Lightning Strikes Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC finds their first win in weeks despite a lightning delay, adds a Carolina Lightnin-inspired kit, is tapped to host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, and makes their biggest player sale ever.
Apologies in advance for some shocking wordplay, but Charlotte FC keeps being struck by lightning this week.
First, a long lightning delay couldn’t stop Charlotte FC from finding their first victory in weeks on Saturday, July 12. The Crown managed a 2-0 win against New York City FC even as kickoff pushed to 8:58 PM.
Then, after catching lightning in a bottle with MLS SuperDraft pick Patrick Agyemang, the club finally sold the U.S. Men’s National Team player to Derby County in the second tier of English football for a club-record $8 million with add-ons. The transfer fee, as well as a yearly salary as high as £1 million ($1.34 million) over four years, had been confirmed to Soccer Sheet before the deal was announced on Tuesday, July 15.
Wednesday morning, MLS Commissioner Don Garber came to Charlotte to announce the 2026 MLS All-Star Game will be held in the Queen City. It will be the third “big five” All Star Game in Charlotte history, and the first at Bank of America Stadium.
Finally, after weeks of hype and speculation, Charlotte FC announced a new third kit for the club honoring the Carolina Lightnin’, Charlotte’s first top-level pro team to win a championship in soccer.
Charlotte FC 2 - 0 New York City FC
With three matches left before Major League Soccer takes a break from the regular season for the All Star Game and Leagues Cup, Charlotte fans and head coach Dean Smith have to be encouraged that the team that took the pitch played like last year’s Charlotte squad.
“Last week was really hard, we’ve been going through a rough patch. But little by little we are regaining confidence,” Charlotte FC center back Adilson Malanda told Soccer Sheet’s Adrian Singerman after the match. “We need to fix what we’ve been lacking, and to continue to do the things we do well. We’ll continue to do that, but [tonight’s match] is a good result, so we’re happy.”
Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made a couple of spectacular saves in goal, securing a clean sheet; Malanda put his body on the line to prevent goals, earning Player of the Match honors from MLS; and both Idan Toklomati and Kerwin Vargas found the back of the net by the end of the (delayed) 90.
“It’s important that we kept a clean sheet tonight,” Smith told Soccer Sheet at a post-match press conference. “This stadium’s going to be massive for us in the run-in [to the playoffs] … the supporters make a difference for us and you know we want to make it really hard for teams to come here.”
The only big pieces missing were Patrick Agyemang, who despite training with the team for a day last week completed his medical ahead of his transfer to Derby County in the English Championship; and the injured Nathan Byrne, who is set to resume training with Charlotte FC today.
A Slightly Different Charlotte Squad
At last week’s pre-match press conference with Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith, Soccer Sheet had two burning questions about the lineup agianst New York: was Bill Tuiloma going to find his way back in after a strong performance – and an important goal – last match against Orlando City SC, and would Smith continue to prefer Vargas on the wing over designated player Liel Abada?
Indeed, Tuiloma and Vargas were in the starting lineup with few other surprises. Designated Player Wilfried Zaha returned after serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation, Pep Biel continued to anchor the attack, and as he had during Agyemang’s international absence Toklomati got the start at striker.
After the almost 90 minute delay, the match started slow, with no shots recorded in the first 10 minutes of play and strong defensive work on both sides.
The stalemate wouldn’t last long.
In the 14th minute, Zaha brought the ball to the left, found Biel inside the box, and Biel was able to get the ball to forward Idan Toklomati in traffic. Toklomati got the point-blank tap-in past NYC goalkeeper Matt Freese, featuring in his first MLS match after the U.S. Men’s National Team lost to Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final.
“[Charlotte FC] was quite good, and defensively they were very, very organized,” Freese told Soccer Sheet on the Monday after the match. “Dean [Smith] has their [defensive shape] very solid and it’s tough to break down. It’s tough to get in behind them even though they have space in behind them, so they do a great job with that.”
It was Toklomati’s fourth goal with Charlotte FC this season, as well as Biel’s 10th assist of the campaign, putting him third in MLS behind San Diego’s Anders Dreyer (15) and San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza (11) after Saturday’s results.
