In the 1998 Major League Soccer season, D.C. United finished 1st in the Eastern Conference with a 24-8 record (including 7 shootout wins). Led by head coach Bruce Arena and star playmaker Marco Etcheverry, the team made a dominant run but failed to defend their domestic titles, finishing as runners-up in the MLS Cup after a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Fire. However, D.C. United made history internationally by becoming the first American club to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, defeating Mexican champions Toluca 1-0.