9 November 2003 - The Earthquakes Shake Up The Playoffs

On 9 November 2003, the San Jose Earthquakes staged the biggest comeback in MLS playoff history to beat the Los Angeles Galaxy in the semifinals.

As the league's only California teams, San Jose and Los Angeles had developed a strong rivalry, nicknamed the California Clásico and capped two years earlier when the Earthquakes, making their first appearance in the championship match, beat the Galaxy 2-1, handing LA their loss in three MLS Cup appearances.

By 2003, the Galaxy were fortunate to make the playoffs at all, finishing fourth out of five teams in the Western Conference while San Jose were in first. But when the teams met at the Home Depot Center on 1 November for the first leg of the semifinal, LA won 2-0. And when they reconvened at Spartan Stadium in San Jose eight days later, LA again took a two-goal lead with strikes from Carlos Ruiz (7') and Peter Vagenas (13'), giving San Jose an aggregate hill to climb that was four goals high.

The comeback started in the first half with Jeff Agoos (21') and Landon Donovan (35') finding the back of the net. Jamil Walker scored early in the second half (50'), but LA looked likely to hold on to their 4-3 aggregate lead. Then, in the 90th minute, Chris Roner scored to send the match into extra time.

At the time, the MLS Cup used the golden goal rule, which meant that the first goal scored in extra time would win the match. And San Jose's Rodrigo Faria found it in the 96th minute (it was his only goal of the season). San Jose went on to beat Kansas City in the conference final, then defeated Chicago in the championship game.

In addition to being the biggest comeback in MLS playoff history, the 5-2 win in that second leg was the biggest victory in the California Clásico.

20 October 1996 - That's Not Really A Cup, Though, Now Is It?

On 20 October 1996, DC United rallied from a two-goal deficit to win the first MLS Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

LA and DC finished with the second- and third-best records, respectively, in that first MLS season, behind the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In the playoffs, the Galaxy advanced with wins over the San Jose Clash and the Kansas City Wiz, while DC reached the final by beating the NY/NJ MetroStars and Tampa Bay.

They met at a rainy Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, where LA striker Eduardo Hurtado gave his team an early lead with a 4th-minute goal. His teammate, midfielder Chris Armas then doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a goal that appeared to secure the trophy for the Galaxy.

But DC came storming back late in the second half, getting scores from substitute midfielders Tony Sanneh (72') and Shawn Medved (81') to send the match into extra time, where a 94th-minute goal from United defender Eddie Pope sealed the comeback victory.

DC went on to appear in the next three MLS Cup finals, repeating as champions in 1997 and winning it for a third time in a 1999 rematch with the Galaxy.

30 June 2012 - There's Magic In Those Feet

On 30 June 2012, San Jose's Sam Cronin quickly recovered from an apparent injury after being struck by a well-placed ball from David Beckham.

The even occurred in stoppage time of San Jose's 4-3 win over Los Angeles. The Galaxy took a 3-1 lead in the first half with goals from Beckham and Landon Donovan, as well as an own-goal from Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez, but Víctor Bernárdez pulled one back for San Jose in the 44th minute to cut the margin to 3-2.

In the second half, Cronin scored a 47th-minute equalizer, followed by Chris Wondolowski's go-ahead strike in the 61st minute. But the day's real highlight came during injury time.

With San Jose holding on to their lead, Cronin collided with a Galaxy player and dropped to the turf, holding his head. After several seconds, an irritated Beckham, who was 20 yards away, delivered a pinpoint kick that struck Cronin in the leg (then bounced up and hit the referee). His injury forgotten, Cronin immediately jumped up and protested to the ref.

Beckham received a yellow card, resulting in a one-game suspension, as San Jose got the win.

2 April 2005 - Columbus Discovers A Record

On 2 April 2005, the Columbus Crew extended their streak of unbeaten league matches to an MLS-record nineteen with a 3-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy.

