5 January 2010 - Benny's Back In Black (And Red)

On 5 January 2010, DC United hired their former captain, Ben Olsen, as an assistant manager. Seven months later, he took full charge of the club.

A tenacious midfielder, Olsen joined DC United for the 1998 season after three years at the University of Virginia (where his first coach was then-DC manager Bruce Arena). He was named the league's Rookie of the Year as DC finished as runners-up to Chicago in the MLS Cup and won both the CONCACAF Champions League and the Copa Interamericana.

The following year he won the first of two MLS Cups and was the tournament's most valuable player. He won his second MLS Cup in 2004 and a US Open Cup in 2008. Injuries dogged his career, however, forcing his retirement in 2009 after 221 league appearances.

His retirement was short-lived as he returned to DC United in 2010 as an assistant to new manager Curt Onalfo. But a poor start to the season led the club to sack Onalfo in August 2010 and appoint Olsen as the interim manager, then confirmed his permanent status that November, making the then-33-year old the league's youngest manager.

After a difficult finish in 2010 and another rough season in 2011, Olsen guided the team to an improved record in 2012, reaching the MLS playoffs for the first time in five seasons and making it all the way to the conference finals before falling to Houston. 

25 October 1998 - Chicago Denies DC

On 25 October 1998, the Chicago Fire, playing in their first season, won the MLS Cup over two-time champions DC United.

Chicago had compiled an impressive record of 20 wins and 12 losses to reach 56 points on the season, third-best in the league behind the LA Galaxy (68) and DC United (58). In the playoffs, they beat the Colorado Rapids in the conference semifinals, then advanced over the Galaxy in a conference final shootout to reach the MLS Cup.

The final was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where Chicago faced DC United, winners of the first two MLS Cups in 1996 and 1997. DC boasted one of the league's most potent attacks. Featuring forwards Roy Lassiter and Jaime Moreno, DC had scored a total of 81 goals, second only to the Galaxy's 85.

Chicago, however, managed to hold DC scoreless in the final while getting two goals of their own from striker Jerzy Podbrożny (29') and midfielder Diego Gutiérrez (45'). Both goals were assisted by midfielder Piotr Nowak (pictured), was was named the game's most valuable player.

It remains Chicago's only MLS Cup, though they finished as runners-up in 2000 and 2003. DC went on to win it again in 1999 and 2004.

20 October 1996 - That's Not Really A Cup, Though, Now Is It?

On 20 October 1996, DC United rallied from a two-goal deficit to win the first MLS Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

LA and DC finished with the second- and third-best records, respectively, in that first MLS season, behind the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In the playoffs, the Galaxy advanced with wins over the San Jose Clash and the Kansas City Wiz, while DC reached the final by beating the NY/NJ MetroStars and Tampa Bay.

They met at a rainy Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, where LA striker Eduardo Hurtado gave his team an early lead with a 4th-minute goal. His teammate, midfielder Chris Armas then doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a goal that appeared to secure the trophy for the Galaxy.

But DC came storming back late in the second half, getting scores from substitute midfielders Tony Sanneh (72') and Shawn Medved (81') to send the match into extra time, where a 94th-minute goal from United defender Eddie Pope sealed the comeback victory.

DC went on to appear in the next three MLS Cup finals, repeating as champions in 1997 and winning it for a third time in a 1999 rematch with the Galaxy.

29 May 2011 - It Really Shouldn't Be That Difficult

On 29 May 2011, DC United beat Portland 2-3, but not without a little penalty kick controversy.

Portland, in their first MLS season, were hosting DC at Jeld-Wen Field. In the 64th minute, with DC leading 0-1, the referee awarded a penalty kick to Portland after defender Dejan Jaković dragged Portland striker Kenny Cooper down in the box. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid guessed correctly and blocked the shot, but was flagged for coming off his line too early.

Cooper took the re-kick with Hamid blocking the shot again, but the keeper was once more flagged for coming off his line. Replays confirmed the linesman's call on both shots, though the second one was slightly more subjective, as Hamid's movement was relatively minor. For the third attempt, Portland replaced Cooper with Jack Jewsbury, who buried the kick to level the score.

The ordeal turned out to be a minor footnote as DC won 2-3 after Chris Pontius converted a penalty kick of their own and Josh Wolff added a late cushion.

