1997 D.C. United season
D.C. United 1997 soccer season
1997 season | ||||
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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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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.
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.
Review
Competitions
Preseason
Major League Soccer
Conference standings
Pos | Team
| Pld | W | SOW | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | D.C. United | 32 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
2 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
3 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
4 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
5 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 |
Source: MLS
Overall standings
Pos | Team
| Pld | W | SOW | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | D.C. United (C, S) | 32 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
2 | Kansas City Wizards | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 57 | 51 | +6 | 49 | |
3 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
4 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 32 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 44 | |
5 | Dallas Burn | 32 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 55 | 49 | +6 | 42 | |
6 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
7 | Colorado Rapids | 32 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 50 | 59 | −9 | 38 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
8 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
9 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 | |
10 | San Jose Clash | 32 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 30 |
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
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
D.C. United v New England Revolution
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 |
New England Revolution v D.C. United
October 8 Game 2 | New England Revolution | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 SO) | D.C. United | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
Moore 72' | Report | Williams 53' | Stadium: Foxboro Stadium Attendance: 16,233 Referee: Tim Weyland |
D.C. United win the series 2–0.
Conference finals
D.C. United v Columbus Crew
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 |
D.C. United v Columbus Crew
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
D.C. United v Colorado Rapids
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
D.C. United v Tampa Bay Mutiny
August 19, 1997 (1997-08-19) Quarterfinals | D.C. United | 2–0 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | Washington, D.C., United States |
Etcheverry 84' Iroha 89' | Stadium: RFK Stadium |
San Francisco Bay Seals v D.C. United
September 3, 1997 (1997-09-03) 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 |
Dallas Burn v D.C. United
October 29, 1997 (1997-10-29) 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 | ||||
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CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Bracket
Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||
D.C. United | 1 | |||||||||||||
United Petrotrin | 0 | |||||||||||||
D.C. United | 0 | |||||||||||||
LA Galaxy | 1 | |||||||||||||
LA Galaxy | 2 | |||||||||||||
Luis Ángel Firpo | 0 | |||||||||||||
LA Galaxy | 3 | |||||||||||||
Cruz Azul | 5 | |||||||||||||
Guadalajara | 1 | |||||||||||||
Cartaginés | 0 | |||||||||||||
Guadalajara | 2 | |||||||||||||
Cruz Azul | 3 | |||||||||||||
Cruz Azul | 5 | |||||||||||||
Comunicaciones | 0 |
Match results
D.C. United v United Petrotrin
August 12, 1997 (1997-08-12) Quarterfinals | D.C. United | 1–0 | United Petrotrin | Washington, D.C., United States |
Etcheverry 84' | Report | Stadium: RFK Stadium |
D.C. United v LA Galaxy
August 22, 1997 (1997-08-22) Semifinals | D.C. United | 0–1 | LA Galaxy | Washington, D.C., United States |
Report | Jones 10' | Stadium: RFK Stadium |
D.C. United v Guadalajara
August 24, 1997 (1997-08-24) 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 |