Top-seeded Crown Legacy FC built a two-goal lead in the first half and held off a late push from #8 New York Red Bulls II to win 2-1 in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Sunday, October 18 at the Sportsplex at Matthews, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It was the club’s first home playoff win, and it came with several firsts: Nathan Richmond became the first player in club history with 20 goal contributions in a single season; Adrian Mendoza became the first Charlotte FC Academy player to score in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs; and Jahiem Wickham set a career-high in saves.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Richmond told reporters after the match. “But we won our duels in the first half, created a lot of chances, and at the end of the game, we scrapped it out and got the win.”

The victory also marked the first time that one of Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s pro teams won at home in regulation since David Tepper’s purchase of the Carolina Panthers.

Charlotte FC have two playoff wins, but both are from penalty shootouts. Legacy’s lone win in a knockout tournament prior to Saturday came in Cincinnati in 2024.

Today, the Legacy picked Columbus Crew 2 to be their opponent for the semifinals. They’ll host the match at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex on Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 PM ET.

There’s history there: in 2023, when Crown Legacy automatically advanced to the semifinals as a #1 seed, they picked the Crew as their opponent. In that semifinal, a second half winner gave the Crew a 0-1 upset over a stacked Legacy side that included Patrick Agyemang, Brandon Cambridge, and Neeley, among others.

Fast Start, Two-Goal Cushion

With the best record in the Eastern Conference, and the second-best overall record in MLS NEXT Pro, Crown Legacy secured the #1 seed in East for the NEXT Pro playoffs. Despite the team’s success, it wasn’t clear until Sunday who would be in the lineup. As is common for a reserve team, the Legacy’s lineup went through a lot of changes this year.

First Round 2026 MLS SuperDraft pick Will Cleary signed a first team contract in February, and offensive standout Rodolfo Aloko had moved on to the first team early in the season.

Aron John was signed to a homegrown contract, the fourth for the club, but along with fellow homegrown and Legacy regular Nimfasha Berchimas he was sidelined with an injury. Another homegrown, Jack Neeley, was loaned to the Independence earlier in the year but came back by June.

Injuries and transfers at the first team level also pulled on the lineup. After multiple first team call-ups during the 2026 campaign, Charlotte FC finally signed Nathan Richmond to a full first team contract on October 10, ahead of the MLS roster deadline.

Luckily for the Legacy, Richmond - as well as Cleary and Neeley - were in the starting lineup for the playoff quarterfinal.

Richmond gave Crown Legacy the lead in the 12th minute. Adrian Mendoza’s initial effort was saved by Red Bull keeper Tobias Szewczyk, but Richmond was there at the back post to finish the rebound.

Richmond was happy to be back at the Sportsplex after a break of almost a month.

“I’m just grateful that we’re in this position and that the team did so well,” Richmond told Soccer Sheet. “We finished number one in the East, and I’m just glad we have the opportunity to play here in front of the fans and have a playoff push.”

Mendoza doubled the advantage in the 31st minute. He received a pass from Mikah Thomas, beat his defender and finished to put Legacy up 2-0, a lead they carried into halftime.

New York Answers, Wickham Holds the Line

The Baby Bulls got back into the match in the 78th minute. Substitutes Rafael Mosquera and Christian Gallagher combined to find Tanner Rosborough, whose deflected shot cut the deficit to one.

Crown Legacy protected their remaining advantage through the final stretch of a tense finish, with Wickham making eight saves on the night, the most of his career.

“It's all one unit,” said Wickham. “We just go out there as a team and just do it.”

Asked when he felt comfortable between the posts, Wickham credited the group around him.

“Knowing that my coaches and my teammates are on my back, just knowing that I can go out there and, no matter what ... is giving me the confidence to go out there and do what I do,” said Wickham.

Milestones

Mendoza was central to both goals, creating the chance that produced Richmond’s opener before scoring himself. His fourth goal of the season also made him the first Academy player in club history to score in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.

Richmond reached 10 goals and 10 assists in 2026, making him the first player in club history with 20 goal contributions in a single season. It has been a jam-packed few months for the former Clemson forward, who went from a Leagues Cup debut to a first-team contract to a playoff push with Legacy.

What’s Next

Crown Legacy advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals where they will face Columbus Crew 2 at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex on Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 PM ET.

Given Charlotte FC’s long flight home from Portland, Ore. on Sunday morning, it remains to be seen how many first team players will have a chance to feature for the Legacy.

A trophy is coming home to the Queen City.

With Saturday night’s 0-3 win against Greenville Triumph, the Charlotte Independence are the 2026 USL League One Players’ Shield winners.

Forward Souaibou Marou scored all three goals for the Jacks.

The club’s previous best regular season finish was 4th in 2023, when the Jacks made it to the League One final, eventually losing to North Carolina FC in a penalty kick shootout.

“It means everything [to win a trophy],” said Charlotte Independence captain Clay Dimick. “When I came back and [coach Mike Jeffries] brought me back, we said together, the one thing we wanted to do was bring a trophy back to Charlotte, back to this club—a trophy for Mike, for Dan [DiMicco], for everybody involved.

“And to be able to do it as a captain, it means everything. It’s such an honor.”

Before October 17, it had been 45 years since a pro men’s soccer team lifted a trophy in Charlotte. That team, the Carolina Lightnin’, played at a time when Charlotte had just over 300,000 people and the Hornets were still a dream. Over 20,000 people attended the Lightnin’s American Soccer League final at Memorial Stadium.

With tonight’s win, the Independence will have home field advantage throughout the League One playoffs, starting on Sunday, November 1 at Memorial Stadium.

Independence head coach Mike Jeffries didn’t downplay the significance of winning the shield.

“It does mean a lot. This is what we’re all about as players, coaches and part of the game,” said Jeffries. “I think we, as a club, have taken a lot of pride in always being a good, solid team. But, in the end, people remember and look back and say, ‘What did you win?’

“We’ve won a lot of games, but to be able to get this trophy beside the name is huge.”

Should the Independence win the November 1 quarterfinal match, they will host the semifinal on the weekend of Nov. 6–8; should they advance to the final, Charlotte will host that match during the weekend of Nov. 13–15.

Tickets are on sale now.

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More Reasons to Celebrate

The trophy was the second-ever for the Queen City Soccer Club organization. Carolina Ascent FC won the inaugural USL Super League Players’ Shield in 2025. Dan DiMicco is a the majority owner of both teams.

“I’m happiest first for Dan because, obviously, he’s been great as an owner, and it means a lot to him,” said Jeffries. “And then, I’m happy for the guys. There are so many guys here that this is maybe the first time they’ve won a championship, and a lot of guys with a lot of experience. It’s huge. It’s a big moment in your career, and you should enjoy it. So, for those guys, I’m just super happy and excited.”

While the Players’ Shield was the highlight of the night, the win carried extra significance. It was the 65th victory in League One for Jeffries, making him the winningest coach in league history.

Additionally, Marou’s hat trick propelled him to the top of the Golden Boot standings for League One with 18 goals, the most ever for an Independence player in a single season. He started the night tied with Westchester SC’s Conor McGlynn.

In a touch of cosmic irony, it was McGlynn’s go-ahead goal for Westchester tonight that locked up the Shield for the Jacks. Westchester defeated second place Union Omaha 2-1, putting Omaha 5 points behind the Independence going into the final match of the season.

Though Omaha can no longer catch Charlotte, McGlynn only needs two goals to catch Marou, giving Charlotte something to play for when they travel to Maine on Saturday to face Portland Hearts of Pine on “Decision Day.”

Finally, should the Independence prevail in the playoffs and win the title, it will be the first time any professional soccer team in Charlotte has won both the regular season and playoff titles.

Across North Carolina, the NC Courage are the only professional soccer team that has won both their regular season and playoff titles in the same year; they accomplished the feat in both 2018 and 2019.

Are all of Charlotte’s Soccer Teams Playoff Bound?

The Independence aren’t the only Charlotte-based pro soccer team in the playoffs. Crown Legacy FC, the “second team” of Charlotte FC, host their first-round playoff match later today, October 18, at the Matthews Sportsplex.

After earning a 2-2 draw against Philadelphia Union today, Charlotte FC will almost certainly make the playoffs. They only need one draw in the final four matches of the season to guarantee a postseason berth, but could potentially make the playoffs regardless based on other results.

Carolina Ascent FC look like they’re on the way to the playoffs as well. The Ascent are in first place in the USL Super League, and are 8 points ahead of their nearest competitor, Sporting JAX.

Because they’re playing a short season this fall (so the league’s calendar can line up with the NWSL), the Ascent only need two more wins to guarantee a playoff berth. Like Charlotte FC, they could also potentially make the playoffs without winning another match.

Watch: Independence Highlights

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Kicking Off … 9 Points for Charlotte Squads

It was a stormy and rainy night in the Queen City, but the leftovers from Hurricane Isaias couldn’t stop Charlotte FC and the Charlotte Independence from scoring three goals apiece on their way to wins over FC Dallas and the New York Cosmos.

Right before the ndependence (19-5-6, 63 Points) kicked off, Fort Wayne defeated Union Omaha (19-7-4, 61 Points). The loss was the first at home for Omaha in over a year, and it gave the Jacks the opportunity to take first place in the USL League One table with a win. They scored all the goals they needed in the first half on the way to a 3-0 win.

With the 3 points, the first place Independence will not finish lower than second; they will finish their season on the road, then come back home on November 1 at 7:00 PM ET to host a quarterfinal playoff match at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

At Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte FC (13-9-7, 46 Points) went down 0-2 to the high-seeded Dallas squad in the first-ever MLS match between the two teams (in 2023, Charlotte beat FC Dallas in a Leagues Cup match). Then, thanks to a momentum-shifting round of substitutions from head coach Dean Smith, Charlotte came roaring back, with three goal contributions from Idan Toklomati in a performance where he may or may not have scored a hat trick (ask Harry Toffolo if Toklomati’s header actually hit his head).

Meanwhile, in Tampa Bay, Carolina Ascent FC (6-1-1, 19 Points) continued their dominant short season with a 0-3 win. That win puts Carolina 8 points north of second place DC Power FC (3-2-2, 11 Points) as the Ascent look forward to hosting the Power tonight at 7:30 PM, during a special Superwomen of the Carolinas Night at Memorial Stadium.

As a friend of Soccer Sheet and our Superwomen nominee Rebekah Whilden, you can purchase discounted tickets here.

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As we’ve mentioned before, the benchmark we’re comparing the Ascent to this year is Manchester City’s points per game average of 2.632 during their record-setting 2017–18 campaign; should they win out, Carolina would surpass that mark.

Watch: Tampa Bay vs. Carolina Highlights

Lineups: What You Need to Know

Unfortunately, Charlotte FC couldn’t keep up the momentum in Columbus Wednesday night as the Crown saw a 0-1 lead turn into a 3-1 loss.

Head Coach Dean Smith made no excuses after the match.

“For 60 minutes we were woeful,” said Smith.

Despite an early goal from Idan Toklomati — his 12th of the season, tying Pep Biel — Charlotte and goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina faced a steady barrage of shots from the Crew.

“We simply weren’t good enough tonight,” said Charlotte FC captain Ashley Westwood. “It’s probably the first time where we’ve really been outworked by another team … they fully deserve the win.”

With the loss, Charlotte remain in 5th place in the Eastern Conference as they travel to Pennsylvania this Saturday to face Philadelphia Union and a red-hot Cavan Sullivan fresh off his USMNT debut.

• WoSo: Yesterday, U.S. Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup, a U.S. Open Cup-style tournament that will include both the USL Super League and the NWSL.

  • Details:

    • The competition will be a single-elimination knockout format with a record-setting prize of $1.1 million.

    • The winner will qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup, providing a clear path for the USL Super League for the first time.

    • The competition is expected to debut in 2028.

    • Arthur Blank is a major donor to U.S. Soccer, the owner of Atlanta United, and made his fortune as a co-founder of The Home Depot.

  • “Outstanding news!!!” Carolina Ascent majority owner Dan DiMicco told Soccer Sheet when asked about the competition. “Can’t wait to see our ladies compete with the NWSL teams … that is going to be really amazing and it’s going to be fun! The exposure is going to be great for the club players AND the [USL Super League].”

• USWNT: Ashley Sanchez scored the first of two goals for the USWNT during their two-match international window.

  • Sanchez came off the bench as a substitute in the team’s 0-2 loss against top-ranked Spain on October 10 in Washington, D.C.

  • Sanchez started on Tuesday, October 13 in the second match against Spain in Chester, Pa. After going down 0-2 again, Sanchez scored early in the second half.

    • Mallory Swanson scored a late equalizer for the U.S., and the second friendly ended in a 2-2 draw.

  • Hayes selected Ashley Sanchez to start because of "her experience and maturity and her ability to transfer knowledge."

• NWSL: Speaking of Sanchez, the 8th place NC Courage (13-11-3, 42 Points) host the second place San Diego Wave (16-8-3, 51 Points) tomorrow at 7:00 PM at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

  • Sanchez is one goal away from setting the all-time NWSL scoring record.

• MLS NEXT Pro: The quarterfinals of the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs start this weekend. Locally, top-seeded Crown Legacy FC will host Red Bull New York II at 7:00 PM on Sunday, October 18 at the Sportsplex in Matthews.

