1997 D.C. United season

Last updated

D.C. United
1997 season
General managerDave Kasper
Head coach Bruce Arena
Stadium RFK Stadium
MLS Conference: 1st
Overall: 1st
MLS Cup Champions
U.S. Open Cup Runners-Up
CONCACAF Champions' Cup Third place
Top goalscorerLeague:
All:
Jaime Moreno (16)
←  1996
1998  →

The 1997 D.C. United season was the clubs' third year of existence, as well as their second season in Major League Soccer. United successfully defended its MLS Cup title, becoming the first club to win consecutive league championships until the Houston Dynamo in 2007. [1] United also won its first Supporters' Shield as the team with the best regular-season record, earning their first league "double" by winning the regular season and playoffs. [2] The team also finished as runners-up in the 1997 U.S. Open Cup final, played in Indinapolis three days after United won MLS Cup 1997 at its home stadium, RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. [3] In international play, United qualified for the 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, which was primarily played in Washington, D.C., and were eliminated in the semifinals by the Los Angeles Galaxy; the team ultimately shared third place with C.D. Guadalajara after a tie in the third-place match. [4]

Contents

Background

The 1996 Major League Soccer season was both Major League Soccer and D.C. United's debut season, which resulted in United winning the inaugural MLS Cup championship match. [5]

Review

Competitions

Preseason

Major League Soccer

Conference standings

PosTeam
PldWSOWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 D.C. United 32174117053+1755 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32143155560−545
3 Columbus Crew 32123174241+139
4 New England Revolution 32114174053−1337
5 NY/NJ MetroStars 32112194353−1035
Source: MLS

Overall standings

PosTeam
PldWSOWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 D.C. United (C, S)32174117053+1755 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
2 Kansas City Wizards 32147115751+649
3 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32143155560−545
4 Los Angeles Galaxy 32142165544+1144
5 Dallas Burn 32133165549+642
6 Columbus Crew 32123174241+139
7 Colorado Rapids 32122185059−938 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
8 New England Revolution 32114174053−1337
9 NY/NJ MetroStars 32112194353−1035
10 San Jose Clash 3293205559−430
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

Results summary

Results by round

Game reports

MLS Cup Playoffs

Bracket

  • The ties were a best of three series.
Conference Semifinals Conference Finals MLS Cup '97
               
1 D.C. United 4 1 (4) x
4 New England Revolution 1 1 (3) x
1 D.C. United 3 1 x
Eastern Conference
3 Columbus Crew 2 0 x
2 Tampa Bay Mutiny 1 0 x
3 Columbus Crew 2 2 x
E D.C. United 2
W Colorado Rapids 1
1 Kansas City Wizards 0 2 x
4 Colorado Rapids 3 3 x
4 Colorado Rapids 1 2 x
Western Conference
3 Dallas Burn 0 1 x
2 LA Galaxy 0 (0) 0 x
3 Dallas Burn 0 (2) 3 x

Conference semifinals

October 5 Game 1 D.C. United 4–1 New England Revolution Washington, D.C.
Wegerle Soccerball shade.svg13', 56'
Moreno Soccerball shade.svg65', 76'		 Burns Soccerball shade.svg89'Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 12,540
Referee: Tim Weyland
October 8 Game 2 New England Revolution 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 SO)		 D.C. United Foxborough, Massachusetts
Moore Soccerball shade.svg72' Report Williams Soccerball shade.svg53'Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 16,233
Referee: Tim Weyland

D.C. United won the series 2–0. [6]

Conference finals

October 12 Game 1 D.C. United 3–2 Columbus Crew Washington, D.C.
Sanneh Soccerball shade.svg9', 45'
Díaz Arce Soccerball shade.svg29'		 Farrell Soccerball shade.svg57'
Dooley Soccerball shade.svg73'		Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 11,820
Referee: Kevin Terry

D.C. United won the series 2–0. [6]

MLS Cup

October 26 Final D.C. United 2–1 Colorado Rapids Washington, D.C.
Moreno Soccerball shade.svg37'
Sanneh Soccerball shade.svg68'		 Paz Soccerball shade.svg75'Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 57,431
Referee: Brian Hall

U.S. Open Cup

August 19, 1997 (1997-08-19) Quarterfinals D.C. United Flag of Washington, D.C.svg 2–0 Flag of Florida.svg Tampa Bay Mutiny Washington, D.C., United States
Etcheverry Soccerball shade.svg84'
Iroha Soccerball shade.svg89'		Stadium: RFK Stadium
October 29, 1997 (1997-10-29) Final Dallas Burn Flag of Texas.svg 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 p)		 Flag of Washington, D.C.svg D.C. United Indianapolis
19:00 EDTStadium: Carroll Stadium
Attendance: 9,766
Referee: Rich Grady
Penalties

CONCACAF Champions' Cup

Bracket

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
         
Flag of the United States.svg D.C. United 1
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg United Petrotrin 0
Flag of the United States.svg D.C. United 0
Flag of the United States.svg LA Galaxy 1
Flag of the United States.svg LA Galaxy 2
Flag of El Salvador.svg Luis Ángel Firpo 0
Flag of the United States.svg LA Galaxy 3
Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul 5
Flag of Mexico.svg Guadalajara 1
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Cartaginés 0
Flag of Mexico.svg Guadalajara 2
Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul 3
Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul 5
Flag of Guatemala.svg Comunicaciones 0

Match results

August 12, 1997 (1997-08-12) Quarterfinals D.C. United Flag of the United States.svg 1–0 Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg United Petrotrin Washington, D.C., United States
Etcheverry Soccerball shade.svg84' Report Stadium: RFK Stadium
August 22, 1997 (1997-08-22) Semifinals D.C. United Flag of the United States.svg 0–1 Flag of the United States.svg LA Galaxy Washington, D.C., United States
Report Jones Soccerball shade.svg10'Stadium: RFK Stadium
August 24, 1997 (1997-08-24) Consolation match D.C. United Flag of the United States.svg 2–2 Flag of Mexico.svg Guadalajara Washington, D.C., United States
Díaz Arce Soccerball shade.svg40'
Iroha Soccerball shade.svg89'		 Report Acosta Soccerball shade.svg55'
Sánchez Soccerball shade.svg86' (pen.)		Stadium: RFK Stadium
Note: Match stood as a draw

Statistics

Transfers

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References

  1. ↑ Schaerlaeckens, Leander (August 3, 2011). "Odds against defending MLS title". ESPN . Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  2. ↑ Hall, Andy (October 16, 2024). "Which MLS teams have won a league and Supporters' Shield double?". Diario AS . Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hayes, Tom (October 29, 1997). "D.C. is dethroned in Open Cup Final". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  4. ↑ Goff, Steven (August 25, 1997). "Cruz Azul captures Champions Cup, 5–3". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  5. ↑ Yannis, Alex (October 21, 1996). "United Rallies, Slides and Heads Its Way to First Title". The New York Times . p. C7. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "1997 Major League Soccer Scores & Fixtures". FBref . Retrieved November 1, 2024.

See also