3 January 2003 - Nowak Calls Time On His Playing Career

On 3 January 2003, the Chicago Fire traded team captain Piotr Nowak to New England, but he retired about a month later before suiting up for his new club.

The Polish international midfielder joined Chicago in 1998 after a four-year tenure with 1860 Munich that saw him named Poland's Player of the Year (1996) and the Bundesliga's best playmaker (1995-96). He made an immediate impact with the fledgling MLS side, who named him the team MVP in his first season as they won the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup.

More successes followed, including another US Open Cup in 2000, as Nowak collected two more MVP awards in 2000 and 2001. By the end of the 2002 season, he set the club's current all-time assist record at 48. But salary cap considerations led Chicago to trade their then-38-year old captain to New England for the 2003 season. Later that year, Chicago made him the first inductee in their "Ring of Fire," honoring past players.

Just over one month after the trade announcement, Nowak chose to retire rather than continue his playing career in New England. He wasn't done with football altogether, however, as he took over as manager of DC United in 2004, winning that season's MLS Cup. He left DC in 2006 to work with the US national team and, in 2009, became the first head coach for the Philadelphia Union. He later took charge of Antigua and Barbuda and is currently the manager of Polish club Lechia Gdańsk.

26 September 1970 - The Number Of This Beast Was 10

On 26 September 1970, DC United playmaker Marco Etcheverry was born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Widely regard as one of Bolivia's greatest players, he was named in 2005 as one of the MLS All-Time Best XI.

Nicknamed "El Diablo," he started his professional career in 1986 and played for a handful of teams in South America and Spain before moving to DC United in 1996 for the inaugural MLS season. By that time, he was an established Bolivian international, with over 30 caps, including a single appearance in the 1994 World Cup in which he was sent off for a foul on Germany's Lothar Matthäus only three minutes after coming on as a substitute.

In that first season in DC, he was instrumental in leading United to the MLS Cup, including scoring the only goal in DC's victory over the NY/NJ MetroStars in the Eastern Conference semifinals en route to being named the tournament MVP. In eight seasons with DC, he won two more MLS Cups (1997, 1999), the US Open Cup (1996), and two Supporters Shields for having the league's best record (1997, 1999).

Individually, he was named the league MVP in 1998 and was included in the MLS All-Star team in each of his first four seasons. By the time he left DC in 2003, he was the club's leader in several statistical categories including assists (101) and appearances (191).

After leaving DC in 2003, he played briefly for Bolívar (where he had played in 1990-91), then retired in 2004.

8 February 1966 - He Should've Limited The Striking To The Ball

On 8 February 1966, European Footballer of the Year and World Cup Golden Boot winner Hristo Stoichkov was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

A winger/forward, he first rose to international prominence with CSKA Sofia, where his 38 goals in the 1989-90 season made him Europe's highest goalscorer. But he also created a reputation as a loose cannon, receiving a brief suspension from football for his involvement in a fight during the 1985 Bulgarian Cup.

In 1990, he moved to Barcelona. He soon became a fan favorite as Barça enjoyed one of their most successful periods, winning five La Liga titles (including four straight from 1991-94) and the 1992 European Cup. Guiding Bulgaria to the third-place playoff match at the 1994 World Cup, he contributed six goals to finish as the tournament's joint top scorer. He won the Ballon d'Or that year as Europe's greatest player.

But his hot temper followed him to Barcelona and, in his first season there, he received another brief suspension for stamping on a referee's foot. He eventually left Barça in 1995 and started a wandering journey that included stays with Parma (1995-96), Barcelona again (1996-98), CSKA Sofia again (1998), Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr (1998), and J-League side Kashiwa Reysol (1998-99).

In 2000, he moved to the United States to play two season with the Chicago Fire and one, his last, with DC United. During that last season, he again stirred up controversy by breaking the leg of a player from American University during a scrimmage with DC United, receiving a suspension and $2,000 fine.

24 July 2007 - Not To Be Confused With The Danish Top Flight

On 24 July 2007, the first two matches of the inaugural SuperLiga competition were played in California and Texas.