First Half: The Latest Stories from Soccer Sheet

Halftime: Soccer Fact of the Week

Second Half: Social Media Shares

Postgame: Candid Comments

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Heavy rain poured over Bank of America Stadium on Saturday night, with forecasts warning of possible lightning and thunderstorms, as Charlotte FC hosted FC Dallas for the first-ever MLS contest between the two sides.

With just over 20 minutes remaining in regulation, Charlotte FC (13-8-7, 46 points) trailed FC Dallas (13-7-8, 47 points) by two goals.

What followed was a remarkable turnaround.

Charlotte scored three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes of regulation and stoppage time, with Idan Toklomati involved in all three. By the final whistle, the Crown completed the comeback, securing a 3-2 victory in front of the home crowd.

The win ended Dallas’ six-match unbeaten streak and extended Charlotte’s strong run of form. The Crown have now earned points in nine of their last 10 matches.

“Credit to the lads, they still showed a lot of character after [Dallas’] second goal to come back and go and win the game,” said Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith.

A Promising Start, Then a Dallas Lead

Charlotte started the match on the front foot, creating several opportunities in the opening 20 minutes. Pep Biel helped orchestrate the attack, connecting with Allan Saint-Maximin on the left wing as the Crown looked to break through Dallas’ defense.

A series of Charlotte corner kicks produced chances for Morrison Agyemang, David Schnegg and captain Ashley Westwood, but Dallas repeatedly crowded the penalty area to block shots and keep the hosts off the scoreboard.

After stringing together 10 consecutive passes, Dallas midfielder Patrickson Delgado worked the ball out wide to wingback Herman Johansson. Johansson continued his run down the right side before passing to Logan Farrington, who finished to put the visitors ahead. The goal was Farrington’s 10th of the season, making him and Petar Musa the first pair of Dallas players to reach double-digit goals in the same season since 2022.

Charlotte continued to search for an equalizer, with goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina making a crucial save on a one-on-one opportunity in the 38th minute. Dallas goalkeeper Daniel also kept Charlotte off the scoreboard, and both keepers finished the match with four saves.

FC Dallas extended their lead in the 64th minute, just four minutes after bringing Musa off the bench. Santiago Moreno played a ball into the penalty area, where the Croatian forward found space to finish the opportunity at close range.

The goal was Musa’s 19th of the season, setting a new FC Dallas single-season scoring record. He now sits second in the 2026 MLS Golden Boot race behind Lionel Messi, who has 23 goals.

“Musa is a world-class finisher,” said FC Dallas head coach Eric Quill. “He’s always in the right place at the right time, and he makes difficult chances look easy. It’s in his blood. He’s a killer, and he deserves the record. I’m sure that record will be broken because he has plenty more goals in him.”

The Crown needed two goals to get back into the match, and the clock was running down; an impressive save by Kahlina during a Dallas set piece play prevented it from becoming three.

The Crown Rally in the Rain

Charlotte’s response began in the 70th minute after a series of substitutes came on for the Crown, including Benin international Rodolfo Aloko.

After a give-and-go with fullback Will Cleary, Aloko sent a ball across the area, expecting a teammate to attack it. Saint-Maximin picked up Aloko’s ball and took on two Dallas defenders before finding Toklomati on the run toward the left post. The forward met the ball at the goal line and slotted it in to cut the deficit to 2-1, giving the home crowd reason to believe a comeback was possible.

The goal was Toklomati’s 10th of the season at the time of the match’s initial turning point, and the connection between the two attackers proved decisive. Saint-Maximin recorded his sixth assist in 10 appearances for Charlotte and is continuing to prove his quality since joining halfway through the season.

“I always say to (Idan Toklomati), when you see me like go from the line and go one-on-one, always be ready to go in the first post,” Saint-Maximin said during the post-match press availability.

Less than four minutes later, Charlotte found the equalizer and at first it looked like the goal belonged to Toklomati. Biel helped create the opportunity from a corner kick, finding Toklomati’s head in front of goal. His shot connected with (or deflected off of) Toffolo’s head as the Englishman rose above the Dallas defenders to direct his header toward goal.

The wet ball proved difficult for goalkeeper Daniel to control, crossing the goal line to make it 2-2.

“It’s huge, it’s massive and I didn’t know it was mine until right at the end because the announcer said it was Idan (Toklomati’s), but I think that riled me up even more to finish the game strong because I knew I touched it last,” Toffolo said.

It was Toffolo’s first goal for Charlotte, and it arrived at a moment when the momentum had shifted firmly towards the home side. After trailing by two goals just minutes earlier, the Crown had equalized.

The rain continued to fall, but Charlotte’s attack had found its rhythm.

Toklomati Delivers the Final Blow

With the match level and the crowd roaring behind them, Charlotte continued pushing for a winner.

In the second minute of stoppage time, substitute Rodolfo Aloko played Biel into the penalty area. Biel kept his head up and sent a ball across the face of goal, where Toklomati sprinted in from the left and finished with a tap-in.

The goal completed the comeback and sent Bank of America Stadium into celebration, with the stadium’s flame cannons lighting up the rain-soaked night.

Toklomati finished with two goals and an assist, contributing to every goal Charlotte scored. His brace brought him to 11 goals on the season, underscoring his growing importance to Charlotte’s attack as the club heads toward the playoffs.

Biel finished with two assists, while Saint-Maximin’s work on the first goal helped spark the rally. The Crown’s late production transformed a match that appeared headed for a disappointing home defeat into one of its most memorable wins of the season.

Dallas had little time to respond. Four additional minutes were played, but Charlotte held on to secure all three points.

For Dallas, the result was a frustrating end to a night that had included a historic milestone for Musa. The visitors had held a two-goal advantage with little more than 20 minutes remaining, only to concede three times as Charlotte found space and confidence in the final stretch.

FC Dallas left the Bank believing they should have won.

“We’re all upset. We played beautifully, had the game in hand, and then dropped our guard and got punished for the first goal,” said Quill. “The momentum shifted to their side, and their belief grew. We let that momentum swallow us up and never regained control to build it back on our side. We were sloppy with the ball, loose in transition, and our box defending went missing. This is a missed opportunity that we have to make right because we all know we should have won this game.”

The Road Ahead

The victory gives Charlotte an important boost as the regular season winds down. The Crown now turn their attention to a demanding stretch of three consecutive away matches, beginning Wednesday against the 13th place Columbus Crew (8-5-15, 29 Points).

The comeback also offers a reminder of what Charlotte can accomplish when their attack finds rhythm. Saint-Maximin’s ability to beat defenders, Biel’s vision in the final third and Toklomati’s finishing gave Dallas few answers once the home side found its momentum in the second half.

The storm never became the lightning show some had anticipated. Instead Charlotte supplied the fireworks, turning a two-goal deficit into a late win that could prove valuable in the club’s push for the postseason.

The Crown now have to carry that energy onto the road.

Which MLS NEXT Pro team would inhabit a proposed soccer stadium in Columbia, South Carolina? That is the mystery Soccer Sheet has investigated since a memorandum of understanding between the city and an MLS venture appeared on a Columbia city council agenda last week.

While the stadium plan is in its early stages, the city council unanimously passed a resolution to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Hometown Soccer Holdings (HSH), a joint venture of Major League Soccer and private equity firm KKR, to “support the development of a [MLS] affiliated Soccer Stadium.”

Sources with further knowledge of the plans told Soccer Sheet the intended anchor tenant for the stadium is “an existing MLS NEXT Pro team.” That would rule out a new expansion team, and based on multiple conversations Soccer Sheet’s understanding is that the team that moves to Columbia would be affiliated with a Division I MLS club.

As it stands, the closest existing NEXT Pro team is Crown Legacy FC, the second team of Charlotte FC. Two other teams — Carolina Core FC of High Point, N.C. and Atlanta United 2 — are within a 3 hour drive of Columbia.

A spokesperson for Carolina Core told Soccer Sheet the club had no plans to move.

Charlotte FC, Tepper Sports & Entertainment, and Atlanta United FC declined to comment for this story. The Mayor of Columbia, Daniel J. Rickenmann, did not respond by press time.

More Hometowns for Soccer

HSH has become a major player in MLS NEXT Pro, Major League Soccer’s development league that sits on the third tier of the U.S. soccer pyramid. It bills itself as a “platform created to support the evolution of MLS NEXT Pro,”

HSH has already announced the 2027 launch of New Jersey MLS NEXT Pro in Edison, N.J., and have unveiled a plan to move Sporting Kansas City’s NEXT Pro affiliate to Des Moines.

Based on the company’s public statements, all HSH clubs will be affiliated with a Division I MLS team, ruling out an independent team like Carolina Core FC.

Columbia is a similar market to others where HSH is making its mark; it doesn’t have a team in the “Big Five” men’s professional leagues, nor a WNBA or NWSL team. Unlike Charleston and Greenville, S.C, Columbia also doesn’t have a professional USL club.

Despite a metropolitan area of 879,918 people, Columbia is home to only one minor league team: the Low-A baseball Columbia Fireflies. That makes a well-resourced NEXT Pro team an exciting prospect for the city.

“Folks want to put a soccer stadium here, so I think that’s a great thing for our community. Let’s see where it goes,” said Rickenmann before the council vote.

The MOU describes the potential stadium as a “State of the art multi-use outdoor sports and entertainment venue” anchored by an affiliated MLS NEXT Pro team, making the economic development potential of the venture even more attractive to the city.

You can read the entire MOU as adopted here.

Who Is on the Move?

Both Charlotte FC and Atlanta United declined to comment on this story; however, they’re the only two clubs with MLS NEXT Pro affiliates near Columbia.

On the business side, Crown Legacy FC would make sense for the move: they’ve made tickets free to improve attendance, and they compete for fans with another Division III professional team the market: the Charlotte Independence. Columbia is closer to Charlotte than Atlanta: a 90-minute drive as opposed to a a 3-hour one. Finally, HSH is based in Charlotte and knows the quality of both the Legacy and the Charlotte FC organization.

However, Legacy’s strength has always been player development, not attendance. Legacy alum Patrick Agyemang is now playing in the British Championship and for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Idan Toklomati and Rodolfo Aloko have also gone from Legacy standouts to first team starters. There’s a good argument that moving the team could harm player development and make it harder for Crown Legacy players to feature with Charlotte FC, which is a priority for both head coach Dean Smith and the club.

Finally, the State of South Carolina’s last development venture with Tepper Sports ended in a bankruptcy settlement after construction was halted and agreements were terminated. The state may not be interested in partnering with the organization again.

While Atlanta United 2 is farther away, their second team has seen a steep decline in support since their founding, with attendance in the hundreds before leaving the USL Championship for NEXT Pro. Columbia to Atlanta is a similar drive to the one between Kansas City and Des Moines. If Carolina Core FC’s success in High Point is any indication, attendance could improve dramatically in a market with less competition.

Hometown Soccer Holdings was unable to reply to questions about the MOU’s passage by press time, but if they think a move from Kansas City to Des Moines - another town without a professional minor league soccer team - is feasible, Atlanta United 2 moving to Columbia seems more likely.

For now, the Columbia stadium is still years away, still in the proposal phase, and the tenant is still a mystery. However, if everything goes to plan, we’ll probably see at least one NEXT Pro team make a big move.

On a chilly, wet Saturday night in Baltimore, the MexTour international friendly drew a packed house as the new generation for both federations put their names in lights.

La Selección Colombia and la Federación Mexicana de Fútbol battled in a CONCACAF vs CONMEBOL friendly on a cool Baltimore, Maryland evening in a match where it was a showcase of the new generation of Colombian & Mexican fútbol and who is willing to be the catalyst in a new World Cup cycle for both federations. It was the first-ever MexTour stop in Baltimore in the tour's 23-year history, and 67,117 came out for it at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, September 26.

It was also only the first page of a longer story. The window that opened that Saturday runs straight through tonight, when Colombia close it against Peru in Miami. Along the way the Cafeteros took a 1-1 draw with Mexico, a stinging 1-0 loss to Paraguay in Harrison, New Jersey, and now one last exam — three games, three different questions, and a manager still learning his own team.

New in Charge

In an international break where new managers are in charge for the first time for their teams like Xavi Hernández for the Netherlands, Jürgen Klopp for Germany, and Zinedine Zidane for France, Rafael "Rafa" Márquez took his managerial debut against Néstor Lorenzo's Colombia. Márquez, who has taken up after Javier "El Vasco" Aguirre left "El Tri" after their elimination vs England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, put out a lineup with 10 players with World Cup experience vs Colombia. He went on record, while praising the work "El Vasco" did for Mexico during his time, that he would need to adapt to the players that he has available.

Márquez is quoted as saying, "I'm not going to impose a style. I'd love to play like Barcelona, but you don't have the raw materials."

While Márquez's team trailed early on in the game after a Luis Suárez goal, he praised how his team played against a formidable side, saying, "We brought some fresh legs into the team. I was very pleased with the squad we called up. Everyone is ready to play and willing to contribute. We came up against a quality team that is very strong physically, so this result has value."

Márquez inherits a team that has been a fixture at the top of the FIFA world rankings — Mexico came into the tour 10th — and a federation that expected a longer run in a home World Cup. His first night did not produce a win, but it produced a response, and a manager who was willing to say out loud that this team is not yet built.

The Rise of the new No. 10s

At only 17 years old, Gilberto "Gil" Mora is taking Mexican futbol by storm. Mora became the youngest player in the 2026 World Cup. The Club Tijuana "Xolos" midfielder has now taken up the #10 jersey after Toluca's Alexis Vega was not called up by Rafa Márquez. In a recent postgame interview, Alexis Vega hinted at the possibility of retiring from El Tri.

