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1996 D.C. United season

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D.C. United
1996 season
General managerDave Kasper
Head coachBruce Arena
StadiumRFK Stadium
MLS3rd
MLS CupChampions
U.S. Open CupChampions
Top goalscorerLeague:
Raúl Díaz Arce (23)

All:
Raúl Díaz Arce (24)
Highest home attendance32,864 vs New England
(April 27, 1996)
Average home league attendance15,585
1997 →

The 1996 D.C. United season was the teams debutant season in Major League Soccer (MLS), and 1996 was the inaugural year of play in MLS competition. United would become the first club to win the MLS Cup this year.

This was the first year since 1981 that a pro soccer team from the Washington metropolitan area played in the top tier of the American soccer pyramid.

Background

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Prior to Major League Soccer's inaugural season, it had been six years since the Washington Metropolitan Area had a professional soccer club play within the region. The last team, was the late 1980s/early 1990s version of the Washington Diplomats. The Diplomats, played in the American Soccer League, which at the time was, by de facto, the top division of soccer in the United States although it was not sanctioned by U.S. Soccer or FIFA as a top tier soccer league. With the installation of the D.C. United franchise, it was the first time since the 1981 that a top division pro soccer club played in the region.

The foundation of the team came on June 15, 1994, when Major League Soccer selected Washington, D.C. out of twenty-two applicants to host one of the first seven teams, with three more added before the league's launch.[1]

Club name

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Once an MLS franchise was awarded to Washington, the new club management sought a name for the club. Attempting to allude to the American sporting culture, original suppositions included the area's name followed by a mascot for the club. Some ideas included the "Spies", "Americans" and "Eagles". Eventually, the idea of simply naming the team "D.C. United" was decided upon as the club name. The moniker "United" alluded to European club names such as Leeds and Manchester United, as well as reflecting on being based in capital of the United States.[2]

MLS regular season

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The team got off to a slow start, losing its first three games in April, but improved during the season, including a four-match winning streak in August, and qualified for the playoffs.

MLS Playoffs

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The final month of D.C. United's inaugural season saw the club compete in the first ever MLS Cup Playoffs, eventually being crowned the MLS Cup champions. Ten days later, United earned the double by winning the 1996 U.S. Open Cup, the United States' domestic knockout cup competition. Such a feat would not be accomplished again until the Chicago Fire did so in 1998. To date, only four other MLS sides have ever achieved any sort of "double", being regular season, playoffs, or cup competition.

Playoff play continued into October with game three of the conference semifinal series, with kickoff on October 2. United, tied with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars were level 1–1 in the series. Played in front of a crowd of 20,423, United would emerge victorious in the match and in the series winning the match and series by a 2–1 scoreline. In game three, Steve Rammel opened the scoring in the 67th minute, giving United a crucial 1–0 victory. Inside 20 minutes later, the MetroStars leveled things up off an 86th-minute strike from NY/NJ's Antony de Ávila. The match, looking destined for sudden death extra time was abruptly halted when a penalty was called against NY/NJ in the box. The call resulted with United's Raúl Díaz Arce notching the eventual match winner in the 89th minute of play. The win booked United into the 1996 MLS Eastern Conference Finals.

D.C. United took on the Supporters' Shield winners, Tampa Bay Mutiny on October 10 to open up the Eastern Conference Finals. The first match of the three-game series was held at RFK Stadium, where United posted a 4–1 victory. The score was United's largest margin of victory throughout the playoffs. The match saw Díaz Arce notch a hat trick, making him the first player in MLS Cup Playoffs history to score a hat trick in a playoff match. Díaz Arce scored in the 38th minute to give United the go-ahead lead, only for Tampa Bay's Roy Lassiter to equalize in the 42nd minute. United's Steve Rammel score what would eventually be the match-winning goal in the 52nd minute to give United a 2–1 lead over the Mutiny. Díaz Arce would score insurance goals for United in a three-minute span, scoring in the 58th and 60th minutes of play.

Held two days later, game two of the conference finals took place at Houlihan's Stadium near Tampa, Florida. With a crowd of 9,339 on hand, Tampa Bay took a 1–0 lead against D.C. inside 15 minutes, thanks to a strike from Steve Ralston. Ralston's goal proved to be the difference between the two sides for the remainder of the first half. However, four minutes into the second half of play, United's Richie Williams netted the equalizer. Díaz Arce would, once again, provide last minute heroics scoring in the 82nd minute to give United the 2–1 lead, and to book themselves in the inaugural MLS Cup championship.