Intended to be a smaller North American version of the UEFA Champions League, the competition includes US and Canadian teams from MLS, as well as teams from Mexico's Primera División, drawing four teams from each league. The teams play a group stage with two 4-team groups. The top two teams from each group then advance to the knockout stages, which consist of the semi-finals and the final.

For the inaugural tournament, the teams were chosen by invitation. MLS selected DC United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, and LA Galaxy, while the Primera División chose Monarcas Morelia, Pachuca, América, and Guadalajara. In those first matches, FC Dallas drew 1-1 with Guadalajara, while the Galaxy defeated Pachuca 2-1 with an 81st minute matchwinner from Landon Donovan.

Both LA and Pachuca advanced from their group and faced each other again in the Final, where Pachuca got their revenge, winning on penalties 1-1 (3-4).

17 April 2004 - Adu A-Does It

On 17 April 2004, D.C. United's Freddy Adu became the youngest goalscorer in MLS history before a crowd of 31,419 at New York's Giants Stadium.

At 14 years, 320 days, the Ghanian-born U.S. international entered the match in the 54th minute, replacing Alecko Eskandarian. D.C. was trailing 3-1 when Adu put a six-yard shot past MetroStars goalkeeper Jonny Walker in the 75th minute. That was the last goal of the match, however, which ended 3-2 in favor of the MetroStars.

Despite the loss, D.C. went on to win the MLS Cup that year, with Eskandarian claiming the honors for the league's Most Valuable Player.

Adu stayed with United through the 2005-06 season, making a total of 87 appearances and scoring 11 goals. 

Photo copyrighted by Bill Kostroun - AP.

16 January 2004 - It Looked Like A Good Idea At The Time

On 16 January 2004, DC United selected 14-year old Freddy Adu with the first pick of the MLS SuperDraft.

The pick was a formality, as DC has already signed Adu to a contract the previous November and acquired the first pick in a trade with the Dallas Burn. The deal was brokered by MLS in effort to keep Adu close to his hometown in Maryland. He became the youngest player drafted in MLS history, breaking the previous record set by Bobby Convey and Santino Quaranta, both drafted by DC United at sixteen.

Adu remained with DC for only three seasons before moving to Real Salt Lake in 2007, starting a journey that saw him play for another seven clubs over the next six years.

Other players drafted that year included future international stars Clint Dempsey (USA), taken eighth by New England, and Ramón Núñez (Honduras), picked sixth by Dallas.

16 August 1998 - Later, More Than 50,000 Claimed They Were There

On 16 August 1998, DC United became the first team from the US to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, beating Toluca 1-0 in the final.

Established in 1962, the Champions Cup (now known as the CONCACAF Champions League) is the federation's premier club competition, comparable in scope to the UEFA Champions League and South America's Copa Libertadores. For over thirty-five years, however, no team from the United States had ever won the competition. Indeed, none of them had even reached the final until the Los Angeles Galaxy managed it in 1997 (but lost to Cruz Azul).

As the reigning MLS Cup holders, DC United entered the 1998 competition in the quarterfinals. They didn't have to travel far, as DC's RFK Stadium hosted all of the remaining matches from that point forward, including the final, which saw United up against Toluca, the Mexican Primera División title holders.

A meager crowd of just 12,600 showed up, but the ones that did were rewarded with Eddie Pope's match-winner in the 41st minute.

DC has yet to return to the final, although other MLS teams have; the Galaxy won it in 2000 and Real Salt Lake finished as runners-up in 2011. Toluca, meanwhile, returned twice more, winning it in 2003.

28 July 2012 - Zlatan Gets Off To A Quick Start

On 28 July 2012, Zlatan Ibrahimović wasted no time settling in with his new club, Paris Saint-Germain, scoring on his debut.

He completed the move about ten days earlier, joining PSG from Milan for a reported transfer fee of close to €20M. That brought his total career transfer fees to €180M in aggregate, breaking the record previously held by Nicolas Anelka as the world's most expensive footballer.

His first match with PSG was a friendly against DC United as part of the 2012 World Football Challenge. DC hosted the match at RFK Stadium, where it was delayed for 45 minutes because of a thunderstorm. Once it kicked off, however, Ibrahimović lived up to his reputation as one of the world's best strikers by scoring in the third minute--he received the ball just inside DC's eighteen-yard line, beat a defender, and fired a left-footed blast into the far bottom corner.

