Nashville SC Fights Back to Secure 2-2 Draw Against D.C. United

Substitute Warren Madrigal scored his third and fourth goals of the season as host Nashville SC rallied from two goals down late to earn a 2-2 draw against 10-man D.C. United on Saturday night.

Andy Najar played a crucial role in both of Madrigal’s goals, providing the assist on his 89th-minute equalizer and delivering a key pass for the first goal shortly after the 75th-minute ejection of D.C. defender Silvan Hefti.

This result allowed the Coyotes (7-1-3, 24 points) to avoid their first league loss at home, although they dropped points at home for the first time in five regular-season matches.

Louis Munteanu netted his fourth goal in three games for D.C. (4-4-4, 16 points), extending the team’s unbeaten streak in the league to five matches.

Lucas Bartlett added his first MLS goal since 2024 for the Black-and-Red, who appeared to dominate the game while playing 11-on-11.

However, the momentum shifted quickly following Hefti’s second yellow card for a foul that halted a promising attack, allowing Madrigal to score his first goal just moments later.

Matthew Corcoran chested down Najar’s entry pass into the right side of the penalty area, turned, and fired a shot that forced Sean Johnson into a low, sprawling save. The rebound fell directly to Madrigal, who tapped it into an open net from close range, reducing the deficit to 2-1.

If Madrigal’s first goal was opportunistic, his second showcased his skill. He skillfully controlled Najar’s early cross, bringing the ball down off his chest and striking an exceptional first-time volley into the bottom corner, leaving Johnson with no chance. Madrigal entered the match at 62 minutes as a replacement for Alex Muyl.

Munteanu had initially put D.C. in front at the 25-minute mark by guiding a header past Brian Schwake into the bottom left corner from Hefti’s dipping early cross from the right.

Bartlett doubled the lead eight minutes later from a corner, meeting Keisuke Kurokawa’s inswinging service with a powerful header that went between Schwake and the right post. Although originally ruled offside, referee Randy Encarnacion confirmed the goal after reviewing video evidence, which showed that Jared Stroud, while in an offside position, did not interfere with Schwake’s ability to make a save.