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 Tuesday, September 28
Defending champion D.C., Chicago will compete
 
Associated Press

 LAS VEGAS -- D.C. United and the Chicago Fire take a break from their Major League Soccer schedules this week to compete in the 1999 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the eight-team international tournament featuring teams from five countries.

Tuesday night's matches at Sam Boyd Stadium feature the Fire, the defending MLS champions, against Joe Public of Trinidad and Tobago, champions of the Caribbean, and Mexican champion Toluca against Alajuela of Costa Rica.

On Wednesday, D.C. United faces Central American champion Olimpia of Honduras, and Necaxa of Mexico will face Saprissa of Costa Rica.

The semifinals are Friday and the finals Sunday.

With last Saturday's 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy, United clinched first place in the MLS Eastern Division, secured home advantage through the playoffs and won a club-record 11th straight match.

Under first-year head coach Thomas Rongen, D.C. enters the Champions Cup with 23-7 record. They are the defending winners of the CONCACAF Champions Cup for club teams. The winning team in Las Vegas will advance to the finals of the FIFA Club World Championship next January in Brazil.

United is led by all-star forward Roy Lassiter, the leading scorer in the MLS this year with 17 goals and 11 assists in 28 games.

"We're the team with the bull's eye on the back of our jerseys," Rongen said, "but it's a great position to be in going into this tournament. We rested seven of our first choice players against Los Angeles and three others only played in the second half. We're serious about winning another CONCACAF Champions Cup."

United marched through last year's tournament at their home field, Washington's RFK Stadium, scoring 11 goals while holding all three opponents scoreless.

Chicago is the defending MLS champion, but at 16-14 is still looking to clinch a playoff berth.
 


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