I don't know if anybosy caught Fox Football Fone In today. They had Alexi Lalas on. They were talking about the games that Beckham has played in, and the LA / DC game at RFK was brought up,and Nick Webster said that that was the greatest MLS game. I think that Nick has lost his mind! the geatest MLS game ever played took place at Giant Stadium on August 18th 2007. That game had everything that MLS has wanted for a long tiime. You had just over 66,000 people. You had world-wide media attention. You then had a 9 goal thriller. That game kept swinging back and forth. In the first half LA actually took the lead, and then we all know that the Red Bulls came back to win 5-4. You add that in to the attendance and the media attention and a game that had two world class players an an up and coming player that stole the show. The DC game came nowhere near this. It had 45,000 people, I think had 1 goal, and Beckham came on as a substitute. yes - DC fans might say there was the atmosphere, but the NY game was something that wasneeded for a long time. Simon T
Jesus Christ, Simon, what do they put in the Red Bull in Jersey, heroin??? Aside from the atmosphere neither one of those games were particularly that great nor would either make even the top 10 games in MLS history let alone #1. Nick Webster is a dumb shit worthless know it all Brit who only cares about the Beckham hype, but since I'm going to assume that you're an American you have no excuse for being so stupid.
For the record, I believe Steven Cohen said moments later that he thought the New York/Galaxy game was the best ever. I'm not sure which would make for a more volatile thread title, but there you go...
Mcontento.... I agree with the second part of your statement.... But you gotta admit... at least top 5 great moments of MLS history.... How about a top 5 list ??? Simon Allen World Soccer Wrap i-tunes check it out and tell us what you think
I agree that wasn't even the best DCU game ever. It was great that the place was packed and there was an electricity in the crowd, but so was the Chivas games earlier in the season. The Chivas game earlier in the season probably had a better overall atmosphere even if there were more Chivas fans than DC fans. There were quite a few Becks fans at the LA match, but they weren't very local unless they were screaming like the 12 year old girls or 30 something women with two children that they were. From a soccer standpoint, it wasn't DC's best match and I'm not sure LA has had a good match this season.
I'd have to agree with you. I also think the NY/LA '07 game was the best overall MLS game ever. Nothing really comes close. It was everything you could ask for in a fun game to watch, especially when neither are teams you ever route for (in my case, at least). Great crowd, great goals, great drama, great saves from both goalies, great breakout-on-big-stage play from Beckham, Donovan, Angel, Mathis, and Altidore, and the first ever MLS game to be named an "instant classic" and rebroadcast on ESPN a few days later, even though it was on FSC.
I attended the first MLS cup and let me tell you that game was surreal.I agree that it's pretty much a toss up between these two games, although there have been others that come close.I also think this upcoming sunday's game between DC and NE has the potential to be a great one.
The New York would easily make the top 10 MLS matches. Not number 1, but that was a phenominal match on so many levels. Especially for a regular season match. My number 1.... DC/Revs Semi round classic. That was an amazing match.
The answer really depends on what you value most out of a game. The other games i have heard were all playoff games, meaning there was something other than entertianment or 3 points on the line...as such the stakes are raised and the outcome more important. Then there is also the "importance" of having a hugely hyped game exceed expectations and having 66K fans lose their shit and see an amazing back and forth match. I can't really rank them without bias, being a NY fan the NY-LA game will always be my choice but of all the games i have ever seen the best ones are: (in no particular order) 1. SJ-LA second Leg 2003 Playoff 5-2 (ET) 2. NY-LA 2007 5-4 2. SJ-NY 2004 5-4 4. DC-NE 2004 Eastern Final 3-3 (penalties) There isn't one that is "far and away" better, just a match that you may have enjoyed more.
You, a Red Bulls fan, should of all people remember that that game ended in a 5-5 draw. Having been there, I remember the game all too well. I distinctly recall that as soon as the ball left Gaven's foot on the cross that the game was all but tied. Unbelievable.
And Game 3 of the 1999 Dallas-Chicago series remains by far the best unknown (or by far the least known great?) match in MLS history. If you're at all concerned with level of play, the 5-4 game can't be ahead of the 1999 game, the SJ-LA playoff game, and the ECF of 2004.
The other "forgotten" great game has to be the 2003 Western Conference Final between Kansas City and San Jose. While it lacked the drama of the 5-2 match (rivals, surmounting a 4 goal aggregate deficit, 90th minute goal, etc.), it was a very technical match, the best until the 2004 Eastern Conference Final (which I, even as a Quakes fan, consider the greatest MLS game of all time).
2004 Eastern Conference Final, the 5-2 SJ v. LA playoff 2nd leg, and the 1999 Dallas Chicago playoff match were the tops in my book from a purely MLS perspective. Don't make me rank them though. I saw the 5-4 game involving Beckham and the Red Bulls but really it was just a 3 point regular season game. Doesn't really float my boat if there isn't more on the line. It was a very very good game and had a huge crowd and plenty of goals, but the defending was horrific, obviously.
I downloaded a torrent of the 5-4 Scum v Lalaland match, and I don't see how anyone could rank it very highly. As EVERYONE has said, the defense was non-existant, and the goals really weren't all that spectacular, just numerous. If it weren't for Joe Cannon, it likely would have been about 15-4 in favor of RBNY. It's too bad for LA that Joe only plays well in matches like that and against United in LA.
i saw all of those games, and i think it's a toss-up between #1 and #4. the sheer importance of those matches makes them better than any regular season goalfest.
Right. The SJ-NY 5-5 game from a few years ago was wall to wall golazos. It was a season's worth of GOTY candidates in one match. In the 5-4 game, there were some nice goals, like Angel's free kick and Altidore's when he got the pass from Mathis, and Mathis' volley was terrific, but the other 6? Meh. OK, we didn't really see Landon's, so maybe that one was a great goal.
I have to agree with those two choices. I lived in boston in 1996 and remember how bloody awful the weather was that day. As for 2004, it was a great (if sad) game