D.C. and Columbus each recorded wins against the other on the road last season, including a 4-2 away win for D.C. United in August. D.C.’s only set of consecutive wins in Columbus came in 1999 when they won 2-1 in June and on a breakaway shootout after a 1-1 draw in July.
Columbus has lost its last two home games, falling in shutout losses to Nashville and Orlando earlier in April after winning eight of their previous nine at Lower.com Field. The Crew have never suffered three straight home shutout losses in the club’s MLS history.
D.C. United ended a four-match losing streak with a 3-2 win over New England on Saturday. Only two of D.C.’s last 25 MLS matches have ended in a draw, with United winning 11 times and losing 12 since the beginning of August 2021.
The Crew’s scoreless draw with Sporting Kansas City on Saturday was the fourth straight game in which they failed to find the net. This is the second time Columbus has gone four straight games without a goal in MLS, also doing so in May-June 2008. They’ve never gone five straight league games without scoring.
Taxi Fountas scored twice and provided an assist against New England in his first career MLS start on Saturday. Fountas is only the second player in the last decade to record multiple goals and an assist in his first MLS start after Alejandro Pozuelo for Toronto in 2019.
