D.C. United hosted Chicago Fire FC on Saturday evening at Audi Field, enduring a challenging night and ultimately falling 7-1 to the visitors. Despite the tough result, the match featured notable highlights for the Black-and-Red faithful.
Forward Dominique Badji provided a bright moment for the home supporters, netting his first goal of the season in the 60th minute. Badji showcased his persistent high pressure, taking advantage of Chicago goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal’s bad touch to open his scoring account in 2025. Another significant moment came with the introduction of midfielder Gavin Turner in the second half. The 18-year-old Homegrown talent made his professional debut for D.C. United, entering in the 66th minute for Jared Stroud. Turner became the 21st Homegrown signing in D.C. United history earlier this February. His debut marked a proud milestone for both the player and the club, highlighting the Black-and-Red's ongoing commitment to nurturing homegrown talent. Turner showed confidence and composure, getting involved immediately and attempting a shot late in the game that was blocked by Chicago’s defense.
The squad faced additional challenges due to several notable absences, with key players unavailable while away on international duty. Despite these personnel shortages, D.C. United controlled significant possession throughout the match and created multiple opportunities, registering 14 shots and earning nine corner kicks. The team maintained 57% of the ball possession, demonstrating their ability to build play and sustain pressure in attacking phases, even under difficult circumstances.
The Black-and-Red will look to regroup quickly, and shift focus to the upcoming away fixture against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, June 14 at America First Field. The team aims to bounce back positively and remains grateful for the continued and passionate support from the fans.
D.C. United Lineup: Luis Barraza, Lucas Bartlett, Conner Antley (Derek Dodson 80'), Garrison Tubbs, Jared Stroud (Gavin Turner 66'), Brandon Servania, Rida Zouhir (Randall Leal 46'), David Schnegg, Hosei Kijima, Gabriel Pirani (Fidel Barajas 80'), Jacob Murrell (Dominique Badji 57')
Unused Substitutes: Jordan Farr
Head Coach: Troy Lesesne
Chicago Fire FC Lineup: Jeffery Gal, Johnny Dean (Leonardo Barroso 46'), Omar González, Jack Elliott (Sam Rodgers 59'), Andrew Gutman, Rominigue Kouamé (Sam Williams 12'), Philip Zinckernagel, Kellyn Acosta, Jonathan Bamba Brian (Gutiérrez 46'), Tom Barlow (Jason Shokalook 76'), Maren Haile-Selassie
Unused Substitutes: Chase Gasper, Bryan Dowd, Vitaliy Hlyut
Head Coach: Gregg Berhalter
