Match Preview – D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire FC, June 7, 2025 

Story of the Match

D.C. United returns home after a hard-fought win against FC Cincinnati last Saturday to face Chicago Fire FC at Audi Field on Saturday, June 7, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Black-and-Red look to extend their win streak and maintain their run of form against a Chicago side that sits only four points above them in the Eastern Conference. The previous matchup between the two sides on March 1 at Soldier Field ended in a 2-2 draw with goals from Christian Benteke and a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer from Jacob Murrell.

D.C. United holds a 4-7-6 record with 18 points and is coming off a massive road win against second-place FC Cincinnati. Gabriel Pirani continued his goal-scoring contributions by providing a clinical early finish in the second minute from a set piece and providing Conner Antley with an assist in the 19th minute. Antley’s first career MLS goal lifted the Black-and-Red to a 2-1 win at TQL Stadium, earning three valuable points.

Head Coach Troy Lesesne kept Gabriel Pirani in the starting lineup following the impact he had against the New England Revolution on May 28, replacing Hosei Kijima. The backline of Kye Rowles, Aaron Herrera, and Lucas Bartlett turned in one of their best performances as a unit this season. The Black-and-Red defense only allowed four shots on target and recorded 13 interceptions against FC Cincinnati. Lesesne also made a change to the midfield, inserting Matti Peltola into the lineup, who controlled the midfield and led the team in passing accuracy with 97%.

Midfielder Gabriel Pirani opened the scoring in the second minute, curling a right-footed shot into the top corner after receiving a pass from a David Schnegg free kick. This marked Pirani’s second straight game contributing to the scoresheet. Just minutes later, Cincinnati’s Evander slipped a pass through to Kévin Denkey for a simple finish in the 15th minute to level the score. Then four minutes later, defender Conner Antley put the Black-and-Red back in front in the 19th minute with a powerful header, his first career MLS goal. Pirani whipped in a cross to the far post, where Antley slid the ball into the net. David Schnegg was also a standout performer, leading the team with eight recoveries and winning 100% of his tackles while adding his team-high fourth assist of the season. In goal, Luis Barraza delivered another stellar performance, making three key saves, including a diving stop in the 82nd minute to deny Cincinnati a late equalizer. This marked Barraza’s 10th start in goal for the Black-and-Red and he currently has 40 saves on the season. Midfielder Matti Peltola anchored the center of the park, winning five ground duels and making six passes into the final third, keeping the tempo steady and supporting the back line. The victory marked D.C. United’s first win in over a month and handed FC Cincinnati their first home loss of 2025.

Chicago Fire FC (6-4-5, 22 pts.) are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference and enter Saturday's match with a strong road record of 5-4-0, earning 15 of their 22 points away from home. Chicago is in top form, winning four of their last five games and scoring 13 goals in that span. Their last match was a dominant 3-1 victory over Orlando City SC, where the team’s top scorer, forward Hugo Cuypers, netted two quick goals within 90 seconds. D.C. United will need to closely monitor both Hugo Cuypers and midfielder Phillip Zinkernagel, who have combined for 24 goal contributions (16 goals and 8 assists). The duo poses a major threat, and the Black-and-Red will need to limit their involvement if they hope to come away with a win at home.

The Black-and-Red will be without key players due to the international break. This includes defenders Kye Rowles (Australia) and Aaron Herrera (Guatemala) in addition to midfielders Boris Enow (Cameroon) and Matti Peltoa (Finland). Homegrown forward Kristian Fletcher also joined the U20 U.S. Youth National Team. The Chicago Fire will only be without Omari Glasglow, who has been called up to the Guyana national team. The Black-and-Red will use their depth for some much-needed support to get a result at home.

By the Numbers | D.C. United vs. FC Cincinnati | May 31, 2025

• Forward Gabriel Pirani scored the opening goal in the 2nd minute and provided an instant spark for the offense. Pirani completed 60 minutes.
• Defender David Schnegg picked up his fourth assist of the season and completed 90 minutes.
• Defender Conner Antley scored his first goal of the season, giving United the lead. Antley completed 90 minutes.
• Midfielder Matti Peltola recorded the most accurate passes in the match with 31 (97%) and completed 60 minutes.

Last Match Against Chicago Fire FC | March 1st, 2025 @ Soldier Field

In their previous fixture, D.C. United drew 2-2 with Chicago Fire FC on March 1st after a 4th-minute goal from Christian Benteke, who converted a cross from Gabriel Pirani. Chicago responded with two goals from Hugo Cuypers, both coming from set-piece situations. D.C. United trailed until the 96th minute, when forward Jacob Murrell delivered a stunning bicycle kick to salvage a last-second point for the Black-and-Red.

Despite dominating the stat sheet, the Black-and-Red struggled to beat Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady, who led the match with five saves, four of them from inside the box. D.C. United controlled 59% of possession and recorded 18 total shots, including six on target, but couldn’t find the winner.

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, Sirius XM, 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.