DC United was looking to get back in the win column on the road against the New England Revolution on Saturday night. However, it wasn’t meant to be. A 35th minute goal from New England’s Alhassan Yusuf was the difference in a 1-0 loss.

Tai Baribo, the Black-and-Red’s top scorer so far on the season, was not healthy enough to make the matchday roster after experiencing some muscle tightness last weekend against FC Dallas. That meant others would need to step up and finish chances, and while they were created in bunches, the team couldn’t get any past New England goalkeeper Matt Turner.

The fight that wasn’t present for DC United last weekend against Dallas was there against New England. However, after the match, head coach René Weiler was very direct when he said that almost doesn’t count in the standings. “At least this game, we created enough chances,” Weiler said after the match. “We had three clear chances to score a goal, but we didn’t score. And when you don’t score goals, then you can’t win games. So we scored now four goals in seven games. And that’s not enough for me to be enough.”

The match was back-and-forth the first 5 minutes, beginning in the 3rd minute, when Matti Peltola fired a low shot from outside the box that hit the post. New England’s Ilay Feingold had a chance just seconds later on the other end that went wide, and Aaron Herrera, on the break back down the field, received the ball from João Peglow. His shot from the right of the box went wide.

Neither team had much going in the first 30 minutes of the match. In the 12th minute, Luca Langoni had a the shot from just outside the box, and it required a save from DC goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Gabriel Pirani had a chance in the 19th minute with a left footed shot from the center of the box, but Matt Turner was able ot make the ave on that attempt.

In the 35th minute, the Revolution got the breakthrough. Off the long into the box, it was controlled by Will Sands and passed off to Dor Turgeman, who then turned and laid it off for Alhassan Yusuf. Yusuf’s shot flew past Johnson to give New England a 1-0 lead.

Weiler said after the match that the Revolution were “[more] determined” on that play. “We had a lot of our players around this ball. We knew that they are dangerous. They scored a lot of goals at home in the last two home games. But what can I analyze now? They scored the goal and it was a decisive goal and it’s a pity for us,” Weiler remarked.  

DC United kept angling for a chance to equalize, but didn’t get much going the rest of the half. They entered the locker room hoping to make the adjustments necessary to bring the fight and get the tying goal.

DC United came out with a lot of energy in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Still, while their energy produced a few chances, they weren’t able to punch through and get the equalizer.

In the 71st minute, Peyton Miller almost got on the break to make it 2-0. Off a turnover, Miller was freed up with Lucas Bartlett chasing him down. Sean Johnson came well off his line out of the box to get the ball away from Miller and out of danger.

In the 73rd minute, Griffin Yow entered the match for New England, taking the field against his former club for the first time since he left DC United to head abroad after the 2022 season. He had a chance to contribute in the 80th minute. He sent in a free kick that was headed towards goal by Dor Turgeman. Sean Johnson was able to react and make the save.

In the 85th minute, Miller almost gave the Revolution a second. Carles Gill was able to slice through the defense and lift a cross into the box to Miller. Miller’s one timed shot was low and went just inches wide of the net.

Down to the wire, the team continued to puh for a goal to try and bring home a point. In the second minute of stoppage time, DC United had their best chance of the night. Several players had attempts in the box to score, with Matti Peltola’s effort blocked by a perfectly timed tackle. João Peglow got another shot off that was saved at point blank range by Matt Turner. That was the last effort for the Black-and-Red, and the referee signaled the end of the match a couple minutes later.

With the loss, DC United have 7 points from their first 7 matches of the season, hovering in 9th place in the Eastern Conference standings. They now return home for US Open Cup play on Wednesday against One Knox SC.