The Good Ole’ Days of MLS

Many forget that the days before MLS’ became solely dedicated to spreading parity across the league that DC United had emerged as a “super club.” Not only did DC United reach the MLS Cup finals in each of the league’s first four seasons, but they provided MLS some much needed credibility on the international stage. After surprisingly winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup DC United shocked the world with an aggregate 2-1 victory over legendary Brazilian club Vasco De Gama. After losing the home leg 1-0, DC United won the away leg 2-0 on goals by Tony Sanneh and Eddie Pope. Sanneh’s performance was so impressive that Bundesliga Club Hertha Berlin signed him within weeks despite the fact that he was not even a regular for the US National Team. In addition, DC United got a full write up in World Soccer magazine, a first for an MLS club. The article dubbed United “Champions of the Americas.” All of the international competition did put a clamp on DC’s MLS Cup aspirations as they lost the cup final to Chicago in between the two legs of the Inter-American cup.