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| Friday, September 14, 2001 24:18 EST |
2000 D.C. United at a glance
[SportsTicker]
Division: Eastern
Stadium: RFK Stadium, Washington
Soccer capacity: 26,169
Investor/Operator: Washington Soccer, L.P.
Head coach: Thomas Rongen
1999 record and finish: 23-9 (57 points), first place in East; won Eastern Conference title; MLS Cup Champion
1999 offensive ranking: 1 (65 goals, 2.03 per game)
1999 defensive ranking: 6 (43 goals, 1.34 per game)
Top returning scorer: Jaime Moreno (10 goals + 13 assists = 33 points)
Key returning players: Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope,
Jeff Agoos, Ben Olsen, Tom Presthus
New player of note: Bobby Convey
Key departed players: Roy Lassiter, Diego Sonora
Outlook
In a season that many predicted would bring a changing of the
guard atop the Eastern Conference, forecasting the Columbus Crew's dethroning
perennial league power D.C. United, Head Coach Thomas Rongen and United finished with the league's best record (23-9, 57 points)
and went on to capture MLS Cup '99, United's third title in four years.
The United backbone of midfield maestro Marco Etcheverry and fellow Bolivian
striker Jaime Moreno returns for a fifth season, but Rongen's club will have
to make up for the loss of Roy Lassiter (second in MLS scoring in
1999) who was sent to Miami during the offseason. Look for A.J. Wood,
who scored eight goals and added six assists, or young Chris Albright,
who stood out at MLS Spring Training 2000, to try and fill Lassiter's shoes.
Etcheverry and Moreno could miss up to eight games due to Bolivia's World
Cup Qualifying matches, but the duo missed nearly six weeks of action due
to their country's participation in Copa America and the FIFA
Confederations Cup in 1999. Young Americans Ben Olsen and Antonio Otero
will once again be called on to fill in as United's offensive catalysts.
Defensively, United's top three central defenders -- midfielder
Richie Williams and defenders Eddie Pope and Carlos Llamosa -- missed
more than a combined 30 games in 1999 due to injury, but all three are
now healthy and have seen significant time with the U.S. National Team
during the offseason. Standout Jeff Agoos returns on the left side
but Argentine Diego Sonora decided not to re-sign and returned to
South America. Carey Talley is expected to fill Sonora's slot.
Players to watch
Forward Jaime Moreno scored 10 goals and will
be counted on for another double digit scoring year with Roy Lassiter's
departure. Marco Etcheverry, the league's all-time assist leader (66) and
the only man to be named to the AT&T Best 11 four consecutive seasons,
looks to bring home another MLS Cup title. Midfielder Ben Olsen will
be counted on by Rongen to play an even larger role in 2000, especially
when Etcheverry and Moreno are gone for World Cup Qualifying. Defender
Jeff Agoos is considered by many experts to be the league's best
defender during the last four years. 1998 BIC Defender of the Year
Eddie Pope is finally injury-free and coming off a solid performance for
the U.S. against Chile in January. In the nets, Tom Presthus continues
to improve and Mark Simpson is a proven and capable backup.
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