After 113 minutes of scoreless football, a goal for each side in the space of one minute meant the 2006 MLS Cup in Frisco, Texas would be decided by the dreaded shootout. Jay Heaps' unsuccessful final spot kick saw the Revs lose their third MLS Cup final in five seasons and Houston - the league darlings supported by throngs of orange-clad fans - pick up silverware in only their first year in existence.

The game's opening exchanges were defined largely by a palpable sense of tension - not entirely unpredictable for a one-off contest in which everything is on the line.

The first chance of note came in the 13th minute and fell to Houston's outstanding midfield maestro and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario, who let loose a powerful snapshot with his left foot from an acute angle. Although the effort flew over Matt Reis' crossbar, it had the recently voted New England club MVP looking nervous.

Brian Mullan had another good chance for Houston seven minutes later, but rushed his shot and launched the ball well into the upper deck.

The best opportunity of the half came at the other end of the pitch when Revolution top scorer and MLS top player for 2005, Taylor Twellman, rose brilliantly to connect with a well-weighted cross from captain Joey Franchino. Unfortunately for the striker, his powerful header was batted away by the sprawling figure of Pat Onstad as the half ended scoreless.

US international Clint Dempsey, who was a question mark prior to the game with an ankle injury, made an immediate impact after coming on in the 60th minute. His dazzling run and cross from the left picked out Steve Ralston. But his team-mate with the national side couldn't quite steer the header on frame.

Chances were few and far between as the second half turned out as cautious a 45 minutes as the first. In the 65th minute, Hawaiian-born striker Brian Ching had a golden chance to put Houston into the lead, but he failed to make contact with the ball on the doorstep after what looked a simple tap-in. 

Ching then made amends for his error in the fading moments of regular time, clearing a wonderful Ralston cross inside his own goal box with Twellman breathing down his neck at the back post.

As the Revolution headed into their third over-time session in their third MLS Cup appearance, Dempsey nearly pushed the side into an early lead. His header from a Ralston corner kick was only just cleared off the line by the diminutive Wade Barrett seven minutes into the first period.

The opening 15 minutes of extra-time ended in the same manner as the first 90: goalless. But a frenzy was on the horizon. Eight minutes into the second period, Twellman picked up a fine ball from rangy substitute and Bermudan international Khano Smith, burying a left-footed shot just inside the back post from eight yards out. 

However, the celebrations had hardly died down before Houston took the ball right up the other end of the field where Ching nodded the equaliser home just six seconds after the re-start.

The American international was thrilled with the goal, even if it was a bit unexpected. "I didn't think we were going to get one," he said after the match, "but we were going to die trying."

The penalty shootout was a predictably tense affair with New England's Pat Noonan and Brad Davis of Houston missing their spot kicks. It all came down to the last of the first five tries as the Revolution's Jay Heaps' tame penalty was smothered by Onstad to hand Houston their first-ever MLS championship with a 4-3 result in the shootout. The loss increases New England's depressing record in MLS Cup finals as the side have failed to win in three trips to the ultimate match, scoring only one goal in the process.

Taylor Twellman was clearly disappointed with his third loss in an MLS Cup. "We've lost every possible way we can lose in the finals," he said.