Story of the Match
D.C. United heads back on the road to face Western Conference opponent Real Salt Lake at America First Field on June 14, with kickoff set for 9:30 p.m. ET. The Black-and-Red will look to put their last match behind them and bounce back with a strong performance in Sandy, Utah. It has been almost two years since the last matchup between the two sides, where D.C. United suffered a 2-1 defeat at Audi Field on June 17, 2023.
D.C. United holds a 4-8-6 record with 18 points and are looking to get back in form with the return of some players from international duty. Head Coach Troy Lesesne had to make adjustments to the lineup against Chicago Fire FC, being without Aaron Herrera, Kye Rowles, Matti Peltola, Boris Enow, and Kristian Fletcher. Lesesne made five changes to the starting lineup, giving defender Garrison Tubbs his fourth start of the season, while also incorporating midfielders Jared Stroud, Hosei Kijima, Brandon Servania, and Rida Zouhir. Lesesne used all five of his substitutes during the match and looked to young players like Gavin Turner and Fidel Barajas off the bench.
Forward Dominique Badji was able to net his first goal of the season after coming on as a 57th minute substitute. Homegrown midfielder Gavin Turner was also able to make his MLS debut after he subbed into the game in the 66th minute. This marks another milestone for the D.C. United Academy, as it continues its commitment to developing local talent and integrating them into the first team. Chicago’s Tom Barlow netted his first career MLS hat-trick, which propelled the Fire’s attack towards an early advantage over the Black-and-Red. Barlow's strong performance led the Fire to a 7-1 victory at Audi Field.
Midfielder Hosei Kijima led the Black-and-Red with three successful dribbles, while Gabriel Pirani had a team-high four shots on the night. Despite the team's struggles, midfielders Jared Stroud and Brandon Servania were able to create a combined six chances for D.C. United. This marked Stroud’s 11th MLS start for the Black-and-Red this season.
Real Salt Lake (4-10-3,15 pts.) are currently 13th in the Western Conference and enter Saturday's match with a (2-4-1) record at home with a -1 goal differential. The Claret-and-Cobalt have struggled as of late, remaining winless in their five matches with a (0-3-2) record, with three goals scored. Their most recent match was a 2-0 loss to last-place LA Galaxy on May 31. Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side will again be without top goal scorer, Diego Luna, who is with the USMNT for the Gold Cup, as well as Dominik Marczuk, who is representing Poland in the U21 UEFA European Championship. Meanwhile, forward Ariath Piol (Australia’s U23) and midfielder Zavier Gozo (USYNT U20) return to the squad after missing the previous match against LA Galaxy due to international duty.
This game will be a reunion for goalkeeper Luis Barraza, who spent his early years playing for Real Salt Lake’s U15 and U16 teams before attending Marquette University. The Black-and-Red will still be without defender Aaron Herrera, who is with the Guatemalan national team for the Gold Cup, and midfielder Matti Peltola who is representing Finland’s U21 for the UEFA European Championship. Lesesne will get some needed reinforcements with Kye Rowles, Boris Enow, and Kristian Fletcher all returning to the squad after spending time with their respective national teams.
Without Diego Luna, D.C. United will need to keep a tab on midfielder Diogo Gonçalves, who has one goal and two assists this season. Gonçalves is ranked second on RSL in assists and shots on target with eight. Limiting Gonçalves will be a priority for Head Coach Troy Lesesne, as the team looks to bounce back after last week’s loss.
By the Numbers | D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire FC | June 7, 2025
- Forward Dominique Badji came on as a 57th minute substitute and scored his first goal of the season in the 60th minute. Badji had an 82% passing accuracy and four total shots in 33 minutes played.
- Homegrown midfielder Gavin Turner made his D.C. United debut, coming on as a 66th minute substitute.
- Midfielder Jared Stroud created the most chances in the match with three and won five ground duels; he completed 66 minutes.
- Midfielder Hosie Kijima completed 100% of his dribbles and won the most duels in the match with five; he completed 90 minutes.
Last Match Against Real Salt Lake | June 17, 2023 @ Audi Field
In their previous fixture against Real Salt, D.C. United lost 2-1 to Real Salt Lake on June 17, 2023, after the Black-and-Red went down to ten men in the 26th minute when Steven Birnbaum received a red card. Real Salt Lake followed that up with a goal in the 41st minute when Pablo Ruiz unleashed a shot from the halfway line. RSL scored another goal in the 51st minute from Danny Musovski, when Carlos Gomez bulleted a ground cross to Musovski for a simple finish. D.C. United quickly responded in the 53rd minute when midfielder Christopher Durkin delivered a powerful shot into the far corner from just inside the box to give the Black-and-Red some life. D.C. United struggled to create quality chances, having only two shots on target for the whole match. Real Salt Lake capitalized on their opportunities and held onto the win with a strong performance from their defensive unit. With only 10 men, the Black-and-Red struggled to keep up offensively and ultimately lost the match.
How to Watch
D.C. United fans can catch all the action of their favorite team by subscribing to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. With this subscription, you can watch every D.C. United game 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 subscribe to enjoy the entire 2025 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 1190 iHeart Sports DC, 101.1 HD2, and the iHeartRadio App. Legendary broadcaster Dave Johnson, who has called games 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 games on MLS Season Pass can opt to listen to Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray calling the game on the MLS Local Radio Broadcast channel.
