MLS Cup 1999 / D.C. United 2, Galaxy 0

Ben Olsen is the first Pro-40 graduate to be named the MLS Cup MVP

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Sunday, November 21, 1999) - After a one-year hiatus, D.C. United resumed its Major League Soccer dynasty with a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS Cup '99 on Sunday afternoon at Foxboro Stadium. Jaime Moreno and MLS Cup '99 MVP Ben Olsen scored a goal apiece and goalkeeper Tom Presthus recorded the shutout as United captured it's third MLS crown in the four-year existence of the league.

In a rematch of MLS Cup '96 that saw the same teams battling at the same venue (D.C. won the inaugural MLS Cup, 3-2, on a golden goal by Eddie Pope), United scored twice in the first half and shut down a dangerous Los Angeles offense to improve its record to 3-1 in MLS championship games, having appeared in all four title games.

In what would be a game fancied by many as a showcase of the two best teams MLS has to offer in 1999, neither team disappointed, as offensive ideas and inspiration were the order of the day. A game which featured MLS' top stars such as Marco Etcheverry, Jamie Moreno, Cobi Jones and Carlos Hermosillo lived up to its billing, as all four players often posed questions of the opposing defenses.

Just five minutes in, though, Los Angeles suffered an initial major setback when it lost team captain and central defender Robin Fraser through injury. Racing for a ball in his own half with United forward Roy Lassiter, Fraser was knocked to the ground by his opponent's forearm. Although no foul was called on the play, Fraser would be unable to continue and was replaced by Steve Jolley, with initial reports indicating a fractured left clavicle for the Galaxy captain.

After a very engaging start to the affair, it was nineteen minutes in when the Eastern Conference Champions opened their account, thanks to some persistent work by Moreno and Lassiter in the Galaxy area. The play began with an Etcheverry throw-in on the left side, deep in the attacking zone. Etcheverry's throw was inadvertently flicked on by a gathering of Galaxy defenders attempting to win the ball from Moreno, the ball sailing directly to Lassiter directly in front of Kevin Hartman. With plenty of goal to shoot at, Lassiter was denied brilliantly by a kick save from MLS' 1999 Goalkeeper of the Year, but the rebound fell directly back to Lassiter. The forward corralled the rebound, allowing Moreno to step in and poke the ball past a helpless Hartman and into the net for a 1-0 United lead.

Thirty-three minutes in, Los Angeles was hard-done by when a Greg Vanney corner kick caused all kinds of problems for Presthus, who was rescued by his woodwork and his teammates, in that order. Vanney struck the ball from the left corner, for Danny Pena to head past Presthus, but the offering came back off the left post. United was not safe yet, though, as the rebound actually deflected off United's John Maessner and towards the empty net, but Richie Williams was there to clear the ball away to safety and United could breath again.

Before the clock struck forty-five, the referee's assistant displayed four minutes of injury time, which may have seemed like a lot longer for the Galaxy as United probed to double the lead.

Danny Pena had two chances to close the gap late in the second half

Just over a minute into the time added on, a beautiful understanding between Etcheverry and Agoos presented a serious threat, and would've presented a goal if not for a fine piece of goalkeeping from Hartman.

Etcheverry struck a corner kick from the right, but instead of directing it into the area, he sent it to a waiting Agoos, hovering a full 25 yards from goal. With no interest in bringing the ball down, the U.S. National Team defender instead picked it out of the air with an ambitious left-footed volley, which sent a laser beam through the scrum in front of goal, but was somehow detected and turned away by an aware Hartman, denying United of a true highlight-film goal.

But for all of his good work during the half, Hartman made a mystery of things three minutes later and gifted United a second goal minutes before the interval. Jolley played a bouncing ball back to his keeper, which Hartman struggled with as Lassiter rushed, causing Hartman to cut the ball back past the forward. Now taking the ball across the area to the left, Hartman then attempted to strike the ball up the field, but mis-hit the attempt, which rolled right for Olsen 20 yards from the unguarded goal. The young U.S. National Teamer would make no mistake, alertly striking the ball first time past an exploited Hartman and into the empty net, giving the Black-and-Red a 2-0 lead into the break.

D.C. United should have been three-nil up just two minutes into the second half when Lassiter came free in the six-yard box. Agoos provided the service from the left for Lassiter, who had beaten his marker in front of goal. But with Hartman not knowing much about it, Lassiter somehow put his header wide of the right post and Los Angeles escaped again.

But with the two-goal advantage, United went with a logical defend-and-counter look, making territory touch to conquer for Los Angeles in the final third.

Sixty-six minutes in Danny Pena had not one, but two chances, but could take neither. The beneficiary of a Hermosillo flick to the right post, Pena fired a shot from eight yards out, which was blocked by Agoos. The rebound fell right back for Pena, who this time attempted to slam the ball past Presthus, but instead sent it sailing well over the goal.

Five minutes later, the teams exchanged good chances when Olsen and Mathis each missed on volleys only a minute apart, but both offerings from close range found only the side netting.

