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Story & Photos by Shawn Payne
October 14, 2026 | Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
MLS Regular Season | D.C. United vs Red Bull New York
WASHINGTON, D.C. — D.C. United returned to Audi Field on Wednesday evening seeking a response to its 4–0 defeat at Inter Miami, with a familiar rival awaiting and valuable points at stake in the Eastern Conference.
The Black-and-Red entered the match with 30 points, six behind visiting Red Bull New York. While D.C. looked to recover from its difficult trip to Miami, New York arrived following a 4–1 victory over San Diego FC. Their previous meeting in April had produced a dramatic 4–4 draw, with Tai Baribo scoring a hat trick for United.
The rivalry shared the spotlight with Noche Latina, the club’s celebration of the region’s Latino community. The evening’s programming included themed merchandise, special concession offerings and a scheduled halftime performance by Alex Sensation, bringing a cultural celebration to the midweek matchup.
There was also a significant opportunity for Oscar Avilez, who was named to the starting lineup for his MLS debut. The 16-year-old, born in Choluteca, Honduras, joined D.C. United’s academy from Virginia Rush in November 2024 before signing a Homegrown contract in October 2025. His first league appearance added a personal milestone to an evening celebrating Latino connections to the club.
D.C. United wasted little time finding the opening goal. Baribo converted a penalty in the fifth minute for his 15th MLS goal of the season, giving the hosts an early advantage.
Avilez played 56 minutes before being replaced by Jared Stroud. He finished with eight touches inside the opposition penalty area, the most of any player in the match, providing an encouraging contribution in his first MLS outing.
United doubled its lead in first-half stoppage time. Keisuke Kurokawa’s corner was flicked on by Baribo, and Silvan Hefti headed home in the fifth added minute to send the Black-and-Red into halftime ahead 2–0.
The match became considerably more difficult for the home side after the break. Captain Lucas Bartlett received his second yellow card in the 68th minute, leaving D.C. to protect its advantage with 10 players.
New York soon took advantage. Emil Forsberg played Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting through, and the forward rounded goalkeeper Sean Johnson before finishing into the bottom corner to cut the deficit to 2–1.
The visitors continued searching for an equalizer, forcing United into a tense closing stretch. Cameron Harper struck the post late, but New York could not produce the second goal needed to salvage a point.
Johnson finished with six saves as D.C. secured the victory and moved to 33 points. United now turns its attention to an October 17 trip to Orlando City, carrying a home win and a memorable league debut into its next match.
Final Score: D.C. United 2 – Red Bull New York 1
Goals Scored:
D.C. United
- Tai Baribo – 5’ (PK)
- Silvan Hefti – 45+5’
Red Bull New York
- Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – 71’
Game Highlights – D.C. United 2 – Red Bull New York 1 | October 14, 2026
