Editor’s Note: All of us at Soccer Sheet are sending our best to Patrick Agyemang as he recovers from an lower leg injury he picked up in Derby County’s win over Stoke City today.

After the match, Derby County manager manager John Eustace said there wasn’t an update on Agyemang’s condition after the U.S. striker left the pitch in a stretcher.

"He's gone off for a scan, so we'll wait and see the results of that ... We don’t want to lose any players, and we certainly don’t want to see any players coming off in a stretcher. Hopefully it's not as bad as what it might be, but until we get the scan results, we'll have to wait and see."

Agyemang has 6 goals in 14 appearances for the USMNT since receiving his first call up in January of last year.

Opinion: What I Didn’t Find in Atlanta

On a recent trip to Atlanta to cover the United States Men’s National Team for Soccer Sheet, I witnessed a sub-par performance for the Stars and Stripes.

What I didn’t see, however, was evidence of a looming disaster at the World Cup.

Let’s get the important stuff out of the way: the USMNT are not dominant in international competitions like the USWNT are; the Men still have trouble with top-tier European opponents; and a goal differential of -5 over two friendlies this close to the World Cup is cause for concern.

Additionally, head coach Mauricio Pochettino isn’t the best at explaining why he makes certain decisions — beyond the usual coyness you’d expect from a manager — and some of his comments during post-match press availabilities in Atlanta were not what fans wanted to hear.

However, after reading numerous articles this week, I have little choice but to conclude that some of the commentary related to the USMNT exaggerates the threat of the Stars and Stripes getting grouped at the World Cup.

Let’s dive in to some of the questions that have come up in the wake of the defeats in Atlanta.

“Can [the] USMNT Trust Pulisic?” Yes.

Christian Pulisic is a divisive figure in U.S. Soccer, and never more so than last year, when he skipped the Gold Cup after playing a 50-match season with A.C. Milan. Former USMNT star Landon Donovan was vocally critical of the decision, and at one point it seemed like Donovan was getting more press than the squad on the pitch.

In the wake of the losses to Belgium (2-5) and Portugal (0-2) — with Weston McKinnie and Patrick Agyemang scoring the only goals for the U.S. — the Captain America criticism has ramped up again with one podcast asking, “Can [the] USMNT Trust Pulisic?”

In this reporter’s opinion, the answer is yes.

The case against Pulisic is that he hasn’t scored for the national team in over a year (Nov. 19, 2024 vs. Jamaica), he hasn’t scored in Serie A in the last 15 matches, and he skipped the Gold Cup to focus on his health when he should have cared about the badge.

On the other hand, the Pulisic I saw play in Atlanta is someone who — at his best — is still the most talented player in national team history. Seeing him play on Tuesday night, I kept thinking back to that line Carrie-Ann Moss tells Keanu Reeves in The Matrix: “You move like they do.”

I’m by no means a Captain America Stan, but it’s undeniable that Pulisic moves, thinks, passes, and plays like one of the greats.

Unlike Donovan, I can’t fault someone for thinking about their physical and/or mental health after a 50-match season. He played 3,650 total minutes across all of AC Milan’s competitions in 24-25, and that doesn’t include 508 additional minutes for the USMNT. Donovan never played anywhere near as many minutes during his seasons in Europe, and I don’t think I’m making waves by saying the MLS of Donovan’s era doesn’t hold a candle to Serie A.

While finishing has been a problem for Pulisic — and his perturbation is visible every time he makes a great play that doesn’t result in a goal — he’s still the guy you want leading your team, even if Pochettino had him playing out of his natural position against Portugal. The Stars and Stripes just have to hope the finishing is a result of bad luck or a statistical drought.

“Will the USA get out their World Cup group?” Likely.

In World Cup Group D, the 14th-ranked United States face 25th-ranked Turkey, 26th-ranked Australia, and 39th-ranked Paraguay, with Turkey earning their place last week as the UEFA second round Path C winner over Kosovo.

The last time Turkey made the cut, in 2002, they finished third.

Group D is one of the toughest groups in the tournament; it has the second highest average FIFA ranking at 26.25. It’s the only group where the top and bottom squads are separated by 30 places or fewer, and it’s also the only group in which every squad is ranked 40th or better.

Every team has a shot. The USMNT won their most recent friendlies against Paraguay (2-1 on Nov. 15) and Australia (2-1 on Oct. 14), while dropping a June match to Turkey 1-2 despite a first minute strike from Jack McGlynn.

Even before the matches start, the format of this World Cup means the odds are heavily in the USMNT’s favor to advance. In addition to all of the first and second place teams in each group, eight of the 12 third place teams will advance. After total points the tiebreakers are goal difference; goals scored; team conduct score; and latest FIFA ranking, a tiebreaker that will strongly favor the U.S. if it comes to that.

Don’t fret: it probably won’t come to third place tiebreakers, either. If this were an old school World Cup with only two teams making it out of the group, the USMNT would still be favored. They play Paraguay and Australia first, and may advance to the knockout stage before even taking the pitch against Turkey. They’re the best team out of the four despite the friendly loss to Turkey (without Pulisic in the lineup, by the way).

So despite some pundits asking if the USA will fail to get out their World Cup group, the math makes it unlikely. for the US to get grouped, it would require a failure of unimaginable proportions.

Why is the USMNT not playing the best XI they have? Valid Question.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has received criticism from on many fronts since taking the job in September of 2024, including his answers in interviews, roster choices, and more. The criticism comes with the job, and it’s almost always going to be more intense than what is deserved.

However, one recent point of criticism stands out to me: despite the rapidly-approaching World Cup, Poch still seemed to be experimenting with the roster last week instead of giving his best players the chance to play together, or playing them in the position he expects them to play during the World Cup.

Pulisic playing as a false 9 and coming off at halftime during the match against Portugal immediately comes to mind, as does Matt Turner’s rough shift in goal against Belgium when it’s clear the #1 shirt is going to NYCFC standout Matt Freese. The United States played a back four against Belgium after finding success last year playing a back three, then came back to a back three for Portugal.

Pochettino was still optimistic after the losses.

“I am more positive now than before, because seeing the team compete, we are not far away,” he told reporters after the Portugal match.

Another interesting soundbite: “The results are negative, but they’re not official games.”

Pochettino also said that Portugal and Belgium had many players in the top 100 in the world, while he believed the US had none.

It’s true that the U.S. doesn’t have a Vitinha in the midfield or a Courtois in goal, but a good team is greater than the sum of its parts. Pulisic at his best is a top 100 player, Freese continues to impress in goal, and many others demonstrated their quality last week despite the results.

It remains a valid question, though, why Pochettino didn’t send out a World Cup squad to face two talented European opponents. He’s been on the job for 18 months, he should know what he has to work with, and one would think the focus this late in the preparations would be on putting the pieces together, not measuring or evaluating them.

Instead, he told reporters that there are 35-40 players still in contention for roster slots.

One underreported quote from Pochettino’s post-match press conference did catch our attention: he told reporters that he didn’t speak to his squad after the match, eschewing his last opportunity to speak to all of his players together before the World Cup roster is announced.

Soccer Sheet confirmed after the press conference that we heard Pochettinio correctly. When we reported the quote, one of the first replies we got on social media reflected where some in the U.S. fan base seem to be on Pochettino at this point:

“Hire a Spurs manager. Get Spurs results.”

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In 2023, Charlotte FC’s first-ever postseason run ran into a Red Bull brick wall, falling 5-2 in a play-in match that most fans of the Crown would rather forget.

What a difference two seasons makes.

Charlotte’s 6-1 win on Saturday, March 21 over RB New York seemed like revenge that was a long time coming, a statement victory that demonstrated how high the ceiling for Charlotte FC could be this season (Charlotte FC was off this week for the FIFA international break).

“We got a good show from the players,” Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith told Soccer Sheet after the match, citing the “attitude and the application of the players.”

After the first two goals, it seemed like the team Charlotte FC fans are accustomed to seeing during the Dean Smith era was back at the Bank. Then Idan Toklomati won a free kick and drew a red card foul for denial of a goal scoring opportunity, New York went down a player, and Pep Biel knocked the proverbial roof off the house with a set piece goal.

“Very good day at the office,” said Smith. “Good performance, got the goals that we deserved.”

From there, it was all downhill for the visiting team.

The Lineup

There were two changes to the starting lineup from last week. Despite Brandt Bronico earning his 150th appearance for the Crown with his start against Inter Miami, Smith opted for Djibril Diani in the midfield instead. Charlotte’s coaching staff also continued to make the left wing a coin flip, opting for Kerwin Vargas over the last week’s starter, Liel Abada.

The Strategy

New York’s defense focused on shutting down Wilfried Zaha with a counter-press against Charlotte’s left side. Former Charlotte FC player Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, now a right back for New York, effectively denied Zaha opportunities in the first half.

However, as Smith noted after the match, it created a lot of space for Charlotte on the right wing that Kerwin Vargas, Toklomati, and others were eager to exploit.

“We created some good chances, certainly on the breakaway, just with how they defend,” said Smith. “We thought that if we got a couple of passes and switched play early, we could get chances, and we created chances.”

One interesting note about New York’s formation was how far forward goalkeeper Ethan Horvath chose to play. Charlotte almost took advantage of Horvath’s positioning a couple of times, with him having to use his head and feet quite a bit to play balls outside the box. Most of the Crown’s goals, however, came from normal range.

The Match

In the 4th minute, the Energy Drinks had the first real chance of the match as a ball from New York winger Cade Cowell traversed the goal box in front of Kahlina and reached Julian Hall to the right of the goal, but Hall put the ball in the wrong side of the net.

Early on, Charlotte’s touches were heavy, and crosses imprecise. Wilfried Zaha seemed to struggle against former teammate Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who had Zaha’s number for the first third of the match.

That all changed in the 12th minute, when Kerwin Vargas was able to bring down a long ball, to the right of the box, 10 yards north of the goal line. New York’s Matthew Dos Santos put a high kick into Vargas’ chest, not quite earning the yellow, but giving Pep Biel a set piece opportunity.

When he finally launched the kick in the 14th minute, Biel’s kick found Toklomati’s head in traffic, and the close-range strike easily went past Horvath for Toklomati’s second goal of the season, and Biel’s fourth goal contribution.

Charlotte continued to threaten, and when necessary, Kahlina continued to demonstrate his elite goalkeeping chops. On at least two occasions throughout the match, the woodwork pitched in for Charlotte as well, denying New York a less embarrassing result.

In the closing minutes of the half, New York played like they had a Celsius — the official energy drink of MLS — but weren’t quite able to break through. In the 43rd minute, Charlotte fans gasped as some pinball in the goal box almost sent the equalizer in the net, and then yet another strike on the right corner of the woodwork shook the goal.

In extra time, Zaha had the opportunity to score off of a great cross from Toklomati, but Horvath effectively blocked Zaha’s angle, resulting in a corner for Charlotte, but without enough time for the Crown to do something with it.

While the first half was evenly matched, the second half was a blowout — and it took less than a minute for Charlotte to find the back of the net. Starting from the back with excellent ball movement, the Crown confidently got the ball to Biel at midfield, who found Diani on a run down the left side. Diani crossed the ball into the area, and New York defender Omar Valencia misplayed it just seconds after coming on for Dos Santos. Vargas took up the ball in the goal box, ran past Valencia and Horvath, and slotted it in goal for Charlotte’s second.

Things got worse for New York before they got worse.

Shortly thereafter, Zaha created a strong chance for Toklomati, who was fouled by New York’s Gustav Berggren at the top of the penalty box. Berggren saw red for denial of a goal scoring opportunity, and Biel added insult to penalty as his left foot sent the free kick into the left side of the net, through well-timed movements in Charlotte’s wall and past Horvath.

Up three goals and a man, Charlotte continued to play what was perhaps the best match in club history. In the 68th minute, after some substitutions for Charlotte, Biel again created the play, finding Zaha at the top left corner of the penalty box. Zaha finally got the best of Marshall-Rutty, cutting to his right, shooting from his right foot, and finding the bottom right corner to get the fourth ball of the night past Horvath.

The goal was Zaha’s first of the season, and his third goal contribution of the campaign. By that point, Biel had secured his MLS Team of the Matchday performance with three goal contributions; Brandt Bronico would replace him in the 85th minute.

Charlotte still had one more set piece goal in their tank, and both the goal and assist would come from players who entered from the bench just two minutes earlier. In the 77th minute, Westwood took a free kick after Zaha was fouled by Ronald Donkor on the left side at the top of the final third. Westwood sent the ball forward to an unguarded David Schnegg, making only his second appearance of the year after coming on for Harry Toffolo, and Schnegg sent the ball to Archie Goodwin — in for Toklomati — who sent a header in the back of the net for his first Charlotte FC goal.

“As a nine, all you want to do is score goals,” Goodwin told reporters after the match. “So to get the first one at home couldn’t have been better.”

Don’t quote us on this, but three set piece goals for the Crown has to be a record.

“Excellent set pieces, excellent quality [Pep Biel's] got,” said Smith. “As well as the set pieces, just a really good performance from him.”

New York eventually got one back as Julian Hall scored off a corner, but even in injury time, Charlotte would not be denied. Liel Abada - in for Vargas - would assist Goodwin on his second strike three minutes into stoppage for his first MLS brace.

“The qualities are there for you to see with the goals and the finishes that [Archie] had today,” said Smith. “Works extremely hard in training. Been waiting for the chance and he got his chance today and took it.”

Goodwin is looking forward to more chances to show his quality, including the U.S. Open Cup and midweek games later in the season.

