Match Preview: D.C. United vs. St. Louis CITY SC | Saturday, May 16, 2026

Match Preview: D.C. United vs. St. Louis CITY SC | Saturday, May 16, 2026

D.C. United take on St. Louis CITY SC this Saturday, May 16 at Audi Field with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET in the nation's capital.  The Black-and-Red enter Saturday's match with a 4-5-4 record and 16 points in the Eastern Conference looking to stay in a playoff spot.  D.C. United is coming off a 3-1 defeat to Chicago Fire FC at home and will look to get a good result against a 14th place St. Louis CITY SC squad that has a -7 goal differential.  Saturday marks just the second all-time meeting between the clubs after they played to an entertaining 2-2 draw on March 23, 2024. 

Wednesday's match at home against an impressive Chicago Fire FC team saw forwards Tai Baribo and Louis Munteanu start together for the first time this season.  The duo combined brilliantly for the opener in the 41st minute when Munteanu back healed a pass to Baribo who easily put it past Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady for his seventh MLS goal of the season.  This marked Munteanu's first assist of the season, and the Black-and-Red faithful were able to get a glimpse of how dangerous their two Designated Players can be in the final third. 

After an impressive start and going into the half up 1-0, Chicago Fire FC started the second half on the front foot and tied the match at 1-1 in the 62nd minute with a header from forward Robin Lod.  Chicago would win a penalty kick seven minutes later in the 69th minute, but goalkeeper Sean Johnson denied Fire midfielder Philip Zinckernagel.  However, MLS leading goalscorer Hugo Cuypers pounced on the rebound to score his league leading 12th goal of the season to put Chicago up 2-1.  Chicago Fire FC midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie added a third goal in the 87th minute to hand D.C. United a 3-1 loss, snapping the Black-and-Red's five-match unbeaten run. 

St. Louis CITY SC arrives in Washington in strong form, having won three of its last four matches with victories over Chicago, the Colorado Rapids, and LAFC.  Under Head Coach Yoann Damet, St. Louis hold a 3-6-3 record with 12 points in the Western Conference sitting in 14th place.  The club is coming off an impressive 2-1 victory over LAFC on Wednesday that saw defenders Tomas Totland and Rafael Santos find the back of the net.  

Midfielder Marcel Hartel has been one of St. Louis’ key attacking contributors this season, leading the club with five goal contributions across 11 appearances. Veteran goalkeeper Roman Bürki has also played a major role, recording 35 saves this year as he prepares to face a D.C. side that has scored 12 goals across its last five matches. Saturday’s contest will also feature a reunion for defender Lucas Bartlett and midfielder Jared Stroud, both of whom joined D.C. United from St. Louis ahead of the 2024 season. The match will mark St. Louis CITY SC’s first-ever visit to Audi Field as the visitors search for their second road victory of the campaign. 

For D.C. United, Saturday presents an opportunity to reestablish momentum at home after playing four of their previous six matches away from Audi Field. Head Coach René Weiler will once again lean on the attacking partnership of Baribo and Munteanu to pressure St. Louis early, while captain Lucas Bartlett and defender Kye Rowles will aim to anchor the backline in front of goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who enters the weekend with four clean sheets this season. 

By the Numbers:

• D.C. United have a 0-0-1 all-time record against St. Louis CITY SC, with the lone match ending in a 2-2 tie.

• The Black-and-Red has scored 12 goals in their last five matches, going 2-1-2 in that span.

• D.C. United Captain Lucas Bartlett has won 67 duels and has 138 total defensive contributions across 13 appearances this season.

• St. Louis CITY SC is ranked 3rd in MLS averaging 11.3 interceptions per match with a total of 136 interceptions.

• St. Louis has only kept three clean sheets in their last 42 league matches.
• St. Louis CITY SC midfielder Marcel Hartel leads the team with three goals in 11 appearances so far this season.

Last Match Against St. Louis CITY SC | March 23, 2024 at CITYPARK

The only previous meeting between D.C. United and St. Louis CITY SC came on March 23, 2024, when the two sides played to an entertaining 2-2 draw at CITYPARK. St. Louis opened the scoring in the 19th minute as defender Joshua Yaro headed home from close range off an assist from midfielder Indiana Vassilev.  D.C. United responded immediately when Homegrown forward Ted Ku-DiPietro scored just one minute later with a right-footed finish into the bottom corner. The Black-and-Red took a 2-1 lead into halftime after forward Christian Benteke found the back of the net in the 38th minute off a setup from midfielder Jared Stroud. St. Louis battled back in the second half and earned a penalty after VAR reviewed a foul drawn by winger Célio Pompeu on defender Conner Antley.  Forward João Klauss converted from the spot past goalkeeper Alex Bono to secure a 2-2 result for the home side in the first-ever meeting between the clubs.

How to Watch

D.C. United fans can catch all the action of their favorite team on Apple TV. With this, 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 enjoy the entire 2026 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 the iHeartRadio App and Freedom 104.7 FM. Legendary broadcaster Dave Johnson, who has called matches 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 matches on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the match on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.