1997 D.C. United season
The 1997 D.C. United season was the clubs' third year of existence, as well as their second season in Major League Soccer. The United successfully defended their MLS Cup title, becoming the first and only club to consecutively win the MLS Cup, until Houston Dynamo in 2007. Additionally, United won their first ever MLS Supporters' Shield in 1997, earning their first league "double" by winning the regular season and the playoffs.
| 1997 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General manager | Dave 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 goalscorer | League: All: Jaime Moreno (16) | |||
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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.
Competitions
Major League Soccer
Conference standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | SOW | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.C. United | 32 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
| 4 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
| 5 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 19 | 2 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 |
Source: MLS
Overall standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | SOW | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.C. United (C, X) | 32 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | 1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup[lower-alpha 1] |
| 2 | Kansas City Wizards | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 57 | 51 | +6 | 49 | |
| 3 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
| 4 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 32 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 44 | |
| 5 | Dallas Burn | 32 | 13 | 16 | 3 | 55 | 49 | +6 | 42 | |
| 6 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 32 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 50 | 59 | −9 | 38 | 1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup[lower-alpha 1] |
| 8 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
| 9 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 19 | 2 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 | |
| 10 | San Jose Clash | 32 | 9 | 20 | 3 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 30 |
- Qualified as 1997 MLS Cup finalists
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  13', 56'Moreno 65', 76' |
Burns 89' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 12,540 Referee: Tim Weyland |
| October 8 Game 2 | New England Revolution | 1–2 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p) | D.C. United | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Stadium: Foxboro Stadium Attendance: 16,233 Referee: Tim Weyland |
D.C. United win the series 2–0.
Conference finals
| October 12 Game 1 | D.C. United | 3–2 | Columbus Crew | Washington, D.C. |
| Sanneh 9', 45' Díaz Arce 29' |
Farrell 57' Dooley 73' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 11,820 Referee: Kevin Terry |
| October 15 Game 2 | D.C. United | 1–0 | Columbus Crew | Columbus, Ohio |
| Díaz Arce 47' |
Stadium: Ohio Stadium Attendance: 9,506 Referee: Arturo Angeles |
D.C. United win the series 2–0.
MLS Cup
| October 26 Final | D.C. United | 2–1 | Colorado Rapids | Washington, D.C. |
| Moreno 37' Sanneh 68' |
Paz 75' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 57,431 Referee: Brian Hall |
U.S. Open Cup
| August 19, 1997 Quarterfinals | D.C. United  | 2–0 |  Tampa Bay Mutiny | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Etcheverry 84' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| September 3, 1997 Semifinals | San Francisco Bay Seals  | 1–2 | D.C. United | Stockton, California |
| White 84' |
Moreno 2' (pen.) Díaz Arce 62' |
Stadium: Stagg Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,470 |
| October 29, 1997 Final | Dallas Burn  | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p) | D.C. United | Indianapolis |
| 19:00 EDT | Stadium: Carroll Stadium Attendance: 9,766 Referee: Rich Grady | |||
| Penalties | ||||
CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Bracket
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||
| D.C. United | 1 | ||||||||||||
| United Petrotrin | 0 | ||||||||||||
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| D.C. United | 0 | ||||||||||||
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| LA Galaxy | 1 | ||||||||||||
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| LA Galaxy | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Luis Ángel Firpo | 0 | ||||||||||||
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| LA Galaxy | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Cruz Azul | 5 | ||||||||||||
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| Guadalajara | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Cartaginés | 0 | ||||||||||||
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| Guadalajara | 2 | ||||||||||||
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| Cruz Azul | 3 | ||||||||||||
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| Cruz Azul | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Comunicaciones | 0 | ||||||||||||
Match results
| August 12, 1997 Quarterfinals | D.C. United | 1–0 | United Petrotrin | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Etcheverry 84' |
Report | Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| August 22, 1997 Semifinals | D.C. United | 0–1 | LA Galaxy | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Report | Jones 10' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| August 24, 1997 Consolation match | D.C. United | 2–2 | Guadalajara | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Díaz Arce 40' Iroha 89' |
Report | Acosta 55' Sánchez 86' (pen.) |
Stadium: RFK Stadium | |
| Note: Match stood as a draw | ||||
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