“I’m working hard in training, just staying ready for when my opportunities come,” said Goodwin. “And I think with the midweek games, there’ll be a bit of rotation in the squad. So I’m just staying ready and, yeah, looking forward to it.”

March 14 is Pi Day, so it’s fitting a soccer match ended with two round numbers, O-O, as the final score at Bank of America Stadium.

In front of a sellout crowd of 34,780, Charlotte FC (1-1-2, 5 Points) battled defending champions Inter Miami CF (2-1-1, 7 Points) to a physical draw Saturday night in a match defined by goalkeeping rather than goals, including the most memorable play of the night, belonging to Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina.

In the 34th minute, some good ball movement for Miami caused danger in the area. Sergio Reguilón, in his MLS debut, launched a cross into the goal box to defender Ian Fray, who headed the ball at point blank range. Kahlina saved the header in the air with his left hand, the ball bounced on the ground as Kahlina also fell to the pitch, and as it trickled dangerously towards the goal line the 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year kept the ball out with his right hand, mid flight.

The dramatic sequence sparked chants of his name throughout the lower bowl. He would go on to have three saves on the night.

Soccer Sheet asked Kahlina about the juggling save after the match, and he compared the play to something he would face from Jordi Alba, the Inter Miami player who retired after last season.

“Yeah, it was a really difficult save, I think. Really, really good save. It was completely reaction from me that even I didn’t expect,” Kahlina said. “[Reguilón makes] a really good cross and I was moving all in that time even to the second post, middle goal, second post, and [Fray shoots] in front of me and it was like, ‘fast hands,’ I saved it. What is really important is [it was for the team], and yeah, it was a nice save for me.”

The Lineups

The lack of scoring could be chalked up to the conspicuous absence of the most famous footballer in the world. Many fans arrived expecting to see Lionel Messi chase a career milestone of 900 goals, but Soccer Sheet learned early Saturday that Lionel Messi had not travelled with Inter Miami on Friday, with his status up in the air until shortly before lineups were announced.

Instead, Miami elected to keep the superlative scorer in Florida as the club manages a crowded schedule that includes a CONCACAF Champions Cup coming up later this week.

Messi wasn’t the only notable absence. Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul — who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina and Messi — also stayed home, leaving Miami to rely on a rotated lineup that still featured veteran striker Luis Suárez wearing the captain’s armband, as well as academy products making their debut for the Herons.

On Charlotte’s side, USMNT star Luca de la Torre was out after observing concussion protocol earlier in the week, and center back Henry Kessler — who is yet to make his debut with Charlotte — continues to recover from a lower body injury.

Despite an unfortunate miscommunication with Kahlina that led to an own goal in last week’s match against Austin FC, Morrison Agyemang still got the start at center back over Andrew Privett.

Kahlina told reporters after the match about how he was adjusting to the new faces on the back line, and helping Morrison integrate into the squad.

“What happened in the previous game, [I told him], ‘don’t play something like I think you are there.’ If something goes to the goal, we can be really punished,” said Kahlina. “But overall, he trained really well. And I think maybe in the start he lost a few balls, but overall, in the end, he played very well.”

After not starting in the first two matches, Brandt Bronico got his second consecutive start at home. It would be Bronico’s 150th appearance for the club.

Soccer Sheet asked him how he was working to stay in the lineup with more competition in the midfield this year.

“[It’s] the same work I’ve always been doing: just giving my best, pushing guys,” said Bronico. “Like I said, competition is good, it’s healthy in a team, and ultimately it breeds excellence. So I think we have a really good midfield group that pushes each other every single day, and we’ll continue to do that, making each other better.”

The Match

The match started with an early scare.

Charlotte defender Nathan Byrne and Miami forward Mateo Silvetti collided in the 4th minute, forcing both players into concussion protocol before they returned to the field.

The physical tone continued throughout the half, with fouls and yellow cards piling up. Toklomati was on the receiving end of much of Inter Miami’s physicality, even getting jumped on by Miami’s back line.

One of Charlotte’s best chances to score came from a Liel Abada breakaway in the 22nd minute. Ashley Westwood volleyed the ball to Toklomati, who quickly headed it to Abada on the run. With an open shot, Abada sent it wide, to the right of the goal, immediately grabbing his head in frustration.

As tempers continued to flare, designated player Wilfried Zaha saw his fourth yellow card in as many matches at the 32 minute mark, yet again for dissent. His next yellow will result in an automatic one match suspension.

Charlotte’s Westwood and Harry Toffolo also saw yellow cards, the latter for a bad foul in the 77th minute.

Soccer Sheet asked Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith if he had talked to Zaha about the infractions, and he pointed to what he perceives as a disparity between how the former Premier League star is treated relative to others players in MLS.

“I'm probably the wrong person you should be asking about it, to be honest,” said Smith. “The officials should maybe be in front of you explaining why some of them are cautions. Then you see similar situations happen with other players and not similar results.”

Smith also defended how Zaha shows up in tense moments.

“Listen, Wilf knows the league, he knows the officials. He’s been here 14 months now, so he’s understanding of that,” said Smith. “Yeah, we want to see emotion on the pitch, but we also want to see consistency from officials with how it's managed.”

Zaha came closest for The Crown in the 63rd minute, firing a shot from the center of the box that forced a sharp save from Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.

Then, Kahlina was seriously challenged for the final time, saving a Germán Berterame header from the center of the box in the 79th minute.

Charlotte nearly earned a opportunity to steal the match in the 89th minute when Kerwin Vargas went down in the penalty area after a challenge. Officials waved play on, awarding a corner instead in a decision that frustrated Smith.

“Kerwin's come on straight away and had a big chance. He should have had a penalty at the end, there's no doubt in my mind,” said Smith, “There's a tangle of legs. The one thing it can't be is a corner. It's either a goal kick or a penalty because the lad hasn't touched the ball at all. And VAR, in my opinion, has made a mistake there by not sending the referee to the monitor. So he comes on and makes an impact straight away. He probably should have hit the target with his chance, but creates some opportunities.”

Smith also tried to change the game with fresh legs off the bench from Archie Goodwin, Tyger Smalls, and Djibril Diani,

The crowd at Bank of America Stadium was the loudest with cheers when Miami head coach Javier Mascherano was shown a red card in stoppage time after protesting a foul call and was sent off.

Shortly after, the match ended in a draw. Kahlina was the clear choice for Man of the Match.

While Smith later described Charlotte’s overall performance as “average,” the result still carries weight. The Crown held the defending MLS Cup champions scoreless, and extended their unbeaten run at home this season.

Soccer Sheet asked Smith if he thought any performances stood out.

“I thought Ashley Westwood was excellent. I thought Pep Biel worked his socks off today,” said Smith. “And [Kahlina] made one outstanding save. Other than that, as I say, it was a bit of a stalemate of a game.”

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Personal Note: Seth Avett (of the Avett Brothers) band was coronated at the match, and it was a thrill to see one of NC’s greatest current musicians celebrated. It doesn’t hurt that he he’s married to Dexter star Jennifer Carpenter, who joined him for the festivities.

In Brief …

Here’s the breakdown:

• Carolina Ascent FC won at home 1-0 against the reigning Super League champion Tampa Bay Sun thanks to a goal from new addition Tyler Lussi, who most recently played for the NC Courage of the NWSL.

• The Charlotte Independence drew Westchester SC 1-1 in their first match of the year, with 17-year-old Viggo Ortiz tying the game in the 97th minute in his first-ever appearance for the Jacks. The Independence are home (at Matthews Sportsplex, not Memorial Stadium) this week for the first round of the U.S. Open Cup on Thursday.

• Crown Legacy FC, Charlotte FC’s reserve team, leads the MLS NEXT Pro standings with an undefeated record, three straight wins, and Legacy’s Rodolfo Aloko leads the league in goals with 5.

Yara Al Bayyari, Gabriel Seth Koch, and Sam Spencer contributed to this report.

VAR giveth, and VAR taketh away.

Indeed, Charlotte FC had reasons to both celebrate and lament Major League Soccer’s video review — commonly known as VAR — during Saturday night’s 3-1 win over Austin FC.

While an official review of a yellow card ended up helping Charlotte — Austin’s Guilherme Biro was sent off instead after the referee checked the monitor — it also denied a goal to Pep Biel when the official saw the arm of Charlotte’s Brandt Bronico brush the ball on its way to the back of the net.

Biel was undeterred, however, and found the net two more times, earning him Man of the Match honors and a place on the MLS Team of the Matchday.

After the match, Soccer Sheet’s Jorge Torres asked Biel about the team’s progression so far this season, with Biel telling us he already has a connection with Westwood, and wants the play in the midfield to evolve to the point where it is fácil.

“The truth is that after every game you feel more rhythm, better, and happier with it,” Biel responded in Spanish.

Now, the Crown’s attention turns to Inter Miami CF and Leo Messi.

Fun Fact: Miami has never scored at Bank of America Stadium with Messi in the lineup. In 2023, a potential goal was ruled offside in a 1-0 nailbiter that sent Charlotte to the postseason for the first time, and last year, Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina saved a Messi penalty kick — how many people can say that? — after the talismanic #10 attempted to put a cheeky chip past the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

Thanks to an Idan Toklomati hat trick, Charlotte prevailed 3-0.

However, Soccer Sheet confirmed rumors that Lionel Messi did not travel with Inter Miami CF yesterday. More on that below.

Charlotte FC 3, Austin FC 1

After a weak start to the season, Charlotte FC (1-1-1, 4 Points, 6th in the Eastern Conference) showed signs of life against Austin FC (1-1-1, 4 Points, 10th in the Western Conference) with a 3 goal result that almost gave Charlotte fans a Pep Biel hat trick.

The Lineup

Smith loves a debut, so it was no surprise that Aron John – one of the standouts from Crown Legacy FC, Charlotte FC’s second team – was announced as a short-term player for Charlotte FC. The Charlotte native started on the bench but came in in the closing minutes to earn the MLS Debut patch.

“He’s such a good guy, but on top of that, he’s a really good footballer as well,” Smith told Soccer Sheet’s Rebekah Whilden after the match. “He’s got a really good brain. He’s got a really good engine. The future’s bright for him.”

Soccer Sheet asked John after the match about his resilience coming back from injuries during the 2025 season that may have prevented an earlier debut, and he told us his faith played an outsized role in his recovery.

“I was out for five months, coming back, getting injured, coming back, getting injured,” said John. “But I worked out a lot of things in my personal life to discover who I really was, and I think that’s a big thing because once you are out here with all these professionals, ultimately you have to be who you are, be who you were created to be to the fullest. So I think that’s definitely helped a lot, and I learned that through that.”

The Crown started with their third different lineup in as many matches, starting Morrison Agyemang — no relation to Charlotte’s previous striker — at center back with Tim Ream; Brandt Bronico at midfield with captain Ashley Westwood and designated player Pep Biel, and designated players Wilfried Zaha and Liel Abada with striker Idan Toklomati up front. For Agyemang and Bronico, it was their first start of the season.

The Match

The Crown came out the gate looking more dangerous than they had in their first two matches of the year: a sleepy, 1-1 draw in St. Louis, and a disheartening 3-0 loss in Los Angeles against the LA Galaxy. For the first 10 minutes, Los Verdes did not look like a match for Charlotte as the home side consistently reached Austin’s final third.

Abada forced Austin’s first save of the night in the 15th minute, when a dangerous sequence ended with a header from the Israeli international. Austin responded by taking the match into Charlotte’s final third for the next four minutes, but not even a Zaha yellow card – for dissent after a soft foul – stopped Charlotte’s advance.

In the 23rd minute, after another sequence ended with an Toklomati breakaway chance, Austin fullback Guilherme Biro committed an egregious foul by stepping on Toklomati with his spikes after taking down the striker. After the official initially awarded a yellow, Biro saw red. Austin adjusted by taking midfielder Jayden Nelson off the pitch in favor of defender Jonathan Bell.

Toklomati continued to be a difference-maker, tapping in a deflected cross from Zaha for the first goal of the night, his first of the season and the second assist for Zaha.

Then, in an inexplicable error, Agyemang leveled the score for Austin. Austin’s Ilie Sánchez played a long ball down route one, with it going to Charlotte’s new center back. Agyemang tried to head the ball back to goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, who wasn’t prepared. The ball went in the back of the net, a much-needed equalizer for the short-handed visitors.

Soccer Sheet spoke with Agyemang after the match about how he was integrating into the Crown’s backline despite the error.

“Yeah, with the help of teams, I'm able to settle, and then, I play both in a preseason with everyone, and it was good.” said Agyemang. “So coming into the game, I had to believe we can have a stable defense and then fight until the end.”

The goal rejuvenated Austin, despite falling a man down. By the end of the half, they had successfully defended 3 of Charlotte’s 4 shots on target – despite not being able to force a save from Kristijan Kahlina in 5 shot attempts.

In the second half Charlotte came out strong, and in the 55th minute they thought they had a goal. Ashley Westwood won a foul to the left of the goal, and set up a set piece that looked like a shorter corner kick. He found Pep Biel who slotted it in from near the penalty spot, but Austin immediately petitioned the official for redress.

After video review, the official called a hand ball on Bronico and disallowed the goal.

Charlotte kept up the attack, with Zaha busting through Austin’s defense in the 63rd minute to earn a clear shot at goal that went wide.

Shortly after, Abada took a chance off a Harry Toffolo cross that he missed to the left. Undeterred, Abada kept pressing and Toffolo sent another cross into Abada. This time, he made a short cross over to Biel, who slotted it in for the go-ahead goal. It was Biel’s second goal of the season, and Abada’s first goal contribution.