Columbus had finished the previous season with a string of eighteen consecutive unbeaten matches that gave them the league's best regular-season record, but they lost to New England in the post-season tournament's first round.

They returned to league play on opening day of the 2005 season, hosting Los Angeles at Crew Stadium. There, they rolled to a 3-0 victory with goals from Edson Buddle (8', 47') and Ante Razov (54'). That nineteenth consecutive league victory set a league record that remains unbeaten, though it was matched in 2010 by FC Dallas.

8 November 2007 - Ruud Rules The Galaxy

On 8 November 2007, Ruud Gullit took over as head coach of the LA Galaxy, becoming the highest-paid manager in MLS history. But his tenure lasted just over nine months.

Gullit, the 1987 Ballon d'Or winner who starred as a player for PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan, had a checkered past as a manager, with short spells at Chelsea (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-99), and Feyenoord (2004-05) all ending in disappointment. He had been out of football for two years before joining the Galaxy, noting in his initial press conference that "Just a week ago I was on holiday in the Dominican Republic when I was asked if I would like this job, so it's happened very quickly." Nevertheless, LA signed him to a 3-year contract worth $2 million per year, the highest salary of any MLS manager up to that point.

It was later revealed that the decision to hire Gullit originated from the camp of newly-signed David Beckham, via his personal manager Terry Byrne and his management company, 19 Entertainment, bypassing the club's general manager, Alexi Lalas.

It did not take long for things to start falling apart. In January 2008, on Gullit's personal recommendation, the Galaxy signed Newcastle left back Celestine Babayaro to a 3-year deal. But the club waived him two months later after the Nigerian international proved unable or unwilling to adapt to his new surroundings. He had made only one appearance for the Galaxy, a preseason friendly against FC Seoul in which he conceded a penalty and received a yellow card in only 45 minutes of playing time. Gullit's relationship with other players--including Abel Xavier, Peter Vagenas, and star Landon Donovan--soured and the club's performances began to suffer as well. They endured a seven-match winless streak that culminated with Gullit's resignation on 11 August 2008.

In January 2011, Gullit returned to management, signing a 1.5-year contract with Russian Premier League club Terek Grozny, but was sacked just six months later after winning only three matches.

11 August 2008 - LA Takes A Little Off The Top

On 11 August 2008, the Los Angeles Galaxy made changes at the top of their organization, accepting the resignation of manager Ruud Gullit and sacking general manager Alexi Lalas. 

Lalas had held the general manager position since April 2006, when he moved to LA from the New York Red Bulls. He was instrumental in signing midfielder David Beckham from Real Madrid for a 5-year deal worth $32.5 million. Beckham arrived in July 2007 and Gullit followed shortly afterward. 

The former AC Milan star joined LA in November 2007 on a three-year deal with an annual salary of $2 million making him the highest-paid coach in the league at the time. His credentials included short stints at Chelsea (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-99), and Feyenoord Rotterdam (2004-05). 

The investments prompted many to tip the Galaxy as title contenders for 2008, but their performance on the pitch was poor. They hovered near the bottom of the Western Conference for most of the 2008 season and suffered through a seven-match winless streak that ended with the departure of Gullit and Lalas. The club brought former US national team manager Bruce Arena in for the 2009 season, which ended with the Galaxy at the top of the Western Conference and runners-up in the MLS Cup Final. 

Lalas went on to become an analyst and commentator for ESPN, ABC, and Fox while Gullit served for six months as the manager of Russian Premier League club Terek Grozy before getting sacked in June 2011. 

21 September 1951 - A Bruce Is Born

On 21 September 1951, three-time MLS Coach of the Year Bruce Arena was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Arena was a standout goalkeeper for Nassau Community College in New York, earning All America recognition in 1970 and 1971 for both lacrosse and soccer. After two years, he transferred to Cornell University, where he won the 1972 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. A short professional stint followed, including a single US cap, but Arena made his most significant impact as a coach.