Rafa Márquez mentioned in the postgame press conference that he actually doesn't have information on whether Alexis Vega will retire from the national team or not, saying, "I have no idea. I'll speak to him. He's doing well with Toluca. We decided to give him some rest because of his knee, and we have to look after him."

Placing such expectations on such a young player like Gil Mora can sometimes be like playing roulette because some crumble under the pressure of the #10 or relish it and truly take it on.

Márquez underplayed it that Saturday night, saying, "I have no doubt that he will continue to develop, and I hope we get to see him at a major European club."

Now that Mora has taken up the mantle, he took the bull by the horns Saturday night. In the second half, Mora took a breakaway counter, cut back on Colombia's center-back Lucumí to send him flying, and in the 62' tied the match in Baltimore to earn him man of the match. On a night built around who would seize the next cycle, a teenager answered first — and the buzz around him is already the loudest thing in Mexican soccer.

While the pressure of the #10 in Mexico has fallen on a young boy, the pressure of the #10 for "Los Cafeteros" carries extra weight. On September 15, Colombian legend James Rodríguez hung up his New Balance boots and his yellow kit to officially retire from La Tricolor de La Selección Colombia. From that point on the talks began on who would carry on the weight of the #10 for Colombia after legends like Carlos Valderrama & Faustino "Tino" Asprilla wore it back in the day.

The answer was in the former Palmeiras, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now Fluminense winger Jhon Arias. Jhon Arias has been a consistent player for Néstor Lorenzo recently. He has been a player Lorenzo has been able to count on on the right wing. He has given him the freedom to also roam in the midfield and be the creative outlet that he needs.

Néstor Lorenzo said after the game, "Jhon Arias is a very versatile player. He started out on the right wing, after seeing (Jesús) Gallardo come up more, we moved him to the left. In the second half he played more as a defensive midfielder."

Two No. 10s, two very different inheritances: one a teenager handed the shirt because an older man stepped aside, the other a 28-year-old asked to carry a legend's number into his prime. Both wear it again tonight in Miami.

Stand Outs

In a 1-1 friendly draw where there were 13 substitutions all together (5 for Colombia, 8 for Mexico), there isn't much one can take away, but some things do stand out.

1. Gilberto Mora is definitely not afraid of the moment for how young he is. His standout play not only in transition, but also in between lines, was the key for Mexico to draw it in the 62'. Néstor Lorenzo said in the postgame presser that "Mora is a great player. He got in behind Castaño, Rios, Puerta, and complicated things for us in those spaces in between lines."

   

2. The battle for the striker position for Los Cafeteros is still an ongoing talk. Luis Suárez got the starting position in this match and scored a great header from an assist from Richard Ríos, but the door isn't closed on what the permanent options could be at the 9 for Colombia. Kevin Viveros, who currently plays with former Charlotte FC/Colombian winger Kerwin Vargas for Athletico Paranaense in Brazil, had a good showing as a physical and fast forward during his 30 min+ cameo in the second half. Questions still remain because Viveros is still young at only 26 years old, but there are players like Real Betis/former Columbus Crew starter Juan Camilo "Cucho" Hernández still available even though he didn't get called up, as well as the unknown future of striker Jhon Durán as he tries to revive his career in Portugal with Benfica after many unsuccessful stints in Europe & Saudi.
   

   

3. Defensive solidity is still a question, but also an odd certainty for Colombia. If there is one thing Cafeteros can count on in the backline, it's that Davinson Sánchez is going to control it, and Daniel Muñoz is going to bomb up and down the right-hand side. Sánchez was, without a doubt, one of Colombia's key players during the FIFA World Cup, as well as during this match as one of the key physical defensive walls of the backline. What happens with his CB partner is still up for grabs for Lorenzo with a constant rotation of Mina, Machado, and Lucumí.

4. The future of both federations is in good hands. For Mexico it's clear that Gil Mora is the next star, but guys like former Seattle Sounder Obed Vargas, Isaías Violante, and Armando "La Hormiga" González are ready to make this their team. For Colombia the standout last name to keep an eye on is Girona's Yaser Asprilla. No, he's not related to the legend Tino Asprilla, even though they share the same last name. Other standouts were Kevin Viveros, who is making the case in the striker competition, Gustavo Puerta, who actually took Richard Ríos's spot in the starting lineup during the World Cup, and Matías Orozco, who was a bright spot on the field coming in at the 71st minute. Samuel Velásquez also made his Colombian debut coming in in the 66th minute.

Richard Ríos told the media after the game, "Well those that entered for the very first time tonight, that was Matías, Kevin, and Samuel. They are guys that have been doing things the right way. That have been working a lot. That are in big clubs, and if they are here it's because they have the capability to be here. I feel like, just as well as I also had my first time, this isn't something that can be described. It's something that can just be felt in between them. No matter how much advice someone can give them, it's something that you got to live. The only thing that I can tell them is that I wish them a lot of luck, that they have a marvelous group that will always support them, that I hope things go for them as they hope they do, and that they can help us out, which is what we also hope."

Paraguay in Harrison

If Baltimore was a draw that felt like a step forward, Harrison was the step back that stung more for how avoidable it was.

Colombia lost 1-0 to Paraguay on Friday, October 2, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, on a night defined by one defensive mistake and one goal. The Cafeteros rotated significantly and the kids answered again — Matías Orozco off the bench the bright spot — but the result was the kind that follows a manager around. The fan base spent the weekend puzzling over the shift back to a back five and over where it leaves Jhon Arias, a No. 10 with nowhere to be a 10. Luis Suárez had a rough night; Kevin Viveros was not much better, though he did enough to stay in the conversation at the 9.

Lorenzo called it a window of evaluation, and Harrison was exactly the kind of night that evaluation is for — a loss that tells you more about the squad than a comfortable win would have.

Final Overview

In a low-stakes friendly game between two football powerhouses, on paper it looks like Mexico should've won this game by one-upping Colombia in possession (52/48), total shots (16/5), shots on target (4/2), touches in the opposition box (20/10), and big chances (3/1). Los Cafeteros capitalized on an early goal & made it tough for El Tri to get it to the back of the net despite many big chances, especially a big chance missed in the 31st minute.

The scoreline said 1-1. The numbers said Mexico. The story said a new cycle had started on both benches, and neither side had figured itself out yet.

The Last Test: Colombia vs. Peru, Tonight in Miami

One more, and there's no hiding from the setting.

Colombia close the October window tonight, Tuesday, October 6, against Peru at Nu Stadium in Miami: Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi’s new home. Kickoff is at 7:45 PM ET, and it is the final match of the window for both teams.

It is an international friendly, not a qualifier, so there are no points on the line. The context is real anyway. The teams' last meeting ended 0-0 in Barranquilla during 2026 World Cup qualifying. Colombia went on to reach the Round of 16 in that tournament; Peru is working through a rebuild under new coach Mano Menezes and needs a result — the Bicolor arrive off a 4-1 loss to the United States, a 1-1 draw with Mexico, and a 2-0 loss to Canada, still chasing Menezes's first win in charge.

The two federations are in the same place for the same reason: both are past a World Cup cycle and pointed at the next one. "Colombia, like the Bicolor, is in the middle of a generational change," as the Peruvian press put it. Tonight is the last evaluation before the road to 2030 really begins.

Three Things to Watch:

1. The goalkeeper carousel. Álvaro Montero and Aldair Quintana split the first two games. Tonight it's Kevin Mier, the Cruz Azul keeper, who gets the gloves — Lorenzo said as much before the tour: "I might change the goalkeeper. I want to see all three if possible, so it's very likely one of the changes." (translated) It's a manager treating a friendly like what it is: a look at the whole roster before the games start counting.

2. Who still hasn't played. Colombia's 26-man squad has had players who haven't logged a single minute this window. Miami is the last chance for those bits of evaluation — the newcomers, the bubble names, the men Lorenzo wants a real look at.

3. Arias's No. 10, and the shape around him. After Harrison, the question of where Jhon Arias plays is still open — a No. 10 in a team drifting toward a back five with no true No. 10 slot. If Lorenzo gives Arias the free role again tonight, watch whether Colombia looks like the version that drew Mexico or the version that lost to Paraguay.

Miami has become a second home for this Colombia side. The Cafeteros trained at Inter Miami's facilities during their World Cup stay in South Florida, and they have one of the loudest South Florida followings of any national team. Peru, for its part, has good memories in the building: its June comeback win over Haiti, 2-1, was the first international friendly ever played at Nu Stadium, in front of a sellout. Both sets of fans will know the place.

It won't count for anything in the table. It will count for Lorenzo, who is under pressure in Colombia, and for Menezes, who is still looking for his first win. The window ends tonight. Somebody leaves Miami with an answer.

And Beyond …

Both federations keep pointing at 2030. For Colombia, the October window has been the first real look at the post-World Cup, post-James roster: a new No. 10 in Arias, a striker question still open, and a backline whose only certainties are Davinson Sánchez and Daniel Muñoz. For Mexico, it's the Márquez era, a teenager at the 10, and a rebuild that began with a draw and continues tonight in Los Angeles, where El Tri meet Chile at the Memorial Coliseum.

Colombia leave Miami and wait for the qualifiers to call. Mexico leave with the same questions it brought, especially after a tres a cero loss to the United States.

Neither side got the easy answer this window — which, for teams one cycle from home, may be the point.

Photo Gallery: Mexico v. Colombia

Karen Chicas contributed to this report.

The U.S. Men’s National Team beat Chile 4-2 at Energizer Park in St. Louis on Tuesday, but the evening was about much more than the scoreline.

The night was a farewell to Tim Ream and his generation of soccer players, and a very loud introduction to the next.

If you aren’t familiar with Ream’s international career, here’s the short version:

• 86 Caps

• 26 Appearances as Captain

• 16 Years with the USMNT

• Two World Cup Squads (2022 and 2026)

In a pre-match press conference, Ream - who turns 39 on Monday - announced the end of his international playing career, and told Soccer Sheet he’ll make a decision about the future of his career at Charlotte FC at the end of the season.

After Ream was honored during pre-match festivities, the attention turned to the new kids. Brian Schwake earned his first cap for the United States, while six players - Chris Brady, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Neil Pierre, Brooklyn Raines, and Frankie Westfield - got their first starts.

The Stars and Stripes scored four goals from four different goal scorers for the second straight match, with both Julian Hall and Sebastian Berhalter netting their second goals of this international break.

Before we get to the goals, the teenagers, and the fight(s) in part two of this story, let’s talk about a “cap.”

You Gotta Keep Your Head Up

If you’re new to soccer, the word “cap” simply means an appearance for your national team in an international match, including both tournaments and friendlies. The term comes from the English tradition - dating back to 1886 - of presenting players with a cap for every international appearance.

When you hear, for example, that Tim Ream finished his career with 86 caps, that means he stepped onto the pitch for his country 86 times. In Ream’s case, the most surprising part is that 60 of those 86 appearances came after his 30th birthday.

Usually, players hit their peak, rack up their appearances, and eventually move aside for the next generation. Ream somehow kept going.

For that, and many other reasons, the US Soccer Federation made a point of giving him his flowers for all 86 of those appearances.

The Homecoming

There are athletes who become associated with a city or state, and then there are players who feel like they have always belonged to a place.

Tim Ream is the latter.

He grew up in St. Louis. He learned to play soccer there. He played for St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC. He went to St. Louis University and played all four years for the Billikens before being drafted by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.

This past week, after a career spanning the Atlantic Ocean and two World Cups, he came back to the city where it all began.

First, on Monday night, Ream joined the American Outlaws supporters group at Amsterdam Tavern in St. Louis for a fan Q&A session at the bar that hosts St. Louis’ AO chapter. The session was moderated by fellow Billiken and USMNT alum Ty Keough, whose father Harry was a member of the team that upset England in the 1950 World Cup.

“I’ve known Tim since he was about seven years old, and the fact is at seven years old he came to the camp I was running at Washington University,” said Keough. “And I said to his dad, Scott, ‘Scott, you know, he looks to me, he reminds me of [German football legends] Günter Netzer or Bernd Schuster.’”

“Maybe I was on to something,” Keough added, to laughs.

Ream was late to the event; originally, some AO members claimed he got lost, but Ream later clarified that he was unexpectedly asked to give a speech to the USMNT squad the night before the match.

“Cavan [Sullivan] got put up to that one,” Ream remarked, referencing the breakout Philadelphia Union player who turned 17 the night before the Chile match.

Ream Retires from the National Team (Officially)

In the hour before the match, Ream joined reporters for a press conference. Since USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino had left Ream off of the United States’ October roster, one question was as unsurprising as its answer.

Before the reporter, Steve Goff, could formulate the question, Ream jumped in.

“‘Am I retiring from the National Team?’ is what you’re asking,” said Ream. “Let’s shoot it straight here.”

“Yes,” replied Goff.

“Yes. I know I’ve said in the past that I won't retire from from the national team until I retire completely from the game,” replied Ream. “But the kids are getting younger and younger, and I don’t mean my own kids. So yeah, before this camp it was discussed that I would not be a player with the national team anymore.”

“So it is retirement. We’ve used the word recognition,” continued Ream. “I’m proud of being a part of something for 16 years, but it is it is time to to step away from playing with with the national team.”

Soccer Sheet asked Ream a pair of questions; first what it meant to be honored in his home city of St. Louis, and what the retirement announcement meant for his time at Charlotte FC.

