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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Rain or shine, D.C. United is the Major
League Soccer champion.
Three years after overcoming a torrential rain and a two-goal
deficit to beat the Los Angeles Galaxy in the inaugural MLS Cup,
the United won the rematch 2-0 on Sunday for their third title in
the league's four-year history.
|  | | With the ball tucked under his shirt, Marco Etcheverry is mobbed by D.C. United teammates after winning the MLS Cup. |
"Four years, four finals," D.C. midfielder Marco Etcheverry
said while looking for a match to light his victory cigar. "If you
can win the championship, you always feel happy."
Jaime Moreno scored in the 19th minute, and Washington made it
2-0 when Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman badly misplayed a ball in
front and passed it to Ben Olsen for a virtual empty-netter.
"What can I say? I couldn't miss that one," said Olsen, who
now has an MLS Cup Most Valuable Player Award to add to last
season's Rookie of the Year. "Believe me, I'm not the MVP of the
game. Marco was out there, Jamie and the rest. I just jump on their
backs and they carry me."
D.C. defeated the Colorado Rapids in the 1997 MLS Cup but lost in the final last season to the Chicago Fire.
"We remember the feeling we had last year. It was bitter
disappointment," said Eddie Pope, who scored the game-winner in
overtime of the 1996 game. "We waited all year for this. We didn't
want to do that again."
A crowd of 44,910 enjoyed a 63-degree day -- a sharp contrast to
the rain-soaked '96 championship, when D.C. rallied from a
two-goal deficit to tie it before Pope won it in overtime.
There was no comeback this time. None was needed.
D.C. took the lead in the 19th minute when Etcheverry's cross
was headed into the center by Steve Jolley, who entered in the
ninth minute to replace the injured Robin Fraser. Roy Lassiter's
shot was stopped by Hartman, but the rebound deflected off Lassiter to
Moreno, who beat the sprawling goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Los Angeles had a chance in the 32nd minute, but Danny Pena's
shot went off the post and Richie Williams cleared the rebound from Carlos Hermosillo off the goal line.
D.C. made it 2-0 at halftime in the third minute of injury
time when Hartman chose not to pick up a rolling ball and dribbled
into trouble. After escaping one attacker, he kicked it directly to
Olsen; Hartman was in no position to recover, and Olsen lofted it
easily toward the back of the net.
Hartman was the league's top goalkeeper this season with a 0.91
goals-against average. But may have been a bit foggy after getting
kicked in the head by Moreno while making a nice save minutes
earlier.
"Instead of clearing the ball, he got his foot stuck," Galaxy
coach Sigi Schmid said. "It was just a bad decision. But how can I
fault Kevin at this stage when he's played so well for us?"
The Galaxy played most of the game without Fraser, their captain
and the MLS defender of the year, who broke his collarbone after
being pushed from behind by Lassiter in the seventh minute.
"When you rely on somebody as heavily as we have the entire
year ... it's a matter of almost totally having to relearn the
game," Hartman said.
No foul was called. The Galaxy also complained that the referee
failed to call a penalty when Cobi Jones was taken down near the
penalty box late in the first half.
"He made a mistake," Jones said. "I don't care anymore, I've
had it. I've had it with the refereeing."
The losing team also griped about the poor condition of the
field, which was used Monday night for an NFL game between the New
England Patriots and the New York Jets. Both teams struggled all
game trying to control the ball as it bounced on the rock-hard
surface, which had a stripe of dirt running from goal to goal where
the grass was worn.
"There's no question about it, on both goals the field
conditions had a lot to do with it," defender Paul Caligiuri said.
"Soccer is much like golf. It's so important that you have good
surfaces."
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ALSO SEE
Soccer Scoreboard
Galaxy stars frustrated in loss
Major League Soccer playoff schedule
RECAPS
Washington DC 2
Los Angeles 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jaime Moreno beats Kevin Hartman for the first goal in the 19th minute.
avi: 701 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ben Olsen nets United's second goal.
avi: 693 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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