Match Preview - D.C. United @ the Columbus Crew on Saturday, July 19
D.C. United continues its stretch of road matches this Saturday as they travel to Ohio to face the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field on July 19, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Black-and-Red currently holds a 4-12-7 record, with 19 points in the Eastern Conference and will look to rebound after a narrow 2-1 defeat this past Wednesday against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Park. This will be the second meeting between D.C. United and the Columbus Crew this season after a tightly contested 2-1 loss at Audi Field on March 29. Forward Christian Benteke opened the scoring for the Black-and-Red before Columbus forward Diego Rossi scored a brace, ultimately giving the visitors the win.
D.C. United is coming off a three-game road trip that includes trips to Nashville, Los Angeles, and Charlotte. The Black-and-Red fell 2-1after a hard-fought defensive battle against Charlotte FC on Wednesday, July 16. D.C. United again were without star forward Christian Benteke who was dealing with a lingering injury. This gave Dominique Badji his second consecutive MLS start, his sixth of the season. United were also without defenders David Schnegg and Aaron Herrera, who served a one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation. After keeping Charlotte at bay for the majority of the first half, Midfielder Pep Biel found the back of the net in the 44th minute, giving the home team a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
Interim Head Coach Kevin Flanagan’s side pushed forward to find an equalizer with two substitutions at the half, incorporating midfielders Boris Enow and Randall Leal at the start of the second half. In the 48th minute, Charlotte doubled their lead after Pep Biel found the back of the net again from a pass from defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty. D.C. United midfielder Gabriel Pirani was determined to get United’s attack going, scoring his fourth MLS goal of the season in the 60th minute after dribbling through Charlotte’s midfield and slotting home a left footed shot into the bottom corner. This was Pirani’s fifth goal across all competitions in the past eight matches. Despite the late push, the Black-and-Red could not find an equalizer in Charlotte and ultimately lost 2-1.
Despite another close result, D.C. United showed resilience across the field. The defensive back four of Conner Antley, Kye Rowles, Garrison Tubbs, and Derek Dodson provided stability at the back, limiting Charlotte’s open-play opportunities. The backline allowed eight shots on goal, with goalkeeper Luis Barraza making six vital saves in 90 minutes. Now, the focus shifts to another road test on Saturday, July 19 as D.C. United looks to go to Lower.com Field and get their third road win of the season.
The Columbus Crew (11-4-8, 41 pts.) sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a goal differential of +6. The Crew currently holds a 7-1-4 home record, securing 25 of their 41 points at Lower.com Field. Columbus will look to rebound after a 3-0 loss away to Nashville SC at GEODIS Park on Wednesday, July 16. The Crew have won five of their last six matches, scoring 11 goals in that stretch. Columbus will look to get a good result in their next two home matches before starting their 2025 Leagues Cup campaign on Tuesday, July 29 against Liga MX side Toluca.
Head Coach Wilfred Nancy will lean on forward Diego Rossi to jumpstart the attack, as the veteran has 11 goals this season in 22 MLS appearances. Rossi was the deciding factor the last time these two sides met, scoring a brace and ultimately earning Columbus three points at Audi Field. The Crew ranks second in overall possession, averaging 59.9% per match and have scored 38 goals this season across 23 matches. Columbus will be determined to be sound defensively and keep their shape in the midfield to move up the Eastern Conference standings.
The Black-and-Red will lean of midfielder Gabriel Pirani and forward Christian Benteke to find the back of the net, having scored 10 of the 19 D.C. United goals this season. United will need a focused and high-energy performance to earn three points away against Columbus. That means disrupting the Crews playmakers and not allowing them to find a rhythm in attack. The Black-and-Red must apply heavy pressure on Columbus’ midfield to force turnovers and limit service to their forwards. An early goal for the visitors could set the tone in Columbus, as D.C. United aims to improve their away record this season.
By the Numbers | D.C. United vs. Charlotte FC | July 16, 2025
- Midfielder Gabriel Pirani scored his fourth MLS goal of the season in the 60th minute; Pirani has five goals across all competitions and has scored in three consecutive matches.
- Goalkeeper Luis Barraza recorded six saves off eight shots on target. Barraza has 60 saves in 16 appearances this season.
- Defender Derek Dodson made his first start for D.C. United since the 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution on May 28. Dodson recorded a 97% passing accuracy and had five passes into the final third in 83 minutes played.
- Homegrown midfielder Jackson Hopkins started his second consecutive match for the Black-and-Red; Hopkins recorded a 100% passing accuracy and won two ground duels in 45 minutes played.
- Defender Garrison Tubbs made his first start since the 1-0 loss to Nashville SC on June 28; Tubbs won four tackles and recorded four clearances in 90 minutes played.
Last Match Against the Columbus Crew | March 29, 2025 @ Audi Field
In the previous fixture against the Columbus Crew, D.C. United were defeated 2-1 on March 29, 2025, after a brace from forward Diego Rossi. Black-and-Red forward Christian Benteke opened the scoring in the 13th minute, finishing off a pass from Brazilian winger João Peglow. The visitors responded quickly when Diego Rossi tied the match in the 16th minute, slotting home a right-footed shot. Both sides continued to press for the lead, but it remained a 1-1 deadlock tie at halftime. Columbus found the deciding goal in the 65th minute when Rossi doubled the visitors' lead, putting it past D.C. United goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong. The Black-and-Red continued to push for an equalizer with continuous glimpses of attacks, but the match ended 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
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 game 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 games 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 games on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the game on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.