“In terms of playing here, spending the first 22 years of your life [here], your pre-professional career [here], and then sitting there last night with the Q&A with AO and now sitting here having this this event tonight, it’s kind of a full circle moment,” said Ream. “Where did the dream start? It started in this city. Not that the dream ends, but the ending of playing and retiring from the national team. That dream was a dream that I was able to make reality. So to end it here is fitting. It’s nice. It’s full circle.”

Ream went on to talk about how the recognition in St. Louis allowed the moment to be in front of family, friends, coaches, and many of the people who played a role in his career, even if he doesn’t know them personally. He thought it made sense, even if it wasn’t something he planned.

“This is not my idea of something that I’m all that comfortable with,” Ream added. “I’m more of just a guy who just thought I was just doing my my job, playing my role, but I’m grateful to be to be sitting here after all of that, after starting here in the city and and now ending here.”

“I can definitely confirm it was not his idea,” added USMNT communications director Michael Kammarman.

“I tried to get out of it actually,” said Ream, rolling his eyes.

Ream Addresses his Future with Charlotte FC

When he returns to Charlotte after the international break (and a red card suspension), Ream is focused on moving up the table before entering the playoffs - and he told Soccer Sheet he doesn’t know when he’s going to retire from club play.

“I haven't made a decision. I'm not I'm not entirely sure what’s going to happen,” said Ream. “As a team, we want to try and win a trophy. We have a have a good group in that changing room and [we’ve] been playing well, been on a good run. So that's the focus, and then, once the season finishes, then you figure it out from there.”

However, Ream may have shown a little bit of his hand in his word choice.

“That won't be a decision made or vocalized until after the the last ball is kicked,” Ream added.

Passing the Torch

Ream didn’t get a farewell in some faraway stadium at the end of an international window; he got it at home. He got to walk into Energizer Park knowing that the people watching him understood what this all meant.

He also used the opportunity to look to the future.

“The biggest thing that I wanted to do as I started to get the captain’s armband more and more is, ‘How can I help these guys become the next captain?’” he said.

That’s the kind of answer that tells you a lot about what Ream thinks his job was. Not just to play or defend, but to leave the place better than he found it, and on Tuesday night US Soccer honored him for doing just that.

That was the beauty of Tuesday night. Friends, family, and teammates saying goodbye to a player who spent 16 years helping to build the program, while introducing the players who might define its next four.

Next, in Part II: The next generation of U.S. players aren’t knocking on the door. They’re already here.

North Carolina Courage star Ashley Sanchez is going to camp.

As first reported by Soccer Sheet, Sanchez has been called up by the United States Women’s National Team for a pair of friendlies against top-ranked Spain during the October international window.

She joins teammates Erica Meg Parkinson (England) and Evelyn Ijeh (Sweden) in being called up for international duty during the fall window.

Parkinson was recently chosen for England’s U-20 World Cup squad, but ultimately did not travel to Poland due to club obligations. Ijeh is having a strong season with the Courage, with 11 goals and 4 assists.

Sanchez was last named to a USWNT roster in January 2025, and last played for the national team in October 2024. She made her senior debut at the international level in 2021, and has three goals and four assists across 28 caps for the USWNT.

During a Tuesday press conference, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes noted a difference in Sanchez’s play that made her stand out this year.

"Ashley's had an extraordinary season, not just in terms of the number of goals she's scored but, I think, consistency in her performance," said Hayes. “She’s deserving of that based on this season’s play. I didn’t see that last season, nor the season before.

Sanchez currently leads the NWSL Golden Boot race with 20 goals. She tied the NWSL single-season scoring record set by Temwa Chaŵinga during North Carolina’s match against the Utah Royals on Sunday.

Sanchez could feature as early as Saturday, October 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The second match against Spain is Tuesday, October 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa.

Hayes recognized Sanchez’s exceptional promise as a youth player as she complimented the 27-year-old’s current form. Sanchez was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2016.

“At [this] stage of her career, I’m sure she doesn’t want to waste the opportunities that are in front of her,” said Hayes. “This is a player who was always tipped for great things as a youth national team player, and so I’m happy to see her fulfilling her potential.”

Sanchez, who is of Mexican descent, was born in Pasadena, Calif. in 1999 and raised in Monrovia. She played soccer for the UCLA Bruins for three years, setting a school record of 42 career assists in just three seasons and twice set the school single-season record with 15 assists.

Sanchez was drafted by the Washington Spirit of the NWSL in January 2020, and scored 12 goals in 61 appearances for the spirit through 2023.

In 2024, Sanchez was “shocked and heartbroken” to be traded to the Courage, but since the transfer she has developed as a player in the lead up to her breakout 2026 season. After resigning with the Courage on a contract through 2027, she went on to score 20 goals this season, and has four matches left to break the single-season scoring record, starting with Seattle on Friday.

It was a mixed bag for the North Carolina Courage (12-11-3, 39 Points) in Utah last night. On the one hand, Ashley Sanchez scored from the spot with another well-struck penalty kick to tie the NWSL single-season scoring record set by Temwa Chaŵinga (20 goals).

Even better, she did it in 26 matches — the same as Chaŵinga. There should be no asterisk when sharing the record.

Gianna Paul drew the foul, but there was no doubt who would take the penalty. The goal was Sanchez's 27th career regular season goal for the Lioness, and Sanchez now has 24 goal contributions this year, the second-most in a single NWSL season.

Unfortunately, Sanchez’s goal of the season was just an equalizer, and Utah Royals FC (14-9-3, 45 Points) found a second half winner to catapult to 4th place in the NWSL table. Utah struck first in the 17th minute after Miyabi found Cloé Lacasse for a point blank header. Cece Delzer found the winner for Utah lead in the 65th minute off of a Mina Tanaka assist.

The Courage continue to sit in 9th place after a weekend that saw them fall below the playoff line.

That sets the Courage up for a six-point match this Friday in Washington. If they beat Seattle Reign FC (12-10-4, 40 Points), the Courage are back above the playoff line; with a big win from the Courage, a Kansas City Current (12-9-5, 41 Points) loss and a bad loss from Angel City FC (12-8-6, 42 Points), the Courage could still finish next weekend as high as 6th.

If not, Seattle can pull away and stalking horses like Denver Summit FC (9-9-8, 35 Points) may have the opportunity to make a late run, further complicating the playoff picture for the Lioness.

Good news for the Courage, by the way: Riley Jackson made her return to the field after missing three matches due to a foot injury.

Watch: Ashley Sanchez’s Record-Tying PK

Lineups: What You Need to Know

We’ll start off talking about the international windows.

The U.S. Men’s National Team put on a clinic in Orlando on Saturday, September 26 with a 4-1 win against Peru.

• The post-World Cup Poch Era is here.

  • Head coach Mauricio Pochettino gave 11 players their first cap.

  • Justin Ellis and Julian Hall both scored in their USMNT debuts.

  • Malik Tillman scored his third goal in three matches, and traded assists with Sebastian Berhalter.

• Soccer Sheet is in St. Louis as U.S. Soccer honors Tim Ream today and tomorrow.

  • Ream will participate in a Q&A with the American Outlaws supporters group tonight, and will talk to the press tomorrow before USMNT vs. Chile at Energizer Park in downtown St. Louis.

  • USMNT vs. Chile kicks off at 8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT (local time). After that, the Stars and Stripes play two October friendlies against perennial rivals Mexico and Canada.

• Mexico vs. Colombia: Colombia and Mexico tied 1-1 at in Baltimore on Saturday. Jorge Torres was on the scene, and we’ll be sharing more updates and photos this week.
  

• U-20 Women’s World Cup: Spain defeated North Korea 4-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to win the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final on September 27, 2026, in Łódź, Poland.

  • Colombia won the bronze medal match on penalties over Italy, 1-1 (4-3).

  • We had a spirited conversation with Carolina Ascent coach and U.S. Women’s soccer ecosystem veteran Philip Poole about the U.S. U-20 team earlier this month:

• U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes releases her international window roster tomorrow. Our big question remains: is Ashley Sanchez back in the squad ahead of Brazil?

  • As Philip Poole said, “What else does [Ashley] have to do?”

  • The USWNT will play top-ranked Spain, the defending World Cup champions, on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C. and on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa.

• Major League Soccer: The Berhalters had a good Saturday. In addition to Sebastian’s two goal contributions against Peru, Gregg’s Chicago Fire defeated Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC 0-1 at Bank of America Stadium in a match that inspired many complaints about the officiating.

  • Charlotte have lost four in a row to Chicago. Their last win against the Fire was in October of 2024.

  • Archie Goodwin sustained an injury and had to be helped off the field. It’s unclear whether it was his toe, or his Achilles.

  • Tim Ream got a late red card in a match that saw many calls go Chicago’s way.

• USL Super League: Read more about the Carolina Ascent’s 1-1 draw against Sporting JAX in yesterday’s inaugural WoSo Sunday newsletter.

Video: Dean Smith on Ream’s Red

First Half: The Latest Stories from Soccer Sheet

Halftime: Soccer Fact of the Week

In 2024, CPKC Stadium — home of the Kansas City Current — opened as the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional sports team. The stadium includes an exhibit honoring the 1985 U.S. Women’s National Team, the country’s inaugural women’s team.

Second Half: Social Media Shares

Postgame: Candid Comments

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Editor’s Note: Due to inconsistent (and often non-existent) women’s sports coverage in Charlotte and the Carolinas, Soccer Sheet is going in a different direction: a weekly newsletter devoted to women’s soccer.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be writing about the NWSL, the USL Super League, the USWNT, and other international competitions — while still including women’s soccer coverage in our Cheat Sheets.

Our goal is for our readers to be well-versed and ready for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, and as excited for the 2031 edition — right here in the U.S. — as we were for the Men’s World Cup earlier this year.

How a Women’s Team Can Tie a Community Together

This weekend, Soccer Sheet traveled to Kansas City — home of the KC Current, and the first sports stadium purpose-built for a women’s professional team.

The experience was magical.

CPKC Stadium lives up to the hype. The city, the venue, the club, the team, and CPKC Stadium the fans all came together for what might be the best matchday experience in the United States.

Yes, that includes MLS.

We took a packed streetcar from our downtown hotel and arrived a short walk from the stadium. Out of our previous experiences, it felt the most like going to Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, but if you’ve ever taken a train to a club match in England or Europe, you get the idea.

Many of the streetcars, by the way, are fully branded for the Current both inside and out. The seats resemble players’ shirts, names, roster numbers, while pictures of the players are plastered on the outside of the train cars.

The Current’s branding is all across Kansas City, and in the home of Ted Lasso, there are many believers. When you get to the Riverfront, the KC Current teal takes over, and the color coordination is intentional and impressive.

Supporters got the memo; most of the fans wore the home colors. The Denver Summit, an NWSL expansion team and the Current’s visiting opponent, were well-represented. The supporters’ section was full and loud, with a good mix of well-worn American soccer songs and some local chants (KC Baby!) as well.

The supporters were especially loud whenever Current stars Temwa Chaŵinga and Debinha touched the ball, and kept asking for goals even after Haley Hopkins scored her first career hat trick and Chaŵinga put the match away with a fourth.

Spirits were high for our lunchtime match, and fans of all ages were having fun. CPKC Stadium found the balance between fun for adults and fun for kids, with good, local food and drink juxtaposed with play areas, sensory shelters, and collectable popcorn buckets. Parents, couples, birthing parents, bros, kids, and elders all had somewhere to go and something to do.

The venue prides itself on how close each seat is to the pitch, the only downside of which is the relatively low capacity of 11,500 — though an expansion to 18,000 is in the works.

The vibes are 10/10 in Teal Town, and every league could learn a lot from what they’re doing. We hope to be back soon.

Current Knock Courage Below Playoff Line ahead of Critical Sunday Match

Leaves aren’t the only thing falling this weekend.

On Friday night, Seattle Reign FC’s 2-0 win over Boston Legacy FC put Boston ahead of the Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League table.

On Saturday morning, the North Carolina Courage (12-10-3, 39 Points) sat in 8th place, above the playoff line, as Courage star Ashley Sanchez continued to chase the single-season scoring record set by the Kansas City Current’s Temwa Chaŵinga.

After the Current’s dominant 4-1 victory over Denver Summit FC, the Courage are now chasing the KC Current (12-9-5, 41 Points) and the final spot in the NWSL playoffs.

With a win in tonight’s match in Utah, the now-9th place Lioness can plausibly bounce back to as high as 6th on the table, leapfrogging their opponent Utah Royals FC (13-9-3, 42 Points), Seattle, and the Current.

The Royals host the Courage at 7 PM ET at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The match will be broadcast on the Roku Channel.

Sanchez is still one goal behind Chaŵinga’s record, though Chaŵinga reached 20 goals in fewer matches (This year’s season is longer due to the inclusion of Denver and Boston). If Sanchez gets a brace, the record will fall, and the Courage will likely rise back into playoff position.

Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is also nearing league history on the opposite end of the pitch. The Canadian keeper is one clean sheet away from becoming the third goalkeeper in league history to hit 50 career regular season clean sheets. The NWSL record is 52, held by Nicole Barnhart.

Due to suspensions, the Royals are missing forward Paige Cronin (2G, 1A) and starting midfielder Ana Tejada (0G, 2A). However, star forward Mina Tanaka (9G, 4A) will be available for selection.

Meanwhile, the Courage are still without Ally Schlegel and Lauryn Thompson, while Natalie Jacobs is questionable with a head injury.

