D.C. United
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Template:MLS team D.C. United is an American soccer team. Based in Washington, DC, they play in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Their official nickname is the "Black-and-Red"; the team's home uniform is largely black.
The team's home field is the 56,454-seat Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on East Capitol Street, which is owned by the government of the District of Columbia and is shared with the Washington Nationals. It was once the home of the Washington Senators, the Washington Redskins and the Washington Freedom. There are plans to build a 25,000 seat soccer specific stadium near Poplar Point on the east side of the Anacostia River, directly across the river from the proposed site for the Washington Nationals' stadium, planned to be finished by 2007 The city is considered to be one of the most supportive of soccer in the country. United's supporters' clubs include La Barra Brava, the Screaming Eagles, and La Norte.
The club was one of the founding ten members of the MLS in 1996 and was initially the most successful. They won the first "double" in modern U.S. soccer history in 1996, beating Los Angeles Galaxy to take the MLS Cup and the A-League club Rochester Raging Rhinos to win the U.S. Open Cup. They have also been successful in CONCACAF competitions, winning the Champions' Cup and the Interamerican Cup in 1998. From the back of domestic success, the club's first coach, Bruce Arena, went on to direct the national side. Although United would win an MLS Cup in the season after his departure, the loss of Arena would signal a significant downturn in the team's fortunes. While Thomas Rongen's initial year was a success, two lackluster seasons led to his departure and replacement by Ray Hudson in 2002. The team did not fare much better under Hudson, however, and Peter Nowak replaced him prior to the start of the 2004 season. The season was marred by injuries in the early-going, and some players were known to have complained about Nowak's methods. A strong late finish propelled the United into the playoffs with the second seed, where they advanced past the New England Revolution on penalty kicks in what some have called "the greatest MLS game ever played". United then defeated the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 to take their fourth MLS Cup.
D.C. United's primary rival is the MetroStars. The two teams compete annually for the Atlantic Cup, a minor title instituted by the two teams' management, that goes to the team that gets the most points across the teams' four meetings throughout the year.
Famous past players for United include the US internationals Roy Lassiter, Eddie Pope, Jeff Agoos, John Harkes, Tony Sanneh, Ben Olsen, Carlos Llamosa, and Bobby Convey. Foreign stars included Marco Etcheverry, Raul Diaz Arce, Jaime Moreno, and Hristo Stoitchkov.
On November 18, 2003, MLS made sports history by signing Freddy Adu, a 14-year-old soccer prodigy and on January 16, 2004 he was officially selected by United with the first pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. When Adu entered United's regular-season opener as a second-half substitute on April 3, 2004, he became the youngest player in any professional sport in the United States since 1887.
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Honors
Major Titles
- MLS Cup 4 (1996, 1997, 1999, 2004)
- MLS Supporters' Shield 2 (1997, 1999)
- US Open Cup 1 (1996)
- CONCACAF Champions' Cup 1 (1998)
- CONCACAF Interamerican Cup 1 (1998)
Minor Titles
- Division Champions 3 (1997, 1998, 1999)
- Conference Champions 5 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004)
Current roster
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Notable players
- Freddy Adu (2004-)
- Jeff Agoos (1996-2000)
- Bobby Convey (2000-2004)
- Raul Diaz Arce (1996-1997, 2000-2001)
- Marco Etcheverry (1996-2003)
- John Harkes (1996-1998)
- Roy Lassiter (1998-1999)
- Carlos Llamosa (1997-2000)
- Jaime Moreno (1996-2002, 2004-)
- Ryan Nelsen (2001-2005)
- Eddie Pope (1996-2002)
- Tony Sanneh (1996-1998)
- Earnie Stewart (2003-2004)
- Hristo Stoitchkov (2003)
Head coaches
- Bruce Arena (1996–1998)
- Thomas Rongen (1999–2001)
- Ray Hudson (2002–2003)
- Peter Nowak (2004–)
International competition
- 1998 Champions Cup
- Final v. Toluca -- 1:0
- 1998 Interamerican Cup
- Final v. Vasco da Gama -- 0:1, 2:0 (United win Cup 2:1 on aggregate)
- 1999 Champions Cup
- Quarterfinals v. Olimpia -- 1:0
- Semifinals v. Necaxa -- 1:3
- 3rd place v. Chicago Fire -- 2:2
- 2000 Champions Cup
- Quarterfinals v. Alajuelense -- 2:1
- Semifinals v. Los Angeles Galaxy -- 1:1 (Galaxy advance 4:2 on penalties)
- 3rd place v. Pachuca -- 1:2
- 2001 Giants Cup
- Quarterfinals v. Arnett Gardens -- 3:0, 2:1 (United advance 5:1 on aggregate)
- Semifinals v. Comunicaciones -- 2:1
- Final v. America -- 0:2
- 2002 Champions Cup
- First round v. Comunicaciones -- 0:4, 2:1 (Comunicaciones advance 5:2 on aggregate)
- 2005 Champions Cup
- 1st round v. Harbour View -- 2:1, 2:1 (DC advance 4:2 on aggregate)
- 2nd round v. UNAM Pumas -- 1:1, 0:5 (Pumas adance 6:1 on aggregate)
Average attendance
- 1996: 15,262
- 1997: 16,698
- 1998: 16,008
- 1999: 17,419
- 2000: 18,580
- 2001: 21,518
- 2002: 16,519
- 2003: 15,565
- 2004: 17,232
- All-Time: 17,200
External links
- www.dcunited.com Team's official website
- www.screaming-eagles.com Supporters' Club website
- www.barra-brava.com Barra Brava Supporters' Club
- www.lanorte.com La Norte Supporters' Club