MLS Cup 1996 / DC United 3, Galaxy 2

MLS Cup '96FOXBORO, Mass. -- In the 1996 Championship Game, United fell behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy, and with the game being played in a vicious, driving rainstorm at New England's Foxboro Stadium, it looked as if Los Angeles would be the first team to lift the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy.

But with just 17 minutes left to play, midfielder Tony Sanneh started the comeback, leaping high to head home Marco Etcheverry’s cross and cut LA’s lead to one.

Shawn Medved, who came off the bench in the 70th minute, powered in the dramatic equalizer, pouncing on a bad punch by Galaxy goalkeeper Jorge Campos, and staying with the shot after Campos had saved his first effort. Medved poked home the rebound from close range in the 82nd minute and United showed that it not only had the character of a champion, but that it had come together as a team.

With the momentum shifted firmly to United, Etcheverry launched a corner kick towards the Galaxy penalty box just four minutes into sudden death overtime. The ball found the head of 22-year old Eddie Pope. Pope rose to meet the ball while a wet and tired Galaxy defense stood still. And in an instant, the ball was in the back of the net.

The usually reserved Pope took off running toward the United bench and went into a full belly-slide, only to disappear under a deluge of water, mud and rain-drenched teammates. 

OCTOBER 20--D.C. UNITED 3, LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2
                      1     2     F
D.C. UNITED           0     2     3
LOS ANGELES GALAXY    1     1     2

Scoring Summary: LA --Hurtado (Cienfuegos) 5 LA --Armas (unassisted) 56 DC --Sanneh (Etcheverry) 73 DC --Medved (unassisted) 81 DC --Pope (Etcheverry) 94

D.C. UNITED--Mark Simpson, Clint Peay, Eddie Pope, Jeff Agoos, Mario Gori (Shawn Medved 70), Richie Williams, John Maessner (Tony Sanneh 59), John Harkes, Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, Raul Diaz Arce
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Diaz Arce 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Medved 2); FOULS: 16 (Etcheverry 4); OFFSIDE: 5; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: Simpson 2; CAUTIONS: Etcheverry 39, Peay 53; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 47%

LOS ANGELES GALAXY--Jorge Campos, Mark Semioli, Robin Fraser, Greg Vanney, Arash Noamouz, Jorge Salcedo (Curt Onalfo 77), Chris Armas, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Cobi Jones, Harut Karapetyan (Ante Razov 76), Eduardo Hurtado
TOTAL SHOTS: 6 (Hurtado 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Hurtado 2); FOULS: 20 (Noamouz, A. 5); OFFSIDE: 6; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Campos 4; CAUTIONS: Hurtado 41, Noamouz, A. 74; EJECTIONS: none; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 53%

Referee: Esse Baharmast; Referee's Assistants: Paul Tamberino, Steve Olson
Attendance: 34,643; Weather: Rain, 44 degrees, Windy