Rusty Pierce -- saw Conteh alone in front of goal again with a third tap-in to make, as chants of "Relegation" and "Can we play you every week" rang out from the Screaming Eagles section.
Rongen would give another young player his debut in the 74th minute, when 16-year old Baltimore native Santino Quaranta would enter the game for Lisi, breaking Convey's one-year old record for youngest player to appear in an MLS match. Like most routs, the match would finish without incident, with both teams going through the motions to play out the clock.
The young players were responsible for four goals and seven assists on the night. Etcheverry gave most of the playmaking duties to Lisi and Convey on the wings, and they responded with three assists each. Fast, young and hungry players had replaced the calm, experienced, and professional D.C. United of the past.
Rongen's youth movement would hurt the team in the short term, as their inexperience would lead to frequent collapses. United would miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year and Rongen's contract would not be renewed. But Nelsen and midfielder Bryan Namoff, another member of the Class of 2001, would be integral parts of United's 2004 championship season.
D.C. United 5, New England Revolution 0
Goals: Conteh (Lisi, Denton) 5, Conteh (Convey, Pope) 34, Talley (Etcheverry, Convey) 40, Conteh (Lisi, Convey) 43, Conteh (Alegria, Lisi) 48
D.C. UNITED -- Ammann, Ziadie, Pope, Talley, Denton, Lisi (Quaranta 74), Nelsen, Etcheverry (Alegria 46), Convey, Moreno (Albright 60), Conteh
N.E. REVOLUTION -- Sommer, Dunseth (Harkes 46), Pierce, Downing, Williams (Okoh 62), Franchino, Asad, Wright, Torres, Cate, Harris (Wolyniec 46)
Yellow Cards: Torres 41, Franchino 48, Nelsen 58, Wolyniec 81
Man of the Match: Abdul Thompson Conteh
Referee: Richard Heron
Attendance: 10,638
