Match Preview - D.C. United @ New York City FC on Saturday, August 30
D.C. United heads back on the road this Saturday, August 30, to take on New York City FC with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. Head Coach Réne Weiler will look to stay unbeaten in his third match since taking over the helm after a hard fought 1-1 draw against Inter Miami CF at Audi Field this past weekend.
The Black-and-Red (4-15-9, 21 pts) was compact in the midfield and defensively sound against Inter Miami CF over the weekend, only allowing three shots on target the entire 90 minutes. There was only one change to the previous backline that drew against CF Montréal, with Lucas Bartlett coming in for injured Lukas MacNaughton. D.C. United was also without veteran forward Christian Benteke and midfielder Boris Enow, who both served a one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Nevertheless, Weiler relied on Homegrown Jackson Hopkins to lead the attack, pushing the 21-year-old even further up the field to play as a forward. Hopkins also captained the Black-and-Red for the first time in his young career, making him the youngest captain in D.C. United history.
Hopkins would not disappoint the Audi Field faithful, scoring in the 13th minute, off a pass from midfielder Matti Peltola. This marked Hopkin’s second consecutive goal and put D.C. United in front 1-0 going into the half. The Black-and-Red out shot Miami 7-4 in the first half and consistently put pressure on the Heron’s backline.
Inter Miami CF made three substitutes within the first 10 minutes of the second half, looking for an equalizer. United maintained its defensive shape and was continuously disrupting Miami’s midfield duo of Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo de Paul, frustrating the visitors. Matti Peltola made his second consecutive start in midfield, creating chances and winning the most duels in the match with eight. Miami would eventually find the equalizer from midfielder Baltasar Rodríguez in the 64th minute, salvaging a point for the visitors at Audi Field.
Now the focus shifts to New York City FC, who sit in 8th place in the Eastern Conference with a 13-8-5 record and 44 points. New York is coming off a 1-0 away win over FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium and are unbeaten in their last five MLS matches with a 4-0-1 record in that span. Head Coach Pascal Jansen will rely on forwards Alonso Martinez and Hannes Wolf to get the scoring started, who have combined for 23 goals this season. The two sides have already met once this season, drawing 0-0 at Audi Field on May 14. D.C. United will look to contain the likes of Martinez and Wolf to get a positive result on the road and give New York their fourth loss at home this season.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for goalkeeper Luis Barraza who was drafted 12th overall by NYCFC in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Barraza would spend six seasons with New York, being part of their MLS Championship squad in 2021 and winning the Campeones Cup in 2022. Barraza will see a lot of familiar faces this weekend and will look to continue his solid season with a career-high 71 saves in 20 matches. D.C. United will look to lean on Christian Benteke, who returns from suspension, as well as fellow Brazilians Gabriel Pirani and João Peglow to put pressure on New York City FC’s backline.
By the Numbers | D.C. United vs. Inter Miami CF | August 23, 2025
- Homegrown midfielder Jackson Hopkins scored his second MLS goal of the season in the 13th minute, assisted by Matti Peltola. Hopkins captained the Black-and-Red for his first ever MLS match, becoming the youngest captain in D.C. United history. Hopkins had one goal and three recoveries in 74 minutes played.
- Midfielder Matti Peltola recorded one assist and won the most duels in the match with eight. Peltola won three tackles and recorded six recoveries in 90 minutes played.
- Defender Lucas Bartlett returned to the starting lineup and recorded four clearances and won five aerial duels in 90 minutes played.
- Goalkeeper Luis Barraza recorded two saves off three shots on target, salvaging a point for the Black-and-Red. Barraza now has 71 saves in 20 MLS appearances.
Last Match Against New York City FC | May 14, 2025 @ Audi Field
In the previous meeting earlier this season on May 14, 2025, the two sides drew 0-0 at Audi Field with a stellar performance from goalkeeper Luis Barraza. Barraza recorded five saves off five shots on target on the night, salvaging a point for the Black-and-Red at home. NYCFC outshot D.C. United 17-5, with 12 of them coming from inside the box. United would win the defensive battle, winning more tackles than New York (13-8) and more ground duels (37-30).
How to Watch
D.C. United fans can catch all the action of their favorite team by subscribing to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. With this subscription, you can watch every D.C. United match live, whether it’s home or away, along with exclusive pre- and post-match coverage. Simply open the Apple TV app, navigate to MLS Season Pass, and subscribe to enjoy the entire 2025 season. Whether you're at home or on the go, you'll have access to every match, ensuring you never miss a moment of D.C. United's season. Enjoy seamless streaming on your Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and more!
Radio broadcasts will be available live on 1190 iHeart Sports DC, 101.1 HD2, and the iHeartRadio App. Legendary broadcaster Dave Johnson, who has called matchs for D.C. United since the club’s inception in 1996 will return to the booth alongside Bruce Murray, former United States National Team player (1985-1993, 85 caps and 21 goals) and Class of 2011 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. The pair have partnered on radio calls since 2023 to deliver high-quality and passionate radio calls for fans. Supporters watching D.C. United MLS Regular Season matchs on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the match on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.
