Major League Soccer
A Look Back at 1998 Games
* May 2: Soldier Field--Fire 1 (Frank Klopas, 9), D.C. United 3 (Roy Lassiter, 19; Marco Etcheverry, 86; Ben Olsen, 88).
* A goal and an assist by Etcheverry in the final four minutes earned D.C. United the victory in front of 27,136. Etcheverry’s goal was intended as a pass but rolled past Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton. Olsen secured the result with a diving header. Chicago played a man short after winger Roman Kosecki was red-carded in the 65th minute. The first half was played in a thick fog.
* July 18: RFK Stadium--D.C. United 4 ( Lassiter 53, 69, 90; Jaime Moreno, 78), Fire 1 (Jesse Marsch, 38).
* The game marked Fire goalkeeper Jorge Campos’ return from the World Cup, but Lassiter, who had not gone to France ‘98, spoiled it with his second career hat trick, off a penalty kick, a header and a volley. Moreno’s goal came after a 50-yard sprint. Chicago was without injured playmaker Peter Nowak. A crowd of 16,779 saw D.C. United win its fourth in a row.
Chicago By the Numbers
* RECORD: 20-12
* PLAYOFF RECORD: 4-0
* GOALS SCORED: 62
* GOAL AVERAGE: 1.94
* GOALS ALLOWED: 45
* ALLOWED AVERAGE: 1.41
* TOP SCORER: Ante Razov (10)
D.C. United By the Numbers
* RECORD: 24-8
* PLAYOFF RECORD: 4-1
* GOALS SCORED: 74
* GOAL AVERAGE: 2.31
* GOALS ALLOWED: 48
* ALLOWED AVERAGE: 1.50
* TOP SCORER: Roy Lassiter (18)
Chicago’s Key Players
* Zach Thornton: Led MLS with a 1.17 goals-against average and was selected the league’s goalkeeper of the year. An intimidating 6 feet 3 and 210 pounds. His father was a tight end for Kentucky.
* Lubos Kubik: Former national team player for the Czech Republic was virtually an automatic choice as MLS defender of the year. Deadly on penalty kicks and free kicks. A 1990 World Cup veteran.
* Peter Nowak: The Fire’s answer to Etcheverry, he is a superb playmaker who roams all over the field, often starting moves from deep within Chicago’s half. Poland national team captain and his country’s player of the year in 1996. Qualified mechanic and fluent in five languages.
* Jerzy Podborzny: Another former Polish national team player lured to MLS from Spain. He plays as either a forward or midfielder and led Chicago with 14 assists, fifth best in MLS.
D.C. United’s Key Players
* Marco Etcheverry: The league’s player of the year and unquestionably its finest playmaker, ahead of even Carlos Valderrama or Mauricio Cienfuegos. The Bolivian national team star, nicknamed “El Diablo,” scored 10 goals and assisted on 19 this season.
* Jaime Moreno: Etcheverry’s teammate with Bolivia and a superb finisher, he scored 16 goals and assisted on 11 to finish sixth in the league in ’98. The spearhead of D.C United’s attack, he has great dribbling skills and excellent quickness. MLS top scorer in 1997.
* Roy Lassiter: A U.S. national team striker with the gift of speed and opportunism, he led the league in scoring in 1996, disappeared in ’97 and then rebounded with a vengeance in ’98. D.C. United Coach Bruce Arena predicted a 30-goal season. So far, Lassiter has 28.
* John Harkes: The midfielder and former U.S. national team captain already has lifted two MLS titles and a third would be fair reward for a season in which he has overcome the disappointment of not going to France by almost certainly playing himself back into national team contention.
Officials
* Referee: Kevin Terry
* Assistant referees: Chip Reed and Laszlo Nagy
* Fourth official: Paul Tamberino
Coaches
* Bruce Arena (Washington): Winner of five NCAA titles at Virginia, two MLS Cup victories, a U.S. Open Cup and, this season, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, making D.C. United not only the top team in the United States, but also in all of North and Central America and the Caribbean.
* Bob Bradley (Chicago): Arena’s assistant the last two years with D.C. United and an assistant on Arena’s 1996 U.S. Olympic team. Led the first-year Fire into the championship game and was deservedly named coach of the year as a result.
Previous Champions
1996 at FOXBORO, MASS.
D.C. United 3
Galaxy 2 (OT)
1997 at WASHINGTON, D.C.
D.C. United 2
Colorado Rapids 1
MLS Cup MVPs
* 1996: Marco Etcheverry
(D.C. United)
* 1997: Jaime Moreno
(D.C. United)
Award Winners
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
* 1998: Marco Etcheverry
(D.C. United)
* 1997: Preki
(Kansas City Wizards)
* 1996: Carlos Valderrama
(Tampa Bay Mutiny)
SCORING CHAMPIONS
* 1998: Stern John
(Columbus Crew)
* 1997: Preki
(Kansas City Wizards)
* 1996: Roy Lassiter
(Tampa Bay Mutiny)
DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
* 1998: Lubos Kubik
(Chicago Fire)
* 1997: Eddie Pope
(D.C. United)
* 1996: John Doyle
(San Jose Clash)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
* 1998: Zach Thornton
(Chicago Fire)
* 1997: Brad Friedel
(Columbus Crew)
* 1996: Mark Dodd
(Dallas Burn)
COACH OF THE YEAR
* 1998: Bob Bradley
(Chicago Fire)
* 1997: Bruce Arena
(D.C. United)
* 1996: Thomas Rongen
(Tampa Bay Mutiny)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
* 1998: Ben Olsen
(D.C. United)
* 1997: Mike Duhaney
(Tampa Bay Mutiny)
* 1996: Steve Ralston
(Tampa Bay Mutiny)
GOAL OF YEAR
* 1998: Brian McBride
(Columbus Crew)
* 1997: Marco Etcheverry
(D.C. United)
* 1996: Eric Wynalda
(San Jose Clash)
FAIR PLAY AWARD
* 1998: Thomas Dooley
(Columbus Crew)
* 1997: Mark Chung
(Kansas City Wizards)
FAIR PLAY AWARD (TEAM)
* 1998: Kansas City Wizards
* 1997: Columbus Crew
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
* 1998: Paul Tamberino
* 1997: Esse Baharmast
