2003 D.C. United season

D.C. United
2003 season
Owner	D.C. United Holdings
Head coach	Ray Hudson
MLS	7th
MLS Cup	Conference Semifinals
U.S. Open Cup	Semifinals
Atlantic Cup	Runners-up
Top goalscorer	League: ; All: Kovalenko; Etcheverry (06)

The 2003 D.C. United season was the clubs' ninth year of existence, as well as their seventh season in Major League Soccer.

Led by Ray Hudson, D.C. United's 2003 campaign was highlighted by the club's return to the MLS Cup Playoffs, their first postseason appearance since 1999. In the playoffs, United who didn't qualify for the playoffs until the final day of the regular season, took on the Eastern Conference regular season champions, Chicago Fire. The Fire defeated United 4–0 on aggregates in the conference semifinals, winning each leg by a 2–0 margin of victory.

Review

November

On November 1, 2003, D.C. United played their first playoff match in nearly four years, entering the 2003 MLS Cup Playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the Conference semifinals, United faced the Eastern Conference regular season champions, Chicago Fire. The two-match, aggregate series was first contested at United's RFK Stadium. The match ended in a 2–0 defeat thanks to goals from the Fire's Andy Williams and Ante Razov in the 4th and 94th minutes, respectively.[1]

A week later, on November 9, 2003, the second leg was played at Chicago Fire's Soldier Field, where the Fire defeated United by the same 2–0 scoreline, thus ultimately winning the series 4–0 on aggregate, and advancing to the Eastern Conference championship. The defeat ended United's playoff campaign and their season altogether.

Competitions

Major League Soccer

Standings

Eastern Conference

Pos	Club	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Chicago Fire (E1) (SS)	30	15	7	8	53	43	10	53	Supporters' Shield, 2003 MLS Cup Playoffs
2	New England Revolution	30	12	9	9	55	47	8	45	2003 MLS Cup Playoffs
3	MetroStars	30	11	10	9	40	40	0	42
4	D.C. United	30	10	11	9	38	36	2	39
5	Columbus Crew	30	10	12	8	44	44	0	38

Overall table

Pos	Club	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Chicago Fire (E1) (SS)	30	15	7	8	53	43	10	53	2003 MLS Cup Playoffs, 2004 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
2	San Jose Earthquakes (W1)	30	14	7	9	45	35	10	51	2003 MLS Cup Playoffs, 2004 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
3	New England Revolution	30	12	9	9	55	47	8	45	2003 MLS Cup Playoffs
4	Kansas City Wizards	30	11	10	9	48	44	4	42
5	MetroStars	30	11	10	9	40	40	0	42
6	Colorado Rapids	30	11	12	7	40	45	-5	40
7	D.C. United	30	10	11	9	38	36	2	39
8	Columbus Crew	30	10	12	8	44	44	0	38
9	Los Angeles Galaxy	30	9	12	9	35	35	0	36	2003 MLS Cup Playoffs
10	Dallas Burn	30	6	19	5	35	64	-29	23

Match results

April 12, 2003 1	Kansas City Wizards	3–2 (a.e.t.)	D.C. United	Kansas City, Missouri
16:00 ET	Preki 3' Klein 61' Brown 92'	Report	Petke 36' Quaranta 46'	Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium

April 19, 2003 2	D.C. United	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Chicago Fire	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

April 26, 2003 3	Colorado Rapids	1–1 (a.e.t.)	D.C. United	Denver, Colorado
17:00 ET	Spencer 24' (pen.)	Report	Etcheverry 7'	Stadium: Invesco Field

May 3, 2003 4	D.C. United	0–0 (a.e.t.)	Dallas Burn	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

May 10, 2003 5	MetroStars	1–0	D.C. United	East Rutherford, New Jersey
15:30 ET	Mathis	Report		Stadium: Giants Stadium

May 17, 2003 6	D.C. United	1–1	Kansas City Wizards	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

May 31, 2003 7	Dallas Burn	3–2	D.C. United	Southlake, Texas
15:30 ET		Report		Stadium: Dragon Stadium

June 7, 2003 8	D.C. United	2–0	Chicago Fire	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET				Stadium: RFK Stadium

June 11, 2003 9	Colorado Rapids	0–0 (a.e.t.)	D.C. United	Denver, Colorado
17:30 ET				Stadium: Invesco Field

June 14, 2003 10	D.C. United	3–0	Columbus Crew	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET				Stadium: RFK Stadium

June 21, 2003 11	D.C. United	1–1	New England Revolution	Washington, D.C.
15:30 ET				Stadium: RFK Stadium

June 28, 2003 12	Columbus Crew	3–0	D.C. United	Columbus, Ohio
15:30 ET				Stadium: Crew Stadium

July 2, 2003 13	Dallas Burn	1–3	D.C. United	Southlake, Texas
17:00 ET				Stadium: Dragon Stadium

July 5, 2003 14	D.C. United	2–3	MetroStars	Washington, D.C.
12:00 ET				Stadium: RFK Stadium

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MLS Cup Playoffs

November 1, 2003 Conf. SF	D.C. United	0–2	Chicago Fire	Washington, D.C. United States
		Report	Williams 4' Razov 94'	Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 15,202 Referee: George Gansner

November 9, 2003 Conf. SF	Chicago Fire	2–0 (4–0 agg.)	D.C. United	Chicago United States
		Report		Stadium: Soldier Field Attendance: 15,312

U.S. Open Cup

July 16, 2003 Third round	D.C. United	2–1	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	Germantown, Maryland United States
	Petke 33' Kovalenko 44'	Report	Wright 37' Tripoli 41' Villar 59' Martins 74' Chulis 83'	Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,073 Referee: Hector Tobon

August 6, 2003 Fourth round	D.C. United	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Virginia Beach Mariners	Germantown, Maryland United States
	Petke 13' Quintanilla 23' Eskandarian 57' Stokes 90' Stoitchkov 97'	Report	Lassiter 12' Washington 15' Bilyk 21'	Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 2,870 Referee: Abiodun Okulaja

August 27, 2003 Quarterfinals	Wilmington Hammerheads	0–1	D.C. United	Wilmington, North Carolina United States
	Zarate 55'	Report	Cerritos 30'	Stadium: Legion Field Attendance: 5,016 Referee: Gus St. Silva

October 1, 2003 Semifinals	MetroStars	3–2	D.C. United	Piscataway, New Jersey United States
		Report		Stadium: Yurcak Field Attendance: 3,791 Referee: Terry Vaughn

Friendlies

May 14, 2003	D.C. United	1–0	Tottenham Hotspur	Washington, D.C. United States
		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

July 23, 2003	D.C. United	0–0	Blackburn Rovers	Washington, D.C. United States
		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

August 31, 2003	D.C. United	3–1	El Salvador	Washington, D.C. United States
		Report		Stadium: RFK Stadium

References

"Recap: Chicago Fire 2, D.C. United 0". MLSnet.com. DCUnited.com. November 1, 2003. Archived from the original on March 26, 2004. Retrieved April 9, 2012.

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[1] "Recap: Chicago Fire 2, D.C. United 0". MLSnet.com. DCUnited.com. November 1, 2003. Archived from the original on March 26, 2004. Retrieved April 9, 2012.