Congratulations Real Salt Lake on winning the MLS Cup and on ushering in a new era of MLS.
Perhaps, that is an overambitious statement, but I think it can be justified. Actually, the era was begun in 2005, but it is 2009 that has become the pivotal year in the expansion era. With its win, RSL becomes to first expansion franchise since Chicago in 1998 to win the MLS Cup.* Combined with the first year success of Seattle and the fourth straight playoff berth for Chivas USA, there are plenty of MLS expansion success stories from 2009.
I consider RSL’s accomplishment the most important. Attendance records are great for building the game and building a consistently good soccer team should be a franchise’s goal, but RSL’s winning the Cup is a statement.
RSL’s victory is a coming of age story. After a 1-0 victory that they scrapped out in Salt Lake against the Crew, they went to Columbus to face the Support Shield winner that had a 9-4-2 home record while RSL had a 2-2-11 record and a minus 15 goal differential in road games. RSL went down two early, but fought back for a 4-2 aggregate victory. In Chicago, after another tenacious game, it took clutch penalty kicks and three penalty saves from Nick Rimando to extend their season. In a final that was nothing if not competitive, RSL once again proved its determination. Perhaps there was little difference between last year’s RSL team that lost to New York and this year’s that won it all, but there seemed a maturity in this year’s team that was evident throughout the playoffs.
The balance of power in the league will not tip based solely on a four game run by RSL, but the writing is on the wall for the expansion teams of the last five years to begin making some noise. The expansion teams seem to be rising. Chivas or TFC both have the pieces to be next year’s coming of age story. Seattle has laid out a blueprint for how to make a first year team successful. Can it be followed as successfully by the Union? Meanwhile, DC looks to rebuild, LA, Houston, Chicago, and Columbus may all lose stars this off season.
But this moment belongs to RSL. While fans may look back on this win as a paradigm shift in MLS, the players, coaches, and management should all be congratulated for not only surviving but also succeeding in an extremely tough stretch of matches.
* The Dynamo’s wins in 2006 and 2007 were the first for an expansion team, but it was the same franchise as the original San Jose Earthquakes. If you don’t think that matters just look at the success of the Ravens versus the new Browns.
