D.C. United has acquired U.S. national team pool striker Roy Lassiter from the Tampa Bay Mutiny in exchange for forward Roy Wegerle. Lassiter, 29, is scoreless in six games with Tampa Bay this season, but he has 43 goals in 68 career MLS league and playoff matches and led MLS with 27 goals in 1996. In 24 international appearances, he has struck six times. “We’re excited to have a pure goalscorer of Roy’s caliber join our team,” said D.C. United GM Kevin Payne. Coach Bruce Arena agreed, saying “I do believe a new environment will be very good for Roy Lassiter. He will ad to our team a forward who looks to play high and his speed is second to none among forwards in this league. With the right service and the right combination of players around him I think he will be able to score goals for us.” After joining D.C. United in a trade with Colorado last summer, Wegerle scored seven goals in 28 matches with United, and resurrected his career with the U.S. national team, making 11 appearances after going nearly two years without a cap. He scored twice in the USA’s 3-0 win over Canada in November that ensured qualification to France ’98. Wegerle’s addition is expected to add some life to a Mutiny offense that has scored only five goals in six games. “We had to do something,” said Mutiny GM Nick Sakiewicz. “It’s no secret that we are having trouble scoring goals and it’s also no secret that Roy Lassiter has not scored any goals this year in our six games. I believe Roy Lassiter is a good player who will probably thrive playing for a team as good as D.C. United, but for us at this point in time, Roy Wegerle is a player that we felt we needed to have in order to improve our team… He has an ability to hold the ball up front that we very much need and he is a proven leader both on and off the field.” Wegerle will be returning to the site where he played college soccer (at the University of South Florida), and where he began his pro career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. “I know Roy has a lot of friends in the Tampa Bay area who will be very happy to see him come back to where he began his career,” Sakiewicz added.

D.C. Signs Pope to long-term extension

D.C. United also announced that it has signed U.S. national team defender Eddie Pope to a long-term contract extension. Terms of the deal are not public, but it is a multiple-year extension that should keep Pope in MLS and a D.C. United uniform into the next century. “Naturally, I’m very excited about the prospect of having Eddie Pope in a D.C. United uniform for many years,” said Arena. “There’s no question he’s one of the top defenders in this country and to have a young player of his qualities as the foundation of our defense is very exciting for the future of our club.” As part of the new contract, MLS, United and club uniform supplier adidas will join with Pope in his assistance of Sarah House, a Washington-based group active in the development of soccer in the inner city. United and MLS will provide financial assistance and tickets to an upcoming match, while Pope and adidas are teaming on the adidas/Eddie Pope Community Soccer League that will began play this spring.