D.C. falls to Charlotte in their final home game of the season

The 2025 MLS season has not been kind to D.C. United, as its final home game of the season approached on Saturday afternoon. With the team being out of playoff contention since the end of August and at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, D.C. was looking to give its home fans something to cheer about in its final home game of the season when it hosted Charlotte FC. 

Wilfred Zaha scored the only goal of the game on Saturday afternoon. Photo Credit: Charlotte FC

However, that was not to be for the Black and Red as they fell to Charlotte 1-0 Saturday afternoon, finishing with a record of 2-8-7 at home this season at Audi Field, finishing winless in their last 11 home games of the season. 

Lucas Bartlett D.C. United defender. Photo Credit: D.C. United

“It’s very simple: The team is too weak,” D.C. United head coach René Weiler said. “That is the result. The table doesn't lie, and I can’t do magic. So, we need the players, and they have to bring in the quality to be more competitive.”

The Game 

D.C. had the first goal-scoring opportunity of the game off a set piece, when a free kick into the box found Lucas Bartlett, who played the ball back to Christian Benteke, the ball would bounce off the D.C. striker, and fall to Ky Rowles who hit the ball one-time towards goal, but his chance would bounce off the inside of the crossbar and go out and into the hands of Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. 

In the 18th minute, a long ball meant for Wilfred Zaha was handled by Luis Barraza outside the box. The referee went to VAR to determine that Barraza handled the ball a foot away from the box and gave the United goalkeeper his marching orders. 

D.C. would go down to nine men a few minutes later, after an Aaron Herrera foul on Zaha. Both players entered into a tussle after the challenge; however, Herrera would headbutt Zaha in the chest, prompting the referee to show the United left-back a straight red card, conditioning United for the remainder of the game. 

Charlotte would take advantage of this situation in the 33rd minute, after a short free kick, Zaha would play the ball inside the box, Nikola Petković, with a give-and-go. Petković played the ball back to the former Crystal Palace striker, who shot the ball with a curler that went into the far right corner of Jordan Farr’s net to give Charlotte the lead. 

Benteke would have a chance to tie the game close to the end of the first half, but Kahlina would deny his shot on goal. 

Liel Abada had an opportunity to double Charlotte’s lead in the 60th minute, but his shot went wide of the goal. 

 With this result, D.C. United remains in last place of the Eastern Conference with 25 points, while Charlotte is in 4th place of the Eastern Conference with 56 points. 

D.C. United will travel to Georgia to play their final game of the MLS season when they travel to Atlanta to play Atlanta United on October 18th.