Match Report: D.C. United 2 - 1 Columbus Crew
Written by Sam Brummitt
Photography by Sam Brummitt
Washington, D.C. – Tai Baribo scored two early goals against the Columbus Crew and D.C. United held on for a 2-1 win. The Black-and-Red began their three game home stand on Wednesday night with three much needed points against a team that was one spot below D.C. in the Eastern Conference. The Columbus Crew were 13th on 23 points going into Wednesday’s game at Audi Field while D.C. was in 12th on 25 points. The result moved DC up to 11th place on 28 points. With the three points from this win, D.C. also surpassed the 26 points they accumulated in their last place finish in the 2025 season.
D.C. started out strong with Louis Munteanu getting a good look in the 15th minute with a backheeled attempt on goal from six yards out that was saved. A minute later, Kimito Nono connected on cutback pass from Baribo only for Nono’s hard shot to go off the crossbar.
Baribo joined the starting XI after missing the last two games due to a knee injury but he did not miss a step. His expert finishing and his knack for finding space in the box got D.C. on the score board with two goals in the first half.
D.C. started the first goal sequence in the 24th minute by switching the ball in Columbus’ half from Nono on the right touchline through Louis and Hopkins to Peglow on the left wing. Peglow took three touches and then played a pass through to Louis Munteanu, who turned and took one touch near the goal line to square the ball across the goal mouth towards Baribo and two Columbus defenders. Louis’ pass and Baribo’s run were both timed perfectly, with the ball going just past the outstretched foot of the Crew’s Sean Zawadzki and landing on Baribo’s foot to tap it into the goal.
Sean Johnson made a diving save in the 30th minute to preserve D.C.’s lead. And then Baribo scored his second in the 37th minute on a play that began with slow build up play Johnson through the midfield and eventually to Louis who found Nono on the right side. Nono had acres of space and caught Columbus’ defense high and out of position. Nono sent a cross on the ground towards the top of the box, which found Baribo making another perfectly timed run. Baribo took one touch to set up a shot with his right foot and found the bottom left of the net.
In addition to Baribo, Kye Rowles also returned to the starting lineup and was paired up with Bartlett as the center backs, along with Kurokawa and Hefti as fullbacks. With all core starters healthy, Coach René Weiler used a 4-3-3 lineup with Munteanu, Hopkins and Baribo up top and Kimito Nono and Andre Dozzell returning to their natural positions in right midfield and central midfield, respectively, along with Peglow on the left side.
After the halftime break, Columbus brought on their recently signed Designated Player, Brais Méndez, who joined from Real Sociedad a month ago, in an attempt to get back into the game. D.C. conceded soon after the half when Josef Martínez received a pass in the 49th minute just outside the top of the box with no one on D.C. United applying any pressure. Martínez had time to settle the ball and decide whether to shoot. He decided to pass it off to Santiago Rodríguez on his left. Rodríguez hit it hard past a diving Sean Johnson to cut the Crew’s deficit to one.
D.C. continued to threaten on counterattacks, usually by advancing the ball wide through Hefti and Kurokawa. D.C. created several more good chances to put the game away. In the 50th minute, Rowles was at the top of the six yard box in the right spot to receive a cross from Nono. Rowles’ header beat the Crew’s goalkeeper only to go off the crossbar. Nathan Ordaz’s shot in the 76th minute and Servania’s shot in the 89th minute from just inside the box were both saved.
D.C. absorbed a good deal of pressure late in the game as Columbus used all five substitutions to get fresh legs on the field and keep the ball in D.C.’s half of the field. Columbus’ Mendez had a shot go of the cross bar in the 70th minute. D.C. held on and preserved their one goal lead through the final whistle. It was a much needed win for D.C. after three draws and two losses in their last five games saw them fall below the playoff line.
Columbus came into this game off a 3-0 win at home against the Colorado Rapids on September 5th. It was the club’s 400th MLS regular-season match victory and the Crew became only the second MLS club to reach that mark, along with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Columbus leaves Audi Field still searching for their 401st win.
Post-Match Quotes
René Weiler on D.C.’s defensive stand to hold on to a one-goal lead:
We had some difficulties at the beginning of the game, but we changed the system and afterwards it was much better. {We were} much more compact… At the end it was better to change the system because of the problems we had at the beginning of the game.
Weiler on Baribo’s impact on the game:
{Baribo} is a real scorer. So he has scored now, goals {number} 13 and 14. And he missed a couple of games. It’s important that everybody knows that when Tai is on the field we have somebody who is able to score. In this game it was important because {Columbus} started better than we started and then {Baribo’s goal} was the opener to this victory at the end.