Charlotte dominated for the rest of the match, ending up with 11 shots on target to none for Austin, and the vast majority of the possession. It was no surprise, then that in the closing minutes Biel found the net again on a set piece play. Biel secured the brace with a left footed shot from the centre of the box, assisted by Luca de la Torre off the bench for the latter’s first goal contribution of the year.

The Tactics

For the first 20 minutes, Kahlina and others tried to find a route one connection in transition with striker Idan Toklomati, but Charlotte had more success with buildups that created chances inside the box - especially in the second half.

With Biel back to full health, the Spaniard took the corners from right of the goal, with captain Ashley Westwood continuing to be Charlotte’s kicker from the left. Though the goal was disallowed, Westwood and Biel’s short corner kick set piece play worked.

After going a man down and facing multiple dangerous shots from Charlotte - including the overturned goal - El Tree started to filibuster the match, trying the Crown’s patience by delaying the match. Of course, they couldn’t take that approach once Charlotte scored the go-ahead.

For Charlotte’s second goal, they made a much better effort at moving the ball around Austin’s final third, truly taking advantage of Austin’s red card for the first time. Seeing how effective that approach was, Charlotte continued to increase their pass rate after getting some fresh legs on the pitch, dominating possession for the next five minutes and giving substitute Luca De La Torre a chance to showcase his skills.

The final goal came off a set piece, which is encouraging for the squad — as is the news that Smith is going to hire a set piece coach.

Whilden asked Smith after the match about the increased visibility of his assistant staff:

“[Assistant Coach] Gary [Dicker] stepped up. Gary’s really good. [Associate head coach] Miles [Joseph] is good. We’ve got a really good staff with me as well,” said Smith. “They all play a major part in the team going out there and making decisions. What I ask them to do is challenge me and make me think a little bit differently at times because I’ve been doing this a long time and sometimes I might not see something that they see. So I welcome them to keep challenging me and pushing me.”

Tonight, Tonight

Soccer Sheet confirmed rumors that Lionel Messi did not travel with Inter Miami CF yesterday, and it is unclear when he will arrive today, and if he will start.

Additionally, Charlotte had the following players reporting out in the latest MLS injury report:

• OUT: Luca de la Torre (head)

• OUT: Henry Kessler (lower body)

Luca de la Torre had been following concussion protocol earlier in the week.

The match starts at 7:30 PM tonight at Bank of America Stadium, and will be broadcast on Apple TV. MLS Season Pass is no longer required.

Pre-Match Interviews

Soccer Sheet’s Jorge Torres spoke with Charlotte FC designated player Wilfried Zaha and head coach Dean Smith in advance of tonight’s match.

Photo of the Week: Crown Legacy Undefeated, Leads East after 7-2 Win over Huntsville City

Dean Smith on VAR: “That’s Not What Football’s About”

When Soccer Sheet’s Seth Koch asked Dean Smith about VAR in the wake of Charlotte’s match against Austin (as well as the FA Cup tie between Wrexham and Chelsea), Smith was clear: “that’s not what football’s about.”

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Jake Sokol, Seth Koch, and Yara Al Bayyari contributed to this story.

Thanks to a late goal from a healthy Pep Biel and a career-high 10 saves from Kristijan Kahlina, Charlotte FC (0-0-1, 1 Point) came back to share the points after a 1-1 result against St. Louis CITY SC (0-0-1, 1 Point) in the Crown’s first match of the 2026 MLS season.

“The spoils shared is the right result,” Charlotte head coach Dean Smith told reporters after the match. “We knew the way they would play, we knew they would be man-for-man an awful lot, and we turned that ball over a little bit too much.”

The starting lineup had a new face: USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre, taking over where fans might be used to seeing Brandt Bronico, who went unused for the first time since May 17 of last year.

Additionally, Austrian international David Schnegg made his first appearance for the Crown as a substitute, and Tyler Miller was on the bench as Charlotte’s new backup goalkeeper.

The first half was balanced, if uninspiring for Charlotte. Center back Andrew Privett picked up Charlotte’s first caution of the season seven minutes in.

The sides traded chances, and while St. Louis controlled more of the possession Charlotte stayed organized defensively and looked to break forward when opportunities appeared.

St. Louis forced three saves from Kristijan Kahlina, while Liel Abada was the only Charlotte player to get a shot on target in the first half. At the 40 minute mark, fellow Israeli international Idan Toklomati found Abada, whose right footed shot from outside the 18’ was saved by Roman Bürki. Abada, whose role in the squad was uncertain after a disappointing 2025, had an impressive half, though neither side created a clear breakthrough before halftime.

While Abada’s performance was strong, Smith thought Toklomati had “a quiet game.” The match went into the locker room scoreless, but the tone shifted after the break as a besieged Crown would call upon Kahlina’s heroics yet again.

Charlotte’s midfield struggled to maintain possession, and the back line faced repeated waves of attacks. Kahlina would go on to save 10 of the 11 shots on target during the match with a performance that earned him the first MLS Goalkeeper of the Matchday honors of the year, the eighth time in five seasons Kahlina has earned the honor.

However, one shot would get by Charlotte’s brick wall. In the 60th minute, German international Marcel Hartel found space outside the box off of a pass from Simon Becher, and finished cleanly to give St. Louis a 1–0 lead.

Kahlina told Soccer Sheet after the match that regardless of the number of shots he had to save, the game remains a team effort.

“I’m fully confident in them, and I think overall they played a good game, because it’s not just about defense, how many [shots I save] during the game.” said Kahlina. “It’s about all of us, all 11 of us, and I think we can shift better and control the [game better], especially the last 20-25 minutes.”

At that point, Charlotte appeared reactive rather than proactive. Passing sequences were short-lived and clearances often came without follow-up support. Instead of building through the midfield, the team relied on direct balls that were quickly recovered by St. Louis.

Charlotte did find an equalizer in the 73rd minute. Wilfried Zaha slipped a pass through the defense to Pep Biel, who finished to level the match at 1–1. It was one of the few moments in the second half where Charlotte connected cleanly in the attacking third, and Schnegg — who subbed in for Harry Toffolo in the 69th minute — earned the hockey assist to Zaha.

However, the goal did not fully change the momentum.

St. Louis continued to control the tempo and generate chances. Kahlina saved four shots on goal late in the match. The closing stretch featured more defending than attacking for Charlotte, and there was little sustained possession to relieve pressure.

Statistically and visually, the second half leaned heavily in St. Louis’ favor. Charlotte struggled to win second balls, failed to maintain shape in midfield, and spent extended stretches inside its own defensive third. While the defensive unit held firm enough to avoid a loss, the overall performance lacked rhythm and control.

There are positives to take from the result. Earning a point away from home to start the season matters in a long MLS campaign. The connection between Zaha and Biel is encouraging, and the team showed resilience in responding to an early second-half goal.

Most important, Kahlina is still in the Goalkeeper of the Year form that has sent Charlotte to the playoffs every year of Smith’s leadership.

Still, the second half will need to be the focus of training this week. Charlotte will have to improve its ability to keep possession under pressure and limit extended defensive stretches. Against stronger finishing, the outcome could have been different.

“I felt it was an average game, an average performance, and we still came away with points,” said Smith. “I know that players will get better through having the minutes from today … First game, you're never quite sure what to expect. The intensity is always higher for that first game, and I would expect our players to be, you know, better next week.”

A draw is a decent starting point, but if Charlotte FC hopes to contend this season, the standard in the second half will need to rise.

Video: Dean Smith and Kristijan Kahlina Speak with Soccer Sheet after Matchday 1

Soccer Sheet’s 2026 Charlotte FC Predictions

Before Matchday 1, we polled the Soccer Sheet staff and asked how they thought Charlotte FC was going to finish, who would be player of the year, etc. Here’s how our team thinks Charlotte will make out in the Eastern Conference, and who will be the top goalscorer for the team:

USL Super League & League One News

Ascent Back in Playoff Position Thanks to the Sydneys

Carolina Ascent FC (6-7-5, 23 points) finally snapped their winless streak with a confident 2-0 win over Dallas Trinity FC (7-6-3, 24 points) thanks to a Sydney Studer brace and a Sydney Martinez clean sheet.

The Ascent had been struggling to start the year off right, losing their first three matches in 2026 and falling to fifth place in the table after their loss to Spokane. Despite adding three new players with significant NWSL experience, Carolina struggled to become a cohesive unit, and gave up some questionable goals during the five match drought.

“It was a matter of time that we felt like we were going to unload on somebody,” said Jill Aguilera. “A 2-0 win at home right before an international break is a really good result for us to build our momentum onto for when we come back in March.”

Things finally went the right way for coach Philip Poole’s squad after two major changes on Saturday: Aguilera donned the captain’s armband after putting in some ferocious shifts to start the year, and Martinez took over in goal after a run of disappointing matches for #1 goalkeeper Meagan McClelland.

“I heard a quote this week that I thought was really interesting as we’re integrating four new players,” Poole told reporters after the match. “And the quote was ‘you’d rather have growing pains than dying pains’. We’ve all seen flashes of what we can be, and today we put it together.”

The fourth player Poole is talking about is Tyler Lussi, most recently of the NC Courage, who the Ascent signed last week. Her NWSL experience is as extensive as the other new additions: nine professional seasons with Portland Thorns FC, Angel City FC, and the Courage. Across 153 career appearances, the forward has recorded 19 goals and was part of Portland’s 2017 NWSL Championship-winning squad as a rookie.

Due to the international break, the Ascent’s next match is Friday, March 13 at home against Tampa Bay Sun at 7:00 PM. Bring the family, and leave the triskaidekaphobia at home.

South Georgia Tormenta FC Exit USL League One (for now)

Another USL club is in trouble.

After North Carolina FC’s surprising decision to suspend operations for two years, and Texoma FC’s decision to leave USL League One for League Two after a lackluster first season, South Georgia Tormenta FC is the latest casualty of the challenging economic landscape for soccer.

USL League One released a curt statement after Alex Ashton of Beyond the 90 initially broke the story:

“South Georgia Tormenta FC will not compete in the USL League One season in 2026. Tormenta FC has been part of USL League One since its inaugural season and has played an important role in the league’s growth, including winning the League One title in 2022.”

South Georgia was scheduled to play the Charlotte Independence on April 12 at American Legion Memorial Stadium, with the Independence making the trip down to Georgia on June 20; it is still unclear how, if at all, the league will adjust the schedule.

For more about how the the loss is affecting South Georgia’s soccer community, read this great piece from Luke Martin at Stormwatch912:

In the off chance you haven’t heard the news, South Georgia Tormenta and the USL announced the team is suspending operations just two weeks before the 2026 season was to kick off. I’ve got a full story on that over at the Statesboro Herald and would obviously appreciate if you went over there and read it.

Clearly the plan was to play in 2026.

You don’t go out and sign back-to-back goalkeeper of the year Sean Lewis if you don’t plan on playing in 2026. You don’t bring back Yaniv Bazini and his double-digit goals with Tormenta in 2025 if you’re not planning to play and compete.

But despite the plans to field a team, it just didn’t happen.

Kaylor Hodges of The USL Show told me the 2026 team may have been the most talented team Tormenta ever put together, and that includes the 2022 title winning team.

Now those players will all be free agents and three months severance pay.

And let me make sure I’m very clear here. As much as this sucks for the fans, it doesn’t compare to how much it sucks for the players. Those guys have a limited time to play the game they love professionally and with just two weeks before the season was to start, they’re now without a club to play for and presumably limited options as team budgets and rosters may have already been set.

Just as they did when North Carolina FC made the surprise decision to withdraw from the USL Championship for this season, the USL Players Association had strong words for the folks responsible for a decision that impacted Tormenta’s players:

Players who have already endured weeks of financial uncertainty are now left scrambling for employment, housing stability, and, in some cases, immigration security.

This is not simply the collapse of one club.

It is a governance failure

The economics of soccer continue to be challenging, but something needs to change to ensure the financial security of soccer players and club staff.

Three Ascent Players Called up for International Duty

The Puerto Rico Women’s National Team has called up Carolina Ascent FC defender Jill Aguilera, goalkeeper Sydney Martinez, and forward Maria Tapia for the nation’s upcoming CONCACAF qualifying matches.

Puerto Rico will take on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on February 27 before facing the U.S. Virgin Islands on March 5.

All three players were also selected for Puerto Rico’s previous qualifier in December, a 7–0 victory over St. Lucia. Aguilera delivered a standout performance with four goals, while Tapia recorded an assist.

Carolina Fall to Spokane 0-2, Fall to 5th

It seemed like nothing could go right for Carolina Ascent FC (5-5-7, 20 points) on Valentine’s Day.

Shots wouldn’t go in for the home team, but Spokane Zephyr FC (5-7-7, 22 points) converted all of their on-target shots. Both the offsides flag and a questionable foul took goals back from the Ascent, and Carolina’s players became visibly frustrated when the officials wouldn’t call fouls after physical plays.

Then, at halftime, the club’s new t-shirt cannon broke down.

Luckily, the live Valentine’s Day wedding at halftime went off without a hitch — no small feat with 2,064 attendees — but after 45 minutes, the damage on the pitch had already been done. The Ascent were unable to recover from Spokane’s two first half goals, and fell 0-2 for the team’s third straight loss as Carolina fell to fifth in the table, one spot below the playoff line.

Ascent head coach Philip Poole was frustrated at how many chances hadn’t gone his team’s way in 2026.