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Carolina Ascent Battle to a Draw

First place Carolina Ascent FC (5-1-1, 16 Points) drew their first match of the season against third place Sporting JAX (3-2-2, 11 Points) on Saturday night, remaining undefeated against Jacksonville.

For more on the Ascent’s dominant USL Super League season so far, check out this week’s cheat sheet.

For the second match in a row, Mia Corbin’s corner kick was converted into a goal by Shea Groom. Jill Aguilera and Reese Tappan (assisted by Aguilera) joined in on the scoring for the ascent, with all three women recording their second goal of the season.

Corbin and Aguilera are now tied for first place in the league in the assist column with 3 apiece.

On the Jacksonville side, Baylee DeSmit continued to show why she is leading the league’s Golden Boot race; her brace gave Jacksonville two go-ahead goals over the course of the match, and at 7 goals on the season she’s averaged one per match.

The Ascent are off next week for the start of the Women’s international break, and next travel to Florida to take on Tampa Bay Sun FC (2-1-2, 8 Points) on October 10 at 5:00 PM. Their next home match is Friday, October 16 at 6:30 PM as they host second place DC Power FC (3-2-2, 11 Points) at Memorial Stadium.

Kicking Off … Carolina Ascent Pull Ahead in Super League’s Short Season

Carolina Ascent FC (5-1-0, 15 Points) won another match this past weekend, keeping them atop the USL Super League — also known as the Gainbridge Super League for sponsorship reasons — and 4 points ahead of their closest competitor in the table.

That’s only scratching the surface of how dominant the Ascent have been.

The 1-0 victory over last place Brooklyn FC (1-5-0, 3 Points) was the Ascent’s 16th win since the last time the Ascent dropped points in consecutive games (Valentines Day, February 14). That’s 16 wins and 1 draw in their last 19 competitive matches for a truly superlative average of 2.63 points per match.

If you’re a football nerd, you know that 2.63 ppm is the exact same number Manchester City achieved in the 2017-18 Premiere League season, when they set the single season record for most points in modern first tier competition.

That is how good the Ascent are.

On Saturday, they face Sporting JAX (3-2-1, 10 Points) at home. Jacksonville is the only team Carolina haven’t faced during the short season, but the last time the teams met they played two in a row, with the Ascent winning 3-1 at home and 0-1 away, taking six points from a team that only needed one to secure the Players’ Shield and their first Super League title.

Jacksonville might have something to say about that, so we asked Ascent head coach Philip Poole about how he’s preparing for the match.

“I've got a boring answer for you unfortunately,” said Poole. “We put [in] just as much prep and give just as much respect to Brooklyn as we do Lexington and Jacksonville. And I think when you don't, you get caught … the prep and the respect is a given, but I think it’s a different team, different proposition, different areas that’ll hurt us [as opposed to Brooklyn].”

The Ascent host Jacksonville at 7:00 PM Saturday, September 26 at Memorial Stadium.

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Watch: Post Match Interview with Coach Poole

Lineups: What You Need to Know

We’ll start in MLS NEXT Pro since, for the second time in club history, Crown Legacy FC (58 Points) have won the Southeast Division with the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, claiming the #1 Seed in the East for the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.

Were they to win the playoff, it would be the first cup win for the Charlotte FC organization. You can read our full writeup here.

• Crown Legacy picked their first playoff opponent today, and could potentially host the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final during the Nov. 6-8 window if they win the Eastern side of the bracket.

  • Crown Legacy chose to play the winner of the play-in match, so they will face either #8 RBNY II or #9 Huntsville City FC in a couple weeks.

    • Crown Legacy had 2 wins and one shootout win agains Huntsville this season. Their biggest win was 7-2 at Home.

    • Legacy and RBNY II met once. Legacy won 0-3 Away.

  • If Crown Legacy host the final, all of us at Soccer Sheet hope the boys get the chance to play at the Bank.

• NWSL: Ashley Sanchez will have to wait to match the single-season scoring record in the NWSL, and you can blame VAR. The NC Courage (12-10-3, 39 Points) dropped to 7th place in the table after falling 1-2 to first place Gotham FC (15-4-6, 51 Points), and the offside flag was the culprit in what was otherwise a strong performance from the Lioness.

  • Jordynn Dudley had a brace for Gotham, with goals in the 8th minute and in stoppage time. She got superstar assists from Sam Kerr in the first half and Rose Lavelle in the second.

    • Did Gotham put in a cheat code or what?

  • Evelyn Ijeh slotted in a response just 6 minutes later, but the goal was called offside.

  • Sanchez also almost got the equalizer at the start of the second half, but the goal was called off when VAR found Gianna Paul offside.

    • Paul was in her first match for the Courage after being acquired from KC Current.

  • Natalia Staude got the equalizer for the Courage in the 69th minute, but Dudley’s late goal sealed the win for Gotham.

  • The Courage doing well in the stat column all night, with more shots on goal (14 to 11), equal shots on target (3 apiece), and a higher xG (1.14 to 1.09) even without the two goals called back.

  • Next up, the Courage travel west to face 5th place Utah Royals FC (13-9-3, 42 Points) on Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 PM.

    • Three points would guarantee the Courage climb at least one spot in the table due to their superior goal difference.

• Major League Soccer: If we’re being real, Nashville SC (17-3-6, 57 Points) will almost certainly win the East, and are the favorite to win the Supporters’ Shield. Fourth place Charlotte FC (12-7-7, 43 Points) did what they needed to do against 11th place DC United (6-8-11, 29 Points), winning 1-2 thanks to goals Ashley Westwood and Allan Saint-Maximin.

  • It may have been Maxi’s first goal, but he already has 5 assists in 6 starts for the Crown. Furthermore, 6 goal contributions seems low because it doesn’t scratch the surface of the number of plays he’s created since arriving in the Queen City.

  • After missing two matches in a row due to yellow cards, captain Ashley Westwood came back with a goal from his favorite spot, right above the box.

• U-20 World Cup: Both the United States and England fell in the Round of 16 in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

  • Carolina Ascent player B Hylton featured in all 4 of England’s matches, but the Young Lionesses’ run ended with a 0-3 loss to Nigeria.

  • The U.S. lost to Brazil in penalties, 1-1 (5-4).

  • Spain will face Youth Women’s powerhouse North Korea in the final on Sunday, September 27 at 12:00 PM ET in Łódź, Poland.

• USL Super League: The Carolina Ascent FC (5-1-0, 15 Points) are riding high ahead of their match against Jacksonville at 7:00 PM ET this Saturday, September 26 at Memorial Stadium.

  • B Hylton didn’t get enough rest to feature in last week’s game, but she’ll have an opportunity to be back out on the pitch.

  • ICYMI, the Ascent have an official band: Garinger High School’s Blue Funk Sound Machine.

• USL League One: The second place Charlotte Independence (17-5-5, 56 Points) drew 5th place Athletic Club Boise (13-7-7, 46 Points) 1-1 in Idaho despite going a man down, and beat last place Richmond Kickers (5-16-5, 20 Points) 1-2.

  • Against Boise, Sega Coulibaly picked up two quick yellow cards and was sent off early.

    • After conceding, the Jacks battled back to a 1-1 draw thanks to a Reudd Manin equalizer off a Bakero assist.

    • You can read the writeup here.

  • In Richmond, a corner kick led to own goal by the Kickers’ Owen O'Malley, giving the Jacks an early lead in the 8th minute.

    • O’Malley quickly made up for it, assisting Tarik Pannholzer on the equalizer 3 minutes later.

    • Bakero would assist again near the end of the half, passing it to Joey Skinner for the winner. The Jacks held on through an uneventful second half for the win

  • Programming Alert: The Jacks will host their final home matches of the season at the Matthews Sportsplex.

    • On Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 PM ET, they’ll host 8th place Fort Wayne FC (10-9-7, 37 Points).

    • On October 10 at 7:00 PM, they host 16th place New York Cosmos (6-16-4, 22 Points) for the final home match of the season.

  • Jack Math: The Independence have 5 matches left, with a game in hand over first place Union Omaha (18-6-4, 58 Points).

    • The Jacks control their own destiny: if they win out, they finish first.

    • Charlotte have a superior goal difference (+24 to +20), so the Jacks can likely secure a first place finish if they find two more points than Omaha in the closing weeks.

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Ashley Westwood really likes shooting from right outside the box.

Here’s a map of all of his goals for Charlotte FC in MLS competitions:

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For the second time in club history, Crown Legacy FC have won the MLS NEXT Pro Southeast Division with the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, claiming the #1 Seed in the East for the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.

With their 1-2 victory over FC Cincinnati 2 in Ohio, the Legacy finished the regular season with 58 points and the second overall record in the league.

CLFC also ended the season with the most goals scored in MLS NEXT Pro with 67.

“[I’m] very proud of all the players and staff for all the work they have put in over the last 8 months to put us in this position,” Crown Legacy FC head coach Kevin Sawchak told Soccer Sheet. “Winning the Eastern Conference shows the consistency and the mentality this group has to fight for the Club. It also shows the Club is continuing to improve from the Academy up. Now we are going to freshen up the players and start to prepare for the Playoffs.”

CLFC needed a result to clinch the championship as second place Chattanooga FC also won today, ending the season with 56 points to the Crown’s 58.

When Cincinnati got the first goal after a scoreless first half, the championship was in question. Then, Crown Legacy’s two top scorers on the season got to work.

Hugo Mbongue (assisted by Magic Smalls) and Nathan Richmond (assisted by Mikah Thomas) scored in quick succession. With a final score of 1-2, Crown Legacy finished first in the Eastern Conference — as well as the Southeast Division.

Mbongue would finish the season with 14 goals and 4 assists, while Richmond led the Legacy in goal contributions with 19, from 9 goals and 10 assists.

The MLS NEXT Pro Cup

As Charlotte FC’s second team, the primary focus of Crown Legacy is player development — for example, you can thank them raising the game Patrick Agyemang — but they’re still out to win. This year, they have the opportunity to do something none of Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s pro teams has ever done: win a trophy.

The MLS NEXT Pro Cup awaits.

After a play-in match between the teams that finished 8th and 9th in the East — Red Bull New York II and Huntsville City FC — Crown Legacy’s Conference Quarterfinal match will take place October 16 – 18, and the Legacy will both host the elimination match and have the opportunity to pick their opponent from seeds 5-8 this Wednesday, September 23.

As the first seed, the Legacy will retain both the home field advantage and the ability to pick their opponent through the Eastern Conference final should they advance. As the second overall team after Austin FC II, Crown Legacy would host the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final against any Western Conference team except Austin.

MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs Schedule:

• Play-in Round: October 9-11 (one match per conference)

• Conference Quarterfinals: October 16 – 18 (four matches per conference)

• Conference Semifinals: October 23 – 25 (two matches per conference)

• Conference Finals: October 30 – November 1 (one match per conference)

• MLS NEXT Pro Cup: November 6-8

The Charlotte Independence (16-5-5, 53 Points) have played four matches in two weeks, and have 7 points — and a guaranteed playoff berth — to show for their efforts.

Though they lost an important match to first place Union Omaha (17-6-4, 55 Points) after a Souaibou Marou red card left the Jacks shorthanded, and last night’s draw put them in second place in the USL League One table, the Independence control their playoff destiny.

With a game in hand over Omaha, the Jacks can secure the Player’s Shield - the award for the best regular season record in League One - even if both teams win out. The Independence also have a superior goal differential of +23 to +19 for the Owls.

By scoring 9 goals over the four match run, they’ve also tied Union Omaha’s all-time League One record for most goals in a season, with (61). With six more matches to play this season, it’s a record that will almost certainly belong to the Jacks in the near future.

The Independence next travel to Virginia on Saturday, September 19 to face the last place Richmond Kickers (5-15-5, 20 Points). After that, they go back to a one-match-a-week schedule, culminating in a final regular season home match against 16th place New York Cosmos (6-15-4, 22 Points) on October 10th, and a Decision Day match against 11th place Portland Hearts of Pine (7-11-8, 29 Points) on October 24.

The Independence’s most important match remaining, however, could be their home fixture against eighth place Fort Wayne FC (10-9-6, 36 Points). Fort Wayne is their only remaining opponent currently above the playoff line, so should the Jacks falter down the stretch this match will do the most to help them retain home field advantage.

Independence Best Westchester in Frantic 5 - 4 Win

Christopher Jaime’s 91st-minute strike capped a wild 5-4 win for the Charlotte Independence over Westchester SC on Saturday, September 12 at American Legion Memorial Stadium, securing a playoff berth for the 7th consecutive season.

The nine-goal fixture also ranks as the second-highest scoring match in USL League One history.

Both sides mounted two-goal comebacks in a basketball-style contest that had the 656 fans in attendance roaring. Joey Skinner had a brace, and Christopher Jaime, Christy Manzinga, and Viggo Ortiz all had a goal apiece. Jon Bakero had two assists, while Jaime, Manzinga, and captain Clay Dimick all had one.

At the start, Westchester raced out to a 2-0 lead. Westchester’s Conor McGlynn converted an 18th-minute penalty past Independence goalkeeper George Tasouris, and Jack Loura headed home his first professional goal in the 27th.

Notably, McGlynn would add two more goals in Westchester’s Saturday match against the Richmond Kickers, raising his season total to 13 and putting him one ahead of previous Golden Boot leader Souaibou Marou, who missed the Westchester match due to a red card suspension.

