MLS Cup 1999
Encyclopedia
The 1999 MLS Cup
was a soccer match that took place at 1:30pm EST on 21 November 1999 at Foxboro Stadium
in Foxborough
, Massachusetts
to determine the champion of the 1999 Major League Soccer season
. D.C. United
defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy
2 - 0 with goals from Ben Olsen
and Jaime Moreno
during the first half. It was D.C. United's third MLS Cup victory in the first four years of Major League Soccer
and second victory against the Galaxy in an MLS Cup.
American referee Tim Weyland was selected to officiate the match. Christina Aguilera
performed at the halftime show
.
, was the first of four consecutive Cup appearances for United, of which three resulted in victories.
During the regular season the Galaxy and United met twice each winning on the road.
The Galaxy became the first team in the history of the league to allow less than one goal a game during the regular season with 29 goals in 32 games.
Marco Etcheverry
, a central midfielder for United and one of the best playmakers in the league's history, proved to be a persistent threat during the playoffs. During the third game of the semifinal series against the Columbus Crew
Etcheverry created three assists and one goal in the 4-0 victory.
The 1999 Cup was the first championship match to feature the top team in each division.
Final standing
class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; border-collapse: collapse; margin:0;">
Team
D.C. United
32
17
6
3
6
65
43
57
Columbus Crew
32
13
6
4
9
48
39
45
Tampa Bay Mutiny
32
9
5
7
11
51
50
32
Miami Fusion
32
8
5
4
15
42
59
29
New England Revolution
32
7
5
7
13
38
53
26
MetroStars
32
4
3
5
20
32
64
15
Result*
Opponent
MLS Cup Playoffs
Result*
Opponent
3–0, 2-0
Colorado Rapids
Conference Semifinals
2–0, 1-0
Miami Fusion
2-1, 2-3 , 3-1
Dallas Burn
Conference Finals
2-1, 1-5, 4-0
Columbus Crew
* Best of three games advanced
on the field kept official time and a fourth official determined the amount of injury time added at the end of each half. Previously, the official time counted down from 90 to zero and was kept by a scoreboard clock.
In addition to the official time change, Major League Soccer
Commissioner Don Garber
announced earlier in the week that tiebreakers would not longer be decided by a shootout. The changes were planned to take effect with the start of the following season, but a last minute decision was made to instate them earlier. That meant that the 1999 Cup was the first MLS game ever to not be subject to a tie-breaking shootout. Instead two five minute golden goal overtime periods would eventually decide the match.
was substituted out of the game after suffering a broken left collarbone. The injury was sustained when Fraser competed with D.C. United forward, Roy Lassiter
, for the ball in the corner of the field. After the game Fraser argued that he had been fouled when Lassiter pushed him from behind, although no foul was given. Faser was replaced by Steve Jolley
, which prompted the Galaxy to switch to a three-man defensive line with Paul Caligiuri
positioned as sweeper.
Although not widely publicized at the time, Fraser was wearing a brace throughout the 1999 Major League Soccer season due to shoulder problems. The brace restricted the movement of his shoulder and prevented him from responding quickly to the collision with Lassiter. Rather than bracing the fall with his arm, the majority of the impact was sustained by his shoulder, which led to the broken collarbone. The impact of the substitution is still disputed over ten years later.
Twelve minutes after Fraser left the field Jaime Moreno gave United a 1-0 lead when he scored on a rebounded save by Hartman, which Caligiuri failed to clear.
During the four minutes of extra time added by referee Tim Weyland to the first half D.C. United extended its 1-0 lead when Ben Olsen
intercepted a loose ball and scored. MLS goalkeeper of the year, Kevin Hartman
had failed to clear a back pass from subsitute defender Steve Jolley
. Although Hartman managed to evade Roy Lassiter
, pressure from forward Jaime Moreno
forced Hartman to attempt a pass to Paul Caligiuri
on the left side of the field. Hartman failed to make contact with the ball, which rolled to Olsen. Olsen struck the ball with a single touch from outside the box, which would be the final goal of the match.