“I don’t think we’ve played great in any of the three games we’ve played so far in the spring, yet we’ve had the chances to win at Jacksonville and to beat Lexington,” said Poole. “And again, we had enough chances in this second half today to make a game of it. If we’re going to put up zeros, it would be nice if someone came and absolutely battered us. That’s the most frustrating thing.”

Soccer Sheet asked Poole if he thought the calls influenced the game, but for him, it came back to an uncharacteristic run of form.

“Nah, I don’t think the calls impacted [Spokane’s two goals],” said Poole. “That was poor from us, a bit fortunate for Spokane.”

Carolina’s struggles shouldn’t minimize Spokane goalkeeper Hope Hisey’s Player of the Match performance; Hisey had 5 saves on the day and added her 6th clean sheet of the season, becoming the first goalkeeper in league history to record 15 clean sheets in all appearances.

Listen: Ascent Coach Philip Poole’s Post-Match Remarks

An off-target cross, or an amazing Golazo?

Neither of Spokane’s two goals were of the kind a team wants to give up … that is, unless, Spokane’s 27th minute goal by Ginger Fontenot was an intentional shot instead of a cross that found its way to the goal.

If it was an intentional shot, it’s immediately in the running for the USL Super League goal of the year, but Fontenot remained coy when asked about the blast during halftime.

“We were able to catch them in transition … they [left] a lot of space in front of me to keep driving to goal, and I saw an opportunity and just went for it,” said Fontenot “I just knew I had to get it back post. It went in, so I think it’s a good result overall.”

The Zephyr’s second goal came from a defensive breakdown. Spokane’s Lena Silano made a shot following a fast break that Carolina center back Jenna Butler misplayed. Butler was not able to trap a long ball from Spokane’s third and Silano pounced, besting McClelland to slot in an easy goal in the 33rd minute.

“I think it’s frustrating because we know how talented this group is,” Ascent forward Mackenzie George told reporters after the match. “Right now it’s about putting the pieces together — building chemistry, figuring out which combinations work best on the field — and we haven’t quite found that recipe yet. But we will.”

When does “uncharacteristic” become characteristic?

There were bright spots for the Ascent: defender Jill Aguilera gave a box-to-box performance, with important defensive stops and offensive shots on target. New addition Shea Groom lifted a chip over Hisey and into the net early in the match, but the referee called a foul on the play — much to the surprise of the match commentators.

“Carolina is really good on the ball, and they’re a great possession team.” said Fontenot. “We knew that if we wanted to get chances, we had to be organized defensively.”

Despite the defensive breakdowns, Carolina had a stronger attack, with 16 shots to 4 for Spokane, and 5 shots on target to 2. The Ascent forced 35 clearances, while the home defense only had to get rid of the ball 15 times.

The team is now below the playoff line despite having what was arguably the best midseason transfer window in the league’s history. Incoming transfers Groom, midfielder Lily Nabet, and forward Ava Cook have a combined 180 appearances in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top-ranked women’s league in the world.

Poole called the current run of form “uncharacteristic,” including Butler’s error that led to the second goal.

“We have to be mature,” said Poole. “All of us, from me down, we have to be mature, and it’s hard trying to integrate a couple of new players that are coming in off NWSL preseason, so trying to get them fit is important. The team is mature enough, but also we have no choice, right?”

The Ascent’s next match is this Saturday, February 21 at home against Dallas Trinity FC at 2:00 PM.

Charlotte FC Ends Preseason Play on a High Note

Charlotte FC’s squad is back in the Queen City after concluding their 2026 preseason with a 2-1 victory over Minnesota in the Coachella Valley Invitational.

Idan Toklomati had two goals in the match, both assisted by designated player and fellow Israeli international Liel Abada. Toklomati started the scoring by getting a shot past Minnesota United goalkeeper Drake Callendar, who was recently added from Charlotte FC’s 2025 roster.

Charlotte gave away the lead minutes later as a through ball got past Charlotte’s backline and the Loons’ Bongokuhle Hlongwane beat Kristijan Kahlina for the equalizer. Early in the second half, Toklomati headed in the game-winning goal off of a chip from Abada.

Watch: Soccer Sheet’s Jorge Torres speaks with Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith

“They've had a tough pre-season. We've worked them hard,” Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith told reporters after the match against Minnesota United. “The numbers are bigger than they were last year, so I expect them to be fitter, and we'll be fresh for next week to be ready and there's things that we can keep coaching to make them better and we'll continue to do that. We've had some good chances that we didn't take but we've also give away some opportunities to the opposition as well. So on both sides with and without the ball, there's still work to be done but it's definitely a work-in-progress towards doing what we want which is to achieve something this season.”

Center back Andrew Privett, who saw his playing time decline in 2025, had the opportunity to wear the captain’s armband and play a large part in Charlotte’s preseason.

“I came in personally with the mentality to grow and to show myself as a veteran, a guy who's had enough games for experience, and to take another step forward,” said Privett. “And then starting off with preseason as a group, we have a good mix of veteran guys who have tons of experience here in the league and overseas. And we also have a good mix of younger guys for the second team coming in and making an impact. So seeing those guys grow each day, each week, it's been really good to see. So I think it's good getting them integrated in the group. And overall, we have a really good squad going forward.”

Smith told reporters today that the squad is in good health; the only player missing is center back Henry Kessler (hamstring), who was signed from free agency after two seasons with St. Louis. Kerwin Vargas is following a concussion protocol, which is why he was seen training off to the side earlier today, but is expected to be ready for Saturday’s season opener.

“We’ve done more distance, more high-speed running, and more sprinting than we did last preseason,” Smith said. “That should hold us in good stead. We’re in a good place fitness-wise. There’s still room to grow, but tactically we’re in a better place.”

Smith will speak with the media again on Thursday ahead of Charlotte’s season opener at St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, February 21 at 2:30 PM ET/1:30 PM CT. After a 10:30 PM ET kickoff away against the Los Angeles Galaxy on February 28, Charlotte’s first home match will be on Saturday, March 7 as the Crown hosts Austin FC at 7:30 PM ET.

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Maybe the groundhog was right.

After two weeks of snow storms and school closures, the winds of winter were still blowing at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, February 7 as Carolina Ascent FC (5-6-5, 20 points) hosted undefeated USL Super League leaders Lexington SC (7-0-9, 30 points).

Unfortunately for the Carolina Ascent, their cold streak continued as well. Despite scoring the first goal of the match, the Ascent extended their winless streak to 4 matches with the 1-2 loss to Lexington SC in their first home match of the spring season.

Over the course of the match, temperatures remained in the 40s, the wind chill factor dipped into the thirties, and both the players and the 1,703 soccer fans in attendance experienced wind gusts as strong as 31 mph.

While the weather was an issue for both sides, Lexington may have accidentally given themselves a leg up; expecting warmer weather in North Carolina, the club arrived in Charlotte earlier in the week, but instead got to practice in the cold and snowy conditions. By match day, the snow and ice had been moved to the edges of the pitch but it still played a role in the contest. Players would have to navigate the obstacle while making runs to the goal line, and the home team’s ball girls occasionally had to dig the balls out of the mounds.

“I think it was a massively disjointed performance from us,” Ascent head coach Philip Poole said during the post-match press conference. “We never really got anything going. It was a pass or a shot or something here and there, but we could not sustain anything.”

The loss came on the heels of a heartbreaker in Jacksonville the week before; the Ascent dropped all three points in Florida due to a 85th minute winner from the home side.

“We created a lot of chances and I felt we were unlucky to not go into halftime 1-0,” said Poole after the loss in Jacksonville. “It ultimately comes down to if you create a lot of chances, you got to put them in the back of the net. I have a lot of positives to take, but disappointed to not get anything out of the game.”

Corbin’s Return to the Starting Lineup Pays Dividends

After a slow start against Lexington, the Ascent found an opening in the 35th minute as Mia Corbin - starting for the first time in 2026 - created a great opportunity for Riley Parker. Corbin dispossessed Lexington’s Alyssa Bourgeois at midfield near the sideline, took the ball forward and then sent a pass into the middle of the field as both Parker and Mackenzie George ran towards the ball. George, running right, let Parker, running left, take the ball down into the goal box, and get her shot between Lexington keeper Kat Asman and the left post.

Soccer Sheet asked Poole why the Ascent’s top scorer from last season had been in and out of the lineup in recent matches.

“I think it’s trying to find that formula again,” Poole said. “Mia Corbin’s a known quantity, and again, if you look at the past few games, we’ve not been scoring goals. So I think we’ve got, without ripping the piece pf paper and starting again, I think we’ve got to just look for combinations, look for the right formula, look for the right parings.”

Despite losing the battle with Corbin, Bourgeois would have the last laugh of the half, however, as a disorganized Ascent defense gave Lexington the chance to equalize right before halftime. Sydney Studer took a knock on the leg, so the Ascent were down to 10 players on the field.

Carolina had been struggling to get the ball out of their third for five minutes, and Lexington finally took advantage. The play started with Emina Ekić, who took advantage of a bad clearance and dispossessed Parker as she was trying to settle the ball. Lexington moved the ball around, first to Taylor Aylmer, then to Allison Pantuso, and finally to Bourgeois on the right side, approximately 40 yards out from the goal line.

Bourgeois launched the ball into the area into the area, and instead of trying to play the ball, Lexington’s Catherine Barry screened Carolina keeper Meagan McClelland, who along with defender Taylor Porter misjudged the ball and it’s bounce as it slowly, but inevitably, made its way into the net. It would be the first professional goal for Bourgeois.

“The first goal we conceded was horrendous. There’s no other word for it,” Poole remarked. “At a crucial time, it’s just a terrible goal to concede.”

Both teams left the half with one goal and one shot on target, with 8 shots for Lexington to 6 for the Ascent. After the break, it didn’t take long for Lexington to find their second goal. In the 52nd minute, Aylmer won a challenge against Corbin, and Lexington quickly moved up the field on the break. The ball found Barry, who made a terrific pass to McKenzie Weinert on the run; Weinert stayed onside, with enough speed to beat Studer and ensure a one-on-one against McClelland, and launched the ball into the goal from above the penalty spot.

McClelland had no shot at saving the ball, and Lexington claimed what would be the decisive goal.

“You can’t atone for two misplayed passes and a missed tackle, right? You can’t plan for that,” Poole told Soccer Sheet when we asked him about the second goal. “Just two bad goals to give away.”

There were bright spots for the Ascent, who kept up the press while effectively shutting down Ekić, the reigning USL Player of the Year. Despite numerous breakaway opportunities, the Ascent were able to match Ekić’s speed and prevent her from scoring; Ekić told Soccer Sheet she felt like she was double- or triple-teamed the entire match.

Looking Forward to Valentine’s Day

Parker left the match on an optimistic note after her first goal of the season.

“We’ve been creating so many chances all season and we just need to start putting them away,” said Parker. “It would have been much nicer to be walking away with the 3 points. It is funny because this morning I woke up and felt like I was gonna score, so to actually do it felt really good.”

The Ascent’s next match is back at Memorial Stadium on Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14 at 2:00 PM. Carolina will host Spokane Zephyr FC (4-6-7, 19 points), who are only one place and one point below the Ascent in the table.

Ascent Make Changes in the New Year

Though the snow temporarily closed the Ascent’s “Beach Club” behind the northwest goal, there were more permanent changes around the stadium.

The Ascent’s supporters’ section, the Base Camp, moved behind the southeast net. In addition, the club debuted a giant T-Shirt gun during halftime. Finally, new sponsors Tryon Medical Group and OrthoCarolina were on display, taking over from Novant Health to be the official healthcare sponsors of the team (OrthoCarolina had previously been the kit sponsor of the Ascent’s sibling club, the Independence).

Today, U.S. Soccer announced the first round fixtures for the 2026 edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup — and while fewer Carolinas teams than expected will compete this year, all of North Carolina’s lower-league clubs will host a first-round tie.

On Wednesday, March 18, at 6:30 PM ET, Asheville City SC of USL League Two will host Greenville Triumph SC of USL League One at Greenwood Field on the campus of UNC Asheville in a rematch of last year’s nail-biter, which went to penalty kicks after a scoreless draw in regulation and added time. Also at 6:30 PM ET, Charleston Battery of the USL Championship will host Badgers FC of the United Premier Soccer League.

Then, on Thursday, March 19, Carolina Core FC of MLS NEXT Pro will host National Premier Soccer League side Virginia Dream FC at 6:00 PM ET at Truist Point in High Point, N.C.

Kicking off 30 minutes later at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews is the team that knocked the Core out of the Open Cup last year: the Charlotte Independence. They’ll take on Ristozi FC of the NPSL.

Charlotte FC of MLS will enter later in the tournament.

The Amateur teams participating in the 2026 First Round include the 16 survivors from last fall’s Open Cup Qualifying Rounds, reigning 2025 USASA National Amateur Champion West Chester United SC of Pennsylvania, the UPSL Spring Champion Tennessee Tempo FC and Northern California legends El Farolito, winners of the John Motta Trophy given to the amateur team who reaches farthest in the previous year’s Open Cup. There are also nine teams from USL League Two who qualified via last year’s league results and four more from the NPSL.

Of note for North Carolina soccer fans: Cruizers FC of the NPSL will replace Hickory FC due to the 2025 NPSL champions changing leagues. Based on US Soccer’s own announcements, Soccer Sheet had previously reported Hickory FC would compete despite the rule.

Additionally, due to the club’s hiatus from USL play, North Carolina FC will not compete in the 2026 edition of the Open Cup.

The 2026 U.S. Open Cup format will feature seven rounds – one fewer than recent editions – to avoid overlap with the FIFA Men’s World Cup calendar.