In 1978, Arena moved to the University of Virginia to coach both lacrosse and soccer (he eventually dropped lacrosse in 1985). He guided the UVa program to prominence, winning five national championships. He left in 1996 to take up the reins at DC United for their inaugural MLS season, winning the MLS Cup twice in his first two years and claiming his first Coach of the Year award in 1997.

In 1998, he left DC to manage the US national team and guided them to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, their best showing since 1930. But a disappointing group stage exit in 2006 led to his departure. A short stint with the New York Red Bulls followed, but he was sacked after just over a year. He is currently the manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he won his second Coach of the Year award after guiding them to the MLS Cup Final in 2009, then his third in 2011 after winning the MLS Cup. 

18 July 2005 - The Galácticos Take Over The Galaxy

On 18 July 2005, Real Madrid completed their preseason US tour with a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center.

Playing before a capacity crowd of 27,000, the Spanish starting XI included several of their newly-arrived superstar contingent known as theGalácticos, including Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, and Michael Owen, as well as established players like forward Raúl and goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The Galaxy, on the other hand, were missing their marquee player, Landon Donovan.

But despite the apparent gulf in talent, the MLS side quickly made clear their intentions to compete, with midfielder Pando Ramirez earning a 3rd-minute yellow card after hard tackles on Zidane and Michel Salgado. Real did not take long to claim the lead, with a goal from Owen in the 5th minute after an incisive Zidane pass unlocked the Galaxy defense, but the MLS side held firm for the remainder of the half and even created a handful of chances, forcing some excellent saves from Casillas.

The match remained close enough that Real manager Vanderlei Luxembourgo kept many of his stars on the pitch deep into the second half. Both Zidane and Beckham came off in the 60th minute, while fellow Galáctico Owen remained until the 77th minute. His replacement, striker Roberto Soldado, scored the second goal shortly after coming on.

The match was LA's first exposure to Beckham, who joined the Galaxy three years later.

11 January 2007 - Beckham Becomes The Biggest Star In The Galaxy

On 11 January 2007, Real Madrid and England midfielder David Beckham shocked the world by announcing that he had signed a contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Although Beckham had fallen out of favor at Real under manager Fabio Capello, the move was nonetheless viewed as a significant step down for the English icon, who had reportedly generated interest from bigger clubs including AC Milan and Inter.

Beckham and the Galaxy agreed to a 5-year deal worth approximately $250 million, though his playing wages made up only about 20% of that amount. The remaining 80% came from merchandise sales, sponsorships, and a stake in the club's projected profits.

Real attempted to keep Beckham after he enjoyed a resurgence in form in the second half of the season, helping the club claim its first La Liga title in four years, but he held firm to his commitment and joined the Galaxy in the summer of 2007.

Beckham was not the first English superstar to play in Los Angeles, and in fact wasn't even the first former Manchester United superstar to do so. In 1976, George Best signed with the NASL's Los Angeles Aztecs. Best, who, like Beckham, wore the No. 7 shirt for United, made 55 appearances for the Aztecs from 1976 to 1978.

8 January 2004 - El Tri Loses Some Color

On 8 January 2004, Mexico's flamboyant goalkeeper Jorge Campos announced his retirement from football, taking his self-designed colorful kits with him.

Born in Acapulco on 15 October 1966, Campos started his professional career in 1988 with Club Universidad Nacional, better known as Pumas. In order to get time on the pitch, he played as a striker until he won the job as first-team keeper. In 1991, he got his first cap for Mexico and would go on to make 130 appearances for El Tri (in 7 of those, he played as both a keeper and a striker, and in 2 others, he played only as a striker).

Although well-known for his bright and unique kits, which he designed himself, Campos was an accomplished keeper. During the 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup, for example, he did not concede a single goal as Mexico claimed the title with a 2-0 win over invitee Brazil in the final.

His career included spells with numerous clubs in Mexico and the United States, including the Los Angeles Galaxy (1997), Chicago Fire (1998) and several seasons with Pumas (1988-96, 1997-98, 1998-2000, 2001-02). At the time of his retirement, he was playing for Puebla (2002-04).