Despite McGlynn and Loura’s strikes, Charlotte flipped the script in two minutes: Skinner curled one into the side netting, then Ortiz leveled with a deflected finish. Bakero’s pinpoint corner found Skinner for his second, completing the brace.

Christy Manzinga added a fourth before halftime to put the Jacks ahead 4-2.

Westchester refused to go away. Substitute Koen Blommenstijn scored twice in under 15 minutes—first to make it 4-3, then equalizing in the 77th—to force a frantic finish. It was a tough night for Tasouris, who was making his first ever USL League One start in goal due to Matt Levy’s injury.

Charlotte kept pushing, and when Clay Dimick won the ball high, Jaime drove forward and smashed a left-footed rocket into the roof of the net, sending Memorial Stadium into a frenzy.

“This isn’t a game that I think any of us wanted to drop any points from,” said Jamie “So, it just took a little bit of individual magic, honestly. But it all starts with Clay winning it and the whole team pushing up. So I just decided to bang it in. I’m very glad that we were able to win.”

Saturday’s win also marked a milestone for Jeffries, who earned his 150th victory of his USL career across all USL competitions. Jeffries became just the second head coach to reach the milestone, joining Bob Lilley (183), and the first to record all 150 victories with a single club.

Shorthanded Jacks Bring the Fight to Boise

Despite going down a man inside the opening 11 minutes, the Charlotte Independence battled to a 1-1 draw at AC Boise on Wednesday night. The Jacks delivered one of their strongest defensive performances of the season for their hardest-earned result of the year.

After the early red card in Omaha last week, it was deja vu all over again as Sega Coulibaly picked up two quick yellow cards and was sent off early. The Independence moved forward with Reudd Manin at center back.

Independence head coach Mike Jeffries told reporters that the Independence had worked on their 10 man play after facing a similar situation in Omaha, when Marou was sent off early and the Jacks fell 2-0.

“We took our lessons from Omaha and implemented them quite well,” said Jeffries. “I thought we were much better disciplined, kept a really good shape, and so forth throughout.”

The Jacks stayed compact and limited Boise’s chances through the first half, with a Philip Mayaka shot at the crossbar being the closest the hosts came before the break.

“Getting into halftime was huge,” said Jeffries. “We had our moments in the first half, but for the most part, they had a lot of the game. I didn’t feel like we gave away a ton of chances.”

At halftime, Ukrainian international Denys Kostyshyn came in for injured Boise captain Blake Bodily. Kostyshyn, who leads Boise in scoring with 8 goals this season, was playing in the top flight of Ukrainian football in 2022 before Russia’s illegal invasion of his home country, and left to play for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship in 2023.

True to his pedigree, Kostyshyn changed the game in the 57th minute when he headed home Dominic Gasso’s cross at the back post.

The Independence didn’t wait to respond.

The Jacks’ Christy Manzinga won a free kick near the edge of the box, setting up a set piece play. Jon Bakero delivered an excellent ball, and Manin touched it past Boise goalkeeper Jonathan Kliewer to level the score just five minutes later.

The assist was Bakero’s 13th of the season, solidifying his single-season record.

The Jacks then dug in.

Joey Skinner produced a remarkable last-ditch block to deny Kostyshyn in the 78th minute, Matt Levy made a sharp reflex save, and an apparent late winner for Thomas Amang was correctly ruled offside — though a previous Boise goal was disallowed on a favorable foul for Charlotte.

Charlotte settled into a deep low block, headed everything clear, and held on for a massive road point while playing more than 80 minutes a man down.

“I thought the guys were incredibly gritty, really disciplined. Just incredible work-rate and effort. Concentration was huge tonight,” said Jeffries. “Even at the end of the game, they threw everything at us, and we kept our composure, managed the game well, and maybe even had a little bit of a chance at the end to steal it completely, which I thought was a pretty good credit to the group. Everybody out there put their heart into it.”

Though they dropped below Union Omaha in the table, the result keeps the Independence firmly in the thick of the Players’ Shield race. After a resilient night in Idaho, the Jacks sit in second with 53 points to Omaha’s 55, as well as a game in hand and a superior goal differential of 23 to 19 for the Owls.

“This was a huge result for the group,” said Dimick. “This shows what our mentality has been all year, fighting through adversity and tough situations to get something out of games no matter what. I couldn’t be more proud of the group and everything we put into this game. We know that every game is huge this stage in the season and this point is a massive one.”

Previous Charlotte Independence Coverage

The NC Courage (12-9-3, 39 Points) didn’t get the result they wanted in California, falling 2-1 to the San Diego Wave (13-8-3, 42 Points) and falling to 5th place in the table as the Wave shot up to 4th. It’s the kind of late-season loss that tends to have big implications when it comes to playoff position and home field advantage.

That said, the Courage’s lone goal came from — who else? — Ashley Sanchez off of a Shinomi Koyama assist.

The goal brings Sanchez’s total to 19, one shy of tying the single-season scoring record of 20 goals set by Temwa Chawinga in 2024. Should Sanchez score two goals this Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park, she’ll not only set a new single-season scoring record, she’ll also set the record for most braces in a season with 5.

Of course, with 6 matches left in the season, anything could happen. Orlando Pride’s Barbara Banda, who just signed a new High Impact Player (HIP) contract through 2029, is in second behind Sanchez in the NWSL Golden Boot race with 16 on the season.

Sanchez’s teammate Evelyn Ijeh has been a prolific scorer herself with 11 goals, the fourth-most in the league. With 30 goals between the two, they now hold the NWSL record for most goals in a season from a teammate pair. They’ve scored 64% of the team’s 47 goals, helping the Courage reach a goal difference of +12, currently the best in the league and especially important when only 6 points separate 2nd and 8th place in the table.

Sanchez, Ijeh, and their teammates have their work cut out for them this weekend as they host league-leaders and defending champions Gotham FC (14-4-6, 48 Points) at 6:30 PM on Saturday, September 19.

Lineups: What You Need to Know

Above: Soccer Sheet talks with Charlotte FC designated player Pep Biel about the squirrel that invaded the pitch in Cincinnati.

There was a lot of North Carolina soccer this weekend. Carolina Ascent FC played on Friday night in Kentucky. Then, in addition to the Courage, Charlotte FC, Charlotte Independence, Crown Legacy FC, and Carolina Core FC all played Saturday afternoon and evening, with the Legacy and Core playing one another at the Matthews Sportsplex.

Since it was impossible to attend them all, here’s what happened:

• Fourth place Charlotte FC (11-7-7, 40 Points) earned a point from a 3-3 draw at FC Cincinnati (8-8-8, 32 Points) on Saturday, September 12. The result was somewhat disappointing as Cincinnati equalized in stoppage time, but the surprise appearance of a squirrel on the pitch — dubbed Squirreling Haaland by Soccer Sheet — raise everyone’s spirits.

  • While Liel Abada, Pep Biel, and Idan Toklomati scored the goals, and Rodolfo Aloko earned the only assist for Charlotte, Allan Saint-Maximin was the maestro: his ball into the box to Abada would have been an assist except for a touch from a Cincinnati player; he sent the ball to Biel right before Biel earned a penalty; and he made the cross to Aloko for a secondary assist on Toklomati’s goal.

  • Charlotte travel to Washington, D.C. to face 11th place DC United (6-7-11, 29 Points) at Audi Field on Saturday at 7:30.

    • After missing two matches in a row due to yellow cards, captain Ashley Westwood will be eligible for selection again this weekend.

• On Friday, September 11, Carolina Ascent FC (4-1-0, 12 Points) earned 3 points on the road with a 0-1 win over Lexington SC (1-2-0, 3 Points). Full coverage of the match is available here.

  • Jenna Butler had the winning goal off of an Emily Morris corner kick in the 88th minute.

  • The Ascent host eighth place Brooklyn FC (1-4-0, 3 Points) on Saturday, September 19 at 7:00 PM.

    • However, Brooklyn are coming off a quality 3-2 win over second place Sporting JAX.

  • With only 9 matches to go in the short season, the Ascent are two home matches away from the halfway mark.

• Both the United States and England advanced to the Round of 16 in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

  • Carolina Ascent player B Hylton has featured in all of England’s matches so far. They play Nigeria in the first of the knockout rounds on Thursday, September 17 at 9 AM ET.

  • The U.S. will face Brazil in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, September 16, at 9 AM ET.

• The Ascent aren’t the only Charlotte team leading their league. The first place Charlotte Independence (16-5-4, 52 Points, +23 GD) are now (officially) playoff bound after defeating 14th place Westchester SC (6-14-5, 23 Points) in a spirited 5-4 match on Saturday.

  • Joey Skinner had a brace, and Christopher Jaime, Christy Manzinga, and Viggo Ortiz all had a goal apiece. Jon Bakero had two assists, while Jaime, Manzinga, and captain Clay Dimick all had one.

    • Dimick’s assist to Jaime in stoppage time gave Charlotte the decisive goal at 90’+1’.

  • Charlotte’a Souaibou Marou continues to lead the League One Golden Boot race with 12 goals despite serving a 1 match red card suspension during the Westchester fixture.

  • With the win, the Jacks clinched a spot in the USL League One playoffs. However, their first place spot is precarious as Union Omaha (16-6-4, 52 Points, +17 GD) have that same number of points and have also qualified for the playoffs.

  • The Jacks have a busy week ahead. Tomorrow, September 16, they travel to Idaho to face 4th place Athletic Club Boise (13-7-5, 44 Points) at 9 PM ET. Then on September 19, they travel to Virginia to take on 17th place Richmond Kickers (5-14-5, 20 Points) at 6 PM.

• Carolina Core FC (5-12-10-5, 30 Points) may be eliminated from the playoffs, but that hasn’t stopped them from besting Crown Legacy FC (14-5-8-5, 55 Points) in all three of the I-85 Derby contests this year. The Foxes came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the match and win the penalty shootout. Read our full writeup here.

  • The Foxes won the previous two meetings between the teams this year, with a 2 (4) - 2 (2) shootout win in April, and a 2-0 victory in June.

  • Brian Romero and Magic Smalls scored for Crown Legacy in the first half. Both of Carolina Core’s goals — from Thomas Raimbault and Jay Stewart — came off the bench in the second half.

  • Jay Stewart got his first professional goal in his first pro appearance.

  • Despite the result, Crown Legacy remain first in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference and have clinched a playoff appearance. The Foxes remain in 14th place.

  • Sunday, September 20 is Decision Day in MLS NEXT Pro, and both of North Carolina’s teams are heading to Ohio. Crown Legacy will face Cincinnati 2 and Carolina Core will face Columbus Crew 2. Both matches start at 2:00 PM.

  • With a +11 advantage in goal differential over second place Chattanooga, Crown Legacy can effectively clinch first place in the Eastern Conference with a win on Decision Day. The Legacy can’t finish below second.

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Halftime: Soccer Fact of the Week

With the 3-3 result in Cincinnati, and the 2-2 draw earlier this year, it’s only the third time in club history Charlotte FC has drawn both regular season matches against the same Eastern Conference opponent. The others were Columbus Crew (2022) and New York Red Bulls (2023).

Bonus Facts: With this past weekend’s result, Carolina Core FC have continued to dominate the I-85 Derby, winning the season series against Crown Legacy FC all three years with 4 outright wins, 4 shootout wins, and only one loss. Crown Legacy have never won a penalty shootout against the Foxes in four attempts, and their lone victory came last season on April 26 with a 1-2 win in High Point.

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Despite steady rain, Crown Legacy FC couldn’t hold on to a two goal cushion as a Carolina Core FC academy call-up’s first professional goal forced a penalty shootout at the Matthews Sportsplex on Saturday, September 12.

While Charlotte FC’s first team was up in Cincinnati dealing with a pitch-invading squirrel of its own during a wild 3-3 draw, Crown Legacy had its own kind of chaos to handle back home — just of the four-legged, invited variety. It was Pups Night at the Sportsplex, and it was raining cats and dogs to match.

Crown Legacy FC and Carolina Core FC played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday night, with Carolina Core taking the extra point after winning the shootout 4-3. The Foxes won the previous two meetings between the teams this year, with a 2 (4) - 2 (2) shootout win in April, and a 2-0 victory in June.

Carolina Core have dominated the I-85 derby, winning the season series all three years with 4 outright wins, 4 shootout wins, and only one loss. Crown Legacy have never won a penalty shootout against the Foxes in four attempts, and their lone victory came last season on April 26 with a 1-2 win in High Point.

Crown Legacy looked like the team best equipped to handle the wet conditions early, building a 2-0 halftime lead behind Brian Romero’s opener in the 28th minute (assisted by Andrej Subotic) and Magic Smalls doubling it four minutes later off a deflection in front of goal (assisted by Hugo Mbongue).

Carolina Core responded immediately out of the break. Substitute Thomas Raimbault, who came on at halftime for an injured Nicholas Kaloukian, scored less than two minutes into the second half off a Tristan Weber assist to make it 2-1.

From there, Crown Legacy controlled the run of play — finishing with 60% possession, 23 shots and 12 corners — but couldn’t find the third goal to put the match away.

That opening allowed the Foxes to find a way back. Jay Stewart, who entered the match just nine minutes earlier, converted a Seth Hammond delivery in the 87th minute for the equalizer for his first professional goal, scored after a midweek call-up from the Core’s academy.

The match ended 2-2 in regulation. MLS NEXT Pro rules send drawn matches straight to penalties.

