D.C.’s Etcheverry Named MVP

Washington D.C. United forward Marco “El Diablo” Etcheverry was named Major League Soccer’s most valuable player for 1998, edging out Galaxy winger Cobi Jones and Chicago Fire playmaker Peter Nowak. Etcheverry, from Bolivia, scored 10 goals and had 19 assists in leading D.C. United to Sunday’s MLS championship game against the Fire at the Rose Bowl.

MLS has selected Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts as the site of its 1999 championship game, which will be played Nov. 14, three weeks later than previous finals so that it won’t conflict with baseball’s World Series. Foxboro, home stadium of the New England Revolution, staged MLS Cup ‘96, when 34,643 saw D.C. United defeat the Galaxy in a severe rainstorm.

The San Jose Clash is trying to sign veteran Japanese striker Kazuyoshi Miura, 31, who has played professionally for Santos in Brazil, Genoa in Italy and, most recently, Verdy Kawasaki in Japan. He has scored 54 goals in 86 national team games for Japan.