The 32 winners from the First Round will face off in a Second-Round matchup on March 31 or April 1. Each of the 16 teams that advance from the Second Round will face one of the 16 Division I professional teams from Major League Soccer who enter in the Round of 32 on April 14 or 15, including Charlotte FC, which is eligible to host based on the team’s 2025 Supporters’ Shield standings.

The final 32 teams will play down to a field of four semifinalists in May before the competition breaks until the semifinals on September 15 or 16. The Final match is slated for Wednesday, October 21.

The complete starting field of 80 teams for the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is competing for a $1 million purse, with a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup also up for grabs.

No North Carolina team has ever qualified for the Open Cup final; will this be the year?

The Magic of the Cup

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has crowned U.S. Soccer’s national champion since 1914. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the U.S. was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt. The 2026 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. Nashville SC of MLS is the defending U.S. Open Cup Champion. The 110th edition of the tournament concluded on October 1, 2025, with NSC defeating Austin FC to claim the Tennessee club’s first piece of major silverware.

After last year’s match in Asheville, Soccer Sheet spoke with fans, players, and club officials from the Triumph and Asheville City about the match and the magic that can only happen in the Open Cup.

“The environment here in Asheville was awesome, you know, this is one of the things we love about the Open Cup,” said Doug Erwin, vice chairman and chief brand officer for the Triumph. “You get an atmosphere like this, where it’s packed in, you get something that we don’t always get in League One, which is a close driving distance to bring a lot of away fans. I think that’s one of the great things about the Cup, and when you play one of these pre-pro teams [like Asheville City] that has to get their roster last second, you never know what kind of team you’re gonna have to face, but you know they’re gonna be fighting.”

Veteran Asheville City midfielder Izaiah Vignali was one of those last-second players who kept the game close.

“We got a quality team that came in very short notice and we had a couple days to get together, and everyone bonded super quickly, and you could see in training that we were ready to go for a game day,” said Vignali. “I think today we showed it on the field that we can clearly compete. It was unfortunate that we didn’t get the result that we wanted, but it was good to take them all the way, though, to the penalties.”

The 2026 edition of the Cup kicks off Tuesday, March 17; the full first round schedule is available here.

Carolina Ascent Switch Healthcare Sponsors

Yesterday, OrthoCarolina and Tryon Medical Partners announced both organizations will serve as the "Official Healthcare Providers” of the Carolina Ascent FC, Charlotte’s professional women’s soccer team. OrthoCarolina physicians will provide the orthopedic care for Carolina Ascent players, while Tryon Medical Partners will provide them with comprehensive primary care and women’s healthcare.

Novant Health was formerly the back of shirt sponsor for the Ascent; a club spokesperson told Soccer Sheet that Novant’s status as front-of-kit sponsor for the Ascent’s sibling club, the Charlotte Independence, is unchanged; OrthoCarolina was previously a front-of-kit sponsor for the Independence.

Philip Poole, head coach of Carolina Ascent FC, agrees. “We are delighted to partner with OrthoCarolina and Tryon Medical Partners to give our players best-in-class healthcare. We strive to ensure that our care is at the most professional level available. OrthoCarolina and Tryon Medical Partners have blown us away with their quality, attention to detail, and undoubted ability to correctly manage a professional team. I am delighted to call both true partners in every sense of the word.”

"Tryon is excited to partner with fellow independent practice, OrthoCarolina, to bring the same patient-focused care to the Ascent players that our current patients enjoy," said Robert Brownlee, MD, president of Tryon Medical Partners. “In addition to award-winning primary care, Ascent players now have access to the Tryon Women’s Center for specialized gynecology and sexual healthcare, as well as the other specialties within Tryon that will help address the whole health of the player and optimize their performance.”

Malanda’s Boro is currently second in the Championship table, and is a serious candidate for promotion to the Premier League this May. Tomorrow, they’ll take on Derby County and former Charlotte FC teammate Patrick Agyemang. Derby currently sits in the middle of the pack, but Agyemang has impressed with 6 goals in 20 matches.

We asked Malanda if he ever dreamed he’d be knocking on the door of the top league in the world.

Yeah, if I’ve got to be honest, that was my goal. That was my goal, and I knew the MLS was in a league where you could progress and improve, and then yeah I think from there I knew already that’s what I wanted to do.

You can watch our entire interview with Malanda at SoccerSheet.com.

It looks Charlotte FC’s 2025 campaign was good enough for business as usual to continue in the eyes of club owner David Tepper.

Zoran Krneta, Dean Smith, and most of the players you’d expect are here to stay, as the club announced a new, multi-year contract for Krneta, and announced that they’ve picked up the options for goalkeeper Drake Callender, midfielder Djibril Diani, and forward Tyger Smalls.

“Zoran has been an integral part of Charlotte FC’s progression and success since the team was launched,” said Tepper in a statement. “We look forward to having the Club’s sporting operations continue under his leadership and vision as the league enters a pivotal period of growth.”

Krneta joined Charlotte FC on December 31, 2019 and will enter his seventh year in the league. Discussions over the new contract started in July.

“My job is not finished here,” Krneta told reporters, adding that he thought his job would be done when Charlotte wins an MLS Cup or Supporters Shield. “I would love to win Supporters Shield … I’ll be happy with 61 [points next year] … and less losses.”

Though Charlotte’s playoff journey yet again hit a first round ceiling, 2025 brought multiple single-season records for the club, including points (59), wins (19), home wins (13) and goals scored (55). The Crown also matched the MLS record for consecutive wins in a season with nine during a stretch from July through mid-September.

“I genuinely believe this year we would have gone a bit further [in the playoffs],” Krneta told reporters in a press conference today.

Both Old and New Players Depart Charlotte FC

While Callender, Diani, and Smalls are here to stay, the club declined options on Jahlane Forbes, Nick Scardina, and Bill Tuiloma.

“We want to give [Tiger Smalls] another year to see what he can do,” said Krneta, who also voiced his confidence in Diani, who has markedly improved since joining the club.

Adilson Malanda already said goodbye to the club, and popular loanee Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty will return to Montreal CF. Additionally, David Bingham and Eryk Williamson are out of contract and eligible to become free agents. Neither got much playing time over the past year, especially in the closing months of the season.

Hometown hero Brandt Bronico was expected to face a contract decision, with his contract expiring this year with an option for 2026, but he recently inked a new contract through 2027 with an option for 2028.

Here’s where Charlotte FC’s roster currently stands:

The following players are under contract for the 2026 MLS Season:

Goalkeepers (4): Drake Callender, Nick Holliday, Kristijan Kahlina, Chituru Odunze

Defenders (6): Nathan Byrne, Jack Neeley, Andrew Privett, Tim Ream, Mikah Thomas, Harry Toffolo

Midfielders (7): Pep Biel, Brandt Bronico, Baye Coulibaly, Djibril Diani, Nikola Petkovic, Brian Romero, Ashley Westwood

Forwards (7): Nimfasha Berchimas, Liel Abada, Archie Goodwin, Tyger Smalls, Idan Toklomati, Kerwin Vargas, Wilfried Zaha

Despite speculation that designated player Liel Abada has played his last match for the Crown, he is still under contract through 2026, with an option through 2027. If the club decides to part ways, they’ll need to find a new home for the Israeli winger.

One player whose future is still in the air is Brandon Cambridge. Soccer Sheet asked Krneta about where negotiations are with Cambridge, and the club told Soccer Sheet they expect a decision next week.

The sticking point seems to be that while the club likes the player, Cambridge may not get the first team playing time he needs if he stays around.

“We are talking to his representatives right now to find the best solution for Brandon. He’s another [player] who needs to play games.” Krneta told Soccer Sheet. “We also have to be fair and discuss the future with the player.”

What Did the Fox Say?

Charlotte FC’s inaugural-captain-turned-assistant-coach Christian Fuchs has left the building, moving to the English League Two in a move that surprised even club insiders.

Fuchs will take the helm at Newport County AFC, his first head coaching role. Newport is currently in last place in League Two, and had sacked previous manager David Hughes — who had taken the pitch against Dean Smith in his playing days — on November 15.

“I was surprised at the name of the club,” Krneta told Soccer Sheet, though he was not surprised that Fuchs was ready to move on. The Austrian’s assistant coach contract at Charlotte FC was set to expire at the end of the year, and while the Crown had offered Fuchs a new contract, Krneta told Soccer Sheet the club was happy to release him from his contract early so he could pursue the new role.

County Chairman Huw Jenkins, who secured Fuchs after an intensive managerial search over the last five days, said, “We see Christian as the sort of man to lead our club forward. I believe he matches our ambition and goals for Newport County FC.

“I do feel we can now look forward with a great deal of optimism. We’ll look to improve our current situation in League Two and take things from there,” said Jenkins in a press release. “Christian is ambitious and wants, one day, to manage in the Premier League, we believe he shares our strong belief in what Newport County can eventually become.”

Video: Soccer Sheet’s Conversation with GM Zoran Krneta

You can watch our conversation during today’s press conference below, or on YouTube.

It was the worst week imaginable for North Carolina soccer fans — seasons ending, teams potentially shutting down, playoff battles lost — and it all started on November 2.

Of course, the day prior was a really good day for North Carolina’s football faithful. Isn’t it ironic?

That Saturday, Charlotte FC defied the odds and beat New York City FC in penalty kicks at Yankee Stadium 0-0, (6-7), bringing their playoff series back home for a decisive a Game 3.

Later in the night, North Carolina FC won their first round playoff match at home against Loudoun United FC 1-0. It was the first time both Charlotte FC and one of the state’s other professional teams won a playoff match in the same weekend.

Then came Sunday.

One Knoxville SC 2-1 Charlotte Independence

First up on November 2 were the Charlotte Independence, a team that struggled in the second half of 2025 in more ways than one.

After spending the first half of the year at or near the top of the USL League One table, the team started falling off in the summer months. They eventually snuck into the playoffs in 8th - the last spot - despite a decision day loss.

The Jacks also had trouble finding an audience this year. Average attendance cratered to 773 this year, the second lowest in all of USL (including the Championship and the Super League). The club reached a nadir on August 2, when only 454 fans attended a match against Texoma at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

Unfortunately for Independence fans, the season came to an end in Knoxville, with the Jacks falling 2-1 to One Knoxville SC in the USL League One quarterfinals.

Despite being the underdog, Charlotte came to challenge for the cup. Not long after the 4:00 PM kickoff at Covenant Health Park, Charlotte striker Christian Chaney hit the woodwork, and shortly thereafter the Jacks’ Souaibou Marou forced a save from One Knox Goalkeeper Sean Lewis with a header.

However, One Knox struck first, with a Sivert Haugli setpiece header in the 17th minute, and Stavros Zarokostas would add a second goal for the #1 seed in the second half.

“I was proud of the way the team approached the game and came out on the front foot,” said Independence captain Clay Dimick. “We had chances to place our stake in the game early. Despite giving up two frustrating goals, we never stopped fighting and put everything we had into this game.”

The Jacks went down fighting, recording 17 shots to One Knox’s 11, and 6 shots on goal to 4 for the home squad. Chaney continued to come close, until he finally got a goal in the 77th minute off of an Anthony Sorenson cross. It was enough to give Charlotte hope, but not enough to extend their season.

“We’re gutted,” said Chaney after the match. “We thought going into the game and even at the start of the game after I hit the post, we had them and I think that we took the game to them. I think it’s one of our better performances that we’ve had of the year honestly. If we put our chances away, things are different, but that’s part of the game. I’m really proud of what we accomplished, all the ups and downs that we had this year. We stayed together as a group and we stuck together to our game plan.”

NC Courage End Campaign on a High Note

First, the good news: on Sunday, November 2, the NC Courage won their final match of the season 3-2 against Gotham FC, in front of a sell-out crowd of 11,170 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park. The impressive showing - a new record for women’s pro soccer in North Carolina - brought the team’s total attendance to a record 107,931 fans over the course of the year.

The bad news, of course, is that the Courage also needed Racing Louisville FC to lose on the last day of the season in order to secure the 8th and final NWSL playoff spot. Instead, Louisville beat Bay FC 1-0, and in the process boxed out the Courage, who finished the season in 9th place.

Despite missing out on the playoffs, the Courage had another silver lining: Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo was named NWSL Player of the Month, the first Courage player to win the honor since Brazilian international Debinha in 2022. Manaka finished the season with 11 goals (3rd in the NWSL) and 15 goal contributions (2nd in the NWSL).

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Mint Hill FC Fall in Third Round of 2026 U.S. Open Cup Qualifying

On October 11, Soccer Sheet saw semi-professional side Mint Hill FC host South Carolina United Heat in the Second Round of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifiers.

The Heat are a good club; last year, they took the Charlotte Independence to penalties in the second round of the 2024 edition of the Open Cup. So when Mint Hill prevailed over the Heat in a raucous 3-2 match that saw one player on each side sent off for violent conduct, we thought Mecklenburg County’s local UPSL side might have a shot at joining the likes of Charlotte FC and Carolina Core FC in next year’s Open Cup.

After the match, goalkeeper Ali Jaafar told us it would mean “everything” for Mint Hill to qualify for the Open Cup.

“If we’re able to qualify, I know for me and all the guys who’ve stuck around, it would be huge,” said Jaafar. “It’d be a testament to all of the good and bad times we’ve had over the past four years.”

This year, however, it was not meant to be.

Mint Hill FC travelled to Snellville, Georgia to face Kalonji Pro-Profile in the third of four qualifying rounds for the Open Cup, eventually falling 4-0 after a late, 7:00 PM kickoff on November 2.