Fourteen minutes from time, Williams, who had already saved one goal for United, nearly produced another with a gorgeous strike from 23 yards out. The rising blast beat a sprawling Hartman, but slammed off the crossbar and Los Angeles still could see a bit of light.

However, the United defense and Presthus held firm, keeping Jones and company in check until referee Tim Weyland blew the final whistle, giving United a much-deserved win and well-earned championship.

NAMES AND NOTES:

  • D.C. United head coach THOMAS RONGEN captured his first MLS crown as a coach, and did so in his former place of work. Rongen served as the head coach of the New England Revolution, who call Foxboro Stadium their home, for the 1997 and 1998 seasons. United defensive midfielder GEOFF AUNGER also formerly toiled on the Foxboro pitch, captaining the Revolution for much of the 1996 campaign.
  • Five D.C. United players have now started all four MLS Cup championship games: MARCO ETCHEVERRY, JEFF AGOOS, JAIME MORENO, EDDIE POPE and RICHIE WILLIAMS.
  • Galaxy players ROBIN FRASER, MAURICIO CIENFUEGOS, COBI JONES, JORGE SALCEDO and GREG VANNEY became the only five players in MLS history to have lost two MLS Cup title games.
  • 1999 MLS Cup MVP Ben Olsen won the closest balloting for the award in MLS history. In an award voted on by the attending media, Olsen barely edged out teammate and 1996 MLS Cup MVP Marco Etcheverry.
  • United forward JAIME MORENO became MLS' all-time playoff leading scorer with 28 points (10 goals, 8 assists). He jumped past teammate ROY LASSITER (27 points on 13 goals and 1 assist).
  • The first-half assist for ROY LASSITER was his first-ever in 16 playoff games.

MINUTE-BY-MINUTE HIGHLIGHTS:
3: Los Angeles' first attack sees Myers find Jones at the top of the box, who flicks square for Hermosillo, but the Mexican forward's attempt at goal is blocked by the United defense and collected by Presthus.
5: Racing for a ball in the corner, Lassiter elbows Fraser in the back, but no foul is called as Fraser stays down.
9: Fraser comes off with the injury and is replaced by Steve Jolley. The preliminary diagnosis is a fractured left clavicle.
10: Etcheverry strikes a dead ball from the right flank into the mixer, Llamosa runs on and hits a header wide left of Hartman's goal.
16: Hendrickson controls in the right corner of the United area, before hitting a low cross to the near post. Presthus comes for the cross, with the ball getting tied up in a sea of players, before Cobi Jones is finally whistled for a foul.
19: Etcheverry throws in deep in the left corner, the ball is flicked on by the Galaxy defense into the six-yard box, where Lassiter shoots from point-blank range, but is denied by the reaction kick-save of Hartman. The rebound falls again for Lassiter, who deflects to Moreno at the top of the six-yard box, who then pokes the ball into the lower, right corner of the net.
22: Etcheverry slots to Olsen at the right corner of the area, Olsen unleashes a blast that sails high and wide of the far (left) post.
24: Jones is booked for a hard tackle on Pope.
33: Vanney strikes a corner from the left, Pena runs on and hits a header past Presthus, but off the left post, the ball comes off the post and then is accidentally deflected by Maessner towards an open net, but Williams is there to rescue United, clearing the ball off the line and away to safety.
39: Cienfuegos flicks to Hermosillo inside the top of the box, but Hermosillo is unable to bring the ball down and is dispossessed.
42: On a dead ball to the right of the area, Etcheverry drives the ball into the area, where Pope, having made a near post run, heads the ball wide right of goal.
43: Talley strikes into the area for Moreno, Hartman dives out and punches away to safety, but collides violently with Moreno, who is whistled for a foul.
46+: Etcheverry strikes a corner kick from the right to a waiting Agoos, a full 25 yards out from goal. Agoos picks the ball out of the air with a laser beam of a left-footed volley, drawing a fine save from Hartman.
48+: Just more than three minutes deep into four minutes of allotted injury time before the interval, Hartman struggles to control a ball from Jolley in his box, barely eluding the challenge of a rushing Roy Lassiter. Hartman takes the ball across to the left and attempts to play forward, but mis-hits the ball weakly outside the box, allowing Ben Olsen to run on and strike first-time into the abandoned net.
47: Agoos crosses from the left flank for Lassiter in the six-yard box, but the forward somehow directs his weak header from point-blank range wide of the right post.
56: Etcheverry plays Olsen down the right side into the area. Opting not to have a go, Olsen hits a low cross into the area, but it is cleared away by the Galaxy defense for a corner kick.
58: Myers plays Jones through into the box, behind the United defense. With Presthus charging, Llamosa slides back and tackles the ball away before Jones can have a shot at goal.
66: Hermosillo flicks into the area for Pena at the far post, who has his first shot blocked by Agoos. The rebound falls for Pena again, but he sends his offering well over the net.
71: Etcheverry flicks over the defense for Olsen in the right side of the area. Olsen blasts the ball out of the air, but finds only the right side netting.
72: Cienfuegos crosses from the right of the area across the box to Mathis on the left, who fires a left-footed volley wide of the near post.
76: Richie Williams tees up from 23 yards out, the ball beating Hartman but slamming off the crossbar.
84: Cobi Jones wrestles with two defenders in the area, before the ball pops toward the penalty spot, but Presthus dives out and collects as Hermosillo rushes in to attempt to tidy up.
93+: Caligiuri hits from close range, but his shot sails just wide of the left post.

