The 2000 Major League Soccer season was the 88th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States and Canada, the 22nd with a national first-division league, and the fifth season of
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
. The regular season began on March 25 and continued through September 9, culminating with the
2000 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Overview
Changes from 1999
Most notably the 2000 season marked the first time in Major League Soccer history (and the first season of American first division soccer since 1974), that ties were allowed to stand. Following a ten-minute sudden death extra time, rather than going to a penalty shoot-out, if two teams were tied, the tie would stand. Also, the league adopted the IFAB-standard running clock, as well as
injury time
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
.
Additionally, the league broke into three separate divisions, the East, Central and West divisions. The league would use this format until 2002, when the two Florida franchises,
Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny was a professional soccer team based in Tampa, Florida. They were a charter member of Major League Soccer (MLS) and played from 1996 to 2001. They played their home games at Tampa Stadium and then at Raymond James Stadium.
The ...
and
Miami Fusion
The Miami Fusion was a professional soccer team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They played in Major League Soccer (MLS) for four seasons, from 1998 to 2001. Announced in 1997 as one of the league's first two expansion teams, their best seas ...
folded.
Standings
Division standings
Eastern Division
Central Division
Western Division
Overall standings
Fixtures and results
Note: * = Match required extra time
MLS Cup Playoffs
Bracket
*Points system
Win = 3 Pts.
Loss = 0 Pts.
Draw = 1 Pt.
*ASDET*=Added Sudden Death Extra Time (Game tie breaker)
SDET**=Sudden Death Extra Time (Series tie breaker)
Teams will advance at 5 points.
Quarterfinals
Kansas City Wizards advance 7–1 on points.
----
Chicago Fire advance 6–3 on points.
----
MetroStars advance 6–0 on points.
----
Los Angeles Galaxy advance 6–0 on points.
Semifinals
Chicago Fire advance 6-3 on points.
----
Kansas City Wizards advance 1–0 in series overtime (SDET) after 4–4 tie on points.
MLS Cup 2000
MLS Cup 2000 was the fifth edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), which took place on October 15, 2000, at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. It was contested by the Kansas City Wizard ...
Player awards
End-of-season awards
Player statistics
Top goal scorers
Attendance
International Competition
2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
*Los Angeles Galaxy
Defeated
Real C.D. España 5-3 in PK, 0-0 draw (Quarter-finals).
Defeated
D.C. United
D.C. United is a professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer, the top tier of American soccer. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
4-2 in PK, 1-1 draw (Semi-finals).
Defeated
C.D. Olimpia
Club Deportivo Olimpia is a professional Honduran football club based in Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán. The club is the nation's most successful team both in the domestic league and in international club competitions.
History
Olimpia was f ...
3-2 in regulation (Final).
*D.C. United
Defeated
L.D. Alajuelense
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (LDA, ), commonly known as Alajuelense and nicknamed La Liga (), is a Costa Rican multisport club based in the borough of El Llano, Alajuela, Alajuela province. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Ala ...
2-1 (Quarter-finals).
Lost
Los Angeles Galaxy
LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began pla ...
4-2 in PK, 1-1 draw (Semi-finals).
Coaches
References
MLS Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:2000 Major League Soccer Season
Major League Soccer seasons
1