DC equalized with a Dwayne DeRosario penalty kick in the 33rd minute and the game ended 1-1.

Ibrahimović's goal was the first of 35 he scored that season in all competitions, including 30 in Ligue 1, making him the French top flight's leading scorer. PSG also won the title, their first since 1994.

5 January 2010 - Benny's Back In Black (And Red)

On 5 January 2010, DC United hired their former captain, Ben Olsen, as an assistant manager. Seven months later, he took full charge of the club.

A tenacious midfielder, Olsen joined DC United for the 1998 season after three years at the University of Virginia (where his first coach was then-DC manager Bruce Arena). He was named the league's Rookie of the Year as DC finished as runners-up to Chicago in the MLS Cup and won both the CONCACAF Champions League and the Copa Interamericana.

The following year he won the first of two MLS Cups and was the tournament's most valuable player. He won his second MLS Cup in 2004 and a US Open Cup in 2008. Injuries dogged his career, however, forcing his retirement in 2009 after 221 league appearances.

His retirement was short-lived as he returned to DC United in 2010 as an assistant to new manager Curt Onalfo. But a poor start to the season led the club to sack Onalfo in August 2010 and appoint Olsen as the interim manager, then confirmed his permanent status that November, making the then-33-year old the league's youngest manager.

After a difficult finish in 2010 and another rough season in 2011, Olsen guided the team to an improved record in 2012, reaching the MLS playoffs for the first time in five seasons and making it all the way to the conference finals before falling to Houston.

25 October 1998 - Chicago Denies DC

On 25 October 1998, the Chicago Fire, playing in their first season, won the MLS Cup over two-time champions DC United.

Chicago had compiled an impressive record of 20 wins and 12 losses to reach 56 points on the season, third-best in the league behind the LA Galaxy (68) and DC United (58). In the playoffs, they beat the Colorado Rapids in the conference semifinals, then advanced over the Galaxy in a conference final shootout to reach the MLS Cup.

The final was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where Chicago faced DC United, winners of the first two MLS Cups in 1996 and 1997. DC boasted one of the league's most potent attacks. Featuring forwards Roy Lassiter and Jaime Moreno, DC had scored a total of 81 goals, second only to the Galaxy's 85.

Chicago, however, managed to hold DC scoreless in the final while getting two goals of their own from striker Jerzy Podbrożny (29') and midfielder Diego Gutiérrez (45'). Both goals were assisted by midfielder Piotr Nowak (pictured), was was named the game's most valuable player.

It remains Chicago's only MLS Cup, though they finished as runners-up in 2000 and 2003. DC went on to win it again in 1999 and 2004.

20 October 1996 - That's Not Really A Cup, Though, Now Is It?

On 20 October 1996, DC United rallied from a two-goal deficit to win the first MLS Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

LA and DC finished with the second- and third-best records, respectively, in that first MLS season, behind the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In the playoffs, the Galaxy advanced with wins over the San Jose Clash and the Kansas City Wiz, while DC reached the final by beating the NY/NJ MetroStars and Tampa Bay.

They met at a rainy Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, where LA striker Eduardo Hurtado gave his team an early lead with a 4th-minute goal. His teammate, midfielder Chris Armas then doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a goal that appeared to secure the trophy for the Galaxy.

But DC came storming back late in the second half, getting scores from substitute midfielders Tony Sanneh (72') and Shawn Medved (81') to send the match into extra time, where a 94th-minute goal from United defender Eddie Pope sealed the comeback victory.

DC went on to appear in the next three MLS Cup finals, repeating as champions in 1997 and winning it for a third time in a 1999 rematch with the Galaxy.

29 May 2011 - It Really Shouldn't Be That Difficult

On 29 May 2011, DC United beat Portland 2-3, but not without a little penalty kick controversy.

Portland, in their first MLS season, were hosting DC at Jeld-Wen Field. In the 64th minute, with DC leading 0-1, the referee awarded a penalty kick to Portland after defender Dejan Jaković dragged Portland striker Kenny Cooper down in the box. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid guessed correctly and blocked the shot, but was flagged for coming off his line too early.