Kalonji are one of the best UPSL sides in Georgia, and their top scorer in 2024 - Anthony Sumo - now plays with Carolina Core in MLS NEXT Pro. They opened up the scoring in the 19th minute against Mint Hill and never looked back, adding two more before halftime.

Mint Hill was the last of three North Carolina sides left in the qualifiers, but the state will still be represented in the 2026 Open Cup by Carolina Core FC, the Charlotte Independence, Charlotte FC, Asheville City SC, and Hickory FC.

Until Tuesday, November 4, North Carolina FC was expected to compete as well.

North Carolina FC Suspends Play for 2026 and 2027 Seasons, Lose Playoff Match to Rhode Island

According to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, the USL Players Association held a call with North Carolina FC players on Monday, November 3 and informed them that the team was suspending operations at the end of the season.

Days before their next playoff match, every NCFC player was now a free agent.

The club confirmed the news to the players the next morning, including the terms of a settlement deal that includes two months of severance for players who would have been under contract next season, per the USL’s collective bargaining agreement.

“North Carolina FC will not compete in the USL Championship after the 2025 season, when the team’s franchise agreement ends, and will focus on positioning the club for Division One,” read a November 4 statement from the club. “Raleigh has strong potential as a future top-tier market if it meets the league’s professional standards that require a minimum 15,000-seat purpose-built soccer stadium.”

Per the club’s announcement and statements from NCFC chairman Steve Malik, the team will suspend play in 2026 and 2027, and then return for the first USL Division One season in 2028. The United Soccer League is marketing the proposed Division One as a top-tier American soccer league that will also feature European-style promotion and relegation within the USL pyramid.

“This is a deeply difficult decision, one that comes after extensive thought and consideration of the future of professional soccer in our community, which has proven itself a major league sports market,” said Malik in a statement. “I love North Carolina FC and have been incredibly proud to see this club succeed on the field and serve our community. I am as invested in this team emotionally as I am financially.

“Right now, it’s essential that we focus our immediate resources and energy on strengthening the foundation for professional soccer in Raleigh by continuing to invest in the Courage and resetting our men’s strategy for the future. With the right infrastructure in place, Raleigh can become a world-class home for the sport for years to come.”

Sources within the North Carolina FC organization told Soccer Sheet the club informed players as soon as possible to do right by the players and give them the best possible chance to find a new club for the 2026 season.

Club sources also emphasized that North Carolina FC was meeting the obligations of the USL collective bargaining agreement. However, the USL Players Association, the collective bargaining agent for all USL Championship players, says that the CBA doesn’t provide enough protections for players.

“Under the current collective bargaining agreement, NCFC players with contracts for the upcoming season are left with pink slips and just two months’ salary.

There are no other protections,” read a statement from the USL Players Association. “This systemic failure has happened again and again in the USL Championship. Over the past decade, twelve clubs have shuttered. Before the 2021 CBA, players received nothing after being told their clubs were folding; proving that players are treated as disposable while the league continues to protect owners over workers every time.”

According to multiple current and former members of the North Carolina FC organization who spoke with Soccer Sheet on the condition of anonymity, the announcement took the team by surprise. Additionally, many former members of the organization Soccer Sheet spoke with believe, contrary to the official statement, that the team is in fact folding.

“I don’t want my name associated with it but surely people see past this [BS]!” a former employee of the club told Soccer Sheet.

When asked to respond to claims that the club was folding, a spokesperson for North Carolina FC declined to comment.

Later in the week, #3 seed NCFC would host Rhode Island FC in front of 2,287 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary for what would be the team’s final playoff match in the USL Championship. The #7 Rhode Island, which had a Cinderella run to the 2024 USL Championship final in the team’s first year, defeated NCFC 0-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday.

While the match was competitive for the first 80 minutes, with numerous chances early on for North Carolina, Albert Dikwa’s header provided the go-ahead goal in the 81st minute.

Then, after NCFC pulled goalkeeper Oliver Semmle for a set piece during stoppage time, Dikwa struck again with an open net goal from midfield that felt like watching a bowling ball head towards the pins in slow motion.

The entire stadium watched in agony, unable to stop the inevitable second goal that would end this chapter in North Carolina FC’s history.

Charlotte FC Fall in Game 3 in the First Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, as a Team Legend Departs

New York City FC defeated the Crown two-games-to-one in the best-of-three series, winning the final match at Bank of America Stadium 1-3.

It was a heartfelt final goodbye for center back Adilson Malanda, who will move to Middlesbrough F.C. in the EFL Championship and join another Adi – ​​interim manager Adi Viveash – for the second half of Boro’s season.

Malanda was visibly emotional after the loss as he took a final lap around the stadium to thank his fans.

“You can’t change it now. It’s too late,” Malanda said in reference to leaving the club on a loss. “Obviously I’m really disappointed about that, but really proud and really happy [about] being able to play for the Charlotte fans for the Charlotte Football Club, who were unbelievable. I’ll miss that, to be honest.”

Malanda is expected to join Boro around December 1.

When Soccer Sheet asked Malanda about his status as a club legend, he let the assessment roll off with his characteristic modesty, and said the club was going to continue to bring in more, better players.

“I appreciate [being seen as a legend],” said Malanda. “It’s great to hear. I think this club is just starting [to grow].”

During the offseason, Charlotte will have to find a replacement for Malanda, as well as more strength on the wings. Pep Biel will be back as a designated player, but DP Wilfried Zaha’s loan is up on June 30, and DP Liel Abada – who underperformed, playing vastly fewer minutes this season – is probably out the door.

Additionally, the club will have to figure out how to adapt head coach Dean Smith’s low-scoring, defense-first style of play to cup competitions. Under Smith, Charlotte hasn’t made it past the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, scoring only 2 goals in 6 matches. In the U.S. Open Cup, Smith is yet to defeat an MLS team, and in Leagues Cup, the Crown has only 1 win in regulation in 5 matches.

“Sometimes sport is cruel,” Smith told reporters after the match. “We didn’t get the result that we deserved tonight.”

Perhaps it was Malanda who summed up the end to Charlotte’s season the best.

“Just really disappointed about it,” said Malanda. “You know, it’s just football. It’s just football.”

For the second year in a row, Charlotte FC’s season ended in the first round of the playoffs. After losing the first game and winning the second of the series against New York City FC, New York defeated the Crown two-games-to-one in the best-of-three series, winning the final match at Bank of America Stadium 1-3.

Despite a raucous, sell-out crowd of 34,473 fans Crown couldn’t convert a fierce first half attack and a barrage of shots into a season-extending win on Friday night. Instead, New York City FC’s Nicolás Fernández and Alonso Martínez took advantage of the Crown’s disorganization in transition with breakaway goals in both first half stoppage time and the 50th minute of play.

While Charlotte striker Idan Toklomati was able to get one goal back in the second half, it wasn’t enough to send the match to penalty kicks — and that was before a stoppage time goal from New York made the final scoreline 1-3.

First Half Fight Turns into Folly

The Crown came out the gate ready to fight, but couldn’t finish, with none of their seven first-half shots on target. Charlotte consistently applied pressure, but shots from

Shortly after the fourth official announced three minutes of stoppage time, things started to go wrong for Charlotte.

​​A failed set piece caused Charlotte trouble in transition, and Fernández barrelled down the right side of the pitch towards Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. He couldn’t have asked for a better shot, sailing from the right side of the six yard box past Kahlina on the right post and into the top left corner following a fast break.

Second Half Starts Haphazardly

Wilfried Zaha came out of the locker room ready to attack, sending two shots towards New York Goalkeeper Matt Freese in the first five minutes. Unfortunately for Charlotte, Zaha’s second of the two shots was blocked, and while still positioned for a setpiece Martínez exploited Charlotte’s position in transition, beating fullback Nathan Byrne to the ball and slotting it past Kahlina in the 50th minute.

After going down 0-2 early in the second half, Charlotte FC needed a miracle to save their 2025 season. In the 61st minute, Smith brought on Australian international Archie Goodwin – a natural striker –- in place of Bronico, who missed one of Charlotte’s best first half opportunities.

In the 78th minute, Smith again tried something else, subbing in Liel Abada – who didn’t see playing time in Charlotte’s win at Yankee Stadium – for winger Kerwin Vargas.

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Injury Strikes New York’s Perea

In the 71st minute, both Charlotte defender Adilson Malanda and New York midfielder Andrés Perea went up for an aerial challenge. Perea landed the wrong way on his foot, taking him out of the match.

The injury would bring the number of stoppage time minutes to 12.

In the 81st minute, the Crown found the first half of their miracle, as fullback Harry Toffolo found Goodwin in the middle of the box. Goodwin made a spectacular pass behind his back to Toklomati at point-blank range.

However, Charlotte could not get anything else past Freese, and a second goal from Fernández in the 11th minute of stoppage time sealed Charlotte’s fate.

Charlotte falls to 2-5 in postseason contests with the season-ending loss. New York will travel to Philadelphia in two weeks to meet Philadelphia Union in the Eastern conference Semifinals.

THE BRONX, Nov. 1, 2025 — Charlotte FC came to Yankee Stadium on a mission to save their season. They succeeded, for now.

After a scoreless draw in regulation, Game 2 of the three-match, first round playoff series between #4 Charlotte FC and #5 New York City FC went to a shootout. 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina stood between the posts for Charlotte, and in the eighth round of penalty kicks, Kahlina saved Agustín Ojeda’s penalty attempt to secure a 0-0, (6-7) victory for the Crown.

In the process, Charlotte became the first MLS team in the best-of-three series era to win the second game on the road after losing the first match at home.

Soccer Sheet asked Kahlina how it felt to make the decisive save.

“It’s incredible [to make that save] because you can help your team to pass and go to the third game,” said Kahlina. “We wanted [ever since] we lost the home game to come here and win, and yeah, it was amazing.”

With the win, the Crown return to the Queen City as kings of Yankee Stadium. Charlotte will host the final decisive match of the playoff series against New York City FC back at Bank of America Stadium on Friday, November 7 at 7PM ET. The winner will face Philadelphia United in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in Chester, Pa.

“It was a much better performance, and I felt comfortable during the game,” Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith told Soccer Sheet after the match. “The lads got it done in the penalties.”

It was a significant improvement over Charlotte’s last match at Yankee Stadium, in which designated player Wilfried Zaha’s penalty attempt was saved by NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, and Alonso Martínez got two penalty kicks past Kahlina.

“I think the game we played here in the regular season was different from what we saw today,” Charlotte FC winger Kerwin Vargas told Soccer Sheet. “We were more intense, more aggressive with them. And well, the victory came, that’s the important thing.”

The Road to Yankee Stadium

Charlotte FC’s underwhelming, 0-1 loss on Tuesday was only their second-ever playoff match at home. Unlike last year’s win over Orlando City SC in penalties, the Crown couldn’t use the home field to their advantage and they were short their two best players. Designated Player Wilfried Zaha was suspended after receiving two yellow cards in the final regular season match against Philadelphia, and Pep Biel was also out due to a season-ending injury.

Both absences left the team hamstrung in a physical, unforgiving match where Charlotte’s poor first half play made all the difference. After the match at Yankee Stadium, Zaha addressed criticism that he had let the team down in a heated conversation with members of the press.

“It’s difficult to say it’s ‘down to Wilf’ if we mess up or whatever,” said Zaha. “If we’re going to think like that, then I should have the potential of all of the players that are playing … You know, it’s easy to talk from the other side, but we’ve gone 34 game and I’ve been fouled a million times. Like, I’m human. So it’s like, you can’t say, ‘oh, yeah, it’s up to Wilf.’”

When Soccer Sheet asked Zaha if he played more conservatively in Saturday’s match due to the suspension, he pushed back on that idea.

“No, because I wear my heart on my sleeve,” Zaha told Soccer Sheet after the match. “I play with passion … you know what? I’m human. I see all the stuff people say about me, whatever, whatever, but it’s like, stuff happens. You know, I’m human.”

Exclusive: Listen to Zaha’s Entire Post-Match Interview

A First Half of “Almosts”

It was surreal looking at the shape of a baseball field, in a baseball stadium, but with a soccer pitch on it. Television broadcasts don’t do justice to Yankee Stadium’s awkward setup for New York City FC, and you can still see the ghosts of the “Major League Baseball Postseason” paint on the field.

It almost looks like a soccer pitch, but the “uncanny valley” effect is strong.

Before the match, and at halftime, the jumbotron advertised NYCFC’s solution to their pitch problem: Etihad Park, the new, soccer-specific stadium opening in Queens for the 2027 season. Soccer Sheet is excited for a project that will include affordable housing, retail, an educational center, and a conference center. That type of mixed use development is needed when you want teams to be a part of the city they represent.

Despite the pitch, Charlotte FC started the match like they were prepared to extend their postseason. From top to bottom, the Crown played more defensively, and players actively marked their man while following the ball.

“We had the chances, it was a much better performance [than Tuesday],” Smith said. “I’ve felt, and I’ve said all along, I think we’re two very evenly matched teams, but our performance was better. I thought our quality on the ball was better.”

One of those chances came in the 14th minute, when NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese attempted to clear a cross from fullback Harry Toffolo to striker Idan Toklomati. While Toklomati was no match for Freese’s vertical reach, the ball bounced straight to midfielder Brandt Bronico, who volleyed it off the crossbar.

There were a couple more instances where Charlotte had the chance to make a play; midfielder Djibril Diani in the 20th minute but the follow-through from other teammates wasn’t there, or the pass didn’t make it to another Charlotte FC player.