The Galaxy failed to mount an effective offense. That was partially attributed to Richie Williams
, United's defensive midfielder, who disrupted the play of Mauricio Cienfuegos
, the Galaxy's playmaker. This was reflected by the fact that United's goalkeeper, Tom Presthus
, was forced to make only one save during the championship game.
cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size:90%; margin:auto;">
D.C. UNITED:
|
GK
1
Tom Presthus
RB
2
Carey Talley
CB
3
Eddie Pope
CB
4
Carlos Llamosa
LB
5
Jeff Agoos
(c)
DM
6
Richie Williams
DM
8
Ben Olsen
RW
11
John Maessner
AM
10
Marco Etcheverry
LW
7
Jaime Moreno
CF
9
Roy Lassiter
Substitutions:
MF
17
Diego Sonora
MF
23
Geoff Aunger
Head Coach:
Thomas Rongen
After taking part in all four MLS Cups in the league's history, with their only loss coming in 1998 to the Chicago Fire, it was generally accepted that D.C. United had established a dynasty. After the game Cobi Jones
stated that:
Journalists questioned MLS Commissionar Don Garber
as to whether D.C. United's domination was hurting the league. The issue was notable since the league was designed from its outset to create parity among teams through a system in which investors would pay a stake in the league as a whole. Garber responded by stating:
D.C. United was honored for their third MLS championship on December 14 with a 10-block parade through downtown Washington, DC. Following their third MLS Cup title in four years, the club went on a downturn, failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the next three seasons. United would not qualify for the playoffs again until 2003, and it would not be until 2004, that the team would win their next MLS Cup, which to this date is their most recent MLS Cup title.
As runners-up, Los Angeles Galaxy would earn a berth into the 2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, where they would finish as the eventual champions. To date, it was the last time an American soccer club won a CONCACAF club competition, and the first time until 2011 an American soccer club reached the finals of an American soccer club competition. In the Cup, the Galaxy would oust United in the semifinals.
In MLS Cup play, Galaxy would reach the finals again in 2001, where they would, once again lose in the final, falling to their California Clasico
rivals, San Jose Earthquakes
. It was not until the following season that the Galaxy would win their first ever MLS Cup championship, defeating New England Revolution
, the club would also win their second championship three years later, again, against New England.
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
was a soccer match that took place at 1:30pm EST on 21 November 1999 at Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
in Foxborough
Foxborough, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,246 people, 6,141 households, and 4,396 families residing in the town. The population density was 809.1 people per square mile . There were 6,299 housing units at an average density of 313.7 per square mile...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to determine the champion of the 1999 Major League Soccer season
Major League Soccer 1999 season
The 1999 Major League Soccer season was the 4th season in the league's history. This was the last season which used the 35 yard line shootout rule to resolve tied games.-MLS Cup Playoffs:*Best of Three series winner will advance.-Final standings:...
. D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
2 - 0 with goals from Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
and Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno Morales is a former Bolivian footballer now serving as Youth Academy Technical Training Coach for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and as the head coach of D.C. United's U-23 side....
during the first half. It was D.C. United's third MLS Cup victory in the first four years of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and second victory against the Galaxy in an MLS Cup.
American referee Tim Weyland was selected to officiate the match. Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
performed at the halftime show
Halftime show
A halftime show is a performance given during halftime, the period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of divisions , or for sports that do not have an extended...
.
Route to the final
The Galaxy and United met in the final for the second time since the inaugural MLS Cup '98 when United rallied from a two goal deficit to defeat the Galaxy 3-2 in overtime. The match, which was also held at Foxboro StadiumFoxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
, was the first of four consecutive Cup appearances for United, of which three resulted in victories.
During the regular season the Galaxy and United met twice each winning on the road.
The Galaxy became the first team in the history of the league to allow less than one goal a game during the regular season with 29 goals in 32 games.
