D.C. United vs. Chicago
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.
