# 2003 Major League Soccer season

The 2003 Major League Soccer season was the eighth season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 91st season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States, and the 25th with a national first-division league.
The Los Angeles Galaxy moved into the league's second soccer-specific stadium when the Home Depot Center opened on June 1, 2003. The Chicago Fire continued to play at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville but returned to the newly renovated Soldier Field for their final regular season game.
The number of games was increased to 30 after a reduction to 28 for the 2002 season. Instead of a best-of-three series, the playoffs were tweaked so that the conference semifinals would be determined by a home-and-away aggregate score over two matches. Additionally, the two conference finals became one match fixtures instead of two legs.
The regular season began on April 5, and concluded on October 26. The 2003 MLS Cup Playoffs began on November 1, and concluded with MLS Cup 2003 on November 23. The San Jose Earthquakes won their second MLS Cup in three years with a victory over Chicago.

## Overview
### Season format

The season began on April 5 and concluded with MLS Cup on November 23. The 10 teams were split evenly into two conferences. Each team played 30 games that were evenly divided between home and away. Each team played every other team in their conference, and two designated opponents from the opposite conference, four times, and the remaining teams in the opposite conference twice.
The top four teams from each conference qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs. 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. Additionally, the winner of MLS Cup and the runner-up qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

### Stadiums and locations

| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
| Chicago Fire | Cardinal Stadium Soldier Field | 15,000 61,500 |
| Colorado Rapids | Invesco Field at Mile High | 76,125 |
| Columbus Crew | Columbus Crew Stadium | 22,555 |
| D.C. United | RFK Stadium | 46,000 |
| Dallas Burn | Dragon Stadium | 11,000 |
| Kansas City Wizards | Arrowhead Stadium | 81,425 |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | Home Depot Center | 27,000 |
| MetroStars | Giants Stadium | 80,200 |
| New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium | 68,756 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | Spartan Stadium | 30,456 |

### Personnel and sponsorships

| Team | Head coach | Captain | Shirt sponsor |
| Chicago Fire | Dave Sarachan | | — |
| Colorado Rapids | Tim Hankinson | | |
| Columbus Crew | Greg Andrulis | | Pepsi |
| D.C. United | Ray Hudson | | — |
| Dallas Burn | Mike Jeffries | | |
| Kansas City Wizards | Bob Gansler | | — |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | Sigi Schmid | | Budweiser |
| MetroStars | Bob Bradley | Eddie Pope | |
| New England Revolution | Steve Nicol | | — |
| San Jose Earthquakes | Frank Yallop | Jeff Agoos | Yahoo! en Español |

### Coaching changes

| Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
| Dallas Burn | Mike Jeffries | Fired | September 15, 2003 | Colin Clarke | September 15, 2003 |

## Standings
### Eastern Conference

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 53 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 47 | +8 | 45 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | MetroStars | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | D.C. United | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 39 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 5 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 38 | |

### Western Conference

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 45 | 35 | +10 | 51 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 48 | 44 | +4 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 40 | 45 | −5 | 40 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 30 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 36 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 5 | Dallas Burn | 30 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 35 | 64 | −29 | 23 | |

### Overall standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Chicago Fire (S) | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 53 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 2 | San Jose Earthquakes (C) | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 45 | 35 | +10 | 51 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 47 | +8 | 45 | |
| 4 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 48 | 44 | +4 | 42 | |
| 5 | MetroStars | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 42 | |
| 6 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 40 | 45 | −5 | 40 | |
| 7 | D.C. United | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 39 | |
| 8 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 38 | |
| 9 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 30 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 36 | |
| 10 | Dallas Burn | 30 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 35 | 64 | −29 | 23 | |

## MLS Cup Playoffs
### Bracket

| Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | MLS Cup | MLS Cup | MLS Cup |
| E1 | Chicago (wins 4–0 agg.) | 2 | 2 | | | | | | |
| E4 | D.C. United | 0 | 0 | | | | | | |
| E4 | D.C. United | 0 | 0 | E1 | Chicago | 1 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Chicago | 1 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E3 | New England | 0 | | | |
| E2 | New England (wins 3–1 agg.) | 2 | 1 | E3 | New England | 0 | | | |
| E3 | MetroStars | 0 | 1 | | | | | | |
| E3 | MetroStars | 0 | 1 | | | | E1 | Chicago | 2 |
| | | | | | | | W1 | San Jose | 4 |
| W1 | San Jose (wins 5–4 agg.) | 0 | 5* | | | | | | | W1 | San Jose | 4 |
| W4 | Los Angeles | 2 | 2 | | | | | | |
| W4 | Los Angeles | 2 | 2 | W1 | San Jose | 3 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | San Jose | 3 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Kansas City | 2 | | | |
| W3 | Kansas City (wins 3–1 agg.) | 1 | 2 | W3 | Kansas City | 2 | | | |
| W2 | Colorado | 1 | 0 | | | | | | |

### Eastern Conference semifinals

Chicago Fire won 4–0 on aggregate.
New England Revolution won 3–1 on aggregate.

