April 6 marks the 20th anniversary of Major League Soccer’s first-ever match. The meeting, which featured D.C. United against the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes), was played in front of more than 31,000 fans in San Jose State University's Spartan Stadium.
Starting Lineups for the First MLS Match
<strong>San Jose Clash</strong> |
<strong>D.C. United</strong> |
Tom Liner (GK) |
Jeff Causey (GK) |
Troy Dayak (D) |
Jeff Agoos (D) |
John Doyle (D) |
Said Fazlagic (D) |
Michael Emenalo (D) |
Mario Gori (D) |
Tim Martin (D) |
Thor Lee (D) |
Paul Bravo (M) |
Marco Etcheverry (M) |
Ben Iroha (M) |
John Harkes (M) |
Victor Mella (M) |
Shawn Medved (M) |
Jorge Rodas (M) |
Richie Williams (M) |
Jeff Baicher (F) |
Raul Diaz Arce (F) |
Eric Wynalda (F) |
Juan Suarez (F) |
After playing to a 0-0 deadlock for the majority of the match--in which nerves on both sides were apparent, understandably, given the magnitude of the event--the Clash found an outlet when Eric Wynalda received the ball on the left side of field two minutes from time. The San Jose forward cut past D.C. defender Jeff Agoos before curling a stunning finish inside the far post, giving the home fans something big to cheer about on this auspicious occasion for the sport.
Despite the loss and a slow start to the season, the Black-and-Red managed to turn things around in the second half of the campaign, and finished second in the Eastern Conference regular season standings. Led by experienced internationals including John Harkes, Raul DÃaz Arce, and Marco Etcheverry, United started to find their form at just the right time. Playoff wins against the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the Tampa Bay Mutiny pitted United in the first-ever MLS Cup final against another California rival, the LA Galaxy.
Over 34,000 dedicated fans braved a torrential downpour to pack Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as United emerged 3-2 winners thanks to a 94th-minute winner from Eddie Pope. The win marked the beginning of United’s golden run of success in the first years of the league, as the Black-and-Red established themselves early on as one of the league’s storied clubs. United went on to win the U.S. Open Cup in the same year, and have subsequently added 11 more trophies to their name, including MLS Cups in 1997, 1999, and 2004 as well as the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup in 1998; and the U.S. Open Cup in 1996, 2008, and 2013.