Carolina Core Come Back to win Shootout, Too

After the home team’s Sebastian Ventura kicked off the shootout with a goal, Crown Legacy keeper Jahiem Wickham saved Ryan Baer’s attempt for the Core. Both teams converted in the second round, with Hugo Mbongue and Corey Lundeen making their shots.

In the third round Ty Barnett missed his attempt for Crown Legacy, and Andrew Czech took advantage of the opportunity to equalize, putting the score level at 2-2. Carolina Core went ahead in the fourth round, with their goalkeeper Nolan Anderson saving Barzee Blama’s attempt. Ricks Ford put the Core ahead, 2-3.

In the final round, both Adrian Gutierrez and Charles Orbaugh converted from the spot. Orbaugh’s goal ended the affair as Carolina Core completed the comeback in the shootout, winning 4-3.

The Numbers Behind the Result

Crown Legacy’s underlying performance told a different story than the final result. The club out-shot Carolina Core 23-10 and out-cornered them 12-3, while Carolina Core scored twice on just five shots on target.

It’s the kind of match where the numbers point to a team that did enough to win but couldn’t finish the job — the extra point went to the visitors regardless.

Decision Day Looms

Both the Legacy and the Foxes return to action on Decision Day, Sunday, September 20 at 2:00 PM — and both clubs will travel to Ohio.

The Foxes will take on Columbus Crew 2 at Historic Crew Stadium, while Crown Legacy will face FC Cincinnati 2 at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium.

With a +11 advantage in goal differential over second place Chattanooga, Crown Legacy can effectively clinch first place in the Eastern Conference with a win on Decision Day. The Legacy can’t finish below second.

While 4th place Crew 2 are guaranteed a postseason spot, they still have something to play for as well. They’re only 3 points north of 9th place Connecticut United FC, and CT United could complicate the Crew’s path should they win big and/or the Crew lose big.

Both 14th Place Carolina Core FC and 15th Place FC Cincinnati 2 are eliminated from the playoffs and can’t improve their spot on the table.

Earlier this year, Carolina Ascent FC’s second season ended in Lexington after a 3-1 loss in extra time.

On Friday, September 11, a patient Carolina side got their revenge after 88 scoreless minutes, with Carolina Ascent FC (4-1-0, 12 Points) winning 0-1 over Lexington SC (1-2-0, 3 Points).

In the 87th minute, it looked like the Ascent’s Mackenzie George had finally broken through. George barreled down the right side of the pitch, and sent a pass inside the box to Ava Cook. Cook was tackled by Lexington’s Katie Murray, but the ball came back to George for a second chance right outside the goal box. George passed again, this time to teammate Riley Parker, but Lexington center back Allison Pantuso slipped in and stopped the play at the cost of an Ascent corner kick.

Emily Morris took the corner, sending it past the Lexington goal to the corner of the goal box. The Ascent’s Jenna Butler was there, sending the ball to the ground and then bouncing past Lexington goalkeeper Ryan Campbell.

Cook had another chance at goal during stoppage time, but the Butler header was the decisive strike.

“It’s another tough, hard-fought road win, and that’s it,” said Carolina Ascent head coach Philip Poole. “I mean, it wasn’t easy. We knew that [Lexington] were a good side, and we knew we’d have to work hard to get the result. I’m proud of the players that we did.”

The goal was Butler’s first of the season, making her the sixth member of the team to score in five matches. The assist was the first for Morris, making her the sixth player with an assist.

With the win, and a Jacksonville loss on Sunday, the Ascent are back atop the USL Super League table as Lexington fall to sixth, albeit with two matches in hand.

Poole, however, is taking the 9 remaining fixtures one match at a time.

“We continue to push forward,” said Poole. “All of our opponents are so unique and offer different challenges. We have to make sure that we are ready for all the different challenges.”

The Ascent will host eighth place Brooklyn FC (1-4-0, 3 Points) on Saturday, September 19 at 7:00 PM at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Tickets start at $18.00.

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Ascent’s Hylton Advances in U-20 World Cup

Carolina Ascent academy product B Hylton will have the chance to earn another cap with the Young Lionesses in the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

The England U-20 Women’s National Team finished second in their group and qualified for the Round of 16. They face Nigeria in the first of the knockout rounds on Thursday, September 17 at 9 AM ET.

The Young Lionesses went into their final group game with Brazil on Friday with four points and in second place in Group B, and went up 1-0 in the first half before Brazil took all three points with a penalty equalizer and a stoppage time winner.

In their first two matches, England drew 1-1 with Canada and secured a 5-1 victory over Tanzania. Brazil topped the group with nine points.

Hylton played 157 minutes of the group stage fixtures, with one start and two appearances from the bench.

North Carolina Courage midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson and forward Lauryn Thompson were also named to England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, but Parkinson was recalled to the Courage due to multiple injuries facing the club. Thompson withdrew from the competition due to an ankle injury.

United States U-20s Advance on 4 Points

The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team got off to a rough start in group play, but got the win when they needed it most.

After falling to Italy 2-1 in their tournament opener and drawing 2-2 against Japan despite holding leads in both matches, the U.S. needed a big result against New Zealand in their final match of group play.

They won 9-0 against the Junior Football Ferns, and the four points and +8 goal differential was enough to send the Stars and Stripes into the knockout rounds as one of the four best third-place teams.

The U.S. will face Brazil in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, September 16, at 9 AM ET.

Like the Young Lionesses there are many U.S. U-20 players with North Carolina connections: defender Aven Alvarez is from New Hill (Wake County), was an NC Courage academy product, and plays for UNC; defender Hope Munson and forward Sealey Strawn also play for UNC; and midfielder Linda Ullmark played for the Tar Heels before going pro.

Strawn scored her first-ever goal for the U-20s against New Zealand.

Charlotte FC came back from a goal deficit to claim a 1-2 away win against last place C.F. Montréal (5-13-6, 21 Points) on Wednesday night. It’s only the second time in five seasons Charlotte have won an MLS match in Quebec.

The match was wet and wild, with a significant downpour during the first half. Former Charlotte FC striker Daniel Ríos struck first for Montréal in the 34th minute, but Charlotte fans didn’t have to wait long for the equalizer: three minutes later, Allan Saint-Maximin connected with Liel Abada for Abada’s fourth goal of the campaign.

In the second half, fullback David Schnegg found Idan Toklomati in the area for the go-ahead goal, and that was all the Crown would need.

Soccer Sheet talked to Schnegg after the match, and he told us he forgot to bring the right boots for the damp pitch:

Though they weathered the weather, the Crown didn’t make it out of Canada unscathed: Schnegg picked up his fifth yellow card and will miss Charlotte’s Saturday fixture in Cincinnati.

Lineups: What You Need to Know

• Fifth place Charlotte FC (11-7-6, 39 Points) travel to Ohio on Saturday, September 12 to face FC Cincinnati (8-8-7, 31 Points). Cincy are currently in seventh place in the East, and have a game in hand over Charlotte. When the teams met in May at Bank of America Stadium, the result was a 2-2 draw.

  • In addition to Schnegg, captain Ashley Westwood will miss his second match in a row for Charlotte due to yellow card accumulation.

    • MLS need to update their rules

  • On the Cincinnati side, Evander will also miss the match due to accumulation. He scored one of Cincinnati’s two goals against Charlotte in May.

    • Obinna Nwobodo will be out for Cincy as well due to a red card.

• The NC Courage (12-8-3, 39 Points, +13 GD) are riding high in third place after a 0-6 win in Chicago powered by an Ashley Sanchez hat trick. They’ll face the fifth place San Diego Wave (12-8-3, 39 Points, +6 GD) at 6:30 PM ET on Saturday, September 12.

  • Sanchez continues to dominate NWSL’s Golden Boot race, adding three goals for a total of 18. Barbara Banda of the Orlando Pride is second with 14 goals; Sophia Wilson is in third with 12; and Sanchez’s teammate Evelyn Ijeh is in fourth with 11.

    • Sanchez now owns the single-season scoring record (18 goals) for an American player in NWSL. She is three goals behind the 21 goal record Temwa Chawinga set in 2024.

    • Yet again, Sanchez earned NWSL Player of the Week honors in addition to winning Player of the Month for August.

  • Sanchez and Ijeh were both named to the Team of the Month for August.

Listen to our conversation with Ashley Sanchez after Saturday’s match below:

• Second place Carolina Ascent FC (3-1-0, 9 Points) got their first USL Super League win at home on Saturday with a 3-0 win over seventh place Fort Lauderdale United FC (1-2-0, 3 Points).

  • Tomorrow, the Ascent travel to Kentucky for a replay of last year’s playoff final against sixth place Lexington SC (1-1-0, 3 Points). Kickoff is at 7:30 PM ET.

  • The Ascent’s B Hylton got another cap in the U-20 Women’s World Cup on Tuesday when she played the full 90’ for the Young Lionesses in England’s 5-1 group stage victory over Tanzania.

    • England will need a result against Brazil on Friday to guarantee a berth in the knockout rounds, though they could still advance with a loss.

• The first place Charlotte Independence (15-5-4, 49 Points, +22 GD) fell to Union Omaha (15-6-4, 49 Points, +16 GD) on Saturday after a Souaibou Marou red card early in the first half led to a 2-0 road loss. Our writeup is here.

  • The Independence, however, have a game in hand over Union Omaha as they come home to American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 12 to take on 14th place Westchester SC (6-13-5, 23 Points).

  • While the regular season goal for the Jacks is still first place and the Players’ Shield, they can clinch a playoff appearance with two wins.

    • For the rest of the season, the Jacks only face two more opponents currently above the playoff line: 5th place Boise and 8th place Fort Wayne. Omaha have four matches against tougher opponents, including a decision day away match against third place Madison.

• Crown Legacy FC will host Carolina Core FC on Saturday, September 12 at 7:00 PM at the Matthews Sportsplex.

  • It’s Legacy’s last home match before the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs; Core have been eliminated from postseason play.

  • The Core have glory to play for: if they win in regulation or a shootout, they’ll have bested Legacy in all three matches between the sides this season.

First Half: The Latest Stories from Soccer Sheet

Here are some of our stories from the past week:

Halftime: Soccer Fact of the Week

Australian women’s soccer legend Sam Kerr set the NWSL single-season scoring record in 2019 with 18 goals in a 24 match season. When Malawian footballer Temwa Chawinga set the new record (21 goals) in 2024, she had 26 matches in which to do so.

The NC Courage’s Ashley Sanchez reached 18 goals in 23 matches; this NWSL season, however, will have 30 total matches.

Second Half: Social Media Shares

Some of our most recent content from Instagram:

Postgame: Candid Comments

NC Courage midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson was expected to play in the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, but was recalled by the Courage due to injury issues.

For the latest photos and videos from Soccer Sheet, follow us on social media:

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After the Charlotte Independence (15-5-4, 49 Points, +22 GD) earned a last minute, 3-2 victory against 13th place Portland Hearts of Pine (5-11-8, 23 Points) on Wednesday, September 2, one can be forgiven for thinking the Jacks would replicate the feat on the road in Omaha last night.

Almost everything was there — the fight, the pressure, and the skill — for the Jacks to steal another three points in the closing minutes of their 0-2 loss to Union Omaha (15-6-4, 49 Points, +16 GD).

What was missing, however, was an 11th player. Independence forward Souaibou Marou had been sent off in the first half, disrupting Charlotte’s game plan and making them fight for survival on the road.

Despite a valiant effort, the Owls snapped a 7-match unbeaten streak for the Jacks — though the Independence still sit atop the table thanks to a superior tiebreaker over Omaha.

Jeffries Named Coach of the Month

In both matches, the Independence demonstrated the resilience and fight that led to head coach Mike Jeffries being named USL League One Coach of the Month for August earlier today.

Jeffries led the club to a 4-0-1 record in August, helping the Jacks claim first place in League One. The Independence return to American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 12, to face Westchester SC. Kickoff is set for 7 PM ET, and tickets are available here.

Charlotte 3, Portland 2

Charlotte’s comeback against Portland Hearts of Pine can be summed up in two words: Stéfano Pinho. The forward scored twice in two minutes during stoppage time for the equalizer and the go-ahead goal.

”I’ve talked about the group’s character all year, but just the character — they keep pushing, they keep fighting,” said Independence head coach Mike Jeffries. “You know, it’s obviously nice to be at home, and then to get two goals at the death in stoppage time is unbelievable.”

Jon Bakero got things started early with a 20th minute goal assisted by Independence Captain Clay Dimick in his 200th appearance for the Jacks.

For the rest of the first half, Charlotte seemed in control. The stats also favored the Jacks over the course of the match, with 17 total shots to 9 for the Hearts, 14 shots inside the box to 5 for Portland, and 9 shots on target to 4 for the visitors.

However, a six-minute stretch in the second half changed the game.

First, Matteo Kidd scored for the Hearts in the 59th minute. Then, in the 65th, Charlotte goalkeeper Matt Levy gave up a penalty in the box during a chaotic play. Charlotte’s defense let Portland’s Diego Gonzalez slip through and take a shot that was saved by Levy. While Levy was still on the ground after the save, he challenged Portland’s Ollie Wright for the ball near the right edge of the goal box. Instead of retrieving the ball, Levy’s glove tripped Wright and the official immediately pointed to the spot.

Wright took the penalty he earned and shot the ball on the ground to the right. Levy guessed correctly and saved the ball, but it bounced out of his possession, allowing Portland captain Michel Poon-Angeron to net an easy rebound goal, his first of the season.

