New England Revolution 2006

Although the Revs returned the majority of their roster from the record-setting 2005 squad, a rash of injuries and international call-ups limited the Revs’ early-season success. Clint Dempsey (U.S.) and Avery John (Trinidad & Tobago) were both named to their countries’ World Cup squads and missed seven weeks of MLS action. Nicol used a different starting 11 almost every game to contend with his personnel shortages, but in what had become an annual ritual, the Revs assembled another late-season run, going 5-0-2 to close the schedule and surge into the playoffs. The Revs defeated the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Semifinal series, coming back from a two-goal aggregate deficit at home in Game Two to earn the series victory in penalty kicks. Against D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Championship, the Revs posted a 1-0 win for the conference crown behind Taylor Twellman’s fourth-minute strike to advance to MLS Cup at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, for the third time in club history. The Houston Dynamo, however, was crowned champion after winning on penalty kicks, 4-3, after the 1-1 stalemate following extra time, during which Twellman’s 113th-minute go-ahead goal in extra time was negated by a Brian Ching tally just over a minute later.