MLS Cup 1997

MLS Cup 1997

Event	MLS Cup
D.C. United Colorado Rapids 2 1
Date	October 26, 1997
Venue	Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Man of the Match	Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
Referee	Brian Hall
Attendance	57,431
Weather	Rain, 46 °F (8 °C)[1]
← 1996 1998 →

MLS Cup 1997 was the second edition of the MLS Cup, the post-season championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. It was played on October 26, 1997, between D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids to determine the champion of the 1997 season. The soccer match was played in front of 57,431 spectators at RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.

D.C. United were defending champions and finished atop the Eastern Conference and the overall league standings despite being strained by runs in multiple competitions. Colorado had overhauled their roster after finishing last overall in the 1996 season and qualified for the playoffs with a losing record, finishing fourth in the Western Conference, but earned two upset victories in the playoffs. As finalists, D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids both earned berths to play in the 1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

During a rainstorm that mirrored the previous final, D.C. repeated as MLS Cup champions by winning 2–1. The hosts took a lead through Jaime Moreno in the 37th minute and extended it with a header by Tony Sanneh in the 68th minute. Substitute Adrián Paz scored a consolation goal for Colorado in the 75th minute, but the team were unable to draw level despite several chances. The announced crowd of 57,431 was the second-largest attendance for a sporting event at RFK Memorial Stadium.