Cooper took the re-kick with Hamid blocking the shot again, but the keeper was once more flagged for coming off his line. Replays confirmed the linesman's call on both shots, though the second one was slightly more subjective, as Hamid's movement was relatively minor. For the third attempt, Portland replaced Cooper with Jack Jewsbury, who buried the kick to level the score.

The ordeal turned out to be a minor footnote as DC won 2-3 after Chris Pontius converted a penalty kick of their own and Josh Wolff added a late cushion.

3 January 2003 - Nowak Calls Time On His Playing Career

On 3 January 2003, the Chicago Fire traded team captain Piotr Nowak to New England, but he retired about a month later before suiting up for his new club.

The Polish international midfielder joined Chicago in 1998 after a four-year tenure with 1860 Munich that saw him named Poland's Player of the Year (1996) and the Bundesliga's best playmaker (1995-96). He made an immediate impact with the fledgling MLS side, who named him the team MVP in his first season as they won the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup.

More successes followed, including another US Open Cup in 2000, as Nowak collected two more MVP awards in 2000 and 2001. By the end of the 2002 season, he set the club's current all-time assist record at 48. But salary cap considerations led Chicago to trade their then-38-year old captain to New England for the 2003 season. Later that year, Chicago made him the first inductee in their "Ring of Fire," honoring past players.

Just over one month after the trade announcement, Nowak chose to retire rather than continue his playing career in New England. He wasn't done with football altogether, however, as he took over as manager of DC United in 2004, winning that season's MLS Cup. He left DC in 2006 to work with the US national team and, in 2009, became the first head coach for the Philadelphia Union.

26 September 1970 - The Number Of This Beast Was 10

On 26 September 1970, DC United playmaker Marco Etcheverry was born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Widely regard as one of Bolivia's greatest players, he was named in 2005 as one of the MLS All-Time Best XI.

Nicknamed "El Diablo," he started his professional career in 1986 and played for a handful of teams in South America and Spain before moving to DC United in 1996 for the inaugural MLS season. By that time, he was an established Bolivian international, with over 30 caps, including a single appearance in the 1994 World Cup in which he was sent off for a foul on Germany's Lothar Matthäus only three minutes after coming on as a substitute.

In that first season in DC, he was instrumental in leading United to the MLS Cup, including scoring the only goal in DC's victory over the NY/NJ MetroStars in the Eastern Conference semifinals en route to being named the tournament MVP. In eight seasons with DC, he won two more MLS Cups (1997, 1999), the US Open Cup (1996), and two Supporters Shields for having the league's best record (1997, 1999).

Individually, he was named the league MVP in 1998 and was included in the MLS All-Star team in each of his first four seasons. By the time he left DC in 2003, he was the club's leader in several statistical categories including assists (101) and appearances (191).

After leaving DC in 2003, he played briefly for Bolívar (where he had played in 1990-91), then retired in 2004.

8 February 1966 - He Should've Limited The Striking To The Ball

On 8 February 1966, future European Footballer of the Year and World Cup Golden Boot winner Hristo Stoichkov was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

A winger/forward, he first rose to international prominence with CSKA Sofia, where his 38 goals in the 1989-90 season made him Europe's highest goalscorer. But he also created a reputation as a loose cannon, receiving a brief suspension from football for his involvement in a fight during the 1985 Bulgarian Cup.

In 1990, he moved to Barcelona. He soon became a fan favorite as Barça enjoyed one of their most successful periods, winning five La Liga titles (including four straight from 1991-94) and the 1992 European Cup. Guiding Bulgaria to the third-place playoff match at the 1994 World Cup, he contributed six goals to finish as the tournament's joint top scorer. He won the Ballon d'Or that year as Europe's greatest player.

But his hot temper followed him to Barcelona and, in his first season there, he received another brief suspension for stamping on a referee's foot. He eventually left Barça in 1995 and started a wandering journey that included stays with Parma (1995-96), Barcelona again (1996-98), CSKA Sofia again (1998), Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr (1998), and J-League side Kashiwa Reysol (1998-99).

In 2000, he moved to the United States to play two season with the Chicago Fire and one, his last, with DC United. During that last season, he again stirred up controversy by breaking the leg of a player from American University during a scrimmage with DC United, receiving a suspension and $2,000 fine.