The 2008 D.C. United season was the fourteenth year of the club's existence, as well as their thirteenth season in Major League Soccer and their thirteenth consecutive season in the top tier of the American soccer pyramid.

To fans and the media alike, this year marked a downfall for the franchise, as well as end to what was considered a "second golden age" for the club in league play. The justification behind this involved the United failing to defend the Supporters' Shield, an awarded given to the MLS club with the best regular season record, for a third-consecutive year. With a 10th-place overall finish and a 6th-place finish in the Eastern Conference, United finished the lowest in the conference and league tables since 2002. With the subpar record, United failed to make the playoffs, having qualified since 2003.

Their performance league play reflected on the continental stage as well. Finishing as the 2007 MLS Supporters' Shield winners, United qualified for the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League. The tournament replaced the obsolete CONCACAF Champions' Cup, and was modeled similarly to its cousin tournament, the UEFA Champions League. In the Champions League, United continued their misfortunes, losing all their Group stage matches at home, and only managing to pick up one draw at Costa Rica's Saprissa. United finished in the bottom of Group C, with a record of 0–1–5 (W-T-L).

In spite of the poorer performance in league and continental play, United excelled in the U.S. Open Cup play, ultimately winning the domestic title against Charleston Battery, 2–1. The domestic cup title was their first since their inaugural season. The U.S. Open Cup, a domestic cup tournament much similar to the FA Cup runs parallel to the regular seasons of all tiers of professional and amateur soccer in the United States. The tournament is open for entry for any soccer club, professional or amateur, that is affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. For MLS clubs, the top six American MLS clubs overall in the regular season are admitted entry into the third round proper, or round of 16, in the tournament. By finishing 1st overall in the regular season, United booked a third round entry in the tournament proper. The club opened Open Cup play with wins against Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division (second tier) and New England Revolution of MLS (first tier) in the third round and quarterfinals respectively. In the semifinals, United won in extra time to defeat Chicago Fire. In the championship, United defeated Charleston Battery of the USL Second Division (third tier) to win the Open Cup for a second time in club history.

Club

2008 roster

Transfers

In DatePlayerPositionPrevious clubFee/notesRef January 18, 2008 Ryan Cordeiro MF / FW University of Connecticut 2008 MLS SuperDraft, Round 3 selection January 22, 2008 Gonzalo Peralta DF Almirante Brown Free, Discovery Player January 29, 2008 Marcelo Gallardo MF Paris Saint-Germain Free March 1, 2008 Pat Carroll DF West Virginia University Free March 15, 2008 Quavas Kirk MF Los Angeles Galaxy Traded for Greg Vanney March 27, 2008 James Thorpe GK Franklin Pierce College Developmental contract April 17, 2008 Mike Zaher DF Toronto FC Traded for undisclosed SuperDraft pick April 23, 2008 Francis Doe FW New York Red Bulls Waived by New York, free transfer June 30, 2008 Craig Thompson MF Houston Dynamo Free July 16, 2008 Joe Vide MF San Jose Earthquakes Free July 31, 2008 Iván Guerrero MF San Jose Earthquakes Trade for partial allocation August 7, 2008 Louis Crayton GK Basel Undisclosed September 15, 2008 Ryan Miller DF / MF Cleveland City Stars Free September 16, 2008 Greg Janicki MF Pittsburgh Riverhounds Loaned, subsequently signed developmental contract

Loan

In PlayerPos.FromStartEndRef Franco Niell FW Argentinos Juniors January 22, 2008 June 28, 2008 (waived) Ibrahim Koroma DF Kallon September 1, 2008 January 31, 2009 Thabiso Khumalo MF / FW Pittsburgh Riverhounds September 1, 2008 January 31, 2009

Standings

Major League Soccer Conference Standings

Overall Table

CONCACAF Champions League Group A Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Marathón 6 4 1 1 12 5 +7 13 Cruz Azul 6 3 1 2 8 4 +4 10 Saprissa 6 3 1 2 7 9 −2 10 D.C. United 6 0 1 5 4 13 −9 1

Match results

MLS WinTieLoss

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersRef.March 29, 2008Kansas City WizardsA0–210,385April 5, 2008Toronto FCH4–120,161Emilio, Quaranta, Gallardo, MorenoApril 12, 2008Real Salt LakeA0-413,193April 17, 2008Columbus CrewH1–213,329NamoffApril 26, 2008Real Salt LakeH4-123,269Moreno (2), Quaranta, GallardoMay 4, 2008Colorado RapidsA0-213,115May 8, 2008Chicago FireH0–218,605May 17, 2008Chivas USAA1–313,113GallardoMay 21, 2008Toronto FCA0-119,791May 24, 2008Toronto FCH3–218,647Peralta, Moreno, EmilioMay 29, 2008New England RevolutionA2–28,159Emilio, FredJune 7, 2008Chicago FireA1–219,256Moreno, EmilioJune 14, 2008New York Red BullsH4-118,622Emilio (3), SimmsJune 22, 2008San Jose EarthquakesH3–117,922Simms, Martínez, EmilioJune 29, 2008Los Angeles GalaxyH4–135,979Moreno, Emilio (2), GallardoJuly 23, 2008Houston DynamoH0–214,460August 2, 2008Kansas City WizardsH2–018,731Emilio, MorenoAugust 10, 2008New York Red BullsA1-415,038MorenoAugust 16, 2008Chicago FireA0–119,560FredAugust 20, 2008New England RevolutionA1-214,962MorenoAugust 23, 2008Colorado RapidsH3–017,283Vide, Quaranta, KirkAugust 30, 2008New York Red BullsH0–015,616September 6, 2008San Jose EarthquakesA1-210,121QuarantaSeptember 13, 2008FC DallasH2–219,890Moreno, QuarantaSeptember 20, 2008Los Angeles GalaxyA2-527,000McTavish, KhumaloSeptember 28, 2008FC DallasA0-312,138October 4, 2008Chivas USAH0–328,145October 12, 2008Houston DynamoA0–017,531October 16, 2008New England RevolutionH2–116,672Doe (2)October 26, 2008Columbus CrewA0-119,591

CONCACAF Champions' Cup

WinTieLoss

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersRef.QFMarch 12, 2008 Harbour ViewA1–16,985McTavishQFMarch 18, 2008 Harbour ViewH5–012,394McTavish (2), Emilio (2), FredSFApril 1, 2008 PachucaA0–218,642Latest News MLSsoccer.com SFApril 9, 2008 PachucaH2–117,329Dyachenko, Niell

CONCACAF Champions League

WinTieLoss

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersRef.GSSeptember 16, 2008 SaprissaH0–26,105GSSeptember 24, 2008 MarathónA0-28,000GSOctober 1, 2008 Cruz AzulH0–17,124http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/matchreport/7169.pdf GSOctober 9, 2008 SaprissaA2–210,000Doe, DyachenkoGSOctober 21, 2008 Cruz AzulA0-24,265GSOctober 29, 2008 MarathónH2–47,156Doe, Janicki

U.S. Open Cup

WinTieLoss

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersRef.R3July 1, 2008Rochester RhinosH2–02,752Burch (2)QFJuly 8, 2008Chicago FireH2–1 (a.e.t.)4,118Doe, NamoffSFAugust 12, 2008New England RevolutionH3–16,797Emilio (2), QuarantaFSeptember 3, 2008Charleston BatteryH2–18,212Emilio, Fred

References