On a night that celebrated club legends and new beginnings, the Columbus Crew secured a 2-1 win over D.C. United at Lower.com Field thanks to a pair of long-awaited first goals from Daniel Gazdag and Lassi Lappalainen.
The victory, which came after a 35-minute weather delay, extended Columbus’ strong run of form to five wins in their last seven league matches. The Crew are now 12-4-8 on the season and sit comfortably above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference with 44 points.
Gazdag opened the scoring in the 31st minute from the penalty spot, calmly placing his shot into the left corner after earning the foul himself. The Hungarian midfielder, who arrived in a midseason trade from Philadelphia, had gone 15 matches without a goal before Saturday night. His effort rewarded a vote of confidence from teammates, with usual penalty taker Diego Rossi stepping aside to let Gazdag take the kick.
Despite Columbus carrying a 1-0 lead into the half, the visitors responded quickly after the restart. Christian Benteke headed home from close range in the 48th minute, latching onto a driven cross from Derek Dodson. It marked Benteke’s seventh goal of the season and his fifth in four matches against the Crew, a tally that underscores his consistent threat in this particular fixture.
The match remained tense through the second half, with both sides struggling to create consistent chances. Columbus maintained the bulk of possession, but D.C. threatened in moments, particularly through quick transitions. However, the Crew’s depth off the bench proved decisive late.
In the 76th minute, Lappalainen entered the match for Rossi and made an immediate impact. Just two minutes later, he pounced on a loose ball at the top of the box and fired a low, left-footed shot past Luis Barraza to restore Columbus’ lead. It was the Finnish winger’s first goal for the club after signing as a free agent in the offseason, and it arrived in his 10th appearance.
D.C. United’s hopes of a comeback were dashed in the closing minutes when Aaron Herrera was sent off in the 89th minute following a second yellow card. The visitors finished the match with 10 men and failed to register a shot on target after Benteke’s equalizer.
With interim manager Kevin Flanagan still at the helm, D.C. have now lost three straight matches, all by 2-1 scorelines, and extended their winless run to seven. Newly appointed head coach Rene Weiler was announced midweek but has yet to join the team pending a work visa.
Columbus, meanwhile, capped off a celebratory evening that included the induction of 2008 MLS Cup MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto into the club’s Circle of Honor. The Crew also debuted their new third kit, the “Heritage Kit”, a modern tribute to their 1996 roots and their original team crest.
With the victory, Columbus inches closer to securing a top-four finish and home playoff match. They return to action next Friday with a pivotal home clash against Orlando City. D.C. United, now sitting near the bottom of the table with 19 points, host CF Montréal next Saturday in desperate need of a result.
Match Details
Competition: Major League Soccer
Date: July 19, 2025
Venue: Lower.com Field, Columbus, OH
Kickoff Time: 8:15 PM ET
Goals
31′ – Daniel Gazdag – PK (Columbus Crew)
48′ – Christian Benteke (DC United)
78′ – Lassi Lappalainen (Columbus Crew)
Discipline
38′ – Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew) – Yellow Card
84’ – Aaron Herrera (DC United) – Yellow Card
89’ – Aaron Herrera (DC United) – Red Card
Lineups
Columbus Crew: Patrick Schulte, Steven Moreira, Sean Zawadzki, Yevhen Cheberko, Max Arfsten (90 + 2‘ – Amar Sejdic), Dylan Chambost, Taha Habroune (68’ – Jaden Russell-Rowe), Darlington Nagbe, Daniel Gazdag (90 + 2’ – Cesar Ruvalcaba), Diego Rossi (76’ – Lassi Lappalainen), Ibrahim Aliyu
DC United: Luis Barraza, David Schnegg, Kye Rowles, Aaron Herrera, Lucas Bartlett, Derek Dodson (85’ – Hosei Kijima), João Peglow (78’ – Randall Leal), Boris Enow (85’ – Matti Peltola), Gabriel Pirani, Brandon Servania, Christian Benteke (62’ – Dominique Badji)
