Nowak played in two Cups; now he's coach in a third -- for D.C.

United will play the Kansas City Wizards for the league championship.
CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Peter Nowak has played in two MLS Cups. He liked the first a lot better.
Nowak was the MVP of Major League Soccer's championship game in 1998, assisting on two goals in the Chicago Fire's 2-0 win over D.C. United. Two years later, the Fire returned and lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Wizards.
"I remember the feeling very well after we won and after we lost," Nowak said. "After losing the Cup, you think maybe this is your last chance at it. There's a lot of regret, thinking you were supposed to do better than that."
Nowak gets another crack at the championship this year. The rookie coach will guide D.C. United in today's title game against Kansas City.
Not done yet
"I have a very special group of players making me look like a genius," he said. "It was a great season. But we aren't done yet."
Neither, of course, are the Wizards, a team overlooked much of the year.
"Perhaps we can surprise some more folks," coach Bob Gansler said.
United features a strong attack led by Jaime Moreno, who had seven goals and 14 assists this season, and Alecko Eskandarian, who had 10 goals and two assists. Fifteen-year-old Freddy Adu (five goals, three assists) also can provide a spark.
Ryan Nelsen anchors the D.C. defense, and Nick Rimando has been solid in goal.
The Wizards overcame injuries to 2003 league MVP Preki, Igor Simutenkov, Chris Klein and goalkeeper Tony Meola to win an MLS-high 14 games this year. They were led offensively by Josh Wolff's 10 goals and seven assists and Davy Arnaud's nine goals and eight assists.
"Our players have a great mental outlook," Gansler said. "But it takes more than that, and they are a talented bunch."
The Wizards' Diego Gutierrez said: "We've been very proud of what we've been able to accomplish with our adversity. Now we hope to take the Cup home."
Deliberate style
Gansler, the coach when Kansas City beat Nowak and Chicago in the 2000 MLS Cup, favors a deliberate style that limits mistakes in the back and cashes in on chances. Jimmy Conrad and Kerry Zavagnin, aggressive and consistent on defense, often trigger the counterattack.
"Kansas City is a very organized team," United's Earnie Stewart said. "Bob Gansler put something down there where they have a system, everybody works for the team, and they're outstanding defensively. They have some offensive ability, too."
Kansas City backup goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi has filled in capably since Meola went out with an Achilles' tendon injury.
Like Gansler with the Wizards, Nowak has left an imprint on United.
"He's got a very cutthroat personality," Nelsen said. "It's a win-at-all-costs type of thing and it's rubbed off on the players, especially the young players. It's an extreme kind of confidence, not arrogance. He believes we can beat anybody."
United, which finished the regular season 11-10-9 and second behind Columbus in the Eastern Conference, is trying for an unprecedented fourth MLS championship.
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.