21 October 2001 - San Jose Knows The Way

On 21 October 2001, the San Jose Earthquakes claimed their first MLS honors, coming from behind to defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in the MLS Cup Final before a crowd of 21,626 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Los Angeles went ahead in the 21st minute as Galaxy defender Greg Vanney beat the San Jose defense with a 40-yard pass to forward Luis Hernandez. Hernandez received the pass just inside the San Jose 18-yard box and sent a strong right-footed shot past 'Quakes keeper Joe Cannon.

San Jose equalized in the 43rd minute, as forward Landon Donovan ran onto a loose ball in the Galaxy's penalty area and first-touched a powerful shot past Galaxy keeper Kevin Hartman.

The two sides played to a stalemate through the remainder of regulation, taking the match into overtime. In the 6th minute of overtime, San Jose forward Dwayne DeRosario (pictured)--who had come on as a substitute in the 85th minute--hit a curling shot from the top of the box. It caromed off the right post and into the net past Hartman's outstretched hands, giving San Jose the sudden-death victory.

It was the only match all season in which the Earthquakes had come from behind to win and only the second MLS Cup Final to be decided in overtime.

24 July 2007 - Not To Be Confused With The Danish Top Flight

On 24 July 2007, the first two matches of the inaugural SuperLiga competition were played in California and Texas.

Intended to be a smaller North American version of the UEFA Champions League, the competition includes US and Canadian teams from MLS, as well as teams from Mexico's Primera División, drawing four teams from each league. The teams play a group stage with two 4-team groups. The top two teams from each group then advance to the knockout stages, which consist of the semi-finals and the final.

For the inaugural tournament, the teams were chosen by invitation. MLS selected DC United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, and LA Galaxy, while the Primera División chose Monarcas Morelia, Pachuca, América, and Guadalajara. In those first matches, FC Dallas drew 1-1 with Guadalajara, while the Galaxy defeated Pachuca 2-1 with an 81st minute matchwinner from Landon Donovan.

Both LA and Pachuca advanced from their group and faced each other again in the Final, where Pachuca got their revenge, winning on penalties 1-1 (3-4).

21 July 2007 - 12 Minutes, 8 Touches, 0 Assists, 0 Goals

On 21 July 2007, David Beckham made his debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 0-1 friendly loss to English Premier League title holders Chelsea before a capacity crowd of 27,000 at LA's Home Depot Center.

One of the most famous and marketable footballers in the world, Beckham's appearance had been highly anticipated ever since the January 2007 announcement that he was leaving Real Madrid at season's end to sign a 5-year contract with the MLS's Galaxy. At the time the announcement was made, Beckham had fallen out of favor with Real boss Fabio Capello and was spending a significant amount of time on the bench, leading to the general perception that he was coming to the US to wind his career down.

In the months after the announcement, however, his level of play and time on the pitch increased and Real pipped rivals Barcelona to the La Liga title. Real then tried to undo the Galaxy deal, but the MLS side held firm and Beckham crossed the Atlantic.

His Galaxy debut was uneventful, as a nagging ankle injury limited his training time and forced manager Frank Yallop to start the match with Beckham on the bench. Nevertheless, match broadcaster ESPN devoted substantial airtime to Beckham, at times splitting the screen with the match on one side and Beckham on the other.

With the Galaxy down 0-1, Beckham came on in the 78th minute to a standing ovation. His appearance had little impact, however, and the match ended as a 0-1 loss.

17 June 2003 - Beckham's Odyssey Begins

On 17 June 2003, Manchester United sold their star midfielder David Beckham to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Beckham signed with Manchester United in 1991 at the age of 14 and helped secure a number of honors for the Old Trafford club, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies, and one UEFA Champions League trophy. He also earned numerous individual awards, including the PFA Young Player of the Year (1996-97), the UEFA Club Player of the Year (1999), and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (2001). In all, Beckham made 394 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, scoring 85 goals.

