16 August 1998 - Later, More Than 50,000 Claimed They Were There

On 16 August 1998, DC United became the first team from the US to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, beating Toluca 1-0 in the final.

Established in 1962, the Champions Cup (now known as the CONCACAF Champions League) is the federation's premier club competition, comparable in scope to the UEFA Champions League and South America's Copa Libertadores. For over thirty-five years, however, no team from the United States had ever won the competition. Indeed, none of them had even reached the final until the Los Angeles Galaxy managed it in 1997 (but lost to Cruz Azul).

As the reigning MLS Cup holders, DC United entered the 1998 competition in the quarterfinals. They didn't have to travel far, as DC's RFK Stadium hosted all of the remaining matches from that point forward, including the final, which saw United up against Toluca, the Mexican Primera División title holders.

A meager crowd of just 12,600 showed up, but the ones that did were rewarded with Eddie Pope's match-winner in the 41st minute.

DC has yet to return to the final, although other MLS teams have; the Galaxy won it in 2000 and Real Salt Lake finished as runners-up in 2011. Toluca, meanwhile, returned twice more, winning it in 2003.

20 October 1996 - That's Not Really A Cup, Though, Now Is It?

On 20 October 1996, DC United rallied from a two-goal deficit to win the first MLS Cup over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

LA and DC finished with the second- and third-best records, respectively, in that first MLS season, behind the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In the playoffs, the Galaxy advanced with wins over the San Jose Clash and the Kansas City Wiz, while DC reached the final by beating the NY/NJ MetroStars and Tampa Bay.

They met at a rainy Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, where LA striker Eduardo Hurtado gave his team an early lead with a 4th-minute goal. His teammate, midfielder Chris Armas then doubled the lead in the 56th minute with a goal that appeared to secure the trophy for the Galaxy.

But DC came storming back late in the second half, getting scores from substitute midfielders Tony Sanneh (72') and Shawn Medved (81') to send the match into extra time, where a 94th-minute goal from United defender Eddie Pope sealed the comeback victory.

DC went on to appear in the next three MLS Cup finals, repeating as champions in 1997 and winning it for a third time in a 1999 rematch with the Galaxy.