2006 United Soccer Leagues

United Soccer Leagues
Season2006
Men's soccer
USL First DivisionVancouver Whitecaps
USL Second DivisionRichmond Kickers

The 2006 USL season was the 20th edition of the United Soccer Leagues, an American soccer organization with several divisions.

General

Honors

Competition Champion Runner-up Regular season champion/Best USL team
USL First Division Vancouver Whitecaps Rochester Raging Rhinos Montreal Impact
USL Second Division Richmond Kickers Charlotte Eagles Richmond Kickers
USL PDL Michigan Bucks Laredo Heat Carolina Dynamo
U.S. Open Cup Chicago Fire (MLS) Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) Carolina Dynamo (PDL)
Voyageurs Cup Montreal Impact Toronto Lynx n/a

Standings

First Division

USL First Division
Season2006
ChampionsVancouver Whitecaps (1st Title)
Regular Season titleMontreal Impact (2nd Title)
Matches168
Goals416 (2.48 per match)
Best PlayerUnited States Joey Gjertsen, Vancouver Whitecaps
Top goalscorerBrazil Romario, Miami FC
United States Cam Weaver, Seattle Sounders (18 goals each)
Best goalkeeperCanada Greg Sutton, Montreal Impact
← 2005
2007
Pos Team Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Montreal Impact (S) 28 14 5 9 31 15 +16 51 Bye to semifinal round of playoffs
2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 28 13 4 11 34 21 +13 50
3 Charleston Battery 28 13 8 7 33 25 +8 46[a] First round of playoffs
4 Vancouver Whitecaps (C) 28 12 6 10 40 28 +12 46[a]
5 Miami FC 28 11 11 6 47 44 +3 39
6 Puerto Rico Islanders 28 10 10 8 38 36 +2 38
7 Seattle Sounders 28 11 13 4 42 48 −6 37
8 Atlanta Silverbacks 28 10 13 5 36 42 −6 35
9 Virginia Beach Mariners 28 8 12 8 26 37 −11 32[b]
10 Toronto Lynx 28 8 12 8 30 36 −6 32[b]
11 Portland Timbers 28 7 15 6 25 39 −14 27[c]
12 Minnesota Thunder 28 7 15 6 34 45 −11 27[c]
Source: [1]
(C) Playoff Champion; (S) Commissioner's Cup
Notes:
  1. ^ a b CHA: 4 pts; VAN: 1 pt
  2. ^ a b VBM: 7 pts; TOR: 4 pts
  3. ^ a b POR: 9 pts; MIN: 3 pts

Playoffs

Quarterfinals and Semifinals 2-game aggregate
Higher seeded team hosted first game

  • Exception: Montreal hosted second game vs Vancouver
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 1 0 1
3 Charleston Battery 2 1 3 3 Charleston Battery 0 0 0
6 Puerto Rico Islanders 2 0 2 2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 0
4 Vancouver Whitecaps 3
4 Vancouver Whitecaps (a.e.t.) 0 2 2
4 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 2 6 1 Montreal Impact 0 0 0
5 Miami FC 1 0 1

Quarterfinals

Charleston Battery2–2Puerto Rico Islanders
  • Armstrong 53'
  • Nylen Yellow card 57'
  • Glinton 89'
Report
  • Velez Yellow card 6'
  • Marcina 22' Yellow card 36'
  • Delgado Yellow card 44'
  • Norambuena Yellow card 56'
  • González 60'
  • Kennedy Yellow card 86'
Attendance: 2,215
Referee: Mark Kadlecik
Second Leg
Puerto Rico Islanders0–1Charleston Battery
Report
Attendance: 8,745
Referee: Alex Prus

Charleston Battery won 3–2 on Aggregate.


First Leg
Vancouver Whitecaps4–1Miami FC Blues
  • Testo 12'
  • Suarez Yellow card 32'
  • Gjertsen 35'
  • Lyall 44'
  • Donatelli 88'
Report Fraser Yellow card 35'
Romário 64'
Gomez Yellow card 72'
Attendance: 5,437
Referee: Steve DiPietro
Second Leg
Miami FC Blues0–2Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Rodrigues Yellow card 31'
  • Guillaume Yellow card 52'
  • Gomez Yellow card 72'
  • Fraser Yellow card 73'
Report
Tropical Park Stadium
Miami, Florida
Attendance: 2,111
Referee: Mark Greiger

Vancouver Whitecaps won 6–1 on Aggregate.

Semifinals

First Leg
Rochester Raging Rhinos1–0Charleston Battery
Report
  • Daley Yellow card 19' Yellow-red card 42'
  • McKnight Yellow card 81'
Attendance: 9,038
Referee: Niko Bratsis
Second Leg
Charleston Battery0–0Rochester Raging Rhinos
Report
  • Martinez Yellow card 52'
  • Craft Yellow card 55'
  • Vallow Yellow card 78'
  • Gbeke Yellow card 90'
Attendance: 2,121
Referee: Michael Hill

Rochester Raging Rhinos won 1–0 on Aggregate.


First Leg
Vancouver Whitecaps0–0Montreal Impact
Report
  • Braz Yellow card 10'
  • Pizzolito Red card 85'
Attendance: 5,225
Referee: Mark Budda
Second Leg
Montreal Impact0–2 (a.e.t.)Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Braz Yellow card 23'
  • Vincello Yellow card 95'
  • Fronimadis Yellow card 120'
Report
  • Sebrango Yellow card 15' Yellow-red card 116', 115'
  • Nash Yellow card 73'
  • Matondo Yellow card 90'
  • Lyall Yellow card 95'
  • Donatelli 120'
Attendance: 11,782
Referee: Silviu Petrescu

Vancouver Whitecaps won 2–0 on Aggregate in Overtime.

