Last year the Supporters’ Shield was more like consolation prize. D.C. United clinched the award for best regular season record despite losing four of its final five games, including its last three in a row, and then crashed out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference final.
Coming during a 13-game unbeaten streak, this season it’s meant to be the starting point, even though United became the first team to clinch back-to-back titles only when Chivas USA loss its first home game of the year against Colorado on Sunday.
“This one was a little more deserved, especially towards the end,” said United goalkeeper Troy Perkins. “We’ve gone 13 now, and last year we won it with a loss. This year we had two ties, and we put it on someone else to win or lose. We still had a game left to earn it, and we have it locked it up. This year, I don’t know how to put it, but it just feels better.”
United and the rest of the top four teams in the league are all searching for postseason momentum. D.C., New England, Houston and Chivas have combined for one victory in six games (1-3-2) during October (not including Houston’s match at Real Salt Lake on Monday).
“I think a little bit comes down to urgency. The teams we’ve seen the last few weeks — even when you look at Chivas — the teams they’ve come up against have all been playing for their lives,” said United defender Greg Vanney, who also won a Supporters’ Shield when he was a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1998. “All said we haven’t take a loss. We’ve managed to continue to get results and move in the right direction.”
Top honors
D.C. United has won the MLS Supporters’ Shield four times (1997, 1999, 2006, 2007). The award earns the team a spot in next year’s CONCACAF Champions’ Cup.
