MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER CUP Eskandarian's 2 goals lead United to crown

D.C. United beat Kansas City, 3-2, for its fourth title in nine years.
CARSON, Calif (AP) -- Alecko Eskandarian sported a wide grin and had a big cigar clamped between his teeth.
"It's not lit," he said.
Asked about being spotted earlier with a cigar that was, he chuckled and said, "Yeah, but I didn't inhale."
Eskandarian had reason to be jovial. He scored twice in a four-minute span in the first half to help D.C. United beat Kansas City 3-2 in the Major League Soccer Cup on Sunday.
"What a great year we had," said Eskandarian, a 22-year-old former University of Virginia standout taken with the first pick in the 2003 MLS draft.
"We had a meeting [Saturday] night, and Earnie Stewart said that this group of guys will be on the field together for the last time. It was a great finish."
His team might have to expand the trophy case. In the nine years the MLS Cup has been contested, United has been in the final five times and won four.
Nowak's second title
The championship was the second for Peter Nowak. He was the MVP of Chicago's 1998 MLS Cup victory over United, and was on the winning side again this time as United's rookie coach.
He talked earlier about the disappointment of losing the 2002 game, when he and the Fire were defeated by the Wizards.
"I got my trophy back," Nowak said. "When you raise a trophy as a player or a coach, it's a satisfying feeling.
"They [the players] make me look like a genius, all their hard work. I put them through hell, really worked them, but now they get to enjoy it."
United spotted the Wizards a goal in the sixth minute, then scored three times in a seven-minute span of the first half.
Eskandarian's goal in the 19th minute tied it 1-1, and he added his second goal four minutes later.
United scores own-goal
United built a two-goal lead on an own-goal when a pass by Stewart deflected off Wizards defender Alex Zotinca and into the net in the 26th minute.
Kansas City closed to 3-2 on Josh Wolff's penalty kick in the 58th minute. The Wizards were awarded the kick when United's Dema Kovalenko, protecting the goal line, used his hand to knock a shot by Davy Arnaud over the bar.
Kovalenko was ejected, the first player sent off in the nine-year history of the Cup.
Despite being down a man, United held off the Wizards the rest of the way.
Kansas City's Bob Gansler, the Wizards' coach when they won the title four years ago, complimented United.
"To use an old bit of soccer wisdom, you play about as well as your opponent lets you," he said.
Freddy Adu, United's 15-year-old standout, came on as a substitute in the 65th minute to a roar from the crowd of 25,797. He made a run down the side with the ball late in the game, but goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi was able to pick it up before Adu could get off a shot.
Youngest player
Adu became the youngest member of a major pro championship team in the United States in modern sports history.
"Even if I wasn't going to get out there, I was going to cheer my heart out on the bench," Adu said. "It's awesome."
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