Weiler early Nono’s first few games with the team:
Nono is a good player. The games he has played for us so far, he has a good feel how to play the play {and} how to run. He is calm. He played, two or three times, the right pass, {a pass that} was not too strong to the right player. So that is a very good player.
Three Points
Golden Boot Race – Baribo’s two goals on Wednesday night put his season goal total at 14, which is behind only Lionel Messi and Petar Musa at 18 goals each. In his six games since the World Cup break (526 minutes of playing time), Baribo has scored six goals. Baribo is netting 0.78 goals per game this season, and with 11 games remaining he is on pace to surpass his career best 18 MLS goals scored last season with the Philadelphia Union.
Weather Scrambles the Schedule – D.C. enters the final third of the season with a game in hand after heavy rain and lighting caused the team’s Wednesday night match at FC Cincinnati to be canceled. The match will be played at a later date, which means the already busy fall schedule – with a friendly against SC Paderborn 07 on the last WWednesday in September and two Wednesday night matches in October already on the schedule – will become more congested.
Low Possession and Vertical Football – D.C.’s preference for playing compact and disciplined defense and relying on counter attacks and long ball to steal a goal or two worked out well in this match against a team that ranks second in possession this season behind San Diego FC. D.C. only had 28 percent possession against Columbus, below their season average of 39 percent possession (the lowest in the league), but the team was deadly on the counter and generated 2.51 expected goals to Columbus’ 0.81. While Columbus outshot D.C. 16 to 10, D.C. compact defense forced Columbus to play the ball around the box and take low percentage shots. Wednesday’s match against Columbus demonstrated how D.C.’s low possession, defend and counter tactics can succeed against a technically skilled team.
Starting XIs
D.C. United (4-3-3)
Johnson; Hefti, Bartlett (C), Rowles, Kurokawa; Nono, Dozzell, Peglow (90+2’ Nealis); Hopkins (46’ Peltola), Baribo (77’ Servania), Munteanu (70’ Ordaz)
Unused Substitutes: Avilez, Bono, Kijima, Marković, Stroud
On injured list: Segal
Head Coach: René Weiler
Columbus Crew (4-2-3-1)
Schulte; Ruvalcaba (46’ Moreira), Zawadzki, Amundsen, Lennon; Chambost (70’ Gomes), Karumanchi ; Farsi, Habroune (46’ Méndez), Rodríguez (81’ Thiaré); Martínez (60’ Tapia)
Unused Substitutes: Bailly, Giaccone, Hagen, Pruter
On injured list: Abou Ali, Bangoura, Camacho
Head Coach: Laurent Courtois
Scoring Summary
D.C. United
24’ - Baribo
37’ - Baribo
Columbus Crew
49' - Rodríguez
Booking Summary
D.C. United
19’ - Peglow (Yellow Card)
57’ - Rowles (Yellow Card)
90+5’ - Johnson (Yellow Card)
Columbus Crew
12’ - Karumanchi (Yellow Card)
19’ - Ruvalcaba (Yellow Card)
Up Next
This victory over the Columbus Crew was D.C.’s first win since July 25, when they also notched a 2-1 win at home over an Eastern Conference opponent (Toronto FC). D.C. United will look to carry that momentum into their next two home games against Atlanta United on Saturday, September 12, followed by Charlotte FC on Saturday, September 19. Atlanta sits in 14th place in the East, six points behind D.C. United. Atlanta’s on field success in their last two seasons has not matched the team’s ambitions and high wages. The team made four signings in the summer transfer window, headlined by the Swiss striker Breel Embolo, who was signed as a designated player from Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais for an eight-digit transfer fee. Stealing some points from these next two opponents will be critical to D.C.’s playoff hopes before they head on the road to play two of the top teams in the league, Vancouver Whitecaps on September 26 and Inter Miami on October 10.
Columbus Crew enter a stretch of games that will also make or break their playoff chances. Columbus currently sits six points behind the playoff line (9th place New York City FC). The Crew’s next three matches are against NY Red Bulls and Orlando at home, followed by Montreal on the road. Columbus is going through a rebuild similar to D.C. The club sacked their previous manager after only several months on the job and appointed Laurent Courtois as coach in May. The team also went through major turnover in their key players and offensive production during the summer transfer window: striker Diego Rossi sold to Liga MX, left back Max Arfsten sold to the EFL Championship, midfielder Hugo Picard sent out on loan to Ligue 1, and new additions in DP Brais Mendez and MLS veteran Josef Martinez. Columbus may need time for Courtois to implement his vision and for the new players to integrate with the team. A run for the 2026 MLS Cup is unlikely, but the team could be a serious contender by the time the spring sprint season gets underway.
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