New York City stayed in the match thanks to persistence and some ill-advised ball handling from Charlotte.
The Pigeons finally beat Charlotte’s defense in the 38th minute as Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made a poor pass, and was punished for it. NYC’s Alonso Martínez got the rebound off of the unsuccessful pass and easily beat a disorganized defense near the top of the box. Kahlina came out to face Martínez got around Kahlina and fired a shot towards the open goal.
Enter Adilson Malanda, whose head blocked the almost-certain goal. NYCFC caught the rebound, but Kahlina made it back to the goal box in time to stop a second attempt on the rebound from Martín Ojeda and prevent an equalizer for the visitors.
Toklomati kept up the intensity into the second half, which started just after 10:00 PM local time. In the 49th minute, he forced a corner with a strong run at Freese, with the set piece yielding a good – if unsuccessful – header for Tuiloma.
In the 55th minute, Nick Scardina came on for Tuiloma, who is still working to get up to match fitness after going without minutes for most of the matches under Smith.
While Zaha has gone the full 90 in most of his matches for the Crown, he came off early as he and Biel made way for Abada and Eryk Williamson.
Right after, in the 76th minute, New York had a wide open chance, but couldn’t convert, and in the 78th minute Kahlina had to bring back the heroics of old as he made a diving save.
Charlotte’s chance creation was low in the second half, but the team was finally able to power through their mistakes as Kerwin Vargas scored an unassisted banger of a goal in the closing minutes of the match to make the final score 2-0.
“Tonight it was really helpful for everyone to win this match, and we’ll be ready for Wednesday,” said Malanda. “We’ll have to continue to do what we do, we’ll have to work hard. That’s the only thing there is, the work, and to really concentrate on what we haven’t been doing well.”
Adios, Agyemang
On Tuesday, no one was surprised when Patrick Agyemang’s move to Derby County was made official, but some previously undisclosed news came to light as a result of Agyemang’s medical and the transfer announcement: Agyemang had been playing for Charlotte all season with a hernia, which will be treated before he enters Derby’s rotation.
"Agyemang has been playing for most of the 2025 Major League Soccer season with a hernia injury that has been managed without surgery but meant he has been playing in discomfort," Derby County said in the press release announcing the transfer. "With a long-term view in mind, all parties have agreed he will undergo routine surgery and is therefore likely to miss the opening games of the 2025-26 season."
We reached out to Charlotte FC for comment on the hernia, but did not get a reply before press time.
Playing through an injury is not an unusual situation for top level soccer. Top players will sometimes play through injuries that may need treatment for a variety of reasons, especially if they are not a long-term issue.
Despite the revelation, Soccer Sheet reported last week that Agyemang passed his medical exam and would receive a four-year contract with Derby, details which were confirmed Tuesday.
Additionally, Soccer Sheet exclusively reported that Charlotte FC’s final salary offer to retain Agyemang was under $400,000 — or between a third and a fourth of the approximately £1 million annual salary he’ll receive in the English Championship. We can also confirm previous reports that the transfer fee was in the neighborhood of $8 million with additional clauses, as well as a sell-on clause that would benefit Charlotte should Derby sell the striker in the future.
After the transfer news broke, Agyemang shared a farewell message on Instagram:
Charlotte, I can't thank you enough for welcoming me into your beautiful city. I had no idea what to expect, but the love I received here has been amazing. From being drafted in '23, to playing for [Crown Legacy FC], to my last game with [Charlotte FC], l've always felt at home here.
To the fans - Thank you. Through the ups and downs, you showed up with love every time. I'm proud to have worn this crest for you. Playing in front of the best fans in the league has been a dream. I'll miss celebrating goals, wins, and all the vibes
To my guys and the staff, I appreciate you for helping me grow each and everyday. The bonds we've built through the long trips, tough losses, big wins, and all the moments in between are ones I'll carry for life. Till next time.
Yesterday, Dean Smith spoke about what Agyemang meant to the club.
“I got a very, very good relationship with Pat and, you know, sad to see him go, but we wish him well in his future and what he does,” said Smith. “I think Pat will echo what I'm saying in terms of the club, and we've helped him develop and given him a platform to go on, and he's helped us as a club as well. It was a partnership that really worked, and you know, good luck to him. But our job now is to go and look for another center forward.”