On the other end of the field, strong play from Charlotte’s back line limited NYCFC’s chances in the first half, and when the line was broken center back Adilson Malanda was there to make heroic clearances with headers in the air and tackles on the ground.

“The four [defenders] have been really, really good,” Smith told Soccer Sheet. “The more they can protect our goalkeeper, then [Kahlina] can pull off those saves from the set pieces that he had to today.”

A Maxi Moralez corner in the 40th minute created New York’s only shot on target from a Raul Gustavo header that was saved by Kahlina. It seemed as if every other attempt from NYCFC in the first half flew past — or over — the goal.

Within two minutes, Charlotte got their best chance of the half — that didn’t bounce off the woodwork — as Toffolo almost got a goal from a brilliantly executed dummy pass play.

Kerwin Vargas started the team effort at midfield with a pass to Zaha, who quickly distributed the ball to Bronico through traffic. Bronico was almost level with the penalty spot when he passed the ball to Toklomati inside the box, Toklomati sent it along as a no-look pass to Toffolo, but the former Nottingham Forest defender put too much force on a ball that should have been a tap-in.

We asked the gaffer if the dummy pass was becoming a mainstay.

“We scored a similar one, didn’t we, against Philly?” Smith told Soccer Sheet. “You know, [Harry Toffolo] arrived at the right time and that’s what you want. You want players to arrive when the ball arrives, but unfortunately, he just didn’t keep it down.”

Charlotte’s pressure continued through the end of the first half. In the 45th minute, fullback Nathan Byrne found Bronico near the goal line, who set up Charlotte captain Ashley Westwood for a wide-open shot at the top right side of the box.

Westwood took a shot that was inches away from being a worldie, but bounced off the top left corner of the goal. The resulting rebound turned into a shot on target from Zaha, forcing Freese’s first save of the match in the closing seconds of the half.

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Pigeons Play a Better Second Half

After a tough first half, New York City FC came back with a stronger defense and a revitalized offense. Within six minutes, NYCFC had two shots on goal — twice as many as in the first half — putting their supporters section in an uproar.

The second half consisted of many more shots from NYCFC: they would end regulation with 16 total shots to Charlotte’s 8, and 5 shots on target to Charlotte’s 3.

It wasn’t that Charlotte was weak defensively; rather, it was that NYCFC were artfully completing short, quick passes that were hard for Charlotte to keep up with. Kahlina had four saves in the second half before the match went to penalties.

Smith highlighted Tim Ream as one of the strongest defenders.

“I thought Tim Ream was our best player on Tuesday night,” said Smith. “I thought he played well. He’s been really, really steady again.”

In the 57th minute, Charlotte did get some action on offense as Bronico found a fast break and almost completed a pass to a wide-open Toklomati. A visibly frustrated Zaha let Bronico know how he felt about the play falling apart.

Soon after, a 64th minute header from Vargas off of a Westwood set piece was saved by Freese. The action had the entire away supporters section on edge, as NYCFC fans audibly gasped a sign of relief.

Diani, Byrne, and Zaha all saw yellow in the second half, but Smith opted to save all of them for a possible shootout. His lone substitution came in the 75th minute, with recent acquisition Archie Goodwin coming in for the veteran Bronico. We asked Smith why he made the change.

“Yeah, I just felt that, you know, we could be a threat with Archie running in behind. He nearly got on the end of the one where the goalkeeper [had] come and claimed it and he challenged with the goalkeeper,” said Smith. “It’s a pitch where you need to go and stretch the game, and I just felt at that time, I thought [Bronico] had done well in terms of stretching line for us and then, you know, some fresh legs on.”

The closing minutes of the half were mostly in Charlotte’s third of the pitch, as New York’s attack heated up. One of their best shots on goal came in the 83rd minute, with New York’s offense moving the ball effectively, finding Alonso Martínez at the top of the penalty box where he easily evaded Diani’s defense and forced a Kahlina save.

With the score standing at 0-0 at the end of regulation, the match immediately went to penalty kicks.

Show Me a Hero

A normal penalty shootout goes five rounds, but when NYC FC and Charlotte FC remained tied 4-4, more players had to step up to the plate … er, penalty spot.

Archie Goodwin started Charlotte off on the right foot, with the sides trading successful penalties in the first round. Then, in the second round, Freese got just enough of his glove on Westwood’s attempt to push it off frame.

Charlotte stayed alive as Toklomati and Toffolo made their attempts, and a wide miss by Julián Fernández in the fourth round tied the shootout at 3-3.

The tension mounted as Zaha approached Freese in front of New York’s Supporters Section. They had started loudly booing every Charlotte player after Goodwin, and Zaha was no different. Most of the fans assembled also knew Freese had saved Zaha’s attempt the last time the two met for a penalty kick.

Zaha slotted it in no problem, and New York’s Justin Haak also converted to send the shootout into overtime.

From Charlotte’s away supporters section, chants of “Kahlina! Kahlina! Kahlina!” could be heard as “Kahlina Saves” signs appeard in the crowd.

The sides traded penalties into the eighth round. Byrne converted his attempt, setting up Agustín Ojeda for New York. Ojeda sent his kick on the ground towards the right post. Kahlina was there. The attempt was saved, and the victory was secure.

After the match, Kahlina thanked the Charlotte FC fanbase for their support.

“Yeah, I think my crowd from Charlotte, they are behind me, in good or bad moments, all these four years, I feel really big support from them,” said Kahlina. “[There’s not a day] that I don’t get many messages from them, just like support. And even in difficult times, what we had before, they were just behind me and it’s amazing to play in front of them and give me some bigger confidence.”

Jorge Torres and Sam Spencer contributed to this story.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2025 — Today could be the end of the line for Charlotte FC’s 2025 campaign.

The Crown has to play on a small, challenging pitch — at Yankee Stadium — that gives New York City FC an additional advantage to home field fans. Should Charlotte prevail — possible, with the return of Wilfried Zaha — they still have to go back home to Bank of America Stadium and beat a team that already has two wins against Charlotte this year.

So what happens at the end of the season? Everything is on the line — including the future of many players and technical staff. If Charlotte doesn’t improve over last year’s playoff result, could head coach Dean Smith’s job be in trouble as well?

In the coming days, we’ll break down the future of the Crown — regardless of how today’s match goes. First, the players we’ve already (or are about to) say goodbye to.

Already Out the Door

Adilson Malanda

Few Charlotte FC players are as beloved as Adilson Malanda, and few - if any - players have grown as much as he has at Charlotte FC.

Last year Malanda — along with MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina — formed the core of Charlotte’s impenetrable defense, earning quite a few bottles of wine from head coach Dean Smith along the way.

His football IQ is high, and his intellect comes through frequently in conversation. The defensive errors he committed during Christian Lattanzio’s tenure as head coach have almost completely disappeared from his game.

Per Transfermarkt, he had a market value of €1 million when he joined the Crown from Rodez AF in France’s Ligue 2; Middlesbrough (in the English Championship) paid seven times that to acquire him. While he is on loan back to Charlotte through the playoffs, after Charlotte’s season ends Malanda will board a plane for North Yorkshire in England as he rejoins Boro.

We can’t wait to see him play against Patrick Agyemang and Derby County on January 1.

Completed Transfers

Charlotte FC has said goodbye to six other players this year. Patrick Agyemang needs no introduction as the biggest outgoing transfer in Charlotte FC’s history, at a reported $10 million total. More on that saga here.

While the club is missing Agyemang’s physicality against New York City FC, it’s clear that Charlotte FC general manager sees Idan Toklomati as the future of the team.

Inaugural season veterans George Marks and Ben Bender were released after failing to get minutes under Dean Smith; both quickly found their way to Philadelphia Union, who Charlotte could face in the second round of the playoffs for an awkward family reunion in a couple weeks.

Defender João Pedro joined Polish First Division side Radomiak Radom, with a good bit of business attached: Charlotte FC retains 40% of any future sale through a sell-on clause. Croatian First Division side NK Varaždin took Iuri Tavares off of Charlotte’s hands for free; the Crown retains 20% of any future sale.

Finally, Charlotte bought out defender Souleyman Doumbia’s loan in August after a third injury sidelined him. New addition Harry Toffolo has demonstrated that he’s more than up to the task as a replacement.

Up Next

In our next article on the future of Charlotte FC, we’ll talk about the team’s untouchables; but first, expect a write-up of today’s match from Soccer Sheet.

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After a rough start that saw Carolina Ascent FC scratch the bottom of the table for the first time in the club’s young history, things are looking up for Charlotte’s USL Super League squad.

Thanks to a brace from forward Rylee Baisden, the Ascent (3-2-4, 13 points) picked up three points against Spokane Zephyr FC (3-3-5, 14 points), winning 1-2 in Washington State Thursday night. For the Ascent, that’s good enough for 3rd place in the Super League; though Spokane still holds the 2nd place spot, Carolina has two games in hand.

The Ascent were the better team in both halves, with a season-high 18 shots on the night, but both of Baisden’s goals came in the second half, with assists from Audrey Harding and Mackenzie George.

Baisden now has 3 goals on the season, while Harding has 4 assists and George has 2. With tonight’s result, both Harding and George have 5 total goal contributions.

“We controlled the game in possession and also out of possession. I think that we pressed well and we also recovered the ball really well,” head coach Philip Poole said after the match. “The press and the organization of our shape was a big part of a dominant performance…I think we were really good defensively and as a result, we got a lot of opportunities in transition on the attack.”

However, the Ascent were denied their first clean sheet of the year thanks to a late penalty. The Ascent’s Sydney Studer fouled Spokane’s Tori Zierenberg in the box, and Ally Cook easily converted the penalty for her 4th goal and 5th goal contribution of the season.

Zierenberg’s goal, of course, was the winner in the first meeting between the two teams this season.

”We learned some things about ourselves tonight and we’re looking forward to using this game to get better in the future,” Zierenberg said.

Carolina goalkeeper Meagan McClelland was impenetrable in open play, however, with two saves on the night.

“I thought it was a very dominant performance from Carolina Ascent tonight,” said Poole. “I think it felt comfortable, until obviously late in the game. Spokane changed formations, asked some questions of us, and the penalty made the last 10 minutes a little bit nervy, but those are some of the situations that we’ve got to continue to improve on.”

In addition to being above the playoff line for the first time this season, the win puts the Ascent on a 4-match unbeaten streak.

“It was good for us to stand up and get it done in the end,” said Poole.

The Ascent play at home for the first time in over a month on November 8, when they’ll host Fort Lauderdale United FC in a rematch of last season’s playoff semifinal. Human and dog ticks are on sale for Pups at the Pitch night, with a 7:00 PM kickoff on Saturday.

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Charlotte FC have backed themselves into a Yankee Stadium-shaped corner.

After suffering a 0-1 loss to New York City FC on Tuesday night, the Crown have a must-win appointment in the Bronx on Saturday to keep their playoff hopes alive.

“We didn’t quite handle the pressure of being the home team in a playoff game,” Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith told reporters after the match. “I didn’t think we handled it well enough … [NYCFC’s Alonso Martínez] skipped through and scored a goal.”

“By the way, MLS, thanks very much for the Tuesday night game, that was very nice of them,” Smith added, sarcastically.

Without the injured Pep Biel and the suspended Wilfried Zaha, the team lacked creativity and technical precision.

“Wilf is a top-class player,” captain Ashley Westwood told Soccer Sheet at a post-match press gaggle. “To have Wilf available then it gives you another dimension. You saw tonight, we missed him.”

Low Energy?

Every one of Charlotte FC’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities was on display during the disappointing first half. Up front, Idan Toklomati, Brandt Bronico, Kerwin Vargas, and the lone eligible designated player, Liel Abada, had no answer to New York’s defense, and only had one shot on goal the entire half.

While Charlotte’s strong defense only conceded a goal, it was despite numerous technical mistakes: bad passes, poor touches, and flummoxing footwork. As forwards in Smith’s 4-4-2 in transition, Bronico and Toklomati had trouble finding space, forcing Charlotte into dangerous passes. Djibril Diani, who had shown remarkable improvement on the technical level during Charlotte’s nine-match winning streak, looked clumsy on the ball.

There were bright spots: Charlotte’s other most improved player this year, Kerwin Vargas, demonstrated consistent speed and quality. Adilson Malanda showed why he’s good enough to join a club with Premier League aspirations starting next year. Nathan Byrne was Nathan Byrne.

Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina had four saves, and couldn’t have been expected to rectify the defensive mistake that led to a 34th minute goal from Alonso Martínez, a ball that Kahlina conceded had an “excellent touch.”

“We were so excited about that game, and then we were waiting for ten days for that game, and maybe all this time … we lost some of that energy,” Kahlina told reporters at a Thursday press conference. “As you can see, we were not there on Tuesday night.”

“We are angry at ourselves, but now we know what we need to do,” Kahlina added.

With a couple days to think about the match, Smith reflected on the loss.

“The first ten minutes was OK,” said Smith at a Thursday press conference. “But then we just got really sloppy in our play … it didn’t quite feel like last year’s playoff game. There was an excitement last year when we were at home, and [this time] felt more like an expectation.”

Smith continued to bemoan the Tuesday night fixture, complaining about the lack of a full lower bowl at Bank of America Stadium, and a lack of energy compared to Charlotte’s home playoff match against Orlando City SC last year.

“Hopefully we can go and get the win at Yankee Stadium to make sure we come back and do right,” said Smith.

Smith did point out that despite poor performances from his players that he described as less than “7 out of 10,” the scoreline was only 0-1.

“You’ve got to keep bouncing back. This is just another hurdle, we need to get over it,” Fullback Harry Toffolo told Soccer Sheet after the match on Tuesday. “It’s important to rally together, stick together. I know there will be frustration … we’ll feel it, but we’ll channel that into something and get a result in New York.”