Marco Etcheverry
Marco Etcheverry
Marco Antonio Etcheverry Vargas is a retired Bolivian footballer, considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time.-Career:...
, a central midfielder for United and one of the best playmakers in the league's history, proved to be a persistent threat during the playoffs. During the third game of the semifinal series against the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
Etcheverry created three assists and one goal in the 4-0 victory.
The 1999 Cup was the first championship match to feature the top team in each division.
| Los Angeles Galaxy | Round | D.C. United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Division Standings | Regular Season | Eastern Division Standings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles Galaxy Los Angeles Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second... |
32 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 49 | 29 | 54 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dallas Burn | 32 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 54 | 35 | 51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago Fire Chicago Fire Chicago Fire may refer to:*Great Chicago Fire, the fire that burned much of Chicago in 1871*Chicago Fire Soccer Club, a Major League Soccer club**Chicago Fire Premier, part of the development system for the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer club... |
32 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 51 | 36 | 48 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... |
32 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 38 | 39 | 48 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Jose Clash | 32 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 48 | 49 | 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas City Wizards Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
32 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 53 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
Match rules
The final was the first league match in which the refereeReferee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
on the field kept official time and a fourth official determined the amount of injury time added at the end of each half. Previously, the official time counted down from 90 to zero and was kept by a scoreboard clock.
In addition to the official time change, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
Commissioner Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
announced earlier in the week that tiebreakers would not longer be decided by a shootout. The changes were planned to take effect with the start of the following season, but a last minute decision was made to instate them earlier. That meant that the 1999 Cup was the first MLS game ever to not be subject to a tie-breaking shootout. Instead two five minute golden goal overtime periods would eventually decide the match.
Match
Seven minutes into the match MLS defender of the year and Best XI selection Robin FraserRobin Fraser
Robin Fraser is a retired Jamaican-born American soccer player. He is currently head coach of Chivas USA in Major League Soccer....
was substituted out of the game after suffering a broken left collarbone. The injury was sustained when Fraser competed with D.C. United forward, Roy Lassiter
Roy Lassiter
Roy Lassiter is a retired American soccer striker, and Major League Soccer's record holder for goals scored in a season, with 27 in 1996.-Early life:...
, for the ball in the corner of the field. After the game Fraser argued that he had been fouled when Lassiter pushed him from behind, although no foul was given. Faser was replaced by Steve Jolley
Steve Jolley
Steve Jolley is a retired American soccer defender, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer and one in the USL Premier Development League....
, which prompted the Galaxy to switch to a three-man defensive line with Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
positioned as sweeper.
Although not widely publicized at the time, Fraser was wearing a brace throughout the 1999 Major League Soccer season due to shoulder problems. The brace restricted the movement of his shoulder and prevented him from responding quickly to the collision with Lassiter. Rather than bracing the fall with his arm, the majority of the impact was sustained by his shoulder, which led to the broken collarbone. The impact of the substitution is still disputed over ten years later.
Twelve minutes after Fraser left the field Jaime Moreno gave United a 1-0 lead when he scored on a rebounded save by Hartman, which Caligiuri failed to clear.
During the four minutes of extra time added by referee Tim Weyland to the first half D.C. United extended its 1-0 lead when Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
intercepted a loose ball and scored. MLS goalkeeper of the year, Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
had failed to clear a back pass from subsitute defender Steve Jolley
Steve Jolley
Steve Jolley is a retired American soccer defender, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer and one in the USL Premier Development League....
. Although Hartman managed to evade Roy Lassiter
Roy Lassiter
Roy Lassiter is a retired American soccer striker, and Major League Soccer's record holder for goals scored in a season, with 27 in 1996.-Early life:...
, pressure from forward Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno Morales is a former Bolivian footballer now serving as Youth Academy Technical Training Coach for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and as the head coach of D.C. United's U-23 side....
forced Hartman to attempt a pass to Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
on the left side of the field. Hartman failed to make contact with the ball, which rolled to Olsen. Olsen struck the ball with a single touch from outside the box, which would be the final goal of the match.