Charlotte FC can use the money from the sale over multiple years to support player salaries and other transfer fees. Every MLS team can convert up to $3 million per year in player sales into “General Allocation Money” or GAM, which can be used for player salaries up to the league maximum and outside of designated player (DP) spots.
When Soccer Sheet asked Dean Smith about the club’s roster construction on Friday, July 18, he said the team is considering adding a DP slot, which would cost the team in the neighborhood of $1 million in GAM due to their current 2 DP roster construction, which allocates $2 million in bonus GAM per season to teams that decline a third DP slot.
“There's been talk about it,” Smith told Soccer Sheet. “I find the squad management here a lot tougher with the salary cap that [MLS has] and it looks like a lot of teams have to rob Peter to pay Paul at the moment, and it's a little bit of balancing act and so we've discussed whether it's the two or the three [DP roster], and whatever options are available, we've still got that optionality. We've that to change it if we need to.”
“There's a lot of players that we're looking at, and trying to bring to the football club,” said Smith.
Bank of America Stadium’s First All Star Game
The 2026 MLS All-Star Game is coming to Charlotte.
North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Charlotte FC owner David Tepper, and other dignitaries spoke during the July 16 announcement at Bank of America Stadium.
“Charlotte has turned into a big-time soccer city, and we are pleased to bring the 2026 MLS All-Star Game to the Queen City,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “The city and region keep showing up for the sport — from packed Charlotte FC crowds to global events like the FIFA Club World Cup and Copa América the past two summers. We’re excited to bring another marquee soccer event to Charlotte.”
The 2026 MLS All-Star Game will be the first-ever All-Star Game played at Bank of America Stadium. The date and opponent will be announced at a later time.
The first major league all-star game in Charlotte history, the 1991 NBA All-Star Game, was played at Charlotte Colosseum. After losing the 2017 NBA All-Star Game due to HB2, the “Bathroom Bill,” Charlotte was awarded the 2019 NBA All-Star Game after the bill was repealed. That game was played at the Spectrum Center; no Charlotte venue has ever hosted more than one All-Star Game during its lifetime.
"I am proud that North Carolina has been chosen to host the 2026 Major League Soccer All-Star Game,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Our state’s new Major Events Fund puts us in a stronger position to compete for these highly visible, top-tier events that draw people and their resources to our state. Visitors to Charlotte will see that North Carolina is a great place to live, work, and play.”
Editor’s Note: Soccer Sheet is an all-volunteer publication, but it still costs a lot of money to deliver high-quality soccer photography and sports journalism. You can support our work with a one-time contribution here.
Carolina Lightnin’ Tribute Weaves Charlotte Soccer History Together
What is there to say that hasn’t already been said about the new Carolina Lightnin’ kit? After the All Star Game announcement Wednesday morning , scores of fans lined up to purchase the new kit honoring the 1981 national champions.
For a great history lesson on the Lightnin’, check out this piece for Charlotte FC by friend of Soccer Sheet and soccer history expert Steve Goldberg:
Charlotte had proven it was ready for professional soccer a year before the Lightnin’ would take the field, hosting an exhibition game in April between the 1980 ASL champion Pennsylvania Stoners and Miami Americans, and the league’s second annual All-Star game in June that drew over 8,000 fans.
The first season saw Carolina winning the Freedom Conference with a 16-9-3 record, the third-best in the eight-team league. They knocked out Rochester 2-0 in the playoff quarterfinal, then defeated the defending champion Stoners in a home-and-home matchup, 3-1 and 1-2.
This is where their success at the gate – they led the league in attendance - generated by an exciting product on the field, and maximized by outrageous marketing stunts that included contests to win cars, limos, and even a small airplane, or a post-game Beach Boys concert, would make a difference in the final. The game was supposed to be held at New York United, which had the best regular season record. But the league owners, including that of United, knew that Charlotte would get a much bigger crowd, maybe 10,000, that would increase the financial benefit for the teams and the league.
