
2-2
0-1
2-0
0-0
1-2
1-1
2-0
1-1
0-3
1-1
1-3
2-4
0-1
0-1
0-0
1-3
0-4
1-0
1-1
2-3
0-3
0-2
0-1
0-3
San Jose Earthquakes
NE
HOU
KC
CHI
LA
SEA
CHV
NY
HOU
CLB
RSL
DAL
SEA
LA
RSL
TOR
CHI
DC
SEA
CLB
KC
NE
COL
COL
DC
NY
DAL
TOR
CHV
LA
1-0
2-3
0-2
3-3
1-1
0-2
1-0
1-4
1-3
1-2
1-2
2-2
1-2
1-2
1-1
3-1
0-2
2-2
0-4
3-0
0-1
1-2
1-1
1-1
2-1
0-1
2-1
1-1
2-2
0-2
Seattle Sounders FC
NY
RSL
TOR
KC
CHV
SJ
CHI
LA
DAL
COL
CLB
CHV
SJ
DC
NY
COL
HOU
CHI
SJ
RSL
LA
NE
HOU
TOR
DC
CHV
NE
CLB
KC
DAL
0-3
0-2
2-0
1-0
0-2
0-2
1-1
1-1
1-1
2-2
1-1
0-1
1-2
3-3
1-1
0-3
1-2
0-0
0-4
0-1
2-0
1-0
1-1
0-0
2-1
0-0
1-2
1-0
3-2
1-2
Toronto FC
KC
CLB
SEA
DAL
DAL
CHV
KC
CLB
DC
CHI
NE
HOU
LA
NY
NY
RSL
SJ
HOU
CLB
NE
DC
CHV
SEA
COL
COL
LA
CHI
SJ
RSL
NY
3-2
1-1
2-0
1-1
2-3
0-1
0-1
1-1
3-3
2-0
1-3
0-3
2-1
1-2
0-2
0-3
3-1
1-1
2-3
1-1
0-2
0-2
0-0
0-1
2-3
0-2
2-2
1-1
0-1
0-5
Standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Overall standings
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
Player statistics
Goals
Assists
Clean sheets
Awards
Individual awards
Best XI
Goalkeeper
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Zach Thornton , Chivas USA
Geoff Cameron , Houston Wilman Conde , Chicago Chad Marshall , Columbus
Dwayne De Rosario , Toronto Landon Donovan , LA Galaxy Stuart Holden , Houston Shalrie Joseph , New England Freddie Ljungberg , Seattle
Conor Casey , Colorado Jeff Cunningham , Dallas
Weekly awards
Save of the week was first introduced during week 10 of the 2009 season.[ 4]
Monthly awards
Attendance
Club
Games
Season
Game Avg.
Seattle Sounders FC
15
499,262
30,897
Los Angeles Galaxy
15
333,239
20,827
Toronto FC
15
305,167
20,344
Real Salt Lake
15
303,138
17,831
Houston Dynamo
15
264,368
17,624
Chivas USA
15
251,611
15,725
D.C. United
15
202,605
15,585
Chicago Fire
15
247,908
15,487
Columbus Crew
15
226,808
14,175
Colorado Rapids
15
195,282
13,018
New York Red Bulls
15
165,672
12,744
New England Revolution
15
173,985
12,427
San Jose Earthquakes
15
134,283
10,329
Kansas City Wizards
15
150,802
10,053
FC Dallas
15
108,717
9,883
Totals
225
3,562,847
16,120
See also
References
^ Coon, John (April 25, 2009). "RSL's record-setting rout dooms Revs" . MLSworks . Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on January 20, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2009 .
^ King, Jeffrey J. (September 13, 2009). "Dallas earns crucial win over Galaxy" . MLSworks . Major League Soccer. Retrieved September 17, 2009 . [permanent dead link ]
^ Romero, José Miguel (January 27, 2010). "Keeping Sounders FC together is key to long-range success" . The Seattle Times . Retrieved June 14, 2023 .
^ "Save of the Week" . MLSNet.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009 .
External links
International
Club competitions National teams
Team seasons
MLS USL-1 USL-2
Bermuda Hogges
Charlotte Eagles
Crystal Palace Baltimore
Harrisburg City Islanders
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Real Maryland Monarchs
Richmond Kickers
Western Mass Pioneers
Wilmington Hammerheads
WPS
Men's Leagues Women's Leagues Cups Other International Club seasons
Club tournaments in CONCACAF member countries between July 2008 and June 2009
Domestic leagues Domestic cups CONCACAF competitions
Club tournaments in CONCACAF member countries between July 2009 and June 2010
Domestic leagues Domestic cups CONCACAF competitions