D.C. United lost 2-1 to Toronto FC on Wednesday night at BMO Field despite midfielder Andre Dozzell scoring his first goal with the club. Toronto FC scored twice in the second half, including Josh Sargent’s decisive rebound finish in the 86th minute.
The result moved D.C. United to 7-13-12 in the 2026 MLS regular season. The team remains 13th in the Eastern Conference with 33 points and two matches left in the regular season.
Andre Dozzell Gives D.C. United the Lead
D.C. United created an opportunity inside the opening two minutes when defender Lucas Bartlett’s long ball found defender Keisuke Kurokawa. Kurokawa’s effort from distance tested Toronto FC goalkeeper Luka Gavran.
In the 21st minute, Jared Stroud sent a header into the box that Nathan Ordaz flicked on to João Peglow. Peglow challenged Gavran as the goalkeeper attempted to clear, nearly creating another chance.
D.C. United took the lead in the 29th minute. A give-and-go between defender Silvan Hefti and midfielder Matti Peltola sent Hefti into the box, where he found Dozzell for a finish into the far corner. The goal was Dozzell’s first in a D.C. United jersey, while Hefti recorded his fifth assist of the season.
Toronto FC Scores Twice After Halftime
Toronto FC increased the pressure after the break, but D.C. United initially protected its advantage. In the 47th minute, Bartlett redirected a shot from forward Dániel Sallói wide, and Kurokawa later delivered a near-post corner that defender Kye Rowles headed just over in the 59th minute.
Toronto FC equalized in the 64th minute. Midfielder Djordje Mihailović’s corner found forward Josh Sargent, whose header reached midfielder Jonathan Osorio for the final touch and a 1-1 score.
D.C. United nearly reclaimed the lead in the 85th minute when Kurokawa’s in-swinging corner forced Gavran to punch the ball away. Brandon Servania then connected on a header at the back post, but Toronto FC scored the decisive goal one minute later.
The winning sequence began when forward Theo Corbeanu struck the post. Sargent converted the rebound in the 86th minute to give Toronto FC the 2-1 victory.
D.C. United Posts Eight Shots and Seven Corners
D.C. United registered eight shots and seven corners while completing 80.2 percent of its passes. Kurokawa and Hefti contributed to the team’s opportunities in the final third.
Dozzell recorded D.C. United’s highest player rating of the match. He completed 96.4 percent of his passes, recorded seven passes into the final third and made five defensive contributions across 90 minutes.
Head coach René Weiler made three changes to the 4-4-2 lineup that started the previous match against FC Cincinnati, bringing Ordaz, Stroud and Peltola into the starting XI. Weiler substituted midfielder Brandon Servania for Ordaz in the 80th minute and defender Sean Nealis for Stroud in the 89th minute.
Next Match: D.C. United at Columbus Crew
D.C. United will travel to face the Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Saturday, October 31. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
D.C. United produced a strong first half, including taking the lead through Dozzell’s first goal with the club. The team recorded eight shots, seven corners and an 80.2 percent passing rate.
Toronto FC’s second-half response decided the match. D.C. United could not protect its one-goal advantage and remains in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with two regular-season matches remaining.
Source: Original report