By the year 2000, despite his success on the pitch, his relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson began to deteriorate, due in part to Beckham's off-pitch commitments and growing celebrity following his marriage to Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams in 1999. The relationship between player and manager hit bottom on 15 February 2003 when, after an FA Cup loss to Arsenal, Ferguson kicked a boot that hit Beckham above the eye, requiring stitches.

At the end of that season, with the relationship beyond salvage, Manchester United sold Beckham to Real Madrid for €35 million (£25M) on 17 June. The transfer was completed on 1 July 2003, making Beckham only the third Englishman to play for the Spanish side.

After spending twelve years with United, the move triggered a peripatetic period in Beckham's career. He spent only four seasons with Real, helping them to the La Liga title in 2006-07. In the summer of 2007, he moved to the United States, joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy. He remained there until 2012, including two loan spells with AC Milan, then finished his career at Paris St. Germain. 

4 March 1982 - Sunshine Superman

On 4 March 1982, United States captain and record goalscorer Landon Donovan was born in Ontario, California. In addition to being the national team's all-time scoring leader, he also leads the team in assists and has made the most international appearances of any active US player.

In 1997, at the age of 15, the striker/midfielder joined the United States Youth Development Program, subsequently moving to the IMG Soccer Academy in 1999. Later that year, he signed a youth contract with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. He eventually signed a senior contract with the German club lasting from 2001 to 2005, but never settled in, leading to criticism that Donovan was too soft for European competition. He spent the majority of his contract years on loan in the US, first to the San Jose Earthquakes (2001-04), then to the Los Angeles Galaxy (2005-current).

After starring for the US national team youth sides, Donovan debuted for the senior side on 25 October 2000 in a friendly against Mexico, scoring the opening goal in the 2-0 win. He displayed impressive form in the Americans' run to the quarterfinals in the 2002 World Cup, being named the tournament's best young player.

Donovan has enjoyed record-setting success with the national team. On 11 April 2006, Donovan notched his 23rd assist in a 1-1 friendly with Jamaica, moving him past Cobi Jones as the US assist leader. And on 19 January 2008, he scored with a penalty kick against Sweden to pass Eric Wynalda as the national team's highest goalscorer on his way to his current tally of 57 goals in 155 appearances, the most caps of any active US international.

17 September 2005 - Never Too Old To Lend A Hand (Or Foot)

On 17 September 2005, Preki simultaneously became MLS's oldest assist provider and Kansas City's all-time assist leader when he helped them earn a 2-2 draw with Los Angeles.

The 42-year old striker was in his ninth season with Kansas City. He first joined them in 1996, then left in 2001 for a season with Miami before returning to the Wizards in 2002. During his time there, he won the MLS Cup in 2000 and the US Open Cup in 2003, and was twice named the league's MVP, in 1997 and 2003. To date, he remains the only player to win that award more than once.

In 2005, however, the team was struggling and by September looked unlikely to make the MLS playoffs. The Galaxy were still hopeful of reaching the postseason and took a substantial step toward that goal by going up 0-2 against Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium with goals from Chris Albright (26') and Hercules Gomez (36').

The margin held until the 81st minute, when Davy Arnaud headed home from a corner kick. Five minutes later, Preki provided his record-setting assist to Josh Wolff, who equalized with another header. Preki's precise age was 42 years and 85 days, which remains an MLS record. It was also his 98th career assist for Kansas City, a club record.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, the draw did not help them reach the playoffs. Los Angeles did make it, though, and went on to win the MLS Cup over New England, 1-0.

30 June 2012 - There's Magic In Those Feet

On 30 June 2012, San Jose's Sam Cronin quickly recovered from an apparent injury after being struck by a well-placed ball from David Beckham.

The even occurred in stoppage time of San Jose's 4-3 win over Los Angeles. The Galaxy took a 3-1 lead in the first half with goals from Beckham and Landon Donovan, as well as an own-goal from Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez, but Víctor Bernárdez pulled one back for San Jose in the 44th minute to cut the margin to 3-2.

