Charlotte Independence Look to Carry the Queen City's Torch in the Open Cup Tonight
Charlotte Independence Look to Carry the Queen City's Torch in the Open Cup Tonight
After Major League Soccer's decision to (mostly) skip the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and an early exit for Crown Legacy FC, the Independence are Charlotte's last hope for cup glory.
After finishing as the runner-up in USL League One last year, the Charlotte Independence kicked off their tenth campaign on March 16 with something to prove.
Independence captain Clay Dimick had even more on the line.
Last July, days after his wife Cat gave birth to their second child, Dimick experienced a life-changing neck injury that threatened to end his career. He decided to pursue a surgery that would give him a chance to play again - though only after an arduous recovery that would force him to relearn basic motor skills on the path to recovery.
In January, both the team and Dimick’s neurosurgeon cleared him to play soccer again. When he started for the Jacks on March 16, he became the first professional athlete to return to play after a two-level cervical artificial disc replacement.
After a scoreless first half against visitors One Knoxville SC, the Independence dropped a goal six minutes into the second half. In the 75th minute, Dimick answered as he tapped in the equalizer for the team’s first goal of the season.
However, a Knoxville goal three minutes later spoiled Dimick’s triumphant return, and the Jacks would lose 1-2.
“It’s tough because obviously we wanted to get a result out of tonight, so it kind of takes some away from the goal,” said Dimick. “Every game, every season, I just want to do what I can to help the team win. I feel like that’s what a captain does, and tonight it was scoring a goal. Ultimately we didn’t get the points, so it’s frustrating.”
Dimick’s incredible comeback story is just one of the storylines to watch this year under the lights of American Legion Memorial Stadium as the Charlotte Independence also make a run for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
A Record-Setting Season
After featuring future Charlotte FC players - including Brandt Bronico and Christian Fuchs - in 2021, the Independence changed leagues as MLS came to Charlotte. Though the club had their best-ever regular season and made it to the conference semifinals in 2021, the Jacks moved from the United Soccer League Championship level - the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid - to USL League One, the third tier.
Despite the new competition from Charlotte FC, the Independence had their most well-attended season in 2022, averaging over 2,000 attendees per match for the first time.
Then Jacks had their most successful season ever in 2023, reaching the USL League One championship match for the first time. While 2023 saw Charlotte FC make the MLS playoffs for the first time as their second team, Crown Legacy FC, won the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference in their first campaign, it was the Independence who were still playing in November.
The Jacks finished 4th in the USL 1 regular season and drew 5th place Greenville Triumph in their first playoff match. Despite conceding an early goal, the Independence would score three consecutive goals in the second half thanks to Joel Johnson, Gabriel Obertan, and Avionne Flanagan, putting the match out of reach.
Next, the team traveled to Nebraska to face regular season champions Union Omaha. Charlotte survived an offensive barrage, with Omaha taking 32 shots to Charlotte’s 10, including nine shots on target to Charlotte’s 3. Charlotte goalkeeper Austin Pack was impenetrable with 7 saves, with a performance that solidified his status as Soccer Sheet’s Footy Award winner for team MVP.
After a scoreless 120 minutes of play, the Independence survived a penalty kick shootout against Omaha to make the final.
The USL 1 Championship match against North Carolina FC in Cary was a battle of attrition. Despite it being their first time in a final, the Independence had ice in their veins. Both sides were unable to break through, and the sides were tied 0-0 at the end of regulation. Then, in extra time, a series of three corner kicks for the Independence gave them the chance they needed to break through. Luis Alvarez assisted a Hector Acosta header, putting the Jacks up 0-1 heading into the second of two extra time periods.
However, NC FC responded in the second extra time period, and a shot from North Carolina’s Raheem Sommersall during a set piece play hit Charlotte’s crossbar before bouncing off of goalkeeper Austin Pack’s back and into the net. With nine minutes left, the score was 1-1.
Perhaps unfairly, the equalizer was counted as an own goal against Pack. Charlotte tried to move ahead in the closing seconds, but would once again have penalty kicks decide their destiny.
The Independence and NC FC split the first pair of penalty kicks. Then, seven-year Independence veteran Joel Johnson stepped up to kick. After a stutter step in front of the ball, the Spanish international sent the ball on target into the upper right quadrant of the goal, but not far enough away from the gloves of NC FC goalkeeper Brooks Thompson. Thompson overshot the ball with his dive, but raised his arms perpendicular to his flying body to get a piece of Johnson’s ball.
The shot bounced up into the crossbar, and landed on the grass in front of Thompson as he fell to the ground, putting the Independence at a disadvantage.
The next six penalties all found the net, giving Pack one last chance to save Charlotte’s season as NC FC substitute Luis Arriaga stepped up to the ball. Pack dove to his left, as Arriaga kept his shot on the ground in the other direction. With five penalties to four, NC FC won the championship in their last match as a USL 1 team, sending the Independence home from Cary as runners-up.
Jacks are Back for Unfinished Business
Two league matches and one Open Cup win into the season, the Independence look good. Most of their important pieces from the record-setting 2023 run have returned, including Tresor Mbuyu, a local graduate of Garinger High School who will play his fifth season with the Independence in 2024. Mbuyu led Charlotte in scoring over the last two years, with 11 goals and five assists in 2022 and nine goals and four assists in 2023.
“Tresor has been a big part of our success the last two years,” said Independence head coach Mike Jeffries in a press release. “He has quietly evolved into one of the more dangerous and consistent strikers in USL League One during that period. His ability to take on defenders and get behind defenses are huge, which when combined with his work rate, make him an extremely effective attacking player. I look forward to working with him again and seeing him continue to progress.”
2023 USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year Austin Pack is also returning, along with Dimick, Johnson, Obertan, and many others.
“I’m grateful to be returning to the Independence,” Pack said in a press release. “We have a strong core of players returning, and I’m excited to get started.”
Tonight’s Match
In a shocking upset, the South Carolina United Heat beat MLS NEXT Pro side Crown Legacy FC in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup at the Sportsplex in Matthews. Meanwhile, the Independence travelled to Pennsylvania to dispatch Vereinigung Erzgebirge in their first round match. Both Omar Ciss and Kharlton Belmar scored in the 0-2 victory for the Jacks, leaving the Independence as the only Charlotte squad left in the Cup.
The Independence face the Heat tonight in the second round of the Open Cup at 7:30 PM at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. More information here.