So the game was moved to Charlotte. 20,163 fans packed Memorial Stadium on September 18, 1981, giving the Lightnin’ the same home energy and advantage that Charlotte FC enjoys today. United took the lead in the 64th minute, but Carolina leveled just five minutes later, and the match went into extra time. A Hugh O’Neill header found the net and gave Charlotte a 2-1 win and its first national professional championship. Marsh was very much ahead of schedule.
Charlotte FC 2 - 1 DC United
Suffice it to say, Charlotte FC is undefeated in their newest kit. Wearing the Lightnin’-inspired Heritage Kit, the Crown easily dispatched DC United 2-1 in a match that could have been double that score — and almost featured a Pep Biel hat trick.
For the third time in as many matches, Charlotte took a 2-0 lead relatively early. Biel’s brace came from an unassisted goal right before halftime, and a second from an impressive team goal in the first three minutes of second half play.
“I think when you lead in a game, then the onus is on the opposition to come at you, and that usually opens up spaces.” said Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith during a Friday press conference. “I thought we were comfortable Wednesday. I thought they had a spell just after they scored, but it was only a short spell, five minutes or so. We still had a lot of possession and when when we did get the ball, I thought we'd created some really good opportunities to actually kill the game off, and that's the best way to kill the game off by getting that. next goal … Their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves. We missed some chances.”
In addition to Biel’s strength, the match showcased another strong performance from Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who came into the squad to buttress an injured back line. He recorded his third assist of the season on the second goal, after taking a pass from Wilfried Zaha and distributing to Biel in scoring position.
Though he’s more natural as a right back, the versatile Canadian has found success on the left by linking up with Zaha. Marshall-Rutty chalked up his recent success to the players around him at a Friday press conference.
Playing with quality players, especially like [Wilfried Zaha], makes the game so much easier so for me, obviously we want to get them the ball, players like Wilf and Pep,” said Marshall-Rutty. “So when they have the ball, for me, I just try to run off of them and similar to the goal on [Wednesday], I gave [Zaha] the ball and I just knew if I made a run that he has the quality to find me.”
Charlotte had 17 shots and 7 on target, while DC took 11 shots, with only the goal on target. Many of those shots for Charlotte came in the first half as they consistently challenged DC.
It was surprising it took until the 44th minute for the Crown to break through.
The buildup started when center back Tim Ream distributed to Marshall-Rutty. He moved the ball up the field and found Zaha ahead of him. Zaha found Djibril Diani on the run inside the area, and Diani crossed it to the center expecting to reach Idan Toklomati. DC United’s Kye Rowles broke up the play and the ball proceeded to bounce around in front of the goal until Biel found the rebound, stopped the ball, and sent it in with his second touch.
When the Crown came back from halftime, the Wilf, Jahk, and Pep show continued.
Marshall-Rutty sent the ball up to Zaha, who found him on the run. Biel was running along side Marshall-Rutty, and the Canadian found the Spaniard with a short pass in the penalty box. Biel trapped the ball and made another two-touch goal.
Marshall-Rutty wasn’t satisfied with just an assist, and recorded both shots and significant passes over the course of the match, including a beautiful chip pass to Zaha in a sequence that resulted in another shot on target for Biel.
“Playing with Wilf, you know, if he's inside, I'm outside, if he's outside, I'm inside,” said Marshall-Rutty. “So it's just full credit to the coaching staff and the players around me. They give me confidence to kind of just play free.”
DC United showed signs of life in the 60th minute when Gabriel Pirani beat Tim Ream to score an easy goal from the penalty arc on an out-of-position Kristijan Kahlina, but Charlotte was the better team on the night, and earned three points before heading to Atlanta tonight.
Marshall-Rutty plans to continue to demonstrate his quality as injured defenders Nathan Byrne and Souleyman Doumbia make their way back into the lineup.
“If you watch me play you know, I like to get forward, but I'm trying to focus more defensively because, like I said, I think if we get back to the basics, defensively wise, I think our quality with the attackers we have will show,” said Marshall-Rutty. “So [I’m] just trying to continue to work on my whole game [to improve myself] going forward. I think [assistant coach Christian] Fuchs said to me the other day, ‘When you're in a better position defensively, it actually helps you when you get the ball because you're in a better position,’ and that just is going through my head the whole game.”
Adrian Singerman, Jorge Torres and Matt Cramer contributed to this article.