the 10th minute and a 21st-minute header on a cross by Brian Mullan. Mullan added a third goal for Houston in the 71st minute to clinch a 3–1 victory and an MLS Cup appearance for the team in their inaugural season. Summary of results Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). Broadcasting The MLS Cup final was televised in the United States on ABC in English and Spanish using secondary audio programming, earning a Nielsen rating of 0.8 and an estimated audience of 1.24 million. English play-by-play commentary was provided by Boston-based sportscaster Dave O'Brien and color analysis by Eric Wynalda and former U.S. men's national team coach Bruce Arena. Brandi Chastain provided sideline reporting, while Rob Stone anchored the pre-game and halftime shows. The match was also carried in 96 countries by ESPN International and its associated networks. The MLS Cup pregame show featured Dallas-based choral rock group The Polyphonic Spree, and the halftime show was headlined by Los Angeles alternate rock group Under the Influence of Giants. Match Analysis In 14 previous meetings from 2001 to 2006 between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo and their predecessor, the San Jose Earthquakes, the Revolution had lost nine matches and drew five. Injuries to several of New England's starting players, including Clint Dempsey, Steve Ralston, and Daniel Hernandez led to uncertainty surrounding the team's starting lineup. The 2006 cup was also considered the last chance for the core players of the Revolution team, as several looked to move to European leagues or retire. Summary Several thousand Dynamo fans traveled over from Houston to Pizza Hut Park for the match in a caravan of buses and hundreds of cars on Interstate 45 that was organized by "Mattress Mack" Jim McIngvale. The fans settled into various sections of the stadium among a sellout crowd of 22,427. A special silver ball was produced by Adidas for the match, based on a variant of the 2006 FIFA World Cup ball. Houston began the match with a 4–4–2 formation but switched to match New England's 3–5–2 after losing their share of ball possession late in the first half. Despite this, the Dynamo had a chance to score in the 20th minute by Brad Davis that hit the goalpost. It was followed up by a header by Taylor Twellman that was saved by goalkeeper