The Galaxy failed to mount an effective offense. That was partially attributed to Richie Williams
Richie Williams
Richie Williams is an American former professional soccer player and coach.Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the National Professional Soccer League, two in USISL, two in the...
, United's defensive midfielder, who disrupted the play of Mauricio Cienfuegos
Mauricio Cienfuegos
Mauricio Cienfuegos is a retired Salvadoran soccer player.-Club career:Cienfuegos began his professional career in 1985 with Racing Junior...
, the Galaxy's playmaker. This was reflected by the fact that United's goalkeeper, Tom Presthus
Tom Presthus
Thomas “Tom” Presthus is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper. He spent seven seasons in Major League Soccer and earned one caps with the U.S. national team in 1999.-Youth:...
, was forced to make only one save during the championship game.
Details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | LOS ANGELES GALAXY: |
|||
| GK | 1 | Kevin Hartman Kevin Hartman Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:... |
||
| RB | 2 | Ezra Hendrickson Ezra Hendrickson Ezra Hendrickson is a retired Vincentian footballer. He played professionally in the United States' Major League Soccer with New York MetroStars, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, and Chivas USA, and was also a member of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national team... |
||
| CB | 3 | Paul Caligiuri Paul Caligiuri Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team... |
||
| CB | 4 | Robin Fraser Robin Fraser Robin Fraser is a retired Jamaican-born American soccer player. He is currently head coach of Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.... |
||
| LB | 5 | Greg Vanney Greg Vanney Greg Vanney is retired American soccer defender who last played for the Los Angeles Galaxy of MLS... (c) |
||
| DM | 6 | Danny Pena Danny Pena Danny Pena is a retired U.S. soccer defensive midfielder. He spent most of his career, both indoors and outdoors, with teams in the western U.S.-Youth:... |
||
| DM | 8 | Clint Mathis Clint Mathis Clint Mathis is a retired American soccer player.-Youth and college:Mathis played club soccer at a young age for Rockdale Youth Soccer Association, and then for AFC Lightning, a Georgia powerhouse producing players such as current U.S. international Ricardo Clark, in Fayetteville... |
||
| RW | 11 | Mauricio Cienfuegos Mauricio Cienfuegos Mauricio Cienfuegos is a retired Salvadoran soccer player.-Club career:Cienfuegos began his professional career in 1985 with Racing Junior... |
||
| AM | 10 | Roy Myers Roy Myers Roy Anthony Myers Francis is a former Costa Rican football player who played most of his career with Deportivo Saprissa.... |
||
| LW | 7 | Cobi Jones Cobi Jones Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996... |
||
| CF | 9 | Carlos Hermosillo Carlos Hermosillo Carlos Manuel Hermosillo Goytortúa is a Mexican former football player. He is one of the top all-time goalscorers for the Mexican national team. He is also known as "El Grandote de Cerro Azul".... |
||
| Substitutions: | ||||
| MF | 17 | Steve Jolley Steve Jolley Steve Jolley is a retired American soccer defender, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer and one in the USL Premier Development League.... |
||
| MF | 23 | Zak Ibsen Zak Ibsen Zak Ibsen is an American soccer player who last played for San Jose Earthquakes. He earned three caps with the United States men's national soccer team and was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1992 Summer Olympics... |
||
| Head Coach: | ||||
| Sigi Schmid Sigi Schmid Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each... |
||||
D.C. UNITED:
Tom Presthus
Thomas “Tom” Presthus is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper. He spent seven seasons in Major League Soccer and earned one caps with the U.S. national team in 1999.-Youth:...
Carey Talley
Carey Talley is a former American soccer player.-College:Talley played high school soccer for Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee. His team won the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association soccer championship his junior and senior years in 1993 and 1994. He played his club soccer...
Eddie Pope
George Edward Pope is a retired American soccer player who last played for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer and spent eleven years as a defender for the United States national team. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.-Youth:Born in Greensboro, he attended Southwest Guilford...