SCORING SUMMARY:
19': D.C.-- Jaime Moreno (Roy Lassiter)
48+': D.C.-Ben Olsen (unassisted)

TEAM LINEUPS:
D.C. UNITED (4-4-2): GK -- #22 Tom Presthus, D -- #3 Carey Talley, #23 Eddie Pope, #18 Carlos Llamosa (#4 Diego Sonora 74'), #12 Jeff Agoos; M -- #16 Richie Williams, #14 Ben Olsen, #20 John Maessner, #10 Marco Etcheverry (captain); F - #9 Jaime Moreno, #15 Roy Lassiter (#5 Geoff Aunger 87').
LOS ANGELES GALAXY (4-4-2): GK - #22 Kevin Hartman; D -- #17 Ezra Hendrickson, #20 Paul Caligiuri, #4 Robin Fraser (captain) (#5 Steve Jolley 9' [#7 Zak Ibsen 80']), #3 Greg Vanney; M -- #2 Danny Pena (#12 Simon Elliott 73'), #14 Clint Mathis, #10 Mauricio Cienfuegos, #21 Roy Myers, F -- #13 Cobi Jones, #27 Carlos Hermosillo.

FINAL MATCH STATISTICS: 

                  D.C. UNITED     LOS ANGELES
SHOTS:                11             7
SHOTS ON GOAL:         5             2
SAVES:                 1             3
FOULS:                22            18
OFFSIDES:              1             6
CORNER KICKS:          4             6
POSSESSION (%):       56            44

CAUTIONS: Cobi Jones (foul tackle) 24; Ben Olsen (extreme force) 53; Carey Talley (professional foul) 69; Diego Sonora (aggressive attitude) 76; Roy Myers (professional foul) 90.

REFEREES: Tim Weyland, Nathan Clement (assistant), Craig Lowry (assistant), Brian Hall (4th official).

ATTENDANCE: 44,910

WEATHER AT KICKOFF: 63 degrees and sunny.

D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH THOMAS RONGEN:

"It was a tight game through and through and it was a balanced match-up. It was the smaller things that made the difference."

"Getting on the board early was a key for us. L.A. turned it on and tried to be the aggressor, but the difference came with the second goal. Getting two goals by the second half was important. We persevered even thought we had tough conditions on the field."

"It's the rhythm of the game. You can neither attack nor defend for ninety minutes straight. You have to be the aggressor and you don't want to give up a goal after you score."

On the first goal: "We scored in a scramble and the key difference was the work in the 18-yard box."

On Robin Fraser's injury: "There was definitely some contact from Roy, and it definitely changed the game for them (L.A.) to lose the defender of the year, but that's the nature of the beast with injuries and you have to roll with the punches. Our game plan was not designed to have Robin going down."

"Our attitude was half the battle. You can't teach these type of players you can only manage them. When you create wins it snowballs and becomes second nature."

LOS ANGELES GALAXY HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID:
"We made a few mistakes in the first half and gave up goals. D.C. took advantage of our mistakes. Overall, I'm not displeased with our performance at all. D.C. is an outstanding team and they are worthy champions."

"Obviously losing Robin so early was significant. It caused us to change our formation, but the guys stayed focused. Jolley played well and Caligiuri did well as sweeper but we just didn't get the breaks."

MLS CUP '99 MVP BEN OLSEN:
"Believe me, I'm not the MVP of this game. Marco was out there, Jaime and the rest. Our team is amazing and this was a sweet win. I'm really stunned."

On his goal: "I got lucky, I didn't know what was happening but the ball was there and the net was open. There was no way to miss."

UNITED DEFENDER EDDIE POPE:
"We're too young to be a dynasty. We've only won three. We're not the Bulls or the Celtics. When we've won five come back and talk to me."

GALAXY DEFENDER PAUL CALIGIURI:
"We didn't think we would lose this game. That's how confident we are."

GALAXY DEFENDER STEVE JOLLEY:
"We dictated the whole game. It just wasn't our day. We missed our chances."

MLS COMMISSIONER DON GARBER:
On the game and event- "Today was a great day and the beginning of some great momentum for our league."

"I think this I the beginning of a lot of great things for MLS and this sport heading into the next millennium."

On the weather- "I think the soccer gods we're smiling on us today."

On benefits of D.C. winning again- "I think dynasties are great for the sport. It makes good guys and bad guys and allows for a neutral site to be home to such a passionate crowd."

On the changes for 2000- "It all started with understanding that soccer fans in this country needed to be trusted … our future will be about capturing those fans."