2008 D.C. United season

vs. LA (Jun 29) vs. HOU (Jul 23)

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.

Match results

MLS

Win	Tie	Loss

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	Ref.
March 29, 2008	Kansas City Wizards	A	0–2	10,385
April 5, 2008	Toronto FC	H	4–1	20,161	Emilio, Quaranta, Gallardo, Moreno
April 12, 2008	Real Salt Lake	A	0-4	13,193
April 17, 2008	Columbus Crew	H	1–2	13,329	Namoff
April 26, 2008	Real Salt Lake	H	4-1	23,269	Moreno (2), Quaranta, Gallardo
May 4, 2008	Colorado Rapids	A	0-2	13,115
May 8, 2008	Chicago Fire	H	0–2	18,605
May 17, 2008	Chivas USA	A	1–3	13,113	Gallardo
May 21, 2008	Toronto FC	A	0-1	19,791
May 24, 2008	Toronto FC	H	3–2	18,647	Peralta, Moreno, Emilio
May 29, 2008	New England Revolution	A	2–2	8,159	Emilio, Fred
June 7, 2008	Chicago Fire	A	1–2	19,256	Moreno, Emilio
June 14, 2008	New York Red Bulls	H	4-1	18,622	Emilio (3), Simms
June 22, 2008	San Jose Earthquakes	H	3–1	17,922	Simms, Martínez, Emilio
June 29, 2008	Los Angeles Galaxy	H	4–1	35,979	Moreno, Emilio (2), Gallardo
July 23, 2008	Houston Dynamo	H	0–2	14,460
August 2, 2008	Kansas City Wizards	H	2–0	18,731	Emilio, Moreno
August 10, 2008	New York Red Bulls	A	1-4	15,038	Moreno
August 16, 2008	Chicago Fire	A	0–1	19,560	Fred
August 20, 2008	New England Revolution	A	1-2	14,962	Moreno
August 23, 2008	Colorado Rapids	H	3–0	17,283	Vide, Quaranta, Kirk
August 30, 2008	New York Red Bulls	H	0–0	15,616
September 6, 2008	San Jose Earthquakes	A	1-2	10,121	Quaranta
September 13, 2008	FC Dallas	H	2–2	19,890	Moreno, Quaranta
September 20, 2008	Los Angeles Galaxy	A	2-5	27,000	McTavish, Khumalo
September 28, 2008	FC Dallas	A	0-3	12,138
October 4, 2008	Chivas USA	H	0–3	28,145
October 12, 2008	Houston Dynamo	A	0–0	17,531
October 16, 2008	New England Revolution	H	2–1	16,672	Doe (2)
October 26, 2008	Columbus Crew	A	0-1	19,591

CONCACAF Champions' Cup

Win	Tie	Loss

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	Ref.
QF	March 12, 2008	JAM Harbour View	A	1–1	6,985	McTavish
QF	March 18, 2008	JAM Harbour View	H	5–0	12,394	McTavish (2), Emilio (2), Fred
SF	April 1, 2008	MEX Pachuca	A	0–2	18,642		url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504085527/http://ww2.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080402&content_id=146906&vkey=news_dcu&fext=.jsp&team=t103	date=May 4, 2008 }}
SF	April 9, 2008	MEX Pachuca	H	2–1	17,329	Dyachenko, Niell

CONCACAF Champions League

Win	Tie	Loss

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	Ref.
GS	September 16, 2008	CRC Saprissa	H	0–2	6,105
GS	September 24, 2008	HON Marathón	A	0-2	8,000		title=Match Report: Marathón vs D.C. United	url=http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/matchreport/7159.pdf	accessdate=May 28, 2011	newspaper=CONCACAF	date=September 25, 2008}}
GS	October 1, 2008	MEX Cruz Azul	H	0–1	7,124
GS	October 9, 2008	CRC Saprissa	A	2–2	10,000	Doe, Dyachenko
GS	October 21, 2008	MEX Cruz Azul	A	0-2	4,265
GS	October 29, 2008	HON Marathón	H	2–4	7,156	Doe, Janicki

U.S. Open Cup

Win	Tie	Loss

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	Ref.
R3	July 1, 2008	Rochester Rhinos	H	2–0	2,752	Burch (2)
QF	July 8, 2008	Chicago Fire	H	2–1 (a.e.t.)	4,118	Doe, Namoff	last=Tenorio	first=Paul	title=Moreno Comes In, United Moves On	url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070803444.html	accessdate=May 28, 2011	newspaper=The Washington Post	date=July 9, 2008}}
SF	August 12, 2008	New England Revolution	H	3–1	6,797	Emilio (2), Quaranta
F	September 3, 2008	Charleston Battery	H	2–1	8,212	Emilio, Fred