The Jacks responded by increasing the pressure on Portland. After Poon-Angeron’s goal, Independence coach Mike Jeffries made a triple change that included Pinho and Javen Ramero. Pinho and Charlotte forward Souaibou Marou took multiple shots in the run-up to stoppage time, but couldn’t get a ball in.

Then, in the 5th minute of stoppage, Charlotte took the ball up the left side and found Ramero in the corner. Ramero sent a great cross into the area, and Pinho pulled off a spinning half bicycle kick to get past Portland goalkeeper Hunter Morse.

“I was waiting for this moment,” said Pinho. “I was trying so hard to get my goal, so today was a gift from God. Nothing is finished yet.”

Just two minutes later, Bakero found Pinho in the area with a long cross straight to the boot, and with a much less acrobatic kick Pinho completed his brace.

”The first goal is a ridiculous finish, right? Pinho, we see that in training, but that’s just a great finish. Javen did ridiculously well to get to the ball and keep it in. And then just to pull off and hit a finish like that is incredible,” said Jeffries. “And then on the second one — again, we felt like, ‘Hey, we’ve got them. Let’s keep pushing.’ And to get the second one was, you know, obviously just a striker — right spot, right time.”

Omaha 2, Charlotte 0

It was a bad foul, but was it a red card?

That’s the question Independence coaching staff and supporters will be asking themselves over the next week as they assess their team’s loss to second place Union Omaha on Saturday night.

In the replay, the Independence cross a ball into the area. Marou is running to catch the high ball, and his leg goes up. Omaha goalkeeper Cole Jensen is coming off his line to challenge. Marou’s left leg is stretched out like a martial arts kick, and his boot and studs go straight into Jensen’s torso.

Omaha players come over to challenge Marou as the Omaha fans boo, loudly. The referee, Amin Hadzic, breaks it up, and shows Marou the yellow. Then, the replay goes up on the stadium video board, and Hadzic consults with an assistant referee.

Hadzic then walks back over to Marou to show him red.

“Obviously, the game turns on the red-card decision,” said Jeffries. “I thought the refereeing crew handled that decision remarkably poorly … I think that was a pretty big frustration for us as we went through the game.”

In response to a question from Soccer Sheet, Jeffries noted what he saw as a process error in how the red card was handled.

“This is a referee decision. He’s very close to the play. He makes the decision to give the yellow card right away,” said Jeffries. “The stadium puts up a replay immediately after that. So, the replay is on the board, yellow card has already been shown to Souaibou. Forget about whether it’s a red card or not … the [assistant referee] calls the referee - after the replay - the AR calls the referee over, and then he issues the red card … the replay should not have been up immediately after.”

Though Charlotte gave a gutsy performance, it was downhill from the red card. The 10-man Jacks conceded in the closing minutes of the first half. Then, after a concerted effort in the second stoppage time, the Jacks conceded a second goal, and that was all she wrote.

Is It too Early to Talk Playoffs?

Charlotte’s next test is back home at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 12 against 14th place Westchester SC (6-13-5, 23 Points).

With only 8 matches left to play, the math is in Charlotte’s favor to make the playoffs. They are guaranteed a spot if they win two more matches (regardless of other results).

In the hunt for the regular season championship, the Independence have more work to do. While the Jacks are the only team averaging over 2 points per match, they play five of their final eight matches on the road.

In the “good news” column, the Jacks only face two more opponents currently above the playoff line: 5th place Boise and 8th place Fort Wayne.

While nothing is certain, and the Jacks still have a shield and home field advantage to play for, expect to see the Independence in the playoffs this fall.

The big question from Saturday night’s match is a head-scratcher: how — and why — did Charlotte FC captain Ashley Westwood get sent off for dissent?

Up until the 71st minute, the match was roughly even, though the Crown had their chances. Once Westwood left the pitch, however, Charlotte was forced to hunker down and play defense with 10 men.

Charlotte (10-7-6, 36 Points) and Houston Dynamo FC (12-7-4, 40 Points) eventually played to a 0-0 draw, good enough given the circumstances, but perhaps less than what Charlotte would have wanted to get at home.

Additionally, even after a Monday press conference with Charlotte head coach Dean Smith, neither the club nor the press know if Westwood will be suspended for one or two matches.

Prior to the red card, Charlotte had the better chances.

Liel Abada got the shooting started in the 3rd minute, with Pep Biel finding his fellow designated player through traffic. Abada missed, shooting too high in the first of many frustrating opportunities during the stalemate.

As Biel tried to orchestrate opportunities for Charlotte, Mateusz Bogusz did the same for Houston. The Dynamo’s attack sharpened after the first 15 minutes and started to force action from Kahlina, but they never found an opening in the Crown’s compact defense.

In the 35th minute, Abada got the ball from a pretty Allan Saint-Maximin pass. He unselfishly put the ball on Biel’s boot, but Biel’s shot was blocked, neutralizing one of Charlotte’s highest xG opportunities.

Shortly after, Westwood took a shot from the top of the penalty arc that wouldn’t normally be expected to go in, but ended up being inches away from the goal. The 37th minute shot came from a cheeky Pep Biel set piece, giving the skipper the opportunity to take a wide open shot from one of his favorite spots: outside the box.

Sadly, the captain struck the right post, generating a sound that rang throughout the Bank. Aside from a Tim Ream yellow card, it was the last notable event of a sleepy first half.

Both Ream and Smith described the tension of that opening half in similar terms afterward. Ream pointed to a lot of chatter between the two sides as each team tried to get one over on the other, saying it felt like a chess match that neither team ever really broke — a stalemate by the end.

Smith reached for the same word, calling the first half a game of chess that turned into a bit of a stalemate. Neither team ever quite found the decisive move, which might be the best way to describe a half that was more zugzwang than breakthrough.

After the break, Abada kept leading the attack, with Biel continuing to orchestrate, Saint-Maximin showing his superlative quality with the ball, and Will Cleary demonstrating why he has quickly become an essential piece of Charlotte’s attacking puzzle.

With the pressure turned up, it looked like a goal was coming when Abada and Biel forced back-to-back saves out of Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond in the 58th minute. Biel’s shot in particular required Bond to demonstrate his quality; for most of the match, Houston’s defense was blocking shots before they got to the keeper.

Then came the most inexplicable moment of the match.

After Smith’s substitutes came on, Westwood argued over a call with referee Guido Gonzales. Westwood was shown a yellow card, but kept arguing. Gonzales brought the yellow out again so quickly that he dropped it on the pitch, and then pulled the red card out of his back pocket.

The Charlotte bench was also shown a yellow card in the aftermath.

When asked about the cards, Smith was careful with his words after the match.

“Listen, the only thing I’ll say on the referee is he refused to shake my hand at the end of the game, and respect works both ways,” said Smith. “So, you know, that tells me everything about it.”

From there, Houston took over territorially, firing nine of its 18 total shots from the 74th minute onward and finishing with 65.4% possession to Charlotte’s 34.6%.

None of it produced a goal.

Kristijan Kahlina made five saves, including a stoppage-time stop on Agustín Resch in the seventh minute of second-half added time, to secure his second consecutive clean sheet.

Charlotte’s back line of Tim Ream, Henry Kessler, Will Cleary and David Schnegg helped absorb the rest of Houston’s pressure, combining to block nine attempts over the course of the night.

Will Westwood’s absence hurt the Crown going forward?

“I don’t know, I haven’t even thought about it,” Ream said when asked how losing Westwood complicates next week’s trip to Montreal. “The way this game is, it’s just next man up. We have guys who can take over that role, and guys who are ready to do it.”

He added, with a self-aware laugh, that it simply meant “one less over-30 player on the field.”

On the club’s run of back-to-back clean sheets, Ream downplayed the idea that it’s about the defense specifically. “It’s more the form of the team,” he said, pointing to the results — one loss in the last nine matches, and just two losses in the last twelve counting Leagues Cup play — as evidence of a group building real competitiveness heading into the stretch run.

Like Smith, Ream also both had pointed comments about the officiating after the match. Ream said that in his 16 years in the league, he’s never seen referees refuse to shake hands with players — on either team.

What’s Next

Charlotte are unbeaten in their last five MLS matches (three wins, two draws) as they continue to linger in 5th place in the Eastern Conference.

They travel to Quebec to take on last place CF Montreal (5-12-6, 21 Points) tomorrow. Then, on Saturday, they travel to Ohio to take on 6th place FC Cincinnati (8-7-7, 31 Points).

Westwood will serve a suspension for at least the first match this week; the club is waiting on confirmation from the league to see if he will also sit out the Cincinnati match.

The last time Carolina Ascent FC (3-1-0, 9 Points) played Fort Lauderdale United FC (1-2-0, 3 Points), they won 0-3 on the road with a clean sheet after scoring three goals in the second half.

History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes. For last night’s 3-0 win at home, they got to work immediately, scoring all three goals in the first 45 minutes.

“I’m glad we scored when we did,” said Carolina Ascent head coach Philip Poole. “All in all, I think we could have scored another two or three in the second half. So I’m quite happy with the performance, but there are parts of it where we’ve got to tighten up.”

With the win, the Ascent improved to second place in the Super League Table with 10 matches left to play in the short season.

The environment was more challenging than normal for the Ascent as only 1,727 fans were in attendance, likely due to both the holiday weekend and the Charlotte FC match scheduled at the same time (by comparison, 5,907 fans attended last week when Charlotte FC were away).

Even with the small crowd, the Ascent got on the board early with a textbook route one goal.

In the 10th minute, Ascent goalkeeper Sydney Martinez started the play by passing the ball to Jenna Butler in the Ascent’s third. Butler had space and all the time in the world, and launched the long ball to Carolina captain Jill Aguilera at the top of Fort Lauderdale’s penalty box. Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Haley Craig came off her line to try and stop Aguilera, but the captain got a high left boot on the ball, sending a volley into the visitors’ net with one touch.

Despite the scoreline, Fort Lauderdale had a strong attack, and would end the night with more shots than Carolina (12 to 9) and more shots on target (6 to 4).

“With this game, we got the 3-0 win, but we certainly didn’t play as well as we played last weekend,” said Aguilera. “So there are always things that we need to work on.”

The Ascent’s next goal came from a perplexing penalty. In the 29th minute the Ascent were on a good run, attacking Fort Lauderdale’s final third continuously. Tappan, who scored the lone goal for the Ascent in the home opener, sent a long ball across the field to Aguilera, who couldn’t control it, and it was eventually stopped by Craig’s boot at the goal line.

Here’s where it gets interesting: Craig never picks up the ball as she passes it with her foot to Fort Lauderdale center back Ella Simpson. Simpson presumably thinks the ball is dead, and uses her hand to set it up for a goal kick; however, there was no whistle to blow the ball dead, and thanks to Craig’s foot the ball never left play.

That was more than enough for referee Kevin Broadley to blow his whistle and point to the spot. The Ascent’s Mia Corbin would take the penalty and easily slot it in for her 6th goal in three seasons against Fort Lauderdale.

Corbin would further demonstrate her versatility by earning an assist before the half was over. A bad pass from Fort Lauderdale ended up on Corbin’s boot, who found Audrey Coleman through significant traffic.

“I’m just enjoying playing with my team, working hard and getting the results on the field,” said Corbin. “Roles are always changing, so I’m just trying to change with them and take advantage of it.”

Aguilera credited the team’s training and process in a halftime interview.

“All throughout training this entire season and preseason we’ve just been working on finishing our opportunities, and I think we’ve been really dedicated in that,” said Aguilera.

Ten Matches Left

The Ascent were looking for a strong result in their second home match of the short season after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay Sun FC in their home opener. With only 14 matches in the short season, every game matters - and it’s one of the reasons Poole was disappointed with the chaotic, basketball-style play from his side against Fort Lauderdale.

“This match could have been 6-6,” said Poole. “There were moments in attacking transition where we’ve got to be much better. We scored three, and we could have assisted three for them. So, for me, the game was too wide open.”

While it seems like the season just started, Decision Day is only 10 matches away on November 28. The Ascent are well-positioned for a third consecutive playoff appearance, currently sitting in second place with 9 points and the best goal differential in the league (+5). Based on previous results, Soccer Sheet estimates 25 points will be enough for a playoff berth, which puts the Ascent 16 points (5 wins and a draw) away.

”Last week was our best performance of the season,” said Poole. “We were most dominant in possession, most dominant in terms of progression, and we lost. Tonight was a choppy performance, and we won 3-0. So it’s funny. I’m not happy with this performance, but I’ll take the three points.”

The Ascent travel to Kentucky on Friday, September 11 for a rematch of the 2026 USL Super League Final against Lexington SC (1-1-0, 3 Points). The Ascent lost that match 3-1 in extra time, but they may be better prepared for the fixture this month as Lexington will have only played two matches before the rematch.

Hylton Features for England U-20s

England’s Women’s U-20 team played their first match of the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland on Saturday, September 5, earning a 1-1 draw against Canada.

While Canada’s Annabelle Chukwu broke the deadlock with a goal early in the second half, England’s attack sharpened once the Carolina Ascent’s B Hylton came on in the 77th minute. Hylton earned a corner for her side, and after applying continuous pressure on the Canadian side, England’s Rachel Maltby drew a foul in the penalty box.

Maltby would take and convert the penalty, scoring the equalizer in the 89th minute.

The Young Lionesses face Tanzania — who lost 4-1 to Brazil in their first match — on Tuesday.