### Western Conference semifinals

San Jose Earthquakes won 5–4 on aggregate after golden goal extra time.
Kansas City Wizards won 3–1 on aggregate.

### Conference finals

Eastern Conference
Western Conference

### MLS Cup
## Player statistics
### Goals

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Carlos Ruiz | Los Angeles Galaxy | 15 |
| 1 | Taylor Twellman | New England Revolution | 15 |
| 3 | Ante Razov | Chicago Fire | 14 |
| 3 | John Spencer | Colorado Rapids | 14 |
| 5 | Landon Donovan | San Jose Earthquakes | 12 |
| 5 | Brian McBride | Columbus Crew | 12 |
| 5 | Preki | Kansas City Wizards | 12 |
| 8 | Mark Chung | Colorado Rapids | 11 |
| 8 | Damani Ralph | Chicago Fire | 11 |
| 10 | Edson Buddle | Columbus Crew | 10 |
| 10 | Pat Noonan | New England Revolution | 10 |

### Assists

| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
| 1 | Preki | Kansas City Wizards | 12 |
| 2 | Amado Guevara | MetroStars | 9 |
| 3 | Mark Lisi | MetroStars | 6 |
| 3 | Ross Paule | Columbus Crew | 6 |
| 3 | Steve Ralston | New England Revolution | 6 |
| 6 | Cobi Jones | Los Angeles Galaxy | 5 |
| 6 | Manny Lagos | San Jose Earthquakes | 5 |
| 6 | Brian Mullan | San Jose Earthquakes | 5 |
| 6 | Richard Mulrooney | San Jose Earthquakes | 5 |
| 6 | Pat Noonan | New England Revolution | 5 |
| 6 | Eric Quill | Kansas City Wizards | 5 |
| 6 | Andy Williams | Chicago Fire | 5 |

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
| 1 | Scott Garlick | Colorado Rapids | 9 |
| 1 | Pat Onstad | San Jose Earthquakes | 9 |
| 3 | Zach Thornton | Chicago Fire | 8 |
| 4 | Nick Rimando | D.C. United | 7 |
| 5 | Adin Brown | New England Revolution | 4 |
| 5 | Jon Busch | Columbus Crew | 4 |
| 5 | Kevin Hartman | LA Galaxy | 4 |
| 5 | Tony Meola | Kansas City Wizards | 4 |
| 5 | Jonny Walker | MetroStars | 4 |
| 10 | D.J. Countess | Dallas Burn | 3 |
| 10 | Tim Howard | MetroStars | 3 |

## Awards
### Individual awards

| Award | Player | Club |
| Most Valuable Player | Preki | Kansas City Wizards |
| Defender of the Year | Carlos Bocanegra | Chicago Fire |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | Pat Onstad | San Jose Earthquakes |
| Coach of the Year | Dave Sarachan | Chicago Fire |
| Rookie of the Year | Damani Ralph | Chicago Fire |
| Comeback Player of the Year | Chris Armas | Chicago Fire |
| Scoring Champion | Preki | Kansas City Wizards |
| Goal of the Year | Damani Ralph | Chicago Fire |
| Fair Play Award | Brian McBride | Columbus Crew |
| Humanitarian of the Year | Ben Olsen | D.C. United |

### Best XI

| Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
| Tim Howard, MetroStars | Wade Barrett, San Jose Carlos Bocanegra, Chicago Alexi Lalas, LA Galaxy | Mark Chung, Colorado Ronnie Ekelund, San Jose Óscar Pareja, Dallas Steve Ralston, New England | Jeff Cunningham, Columbus Carlos Ruiz, LA Galaxy Taylor Twellman, New England |

## Attendance

| Club | Games | Season | Game Avg. |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 15 | 329,752 | 21,983 |
| Colorado Rapids | 15 | 251,578 | 16,772 |
| Columbus Crew | 15 | 243,756 | 16,250 |
| MetroStars | 15 | 237,326 | 15,822 |
| Kansas City Wizards | 15 | 233,594 | 15,573 |
| D.C. United | 15 | 233,476 | 15,565 |
| New England Revolution | 15 | 219,611 | 14,641 |
| Chicago Fire | 15 | 210,080 | 14,005 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 15 | 156,989 | 10,466 |
| Dallas Burn | 15 | 118,585 | 7,906 |
| Totals | 150 | 2,234,747 | 14,898 |