Does everybody know the first time that both D.C. United and the New England Revolution both made the MLS Playoffs in the same year? That’s right, 1997. The teams met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and D.C. won the best-of-three game series in a sweep. Does everybody know the second time that both teams made the MLS Playoffs in the same season? Hmmm…not as obvious is it? The second time was in 2003. Whoa. That means that in the first seven years of Major League Soccer, there was only one season where they both made the playoffs. That’s CRAZY! Especially when you consider that, for many of those years, pretty much everybody made the playoffs.
As you read on Monday, the 2003 season marked the beginning of the heated rivalry between United and the Revolution. Casual observers think that the rivalry stems from the 2004 Eastern Conference Final, but that match did not start the rivalry, it cemented it. Saturday is a big day for D.C. United; the home opener, the chance to stop thinking about that KC game, the It Takes More Concert Series starring Wale, and the newest edition of D.C. United and the New England Revolution. The team is going to need the best fans in MLS to do their part at the Stadium, so let me bring to mind some of the classic battles between D.C. and New England since the 2003 season. Whether wins or losses, remembering these matches will get the competitive juices flowing for First Kick RFK.
July 27, 2003 (Gillette Stadium) – Taylor Twellman scored two goals five minutes apart in the first half to send New England on their way. The goals held up until the 83rd minute, when Eliseo Quintanilla scored. His goal began on of the most incredible comebacks in league history. D.C. United scored four goals over the final 10 minutes to turn a two-goal deficit into an improbable 4-2 win. Quintanilla tied the game on a penalty in stoppage time (91’) and Dema Kovalenko and Alecko Eskandarian each added goals in the 93’ minute.
October 11, 2003 (Gillette Stadium) – With only three matches left in the regular season, the two sides were battling for a playoff spot. A win for either team clinched a playoff berth, but the match was scoreless for 90 minutes. In overtime (this was back when MLS had overtime during the regular season), New England was rewarded a dubious penalty kick, which Steve Ralston converted for the golden goal.
October 9, 2004 (RFK Stadium) – In the penultimate game of the regular season, D.C. United earned a 1-0 victory, courtesy of the first game-winning goal in the illustrious career of Christian Gomez. This game was the second of three straight wins to end the regular season, sending United into the playoffs in style.
November 6, 2004 (RFK Stadium) – It was quite possibly the best game in MLS history. The intensity was extraordinary, the goals were beautiful and the atmosphere was electric. The stars came out in full force as the teams’ best players made the biggest contributions. The goal scorers were Eskandarian, Twellman, Moreno, Ralston, Gomez and Noonan. Regulation ended in a 3-3 tie, there was no golden goal, and D.C. United won the penalty shootout to advance to the MLS Cup Final.
April 23, 2005 (RFK Stadium) – In the first meeting since the Eastern Conference Final, New England topped the defending champions 4-3. Clint Dempsey scored the final goal on a diving header and began his celebration. Dempsey ran to the outline of home plate (clearly visible since the Washington Nationals shared RFK at the time) and pretended to hit a home-run, adding insult to the loss.
June 18, 2005 (RFK Stadium) – Two months after the first meeting of the season and eleven matches into the season, the Revolution returned to D.C. as the only MLS team that was still undefeated. They did not leave that way. Quaranta and Moreno scored two minutes apart in the first quarter hour to hand the Revs their first loss of the year.
November 5, 2006 (RFK Stadium) – The two teams met for the second time in three seasons with a berth in the Final at stake. Taylor Twellman scored the game-winning goal in the 4th minute. Though D.C. United attacked and threatened the entire match, but never managed to break through New England’s defense.
September 9, 2007 (RFK Stadium) – With the playoffs on the horizon, D.C. United was focusing on earning the top spot in the Eastern Conference. With a win, the Revolution had an opportunity to seriously tighten the race. New England erased an early deficit and led 2-1 in the second half. Jaime Moreno tied the match with a typically smooth goal, restoring the momentum to D.C. Luciano Emilio, who capitalized on momentum as well as any other player in franchise history, scored the game-winning goal and the insurance goal down the stretch to earn the victory and send United on their way to their second straight Supporters’ Shield.
April 17, 2009 (RFK Stadium) – Shalrie Joseph opened the scoring early in the second half, and despite several good chances, United hit the 90-minute mark still trailing. In stoppage time, Jamie Moreno curled a free kick into a crowded penalty area. Crashing in at the back post was Ben Olsen, who beat his defender and headed home the equalizer. D.C. United stole a point away from the jaws of defeat much to the delight of the raucous home crowd. It was the final goal of Ben Olsen’s career.
