When people talk about MLS rivalries, they usually point to the glitz of El Tráfico or the hostility of the Cascadia Cup. But if you’ve been watching the league since the nineties, you know there’s a different kind of tension when it’s Columbus Crew vs DC United. It is the "Original Rivalry." It’s a matchup between the league’s first-ever dynasty and a club that has reinvented itself into a modern powerhouse.
Honestly, the gap between these two has widened lately. While Wilfried Nancy has turned Columbus into a tactical machine, DC United has been stuck in a frustrating cycle of rebuilding. However, if you look at the 2025 season, the narrative wasn't just about a blowout. It was about how style clashing with desperation makes for some of the best soccer in the Eastern Conference.
What Really Happened in the 2025 Series?
Columbus swept the season series in 2025, but the scorelines don't tell the whole story. On March 29, the Crew went into Audi Field and walked away with a 2-1 win. Diego Rossi was basically unplayable that night, bagging a brace. Nancy’s system—often dubbed "Nancyball"—was on full display, with the Crew dominating 60% of the possession. DC United looked lost for sixty minutes until Christian Benteke did what he does best: bullied a defender and headed home a late consolation.
The rematch on July 19 at Lower.com Field was even more telling.
👉 See also: Getting Your Hands on the 2025 Dodgers Promotional Schedule: What to Expect at Chavez Ravine
Columbus was coming off a brutal "slap" (Nancy’s own words) from Nashville SC. They needed a rebound. They got it through a Dániel Gazdag penalty—his first for the club—and a 78th-minute winner from Lassi Lappalainen.
DC United’s struggle is real. They’ve now gone eight straight matches without a win against Columbus. That’s a streak dating back to late 2021. For a club with four MLS Cups in the trophy cabinet, being a "get-right game" for the Crew has to sting.
The Tactical Gap: Nancyball vs. The Grind
The difference in Columbus Crew vs DC United right now comes down to identity.
✨ Don't miss: White Sox vs San Diego Padres: What Fans Usually Miss
Wilfried Nancy doesn't just want to win; he wants to humiliate you with the ball. The Crew lead the league in passes into the final third. They don't just kick and run. They invite pressure, play out of the back through Darlington Nagbe, and wait for you to blink.
On the other side, Troy Lesesne is trying to instill a high-press, high-intensity DNA into a DC United roster that feels a bit lopsided. When they played in July 2025, DC United managed exactly one shot on target. One. And it was Benteke.
That’s the problem. DC United is overly reliant on the big Belgian. If you can neutralize his aerial threat, you've basically neutered their entire offense. Columbus does this by keeping the ball so much that Benteke spends half the game defending in his own half.
Key Figures Who Defined the Recent Matchups
- Diego Rossi (Columbus): He has become a DC United killer. Rossi has six goals in five regular-season matches against the Black-and-Red. He finds pockets of space that DC's backline simply can't account for.
- Christian Benteke (DC United): Despite the losses, he remains the focal point. In the July loss, he won 100% of his aerial duels. He is a one-man wrecking ball, but soccer is an eleven-man game.
- Dániel Gazdag (Columbus): A mid-season 2025 arrival who made an immediate impact by ending the deadlock in July. His presence added a layer of creative flair that even Rossi doesn't quite provide.
- Gabriel Pirani (DC United): A bright spot in a dark season. The Brazilian showed flashes of brilliance in 2025, but often lacked the support to turn those flashes into points.
Why This Matchup Still Matters for the East
It’s easy to dismiss a one-sided series, but the Columbus Crew vs DC United history is rooted in the very DNA of the league. These are two of the "Charter 10" clubs.
When they met in the 2018 playoffs, it was an all-time classic that ended 2-2 before Columbus advanced on penalties. That’s the potential this fixture holds. Even in 2025, with Columbus sitting 7th in the East and DC United struggling at 14th, the intensity was high. There’s a certain "big brother, little brother" energy that has flipped over the last decade.
Columbus is currently the blueprint for how a small-market team can dominate. DC United is the cautionary tale of how a historic giant can lose its way.
👉 See also: Derrick Henry Stiff Arm: Why NFL Defenders Still Can't Stop It
Looking Ahead to 2026
The league has already circled October 31, 2026, on the calendar. That will be the final home match of the regular season for the Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (formerly Lower.com Field).
If the current trajectory holds, Columbus will be fighting for playoff seeding while DC United will be fighting for their lives. But soccer is weird. A new transfer window or a tactical shift from Lesesne could change everything.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Rossi factor: If Diego Rossi is in the lineup, expect goals. His movement between the lines is specifically designed to exploit the slower center-backs DC has fielded lately.
- Possession is the indicator: If Columbus holds more than 55% possession in the first twenty minutes, DC United rarely recovers.
- The "Benteke or Bust" rule: If you’re watching DC, look at how many crosses are coming in from Derek Dodson or Aaron Herrera. If those aren't hitting Benteke's head early, it's going to be a long night for the Black-and-Red.
- Home Field Dominance: Columbus is currently on a massive unbeaten run at home in this series. Betting against the Crew at home right now is basically throwing money into the Scioto River.
The next time these two meet, don't just look at the standings. Look at the history. Look at the tactical war between Nancy’s possession and Lesesne’s press. It might not always be pretty, but it is always a snapshot of where MLS has been and where it’s going.
Keep an eye on the injury reports leading into the 2026 season opener. Any absence of Darlington Nagbe in the midfield would be the only real opening DC United needs to break their winless streak. Otherwise, expect the "Black & Gold" to continue their reign over the "Black-and-Red."