The 1997 D.C. United season was the clubs' third year of existence, as well as their second season in Major League Soccer. United successfully defended its MLS Cup title, becoming the first club to win consecutive league championships until the Houston Dynamo in 2007.[1] United also won its first Supporters' Shield as the team with the best regular-season record, earning their first league "double" by winning the regular season and playoffs.[2] The team also finished as runners-up in the 1997 U.S. Open Cup final, played in Indianapolis three days after United won MLS Cup 1997 at its home stadium, RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.[3] In international play, United qualified for the 1997 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, which was primarily played in Washington, D.C., and were eliminated in the semifinals by the Los Angeles Galaxy; the team ultimately shared third place with C.D. Guadalajara after a tie in the third-place match.[4]
The 1996 Major League Soccer season was both Major League Soccer and D.C. United's debut season, which resulted in United winning the inaugural MLS Cup championship match.[5]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SOW | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.C. United | 32 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
| 4 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
| 5 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SOW | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D.C. United (C, S) | 32 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 55 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 2 | Kansas City Wizards | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 57 | 51 | +6 | 49 | |
| 3 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 32 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 55 | 60 | −5 | 45 | |
| 4 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 32 | 14 | 2 | 16 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 44 | |
| 5 | Dallas Burn | 32 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 55 | 49 | +6 | 42 | |
| 6 | Columbus Crew | 32 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 39 | |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 32 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 50 | 59 | −9 | 38 | CONCACAF Champions' Cup |
| 8 | New England Revolution | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 53 | −13 | 37 | |
| 9 | NY/NJ MetroStars | 32 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 43 | 53 | −10 | 35 | |
| 10 | San Jose Clash | 32 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 30 |
| Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | MLS Cup '97 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | D.C. United | 4 | 1 (4) | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | New England Revolution | 1 | 1 (3) | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | D.C. United | 3 | 1 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 2 | 0 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 1 | 0 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 2 | 2 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| E | D.C. United | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| W | Colorado Rapids | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Kansas City Wizards | 0 | 2 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 3 | 3 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 1 | 2 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Dallas Burn | 0 | 1 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | LA Galaxy | 0 (0) | 0 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Dallas Burn | 0 (2) | 3 | x | ||||||||||||||||
| October 5 Game 1 | D.C. United | 4–1 | New England Revolution | Washington, D.C. |
Wegerle  13', 56'Moreno 65', 76' |
Burns 89' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 12,540 Referee: Tim Weyland |
| October 8 Game 2 | New England Revolution | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 SO) | D.C. United | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Moore 72' |
Report | Williams 53' |
Stadium: Foxboro Stadium Attendance: 16,233 Referee: Tim Weyland |
D.C. United won the series 2–0.[6]
| October 12 Game 1 | D.C. United | 3–2 | Columbus Crew | Washington, D.C. |
| Sanneh 9', 45' Díaz Arce 29' |
Farrell 57' Dooley 73' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 11,820 Referee: Kevin Terry |
| October 15 Game 2 | D.C. United | 1–0 | Columbus Crew | Columbus, Ohio |
| Díaz Arce 47' |
Stadium: Ohio Stadium Attendance: 9,506 Referee: Arturo Angeles |
D.C. United won the series 2–0.[6]
| October 26 Final | D.C. United | 2–1 | Colorado Rapids | Washington, D.C. |
| Moreno 37' Sanneh 68' |
Paz 75' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 57,431 Referee: Brian Hall |
| August 19, 1997 Quarterfinals | D.C. United  | 2–0 |  Tampa Bay Mutiny | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Etcheverry 84' Iroha 89' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| September 3, 1997 Semifinals | San Francisco Bay Seals  | 1–2 | D.C. United | Stockton, California |
| White 84' |
Moreno 2' (pen.) Díaz Arce 62' |
Stadium: Stagg Memorial Stadium Attendance: 3,470 |
| October 29, 1997 Final | Dallas Burn  | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p) | D.C. United | Indianapolis |
| 19:00 EDT | Stadium: Carroll Stadium Attendance: 9,766 Referee: Rich Grady | |||
| Penalties | ||||
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||
| D.C. United | 1 | ||||||||||||
| United Petrotrin | 0 | ||||||||||||
|
| D.C. United | 0 | ||||||||||||
|
| LA Galaxy | 1 | ||||||||||||
|
| LA Galaxy | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Luis Ángel Firpo | 0 | ||||||||||||
|
| LA Galaxy | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Cruz Azul | 5 | ||||||||||||
|
| Guadalajara | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Cartaginés | 0 | ||||||||||||
|
| Guadalajara | 2 | ||||||||||||
|
| Cruz Azul | 3 | ||||||||||||
|
| Cruz Azul | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Comunicaciones | 0 | ||||||||||||
| August 12, 1997 Quarterfinals | D.C. United | 1–0 | United Petrotrin | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Etcheverry 84' |
Report | Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| August 22, 1997 Semifinals | D.C. United | 0–1 | LA Galaxy | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Report | Jones 10' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium |
| August 24, 1997 Consolation match | D.C. United | 2–2 | Guadalajara | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Díaz Arce 40' Iroha 89' |
Report | Acosta 55' Sánchez 86' (pen.) |
Stadium: RFK Stadium | |
| Note: Match stood as a draw | ||||