Is Abada the Next Jóźwiak?

For one Charlotte FC designated player, it could very well be their last home appearance for the club.

After some early bright spots, the Israeli International’s trajectory at the club is mirroring that of a former Charlotte DP: Kamil Jóźwiak. Abada has had six goals across all competitions this year, but hasn’t scored since Charlotte’s May 28 loss against New York Red Bulls. With two assists, that’s a total of eight goal contributions on the season - not enough for a DP forward.

Throughout his shift on the pitch Tuesday night, Liel Abada especially seemed lost. His errant pass caused the turnover that led to New York’s goal, and Abada was the first player Smith brought off, opting instead for Tyger Smalls at the 65 minute mark. Toffolo worked hard to get the ball to Abada, but the winger kept hitting the proverbial wall.

The reaction to Abada’s performance on social media was very critical.

Former Charlotte FC staff member Caleb Adams thought Abada had “stage fright,” should have come off at halftime, and “just [couldn’t] handle the physicality of NYC.”

The fight and physicality was real. Late in the match, the tensions flared to the point that a large scuffle took place at midfield.

Boys from the Bench

With Wilfried Zaha out due to his red card suspension, and Pep Biel likely out for the MLS Cup Playoffs, Smith had to reach deeper into his depth chart for offensive options.

In addition to Smalls, Brandon Cambridge and Archie Goodwin came off the bench in an attempt to break through New York’s defense. He did not choose Nikola Petković as an option.

“Today, we’ve created some chances, but I’ll be honest, it wasn’t our best game for sure, by any means,” Cambridge told Soccer Sheet after Tuesday’s match.

Cambridge had an acrobatic performance, and drew at least one uncalled foul that could have made a difference for the Crown, but both he and Smalls struggled on the ball and had trouble meeting the moment.

See You on Saturday

Soccer Sheet will be live from Yankee Stadium on Saturday for the must-win match, which kicks off at 3:30 PM ET.

“We’ve got more games. We can go there and take it from them,” Cambridge told Soccer Sheet. “We’re getting Wilf back next game, he’s a dangerous player, and it’s a completely different ballgame.”

When we asked Kahlina earlier in the season about the prospect of playing on the baseball field again, he was succinct.

“Yeah, I hate this,” said Kahlina, before taking another question.

However, if Charlotte comes home from the Bronx with a win, they’ll play a final match against New York City FC at Bank of America Stadium on Friday, November 7, kickoff TBD.

“The players know, we all know that it’s now become an elimination game,” said Smith. “We’re ready for that, we’re prepared for it. We know we have to put in a performance, that’s the biggest thing.”

However, NYCFC Coach Pascal Jansen isn’t feeling the pressure to win Saturday.

“The only pressure – if there is any pressure for us – is to make sure that we go to the next round. So, if that’s going to be in game two or game three we’ll have to see,” Jansen told reporters on Tuesday night. “Like I said to my guys just now, it’s only the first half. We’re up one-nil. It’s halftime now for a couple of days, and then we get back and start the second half, and we’ll try and get the job done so we don’t have to play extended time.”

Smith still has faith his team can extend the series – even if MLS scheduling still perturbs him.

”The beauty or madness of a 3-game series is we’ve still got a chance to bring it back here,” Smith told reporters after the loss on Tuesday. “If we do, I believe there’d be a much better performance here, much bigger attendance, and we can actually put on a show for our supporters on a date that’s probably appropriate.”

Adrian Singerman, Jorge Torres, Moayad Al Bayyari, Rebekah Whilden, and Yara Al Bayyari contributed to this story.

Tonight marks the first 2025 playoff match for Charlotte FC, but Bank of America Stadium isn’t the only place in the Carolinas to find playoff soccer.

Both North Carolina FC and the Charleston Battery of the USL Championship, and the Charlotte Independence of USL League One, are both playing playoff soccer this weekend - and with Charlotte FC’s early start time at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, you can catch all of the local playoff matches.

In fact, the Crown’s match tonight is not even the first soccer playoff in the Carolinas this season; the Carolina Core of MLS NEXT Pro played their first-ever playoff match in New Jersey on October 19. Unfortunately for the Foxes, they fell 5-1 to #1 seed New York Red Bulls II.

Below, we’ll cover the USL playoff matches — all of which are available to stream on ESPN+.

USL Championship: North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United, Nov. 1

North Carolina FC have been relatively consistent all season, and that was good enough to end up in third place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference after a decision day win over Loudoun United. While Louisville City and Charleston Battery clocked the rest of the league —Louisville secured a whopping 2.43 points per game in the regular season, and Charleston ended the season with 2.01 PPG — NCFC are solidly in the top half of the league, finishing 3rd in the East and 6th overall in the USL Championship standings.

So where can they go from here?

Their easiest challenge is their first one: after beating Loudoun United 0-1 in Virginia yesterday, NCFC will host them at home on Saturday, November 1 at 7:30 PM. In both league fixtures between the teams this season, the away team won, with an aggregate of 2 goals for each side.

In a third match between the two sides in USL Cup play, the teams drew in regulation, with NCFC winning the penalty shootout. Anything could happen next Saturday, but NCFC should be favored to prevail.

If they do, the path becomes harder, as they will likely travel to Charleston to take on the Battery. Charleston and NCFC also traded matches this year, with the home team winning both fixtures; however, Charleston owns the series 2-1-1 since NCFC made the jump to the Championship after winning the USL League One title in 2023.

USL Championship: Charleston Battery vs. Rhode Island FC, Nov. 2

Speaking of Charleston Battery, they have to be the favorites in their 3:00 PM match against Rhode Island FC on Sunday.

Rhode Island FC is dangerous in winner-take-all matches. Last year, they went from a 5th place finish in the Eastern Conference all the way to the USL Championship final. This year — only their second as an active team — they made it to the semifinals of the USL Cup. However, they needed some Decision Day luck, as both Detroit City FC and Indy Eleven dropped points.

So instead of facing the Louisville juggernaut, they face an incredibly strong Battery team. Here at Soccer Sheet, we’d be shocked if neither Charleston nor Louisville make the final, but RIFC has shown if anyone can do it, it’s them.

USL League One: One Knox vs. Charlotte Independence, Nov. 2

It’s been a tough couple months for the Charlotte Independence. After flying high in USL League One, their playoff chances were in doubt all the way to Decision Day. They lost their last match of the season, and only made the playoffs because their closest rivals did as well.

Despite losing talismanic forward J.C. Obregon — the most valuable player in League One at the time, according to Transfermarkt — Charlotte started the season strong, with good runs in the U.S. Open Cup and the USL Cup.

The result in Knoxville will come down to which Jacks show up: will it be the ones with the recent poor form, or will it be the Independence that beat One Knox 3-1 at home and drew them 2-2 away?

Also, which Knox will show up: the club on a three-match winning streak, or the one that lost to the Richmond Kickers before that streak started? The action starts at 3:00 PM on Sunday.

On Tuesday morning, after the club’s best season since its inception, Charlotte FC general manager Zoran Krneta sat down with members of the media to talk about the organization’s journey so far.

Though the presentation element was minimal — most of the time was taken up by a question and answer session — the club did show off a slide demonstrating the first team’s growth over their first four years.

More Points, More Power

Aside from some defensive statistics — it’s hard to beat the club’s defensive performance last year — the team’s upward trajectory is pretty clear, and all of the team’s best years in selected statistical categories came under current head coach Dean Smith.

Krneta explained the chart this way:

I just wanted to put this in front of you guys. This is [the] evolution of Charlotte FC from the 2022 season to today. It’s pretty self explanatory, I think. This is our best season ever, but what I’m really proud of — that you can see … that every season we are getting better and better and every season we are improving and every season is doing exactly what we said at the very beginning, to try to get better. And instead of being a “yo-yo” club, we will try to kind of hit the top echelon of the of the elite MLS clubs. And I still think we’re not there yet, but we are close. We’re not far away.

Krneta didn’t shy away from making news during the conversation. Despite his injuries, Pep Biel has met all of the “triggers” to go from a loan player to a permanent Charlotte FC player.

Pep is our player … the certain triggers that need to be triggered have been triggered, and Pep will be joining us in the preseason next year as a Charlotte FC player.

Krneta would not tell reporters whether or not Biel will be a “Designated Player,” but given the economics of the deal, Biel will likely join the ranks of the DPs.

“I think Biel is [an] elite number 10 in this league,” Krneta told reporters.

One of the reasons Krneta may have been coy about Pep Biel’s likely DP status next season is because the team has to make some roster model decisions, and there are many scenarios in which Abada would be the odd man out.

Wood from Forest?

Last season, we heard rumors last season Charlotte FC was very interested in Premier League player Chris Wood, the New Zealand forward who played with Charlotte captain Ashley Westwood at Burnley and had a career year last season at Nottingham Forest.

Since Krneta reminded us during the conversation that he’s good friends with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, we asked him about the Wood rumors. Krneta asked to go off the record, so read into that what you will.

More in Store

We’ll share more from our chat with Zoran in the weeks ahead.

Playoff Updates

As always, we’re tracking soccer teams in the Carolinas as the regular season comes to an end. Here’s the latest.

MLS Cup Playoffs - Charlotte FC

Charlotte FC guaranteed a 4th place finish in the Eastern Conference, as well as home field advantage in at least the first round, with their 2-0 win over Philadelphia Union on Decision Day.

Scheduling details for Charlotte’s first round, best-of-three playoff series against #5 New York City FC are as follows:

Tuesday, October 28
Bank of America Stadium
6:55 PM ET Kickoff

Saturday, November 1
Yankee Stadium
3:42 PM ET Kickoff

Friday, November 7
Bank of America Stadium
Kickoff TBD

#1 Philadelphia will face play-in match winners Chicago Fire in their first round series, and if Charlotte prevails against NYCFC, the Crown will face either a Decision Day rematch in Philadelphia or host #8 Chicago at Bank of America Stadium.

Starting with the second round, all MLS Cup Playoff matches are winner-take-all, with the higher seed hosting.

Finally, congrats to Matt from the Soccer Sheet team for correctly guessing Charlotte FC’s final points total back in February. If the Eastern Conference weren’t significantly stronger than the West this year, he probably would have gotten the seeding right as well.

NWSL - NC Courage

The Courage are in a rough spot, and they need a lot to go their way to make the playoffs. They’re currently 9th, and they’re two points behind Racing Louisville, so their Sunday, November 2 contest against Gotham FC is a must-win, and Louisville can’t win.

Otherwise, it will be USWNT goalkeeper Casey Murphy’s last match in a Courage kit - she’s making the move to Boston’s NWSL expansion side next year.

USL Championship - North Carolina FC & Charleston Battery

North Carolina FC of Cary have punched their playoff ticket, and are currently in sixth place. They have one final regular season match tomorrow in Loudon, Virginia, and with a win they could finish as high as third in the Eastern Conference. With a draw or a loss, they’ll likely finish sixth, and travel to Charleston, S.C. in the first round of the playoffs.

Speaking of which, South Carolina’s Charleston Battery has one of the USL Championship’s least interesting matches tomorrow against Birmingham Legion. Win, lose, or draw, the Battery will finish with the #2 seed, and Birmingham will miss the playoffs.

USL League One - Charlotte Independence and Greenville Triumph

After a strong start to the season, a poor run of form during the late summer really hurt the Independence’s chances of making the playoffs. The Jacks are currently in 8th place (the last playoff position) in the USL League One standings, so they control their own destiny in their playoff match against FC Naples at 7:00 PM tomorrow night.

Draw and they’re in (since they own the tiebreakers against AV Alta and Forward Madison). Lose, and the Jacks need both AV and Madison to draw/lose.

If the Independence make the playoffs, they don’t have to travel far: they’ll face either One Knox or the Chattanooga Red Wolves in Tennessee.

Finally, with a loss last week, the Greenville Triumph are eliminated from the League One playoffs.

Stick with Soccer Sheet for all your decision day coverage across our social media channels (@soccersheet on Instagram, among others). For up to the minute updates and exclusive scoops, you can also join our Discord server.

See you at the match!

Join us on Discord

In October, Jorge, Sam, and Yara sat down with Patrick Agyemang on Zoom to talk about how he’s adjusting to playing in the English Championship, British food, playing with (and recovering from) a hernia injury, and what it would be like to take the pitch next year for the 2026 World Cup.

Yara Al Bayyari: I did want to ask about the most surreal moment you’ve had going from playing in the MLS, where the fans and the game itself is relatively new, to going to playing in the UK where it’s an integral part of their culture and their society.

Patrick Agyemang: Yeah, it’s crazy. They live, breathe everything around the game.

I remember when I first got here and I got into the city of Derby, I went to get groceries with my brother and I got bombarded one time. And I was like, “okay, this is next level” in that aspect.

But at the end of the day, this is where… they take it serious. Like, this is their main sport. So it makes sense.

And it’s been cool because it’s definitely something I wanted to be around.

But when you’re here, it’s like, oh, wow, this is real life.

Sam Spencer: Have you got a chance to try any food yet?

PA: Like English food.

SS: Oh, yeah.

PA: Yeah, I tried. When I first got here, I said, let me at least try fish and chips. I had that.

It’s good. It’s cool. It’s cool …

I really, I just stick to the food I really eat.

YAB: Have you tried Nando’s yet?

PA: Of course. Amazing. Amazing.

Paid Soccer Sheet subscribers got an exclusive listen in October. Now all subscribers can listen to the entire interview.