Match results

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Major League Soccer

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Regular season

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April 6, 1996 Matchday 1 San Jose Clash 1–0 D.C. United San Jose, California
Report
Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Attendance: 31,683
Referee: Esse Baharmast
April 13, 1996 Matchday 2 Columbus Crew 4–0 D.C. United Columbus, Ohio
Report
Stadium: Crew Stadium
Attendance: 25,266
Referee: Raul Dominguez
April 20, 1996 Matchday 3 D.C. United 1–2 Los Angeles Galaxy Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 35,032
Referee: Paul Tamberino
May 1, 1996 Matchday 5 D.C. United 3–1 Dallas Burn Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 11,253
Referee: Byungil Noh
May 5, 1996 Matchday 6 Los Angeles Galaxy 3–1 D.C. United Pasadena, California
Report
Stadium: Rose Bowl
Attendance: 20,471
Referee: Arturo Angeles
May 12, 1996 Matchday 7 D.C. United 1–1
(1–2 SO)
NY/NJ MetroStars Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 14,722
Referee: Kevin Stott
Shootout
May 15, 1996 Matchday 8 D.C. United 5–2 Columbus Crew Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 7,422
Referee: Esse Baharmast
May 18, 1996 Matchday 9 Dallas Burn 3–2 D.C. United Dallas, Texas
Report
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 23,351
Referee: Arturo Angeles
May 30, 1996 Matchday 10 NY/NJ MetroStars 1–2 D.C. United East Rutherford, New Jersey
Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 25,322
Referee: Zimmerman Boulos
June 2, 1996 Matchday 11 Colorado Rapids 2–2
(1–3 SO)
D.C. United Denver, Colorado
Report Stadium: Mile High Stadium
Attendance: 8,517
Referee: Kevin Stott
Shootout
June 5, 1996 Matchday 12 D.C. United 3–1 San Jose Clash Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 15,845
Referee: Paul Tamberino
June 20, 1996 Matchday 13 Kansas City Wiz 5–1 D.C. United Kansas City, Missouri
Report
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
Attendance: 9,458
Referee: Rich Grady
June 23, 1996 Matchday 14 San Jose Clash 2–1 D.C. United San Jose, California
Report
Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Attendance: 14,088
Referee: Frank Gorog
June 30, 1996 Matchday 15 D.C. United 3–1 New England Revolution Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 19,355
Referee: Esse Baharmast
July 4, 1996 Matchday 16 Dallas Burn 1–1
(3–1 SO)
D.C. United Dallas, Texas
Report
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 16,177
Referee: Tim Weyland
Shootout
July 7, 1996 Matchday 17 D.C. United 6–1 Dallas Burn Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 11,244
Referee: Paul Tamberino
July 12, 1996 Matchday 18 D.C. United 1–0 Tampa Bay Mutiny Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 20,014
Referee: Robert Sheker
July 20, 1996 Matchday 19 New England Revolution 2–0 D.C. United Foxborough, Massachusetts
Report
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 18,347
Referee: Kevin Stott
July 28, 1996 Matchday 20 D.C. United 2–0 Columbus Crew Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 11,373
Referee: Ruben Rodhas
July 31, 1996 Matchday 21 D.C. United 2–3 Kansas City Wiz Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 9,457
Referee: Kevin Terry
August 4, 1996 Matchday 22 D.C. United 2–4 Kansas City Wiz Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 12,356
Referee: Joshua Patlak
August 7, 1996 Matchday 23 Tampa Bay Mutiny 1–3 D.C. United Tampa, Florida
Report
Stadium: Houlihan's Stadium
Attendance: 6,476
Referee: Rich Grady
August 10, 1996 Matchday 24 Columbus Crew 3–2 D.C. United Columbus, Ohio
Report
Stadium: Ohio Stadium
Attendance: 18,587
Referee: Steve Olson
August 18, 1996 Matchday 25 D.C. United 2–1 Los Angeles Galaxy Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 24,536
Referee: Esse Baharmast
August 21, 1996 Matchday 26 NY/NJ MetroStars 2–3 D.C. United East Rutherford, New Jersey
Report
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 20,416
Referee: Arturo Angeles
August 25, 1996 Matchday 27 D.C. United 3–0 Tampa Bay Mutiny Washington, D.C.
Report Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 15,804
Referee: Roberto Van de Wyngard
August 29, 1996 Matchday 28 Colorado Rapids 1–2 D.C. United Denver, Colorado
Report
Stadium: Mile High Stadium
Attendance: 6,368
Referee: Ali Saheli
September 6, 1996 Matchday 29 D.C. United 1–2 NY/NJ MetroStars Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 8,053
Referee: Zimmerman Boulos
September 14, 1996 Matchday 30 Tampa Bay Mutiny 2–0 D.C. United Tampa, Florida
Report Stadium: Houlihan's Stadium
Attendance: 8,135
Referee: Paul Tamberino
September 17, 1996 Matchday 31 D.C. United 3–2 New England Revolution Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 7,360
Referee: Marcel Yonan
September 21, 1996 Matchday 32 D.C. United 3–1 Colorado Rapids Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 20,573
Referee: Arturo Angeles

