D.C. United erased a two-goal halftime deficit against the Eastern Conference leaders on Saturday night, drawing 2-2 with Nashville SC in front of a sold-out Audi Field. Defender Silvan Hefti scored his first career MLS goal in the 56th minute and forward Tai Baribo equalized in the 77th. The result moves the Black-and-Red to 5-5-8 with 23 points in the Eastern Conference and extends their unbeaten run to five matches.
Head Coach René Weiler named an unchanged starting XI from Saturday's 2-1 win over Toronto FC. D.C. United lined up with goalkeeper Sean Johnson behind a back four of captain Lucas Bartlett, Silvan Hefti, Keisuke Kurokawa and Kye Rowles. Andre Dozzell and Brandon Servania anchored the midfield, with Jackson Hopkins and João Peglow providing width on the flanks, while Tai Baribo partnered Louis Munteanu in the attack.
Nashville SC took control late in the first half. The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 32nd minute following a handball in the area on a Hany Mukhtar cross, and forward Sam Surridge converted from the spot into the bottom right corner. Midfielder Shak Mohammed doubled the lead eight minutes later, finishing from the center of the box after his first attempt was blocked. The Black-and-Red went into the interval trailing 2-0 despite carrying the better of the possession.
D.C. United came out of the break with the initiative and pulled one back in the 56th minute. Munteanu met a corner with a header that Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake pushed clear, and Hefti met the loose ball on the volley from eight yards, driving a right-footed finish into the top corner. The goal was initially disallowed before being awarded following a review. Weiler turned to his bench in the 64th minute, introducing midfielder Matti Peltola for Servania and forward Nathan Ordaz for Hopkins. The equalizer arrived in the 77th minute, when Munteanu, falling to the turf under pressure outside the area, flicked the ball into the path of Baribo, who let it bounce once before finishing from 10 yards. Midfielder Jared Stroud replaced Munteanu in the first minute of stoppage time, and D.C. United went looking for the winner, with Peglow striking the post from the top of the penalty area in the 89th minute.
Munteanu was central to both goals, forcing the save that led to the opener and providing the assist on the equalizer. Baribo's finish was his team-leading 11th goal of the 2026 MLS regular season and his fourth in four consecutive matches. Hefti opened his account in his first season with the club, and the Black-and-Red have now taken points in 10 of their last 11 matches. Schwake finished with five saves for the visitors.
D.C. United moved to 2-5-5 in the all-time regular season series against Nashville SC, including a 1-2-3 mark at Audi Field. The Black-and-Red return to action on the road against CF Montréal at Stade Saputo on Saturday, August 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. [CONFIRM]
D.C. United Lineup: Sean Johnson, Lucas Bartlett, Silvan Hefti, Keisuke Kurokawa, Kye Rowles, Andre Dozzell, Brandon Servania (Matti Peltola 64'), João Peglow, Jackson Hopkins (Nathan Ordaz 64'), Tai Baribo, Louis Munteanu (Jared Stroud 90'+1')
Unused Substitutes: Alex Bono, Sean Nealis, Nikola Markovic, Oscar Avilez, Kamil Castillo, Hosei Kijima
Head Coach: René Weiler
Nashville SC Lineup: Brian Schwake, Dan Lovitz, Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar (Reed Baker-Whiting 84'), Matthew Corcoran, Eddi Tagseth (Josh Bauer 84'), Ahmed Qasem (Elias Saad 62'), Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar (Bryan Acosta 73'), Shak Mohammed (Warren Madrigal 62')
Unused Substitutes: Xavier Valdez, Jack Maher, Charles-Emile Brunet, Jordan Knight
Head Coach: B.J. Callaghan
