D.C. United can't hold Charlotte FC in 3-1 road loss: Match report

For a short while on Saturday, D.C. United seemed on course for an important road result, but a second-half lead dissolved in a 3-1 road loss at Charlotte FC.

Louis Munteanu got on the scoresheet for the first time in six games, but two Charlotte goals from set pieces — one from David Schnegg, haunting his old club, and the next from Will Cleary — set the hosts on their path to a win. Pep Biel, who had the assist on both of those goals, then tacked on a third as United's six-game unbeaten streak away from home came to an end.

René Weiler made two changes to the side that fell 3-0 to the New England Revolution on Wednesday, and both were curious. Tai Baribo was only available to come off the bench, with João Peglow returning from a knock and Jackson Hopkins moving up front. With Kye Rowles missing for the fourth time in sixth matches, Weiler opted to drop Andre Dozzell into the back line, with Brandon Servania returning to the starting 11.

Unsurprisingly, United played largely on the counter to start, with quick raids forward turning into shots over the bar from Munteanu and Peglow before a powerful strike from Kimito Nono tested Kristijan Kahlina's reflexes. That produced a corner which saw Peglow hammer a shot from a loose ball that flew a yard high.

At the other end, a promising counter after a 41st-minute United corner was Charlotte's best threat of the half, but Rodolfo Aloko could only put the ball into the stands, much to his chagrin.

United had at least kept the game contained and controlled in the first half, but things took a dramatic swing in the second half. Initially, that was a positive for the Black-and-Red, who took a 55th-minute lead. A quick switch from the right picked Peglow out in space on the left, and the Brazilian's tidy touch queued up Munteanu's trailing run.

Rather than overcomplicate things, Munteanu shaped himself to steer the ball past Kahlina, picking out the bottom corner for his first goal since scoring against CF Montréal back on May 23.

The goal provoked the hosts into pushing numbers forward. Allan Saint-Maximin did well in the 59th minute to get to the endline before chipping over the packed D.C. defense, but Aloko's free header only went straight down into the turf at Bank of America Stadium.

In truth, Charlotte had offered little, but got a 64th-minute equalizer from the ex-United man Schnegg. Pep Biel's delivery to the back post found Morrison Agyemang for a dangerous header, and while Johnson got down to claw that effort off the line, Schnegg was on hand to sweep the loose ball over the line.

Silvan Hefti's tame shot moments after play resumed nearly turned into a D.C. goal, as Kahlina inexplicably spilled the ball. Multiple United players were lurking, but the bounce of the ball foiled Hopkins.

United had kept Biel quiet, but the Spanish playmaker's dead ball delivery caught the visitors out for a second goal in two minutes as Charlotte flipped the game on its. It was simple stuff, with a near-post corner kick sent to Cleary, who was unmarked and able to snap a header past Johnson from eight yards.

Weiler made a triple substitution to chase the game, but with the field stretched, a Charlotte counter became a killer third. Liel Abada drove at the D.C. box before chopping the ball across the top of the box for Biel, who showcased his close control amid several United defenders before beating Johnson from 17 yards.

United offered sporadic crossing threats, but never really recovered from Charlotte's one-two punch, falling to a second straight away loss.

The defeat, combined with wins for Orlando City and Toronto FC elsewhere Saturday, leaves United (5-9-7) outside of the playoff picture for the first time in months. The Black-and-Red return home next Saturday, with LAFC coming to Audi Field for a scheduled 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

Box score — MLS regular season (game 21)
8/22/2026

Charlotte FC 3 (Schnegg 64, Cleary 66, Biel 78)
D.C. United 1 (Munteanu 55)

Lineups:
Charlotte (4231): Kristijan Kahlina; Will Cleary, Morrison Agyemang, Henry Kessler, David Schnegg; Ashley Westwood (C) (Brandt Bronico 65), Luca de la Torre (Djibril Diani 65); Rodolfo Aloko (Liel Abada 65), Pep Biel, Allan Saint-Maximin (Tyger Smalls 83); Idan Toklomati (Archie Goodwin 75)

DCU (442): Sean Johnson; Silvan Hefti, Lucas Bartlett (C), Andre Dozzell, Keisuke Kurokawa; Kimito Nono (Hosei Kijima 77), Matti Peltola, Brandon Servania (Nikola Markovic 77), João Peglow (Jared Stroud 86); Jackson Hopkins (Nathan Ordaz 77), Louis Munteanu

Bookings:
Charlotte - Smalls 85, Biel 94+
DCU - Kurokawa 34, Hefti 44, Peglow 68

Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Weather: Clear, humid, 78°
Attendance: Will add once I have it