Carlos Llamosa
Carlos Llamosa is a Colombian American soccer defender who last played for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer....
Jeff Agoos
Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Agoos is a retired American soccer defender, and one of the all-time appearance leaders for the United States national team....
(c)
Richie Williams
Richie Williams is an American former professional soccer player and coach.Known for his diminutive height and his dogged tackling, Williams spent the vast majority of his playing career in the United States, playing one season in the National Professional Soccer League, two in USISL, two in the...
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
John Maessner
John Maessner who spent six seasons in Major League Soccer, two in France, two in USISL, two in the National Professional Soccer League and one in Germany. He is currently the Director of Youth Development for D.C. United.-Youth:Maessner was a 1987 Parade Magazine High School All American soccer...
Marco Etcheverry
Marco Antonio Etcheverry Vargas is a retired Bolivian footballer, considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time.-Career:...
Jaime Moreno
Jaime Moreno Morales is a former Bolivian footballer now serving as Youth Academy Technical Training Coach for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and as the head coach of D.C. United's U-23 side....
Roy Lassiter
Roy Lassiter is a retired American soccer striker, and Major League Soccer's record holder for goals scored in a season, with 27 in 1996.-Early life:...
Diego Soñora
Diego Luis Soñora is a former Argentine football defender and midfielder.Soñora spent a large part of his career with Argentine giants Boca Juniors where he won 5 titles between 1988 and 1995...
Geoff Aunger
Geoffrey Edward Ramer Aunger is a former Major League Soccer player and Canadian national soccer team member.-Club career:...
Thomas Rongen
Thomas Rongen is a Dutch soccer coach, formerly the head coach of D.C. United, the Sporting Director of Major League Soccer club Chivas USA, and the coach of the American Samoa national association football team...
Man of the Match: Ben Olsen Ben Olsen Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia... Referee: Tim Weyland |
Match rules:
|
Post-match
During the post-game awards ceremony the stage nearly collapsed beneath D.C. United. After saluting the fans D.C. United players celebrated the victory with cigars and champagne in the locker room with friends, families and fans.After taking part in all four MLS Cups in the league's history, with their only loss coming in 1998 to the Chicago Fire, it was generally accepted that D.C. United had established a dynasty. After the game Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones
Cobi N'Gai Jones is a retired American soccer player who formerly served as assistant coach with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer , with whom he had been involved as a player and coach since the team's inaugural season in 1996...
stated that:
Journalists questioned MLS Commissionar Don Garber
Don Garber
Donald Garber is the commissioner of Major League Soccer, CEO of Soccer United Marketing, and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. Garber has spent his entire career in the sports industry, working in a variety of capacities in marketing, television and league...
as to whether D.C. United's domination was hurting the league. The issue was notable since the league was designed from its outset to create parity among teams through a system in which investors would pay a stake in the league as a whole. Garber responded by stating:
D.C. United was honored for their third MLS championship on December 14 with a 10-block parade through downtown Washington, DC. Following their third MLS Cup title in four years, the club went on a downturn, failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the next three seasons. United would not qualify for the playoffs again until 2003, and it would not be until 2004, that the team would win their next MLS Cup, which to this date is their most recent MLS Cup title.
As runners-up, Los Angeles Galaxy would earn a berth into the 2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, where they would finish as the eventual champions. To date, it was the last time an American soccer club won a CONCACAF club competition, and the first time until 2011 an American soccer club reached the finals of an American soccer club competition. In the Cup, the Galaxy would oust United in the semifinals.
In MLS Cup play, Galaxy would reach the finals again in 2001, where they would, once again lose in the final, falling to their California Clasico
California Clasico
The California Clasico is a soccer rivalry between two Major League Soccer teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes, which existed from 1996 to 2005 and was resumed in 2008. This rivalry originated from the historical Northern California vs...
rivals, San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. It was not until the following season that the Galaxy would win their first ever MLS Cup championship, defeating New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, the club would also win their second championship three years later, again, against New England.