Eight years ago today, Antony "El Pitufo" De Avila scored a goal that gave Colombia a 1:0 win over Ecuador and then came back to Metro amid a firestorm of controversy. So what happened on this day in 1997?

And who was El Pitufo? The story must begin with MLS's decision to give each team one extra allocated player. The MetroStars' player was Colombian Ruben Dario Hernandez, one of the leading scorers in Colombian league history. Ten games and no goals later, Rubencho was gone. Back then, the league was incredibly flexible in letting the teams dump players; if only the Metros could do the same now with Sergio Galvan Rey. Nevertheless, the replacement came late in the season in the form of another leading scorer in Colombian history, Antony De Avila. All five foot three inches of him.

But El Pitufo was more of a player than Rubencho was. He made his debut on August 14th, and immediately set up Rob Johnson for the second of two goals, and then scored one himself as the Metros trounced New England 4-0. That game also holds extra significance, as it was the first Metro game played on AstroTurf. Amazingly, De Avila was incredibly adept to that playing surface, maybe because his small height made it easier to control the bouncing ball. He also showed an attacking flair and determination not often rivaled from a player wearing a Metro shirt, then or now. El Pitufo ended the year with four goals and added two in the playoffs, including one with five minutes left that tied DC Scum in the decisive game 3. Alas, thanks to Rob Johnson, it was not to be (and it hasn't since, but that's a whole other story).

So when 1997 came, a lot of hope was placed on El Pitufo's shoulders. But not many goals came: in early July, he had just two goals (not counting the game-winner in a friendly against Sampdoria), before putting two in a 4-1 win over Colorado on July 13th. Then, a week later, De Avila missed a Metro game to play for Colombia against Ecuador. El Pitufo scored the lone goal of that game... and dedicated it to a pair of jailed Colombian drug lords. "I'd like to dedicate the goal to all those who for some reason or another are deprived of their freedom," De Avila said. "I'd like to dedicate it to Miguel and Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela."

According to a Michael Lewis article from back then, "The Rodriguez Orejuela brothers headed the Cali drug cartel, which was, before their arrest, estimated to have been responsible for 80% of the world cocaine supply. De Avila once played for America de Cali; the brothers were reputed to be the main stockholders."

De Avila would go on to score just five more goals that year, and was sold to Ecuador's Barcelona SC early in 1998. El Pitufo... Gone but not forgotten.