Final

Rochester Raging Rhinos0–3Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Ball Yellow card 25'
  • Gbeke Yellow card 71'
  • Craft Yellow card 85'
  • Ambersley Yellow card 88'
Report
  • Craft 45' (o.g.)
  • Donatelli 55'
  • Jones Yellow card 76'
  • Clarke Yellow card 80'
  • Matondo 86', Yellow card 86'
Attendance: 9,547
Referee: Andrew Chapin
USL First Division
2006 champions
Canada
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
First title

Awards and All-League Teams

First Team
F: Romario (Miami FC) (Co-Leading Goalscorer); Cam Weaver (Seattle Sounders) (Co-Leading Goalscorer)
M: Ben Hollingsworth (Charleston Battery); Luke Kreamalmeyer (Portland Timbers); Zinho (Miami FC); Joey Gjertsen (Vancouver Whitecaps) (MVP)
D: Gabriel Gervais (Montreal Impact) (Defender of the Year); Geordie Lyall (Vancouver Whitecaps); Mauricio Segovia (Puerto Rico Islanders); Andrew Gregor (Seattle Sounders)
G: Greg Sutton (Montreal Impact) (Goalkeeper of the Year)
Coach: Michael Anhaeuser (Charleston Battery) (Coach of the Year)

Second Team
F: Alen Marcina (Puerto Rico Islanders); Greg Simmonds (Virginia Beach Mariners)
M: Leonardo Di Lorenzo (Montreal Impact); Jeff Clarke (Vancouver Whitecaps); Rodrigo Rios (Atlanta Silverbacks); Gavin Glinton (Charleston Battery)
D: Nevio Pizzolitto (Montreal Impact); Matt Bobo (Atlanta Silverbacks); Kenney Bertz (Rochester Raging Rhinos); Steve Klein (Vancouver Whitecaps)
G: Scott Vallow (Rochester Raging Rhinos)

Second Division

USL Second Division
Season2006
ChampionsRichmond Kickers (2nd Title)
Regular Season titleRichmond Kickers (2nd Title)
Matches90
Goals271 (3.01 per match)
Best PlayerUganda Robert Ssejjemba, Richmond Kickers
Top goalscorerUganda Robert Ssejjemba, Richmond Kickers (17 goals)
Best goalkeeperUnited States Ronnie Pascale, Richmond Kickers
← 2005
2007
Pos Team Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Richmond Kickers (O) 20 13 3 4 50 20 +30 43 Regular season champion
2 Charlotte Eagles 20 8 4 8 29 27 +2 32 Playoff berth clinched
3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 20 8 6 6 27 20 +7 30
4 Cincinnati Kings 20 9 8 3 28 27 +1 30
5 New Hampshire Phantoms 20 9 10 1 27 43 −16 27[a]
6 Western Mass Pioneers 20 8 9 3 31 28 +3 27
7 Harrisburg City Islanders 20 8 9 3 34 35 −1 27
8 Wilmington Hammerheads 20 4 9 7 30 31 −1 19
9 Long Island Rough Riders 20 3 12 5 15 40 −25 14
Source: [2]
(O) Play-off winners
Notes:
  1. ^ New Hampshire was penalized 1 point for use of an ineligible player in a game.

Playoffs

Semifinals Finals
        
1 Richmond Kickers 2 0 2
4 Cincinnati Kings 1 0 1
1 Richmond Kickers 2
2 Charlotte Eagles 1
3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 0 1 1
2 Charlotte Eagles 4 2 6

Semifinals

First Leg
Richmond Kickers2–1Cincinnati Kings
  • Watson 40'
  • Burke 60' (pen.)
Report
  • Fiore Yellow card 14'
  • Krause Yellow card 31'
  • Barton 45'
  • Jones Yellow card 47'
Attendance: 2,187
Referee: James Conlee
Second Leg
Cincinnati Kings0–0Richmond Kickers
  • McGinlay Yellow card 11'
  • Smith Yellow card 75'
Report
  • Knight Yellow card 76'
XU Soccer Complex
Cincinnati, Ohio
Attendance: 1,465
Referee: Rizal Milliken

Richmond Kickers won 2–1 on aggregate.


First Leg
Pittsburgh Riverhounds0–4Charlotte Eagles
  • Chevalier Yellow card 79'
Report
  • Meek 2' Yellow card 75'
  • Rife 59'
  • Budnyy 64'
  • Ruud 86'
Attendance: 2,113
Referee: CJ Morgante
Second Leg
Charlotte Eagles2–1Pittsburgh Riverhounds
  • Kabwe 42'
  • Budnyy 76'
Report
  • Flavius 14' Yellow card 50'
  • Child Red card 76'
  • Bragg Yellow card 77'
  • Browne Red card 90'
Attendance: 813
Referee: Jason Sessions

Charlotte Eagles won 6–1 on Aggregate.

Final

Richmond Kickers2–1Charlotte Eagles
Report
  • Spencer 90'
Attendance: 3,288
Referee: Daniel Stead

See also

  • 2006 PDL season

References

  1. ^ "USL First Division 2006". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Archived from the original on November 11, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  2. ^ "USL Second Division 2006". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Archived from the original on November 11, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2020.