D.C. United kicked off the 2026 MLS season in style, earning a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the Philadelphia Union at Audi Field on Saturday night. Tai Baribo delivered the decisive moment in the 23rd minute, scoring against his former club to secure all three points. In his first start for the Black-and-Red, goalkeeper Sean Johnson recorded a clean sheet, helping D.C. snap a winless streak in the rivalry that dated back to August 2021.
The season opener marked a wave of debuts for D.C. United. Johnson, Silvan Hefti, Keisuke Kurokawa, and Baribo all made their first competitive starts, while forward Louis Munteanu came off the bench in the 70th minute for his club debut. No. 1 overall pick Nikola Marković made his MLS debut in stoppage time. Head Coach René Weiler celebrated his first regular season win of the new campaign, with the revamped squad already showing signs of the structure and identity built throughout preseason.
D.C. nearly struck early when Matti Peltola set up Lucas Bartlett in the sixth minute, but the defender’s effort drifted just wide. The breakthrough came on a quick counterattack as João Peglow slipped a pass to Baribo, who calmly finished into the bottom right corner past Andre Blake.
Philadelphia pushed back before halftime, with Milan Iloski testing Johnson twice, but the veteran keeper stood tall. Baribo nearly doubled the advantage before the break, rattling the post off a Jackson Hopkins set piece.
The match shifted decisively in the 58th minute when Union striker Ezekiel Alladoh was shown a straight red card. Up a man, D.C. controlled possession and limited the visitors’ chances. Munteanu made an immediate impact off the bench, firing two narrow misses in a lively cameo.
Despite late efforts from Augustín Anello and Danley Jean Jacques, D.C.’s back line — anchored by Bartlett, Kye Rowles, Hefti, and Kurokawa — held firm. Johnson finished the night with three saves, while Peltola impressed in midfield with seven defensive recoveries and an 84% passing accuracy.
As tempers flared in the closing minutes and yellow cards were issued on both sides, D.C. United saw out the result to secure a clean sheet, three points, and a statement win over a division rival to open the 2026 campaign.
