D.C. United suffered their fourth loss of the season after FC Cincinnati defeated them over the weekend.

Gerardo Valenzuela showcased his individual brilliance by scoring in the 29th minute of the first half, marking his first start of the season. This victory brought Cincinnati’s record of 5 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw (5-2-1), making it their third consecutive win.

In contrast, D.C. United now holds a record of 1 win, 4 losses, and 3 draws (1-4-3). Valenzuela skillfully navigated past two D.C. United defenders on the right side of their defense, slotting the ball into the blind side of their goalkeeper.

This goal marks the 20-year-old midfielder’s second career goal; during his rookie season last year, he started 11 out of 30 games. Notably, this was Cincinnati’s earliest goal of the season, allowing them to take the lead at halftime for the first time. Cincinnati’s goalkeeper, Celantano, recorded his fourth clean sheet of the season, making two saves in the first half.

Meanwhile, Luis Barraza, who played 40 games for NYCFC from 2021 to 2024, made his debut for D.C. United, also registering four first-half saves.

D.C. United has only held the lead for a combined total of three minutes across their past five games.

At the start of the day, third place in the Eastern Conference was a three-way tie between Cincinnati, Charlotte FC, and the Philadelphia Union. Since 2023, Cincinnati has boasted a remarkable 32-8 win-loss record in one-goal games under head coach Pat Noonan, with 20 of those wins being more than any other club has achieved. Cincinnati has also recorded three straight victories on six occasions since joining the league in 2019.

While D.C. United holds a slight series advantage over Cincinnati with a record of 5 wins, 4 losses, and 4 draws (5-4-4), Cincinnati has a favorable 3-2-1 record in matches played in D.C.