CHAPTER 1 WELCOME TO HOUSTON A wave of orange flowed up Interstate 45 in east-central Texas on November 12 2006 It was a four-hour drive from Houston to Frisco Texas the location of Pizza Hut Park But it was a trip Houston Dynamo fans were happy to make That’s because when they arrived they would watch their team play for the Major League Soccer MLS Cup A local business owner helped organize a caravan of buses to bring fans to the match Hundreds more fans took their own cars many of which were decorated in the Dynamo colors of orange and white The dedication was impressive considering that just one year earlier the Dynamo didn’t even exist Fans of the Houston Dynamo packed the stands to cheer on their club in the 2006 MLS Cup 4
Revolution midfielder Joe Franchino 8 tries to hold off Houston’s Brian Mullan as they fight for a loose ball The previous December MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced the San Jose Earthquakes were moving They would leave behind that name and history in California while starting over in Houston The team was already primed for 6
a championship run The Earthquakes were a regular playoff team that had won the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003 DUEL AT FORWARD Brian Ching was one of the stars moving to Houston with the team He was also a forward on the US national team Ching led the Dynamo in scoring in 2006 and was a big reason why they were in the final Across the field in the MLS Cup was Ching’s US teammate New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman The two were friends but had a competitive rivalry Twellman had been left off the American roster for that year’s World Cup Ching made the team but did not get off the bench during the tournament Both strikers believed they had something to prove and they played big roles in the MLS Cup One of the game’s first scoring chances was Twellman’s In the 25th minute the Revolution built up a play through midfield New England's Joe Franchino sent in a crossing pass toward the goal Twellman was there for a header But he did not make good contact lightly sending the ball towards the net where it was easily saved Twellman grabbed his head in frustration 7