Playoffs

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Conference semifinals
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September 27, 1996 Game 2 D.C. United 1–0 NY/NJ MetroStars Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 21,442
Referee: Maryland Paul Tamberino
Note: Series tied 1–1
October 2, 1996 Game 3 D.C. United 2–1 NY/NJ MetroStars Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 20,423
Referee: California Brian Hall
Note: D.C. United win series 2–1
Conference finals
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October 10, 1996 Game 1 D.C. United 4–1 Tampa Bay Mutiny Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 23,566
Referee: Kevin Stott
Note: D.C. United lead the series 1–0
October 12, 1996 Game 2 Tampa Bay Mutiny 1–2 D.C. United Tampa, Florida
Report
Stadium: Houlihan's Stadium
Attendance: 9,339
Referee: Rich Grady
Note: D.C. United wins series 2–0
MLS Cup
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October 20 Final LA Galaxy 2–3 (a.e.t.) D.C. United Foxborough, Massachusetts
Report
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium
Attendance: 34,643
Referee: Esfandiar Baharmast

U.S. Open Cup

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September 4 Quarterfinals D.C. United (MLS) Washington, D.C. 2–0 North Carolina Carolina Dynamo (USISL) Charlottesville, Virginia
Report
Stadium: Klöckner Stadium
Attendance: 1,829
Referee: Ruben Rodhas
October 27 Semifinals Dallas Burn (MLS) Texas 0–2 Washington, D.C. D.C. United (MLS) Dallas, Texas
Report
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Attendance: 1,958
Referee: Kevin Terry
October 30 Final D.C. United (MLS) Washington, D.C. 3–0 New York (state) Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-L) Washington, D.C.
Report
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 7,234
Referee: Esse Baharast

League standings

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Conference

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Pos Team Pld W SOW L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Tampa Bay Mutiny 32 19 1 12 66 51 +15 58 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 D.C. United 32 15 1 16 62 56 +6 46
3 NY/NJ MetroStars 32 12 3 17 45 47 −2 39
4 Columbus Crew 32 11 4 17 59 60 −1 37
5 New England Revolution 32 9 6 17 43 56 −13 33
Source: MLS

Overall

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Pos Team Pld W SOW L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Tampa Bay Mutiny (S) 32 19 1 12 66 51 +15 58
2 Los Angeles Galaxy 32 15 4 13 59 49 +10 49 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
3 D.C. United (C) 32 15 1 16 62 56 +6 46
4 Dallas Burn 32 12 5 15 50 48 +2 41
5 Kansas City Wiz 32 12 5 15 61 63 −2 41
6 NY/NJ MetroStars 32 12 3 17 45 47 −2 39
7 San Jose Clash 32 12 3 17 50 50 0 39
8 Columbus Crew 32 11 4 17 59 60 −1 37
9 New England Revolution 32 9 6 17 43 56 −13 33
10 Colorado Rapids 32 9 2 21 44 59 −15 29
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

Transfers

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In

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Date Player Previous club Fee/notes Ref
January 24, 1996 United States Jeff Agoos Germany Wehen Allocated
January 24, 1996 Bolivia Marco Etcheverry Colombia América de Cali Allocated
January 24, 1996 United States John Harkes England West Ham United Allocated
January 24, 1996 Bolivia Berthy Suárez Bolivia Guabirá Allocated
February 6, 1996 El Salvador Raúl Díaz Arce El Salvador Luis Ángel Firpo Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Shawn Medved United States Seattle Sounders Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Erik Imler United States Raleigh Flyers Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Richie Williams United States Richmond Kickers Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Thor Lee United States Wichita Wings Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Brian Kamler United States Richmond Kickers Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Mile Milovac United States Indianapolis Twisters Drafted
February 6, 1996 United States Kris Kelderman United States St. Louis Ambush Drafted
February 7, 1996 United States Clint Peay United States Virginia Cavaliers Drafted
February 7, 1996 United States Ben Crawley Germany TuS Celle Drafted
February 7, 1996 Bosnia and Herzegovina Said Fazlagić Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Drafted
February 7, 1996 Venezuela Daniel de Oliveira El Salvador Luis Ángel Firpo Drafted
February 7, 1996 United States Matthew Olson United States Everett BigFoot Drafted
February 7, 1996 United States Sterling Wescott Hawaii Hawaii Tsunami Drafted
February 7, 1996 United States Garth Lagerwey United States Hampton Roads Mariners Drafted
February 7, 1996 Mexico Carlos Garcia United States Myrtle Beach Boyz Drafted
April 19, 1996 United States Steve Rammel United States Washington Mustangs Loan [3]
July 18, 1996 Bolivia Jaime Moreno England Middlesbrough Lottery

Recognition

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References

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External videos
video icon San Jose Clash vs D.C. United First-Ever MLS Match on YouTube
  1. ^ "General Overview". Major League Soccer. 2009. Archived from the original on June 25, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
  2. ^ Dure, Beau (2010). Long Range Goals: The Success Story of Major League Soccer. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books. pp. 21–23. ISBN 978-1-59797-509-4.
  3. ^ "Intermark - Home Page".