The 1996 Rochester Raging Rhinos season saw the return of professional soccer to Rochester after a 12-year hiatus. After a slow start that saw the Rhinos start the season 1-7, the Rhinos finished the season on a 13-6 run to finish the regular season in fourth-place with a record of 14-13.
After clinching the final playoff spot in the seven-team league, the Rhinos defeated the first-place Montreal Impact two games to one in the best-of-three series in the first round of the playoffs and advanced to the A-League Championship. Unfortunately, the Rhinos lost 2-0 to the Seattle Sounders, who won their second consecutive league championship.
In the U.S. Open Cup, the Rhinos advanced the finals, after knocking off MLS teams such as the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Colorado Rapids, where they were defeated by the MLS Cup champion D.C. United 3-0.
Although the Rhinos’ inaugural season didn’t end with a championship, it was a success as they finished as the runner-up in both the A-League and the U.S. Open Cup, and also led the A-League in attendance and merchandising. A-League Commissioner Richard Groff would even say that “Rochester is a franchise all teams should model themselves after.”
05-10
05-31
06-09
Rochester 1-1 New York
Kelly 45'
SO Loss 3-1
Attendance: 5,834
Rochester 1-1 Seattle
Marinaro 58'
SO Loss 4-3
Attendance: 5,261
Montreal 2-0 Rochester
Attendance: 5,344
06-15
Rochester 0-0 Montreal
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SO Loss 2-1
Attendance: 5,038
06-21
06-27
06-29
Rochester 3-2 Vancouver
Debrah 52', Mckay 57', Marinaro 85'
Attendance: 4,594
Colorado 6-0 Rochester
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Attendance: 1,176
Seattle 1-0 Rochester
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Attendance: 3,462
07-05
Vancouver 3-2 Rochester
Steenkamp 14', Miller 77'
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Attendance: 5,172
07-07
07-10
Atlanta 1-1 Rochester
Miller 33'
SO Win 3-2
Attendance: 900
Montreal 3-0 Rochester
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Attendance: 5,342
Rochester 3-2 Montreal
Miller 43', 63', 90'
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Attendance: 14,717
07-26
08-03
08-07
Rochester 3-1 Atlanta
Miller 16', 57', 87'
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Attendance: 12,331
Rochester 2-1 Seattle
Miller 65', Debrah 73'
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Attendance: 13,142
Rochester 1-2 Vancouver
Debrah 42'
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Attendance: 9,821
08-14
08-16
08-18
Seattle 2-0 Rochester
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Attendance: 2,587
Vancouver 0-1 Rochester
Steenkamp 44'
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Attendance: 4,093
Colorado 5-2 Rochester
Debrah 67, Miller 89'
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Attendance: 3,879
08-25
08-30
09-01
Rochester 3-2 New York
Guiterrez 20', Rivas 72', Miller 86'
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Attendance: 10,664
Rochester 8-2 Atlanta
Miller 44', 50', 82', Tanner 13', Rivas 28', Gutierrez 40', Young 63', Steenkamp 89'
Attendance: 11,311
Atlanta 0-4 Rochester
Young 17, 54', 56' Miller 82'
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Attendance: 926
09-11
09-13
09-14
Rochester 1-0 Montreal
Steenkamp 81'
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Attendance: 8,128
Rochester 0-1 Colorado
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Attendance: 12,249
New York 0-3 Rochester
Marinaro 50', 62', Miller 78'
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Attendance: 2,465
07-19
Rochester 2-0 New York
Miller 19', Kelly 87'
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Attendance: 9,983
08-10
New York* 2-2 Rochester
Steenkamp 4', Miller 77'
SO win 3-1
Attendance: 7,126
08-21
Rochester 0-0 Colorado
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SO Win 2-1
Attendance: 11,196
09-04
Montreal 2-1 Rochester
Gutierrez 72'
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Attendance: 3,987
*New York was the home team, but game was in Rochester
Playoffs
09-19
10-06 (Final)
09-25
09-21
Montreal 2-3 Rochester
Steenkamp 4', Miller 5', Villagra 72'
Attendance: 3,691
Montreal 1-2 Rochester
Rivas 26' (P), 55'
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Attendance: 3,317
Seattle 2-0 Rochester
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Attendance: 7,027
Rochester 0-3 Montreal
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Attendance: 14,809