Match Preview - D.C. United vs Orlando City SC on Saturday, September 13
D.C. United return to Audi Field for an Eastern Conference matchup against Orlando City SC this Saturday, September 13 with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Head Coach René Weiler continues his unbeaten run after defeating Liga MX side Club América 3-1 in an international friendly last Saturday in front of the Audi Field faithful.
The Black-and-Red has been in great form as of late, with a 2-0-2 record in Weiler’s first four matches in charge. They defeated playoff hopeful New York City FC 2-1 away from home with heroics from midfielder Gabriel Pirani, giving D.C. United its first win at Yankee Stadium. They also defeated Liga MX giants, Club América 3-1 with goals from Pirani, João Peglow, and newcomer Caden Clark.
In the international friendly against Club América, Head Coach René Weiler made numerous changes including giving goalkeeper Jordan Farr his first start for the Black-and-Red. Weiler also included the likes of defender Derek Dodson, replacing defender Aaron Herrera who was out on international duty with Guatemala. Midfielder João Peglow opened the scoring in the 50th minute with an outrageous over the head kick past Club América goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota. Another notable start was midfielder Caden Clark who made his D.C. United debut. Clark made the best of his opportunity, scoring the second goal in the 55th minute after Club América scored the equalizer in the 53rd minute from a D.C. United own goal. After continuous back and forth from each side, the Black-and-Red finished the game off with Gabriel Pirani scoring in the third minute of second half stoppage time to make the final score 3-1. Pirani also contributed the assist for Caden Clarks go ahead goal, making it four goal contributions in the last two matches for the Brazilian (three goals and one assist).
The Black-and-Red now welcome Orlando City SC to Audi Field, after losing the first matchup in Orlando 4-1. Weiler will look to stay undefeated and continue to lean on his attacking trio of Gabriel Pirani, João Peglow, and Christian Benteke, who have scored 17 MLS goals combined this season. Defender Aaron Herrera will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation and midfielder Matti Peltola will look to continue his good run of form coming back from international duty where he captained Finland.
Orlando City SC (13-7-8) sit in 5th place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points, 23 points coming on the road. The Lions currently have a 6-3-5 away record with a +4 goal differential and midfielder MartÃn Ojeda leads the team with 14 goals scored this season. Ojeda has appeared in 27 MLS matches for Orlando and has also added 14 assists to his 2025 campaign. D.C. United will need to keep him in check in order to sustain the Orlando City attack and limit scoring chances. Orlando forward Marco PaÅ¡alić is also a threat, having scored 11 goals this season in 28 appearances. The Lions have been in rough form recently, having lost three straight Leagues Cup matches by a combined score of 10-3. Their last win came on Aug. 16 at home against Sporting Kansas City.
D.C. United will need to solidify its defense and goalkeeper Luis Barraza will need to continue his career-high season, limiting shots from Orlando. The Black-and-Red will look to make it three straight wins and look to get another win at Audi Field.
By the Numbers | D.C. United vs. Club América | September 6, 2025
- Midfielder João Peglow scored his fourth goal of the season in the 50th minute. Peglow had two shots on target and completed 64 minutes.
- Forward Caden Clark made his D.C. United debut tonight and scored his first goal for the Black-and-Red in the 55th minute, assisted by Gabriel Pirani.
- Goalkeeper Jordan Farr started his first match for the Black-and-Red this season. Farr had two saves off two shots on target.
- Midfielder Gabriel Pirani scored his eighth goal of the season across all competitions in the 93rd minute. Pirani also recorded his fifth assist of the season.
Last Match Against Orlando City SC | March 22, 2025 @ Inter&Co Stadium
In their previous meeting on March 22, 2025, D.C. United fell 4-1 to Orlando City SC after two goals in each have from the Lions. The Black-and-Red had a backline of David Schnegg, Lukas MacNaughton, Lucas Bartlett and Aaron Herrera with Kim Joon Hong in goal. They were without key center back, Kye Rowles, who was away with Australia for World Cup Qualifications. Orlando City forward Luis Muriel opened the scoring in the 21st minute followed by midfielder Martin Ojeda knocking in a second right before half to make it a 2-0 deficit. Orlando came out strong in the second half, adding two more goals in the 50th and 56th minute, securing the victory. Lukas MacNaughton would get a late goal in the fourth minute of second half stoppage time to make the final score 4-1 in a match where D.C. United was outshot 20-13.
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.
