Washington, D.C. (Sports Network) - D.C. United's least memorable season will end with a celebration Saturday night at RFK Stadium, as Jaime Moreno will end his legendary Major League Soccer career against Toronto FC.
Moreno, who interim boss Ben Olsen believes may be best player in MLS history, is a league original who played for D.C. from 1996-2002 and again from 2004 to the present. He helped D.C. (6-19-4) win a record four MLS Cup titles.
"Certainly one of the best, if not the best, this league's ever seen. And to be on a team and see the magic up close, is very, very lucky," said Olsen, who played with Moreno at D.C. before becoming an assistant and then interim coach this year.
Moreno enters his final MLS match tied for the all-time MLS scoring lead with FC Dallas striker Jeff Cunningham, who plays against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday night. Both have 132 career goals.
The Bolivian has played mostly as a reserve this season, scoring just once in 20 matches, including seven starts. Olsen, who replaced Curt Onalfo as manager during the season, admitted Moreno is not the player he used to be but that he is underappreciated overall for what he's done in the league.
"Jaime's never been a real media guy. You give that type of talent like a ham to myself, I'd be a pretty big star," Olsen said. "Jaime did his magic on the field. He wasn't a guy who went out and flaunted the accolades and things like that.
"It makes me appreciate him even more."
Moreno helped United win three of the first four MLS Cup titles, then returned to lead the 2004 team, which Olsen also played on, to another title. He holds almost every offensive record for the club.
Although D.C. is having the worst season in team history and will finish with the worst overall record in MLS this year, Moreno's last display of magic will help the season end on a positive note as the team turns the page on another chapter.
Toronto FC (8-13-8) will also wrap up a disappointing season, as interim coach Nick Dasovic will try to keep the club from falling further down the Eastern Conference standings.
Toronto FC is level on points with New England for fifth, but the expansion Philadelphia Union could pass both clubs with a win against Columbus on Sunday or pull level on points with a draw.