In the second half, Cronin scored a 47th-minute equalizer, followed by Chris Wondolowski's go-ahead strike in the 61st minute. But the day's real highlight came during injury time.

With San Jose holding on to their lead, Cronin collided with a Galaxy player and dropped to the turf, holding his head. After several seconds, an irritated Beckham, who was 20 yards away, delivered a pinpoint kick that struck Cronin in the leg (then bounced up and hit the referee). His injury forgotten, Cronin immediately jumped up and protested to the ref.

Beckham received a yellow card, resulting in a one-game suspension, as San Jose got the win.

2 April 2005 - Columbus Discovers A Record

On 2 April 2005, the Columbus Crew extended their streak of unbeaten league matches to an MLS-record nineteen with a 3-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy.

Columbus had finished the previous season with a string of eighteen consecutive unbeaten matches that gave them the league's best regular-season record, but they lost to New England in the post-season tournament's first round.

They returned to league play on opening day of the 2005 season, hosting Los Angeles at Crew Stadium. There, they rolled to a 3-0 victory with goals from Edson Buddle (8', 47') and Ante Razov (54'). That nineteenth consecutive league victory set a league record that remains unbeaten, though it was matched in 2010 by FC Dallas.

9 November 2003 - The Earthquakes Shake Up The Playoffs

On 9 November 2003, the San Jose Earthquakes staged the biggest comeback in MLS playoff history to beat the Los Angeles Galaxy in the semifinals.

As the league's only California teams, San Jose and Los Angeles had developed a strong rivalry, nicknamed the California Clásico and capped two years earlier when the Earthquakes, making their first appearance in the championship match, beat the Galaxy 2-1, handing LA their loss in three MLS Cup appearances.

By 2003, the Galaxy were fortunate to make the playoffs at all, finishing fourth out of five teams in the Western Conference while San Jose were in first. But when the teams met at the Home Depot Center on 1 November for the first leg of the semifinal, LA won 2-0. And when they reconvened at Spartan Stadium in San Jose eight days later, LA again took a two-goal lead with strikes from Carlos Ruiz (7') and Peter Vagenas (13'), giving San Jose an aggregate hill to climb that was four goals high.

The comeback started in the first half with Jeff Agoos (21') and Landon Donovan (35') finding the back of the net. Jamil Walker scored early in the second half (50'), but LA looked likely to hold on to their 4-3 aggregate lead. Then, in the 90th minute, Chris Roner scored to send the match into extra time.

At the time, the MLS Cup used the golden goal rule, which meant that the first goal scored in extra time would win the match. And San Jose's Rodrigo Faria (pictured) found it in the 96th minute (it was his only goal of the season). San Jose went on to beat Kansas City in the conference final, then defeated Chicago in the championship game.

In addition to being the biggest comeback in MLS playoff history, the 5-2 win in that second leg was the biggest victory in the California Clásico.

20 October 1996 - That's Not Really A Cup, Though, Now Is It?

On 20 October 1996, DC United rallied from a two-goal deficit to win the first MLS Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

LA and DC finished with the second- and third-best records, respectively, in that first MLS season, behind the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In the playoffs, the Galaxy advanced with wins over the San Jose Clash and the Kansas City Wiz, while DC reached the final by beating the NY/NJ MetroStars and Tampa Bay.

They met at a rainy Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, where LA striker Eduardo Hurtado gave his team an early lead with a 4th-minute goal. His teammate, midfielder Chris Armas then doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a goal that appeared to secure the trophy for the Galaxy.

But DC came storming back late in the second half, getting scores from substitute midfielders Tony Sanneh (72') and Shawn Medved (81') to send the match into extra time, where a 94th-minute goal from United defender Eddie Pope sealed the comeback victory.

DC went on to appear in the next three MLS Cup finals, repeating as champions in 1997 and winning it for a third time in a 1999 rematch with the Galaxy.