Luck of the Draw: A Late Mistake Costs Charlotte FC a Win
Luck of the Draw: A Late Mistake Costs Charlotte FC a Win
Also: Charlotte FC looking to Ireland for help in the midfield; second teams shine; St. Louis CITY SC back on top; Wrexham AFC coming to North Carolina ... twice.
It’s been a big week for soccer news, both locally and internationally.
Around the World and Close to Home
Rumors of Irish midfielder Jack Byrne coming to Charlotte FC from the Shamrock Rovers are getting more press in Ireland than in Charlotte, but by all accounts Charlotte FC has made at least three offers. Byrne has 19 goals for the Rovers in three seasons. However, despite a reported six-figure offer, the defending Irish Premier Division champions may not want to part ways. More on the Byrne saga this weekend.
Last night, a US Men’s National Team squad packed with MLS players drew Mexico in a friendly thanks to a goal from Jesús Ferreira of FC Dallas. The win extended the United States’ unbeaten streak against Mexico to 5 matches.
In Europe, the 22-year-old Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland continues to impress. This week, the Manchester City striker scored a goal in a 1-1 Champions League match against Bayern Munich that knocked the Bavarians out of European play. Haaland now has 12 goals in 8 Champions League matches, and 32 goals in 28 Premier League matches this year despite missing a penalty kick against Bayern.
While he’s already snagged the record for most goals in an inaugural season, Haaland can secure the all-time record for goals in a Premier League season with just 3 more, despite the fact that the current record holders played 42 matches instead of 38.
Back to the Drawing Board for Charlotte FC
After Real Salt Lake went on a 10 minute rampage and eviscerated Charlotte 3-1 on April 8, the Crown Club really needed a win at home. The Colorado Rapids, currently languishing in the bottom third of the Western Conference, seemed like a likely candidate to give it to Charlotte FC.
They came close, but an error from goalkeeper George Marks led to a late equalizer, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Not only did the goal cost Charlotte 2 points, it also diminished a Man of the Match performance from Kerwin Vargas, and a second goal this season for Kamil Jóźwiak.
Additionally, fans hoping to see forward Andre Shinyashiki play against his former team were disappointed when the lineups came out, as he wasn’t on Charlotte’s roster for the match. The last time Charlotte played Colorado, Shinyashiki was on the other side.
Both Vargas and Jóźwiak are bright spots for Charlotte this year. Vargas has had a breakthrough season, with two goals and two assists in eight appearances. Contrast that with last year, when he had only one assist in 13 total appearances.
Jóźwiak, who is a designated player with a roughly $1 million salary, has had even more pressure to perform this year after a disappointing first season. Last year the Polish winger had zero goals and three assists in 19 appearances; this year, after only seven games, he has two goals and two assists, with the second goal coming off a Karol Świderski assist.
After his goal against Colorado, Jóźwiak ran up and hugged coach Christian Lattanzio on the sidelines; perhaps an acknowledgement of the coach’s consistent belief in the winger’s ability. Lattanzio has been Jóźwiak’s strongest defender amid criticism from fans and media questions; however, if he keeps playing the way he has this season, Kamil won’t need anyone to come to his defense.
Charlotte (1-4-3, 6 points) plays the Columbus Crew (4-2-2, 14 points) on Saturday, April 22. The Crew are in better form than Charlotte, but the home field advantage may give Charlotte the boost they need to get points out of the match. For what it’s worth, the two previous meetings between the clubs both ended in draws, and Columbus is yet to win on the road this year.
If Jóźwiak and Vargas continue to have good matches, Charlotte FC has a chance to win their first match at home.
St. Louis CITY SC back atop the Western Conference
Despite a 3-0 defeat in Seattle on April 8, the newest team in MLS scored four goals at home against Cincinnati this past weekend and was gifted an own goal for a 5-1 victory. With 17 points, that put them back on top of the table in the race for the MLS Supporters’ Shield. A road match on Saturday against the lagging Colorado squad gives St. Louis and its explosive offense a chance to stay there.
MLS had this to day about St. Louis’ win:
With their 5-1 victory over previously unbeaten FC Cincinnati on Matchday 8, St. Louis CITY SC has scored at least three goals in five of their first eight matches this season. Only two other clubs – the 1998 LA Galaxy (five) and the 2018 New York Red Bulls (six) -- have previously accomplished that feat. Both the ‘98 Galaxy and the ‘18 Red Bulls won the Supporters’ Shield in their respective seasons.
I think it’s safe to say that the pundits’ predictions for this team were way off.
U.S. Soccer joins Mexico in bid for 2027 Women’s World Cup
There could be more soccer to look forward to after Canada, Mexico, and the United States host the Men’s World Cup in 2026. U.S. Soccer is joining Mexico’s Federación Mexicana de Fútbol in a bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup:
“The United States has always been a global leader for the women’s game, and we would be honored to co-host the world’s premier event for women’s soccer along with Mexico,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone, who played in two Women’s World Cups and was a key part of the USA’s 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship. “Hosting the 2027 Women’s World Cup provides us an incredible opportunity to cap off two historic years of World Cup soccer in the Concacaf region, helping us continue to grow the game among our confederation associations. A record six teams from Concacaf will play in the Women’s World Cup this summer, and the United States and Mexico want to continue to push the envelope for the development of women’s soccer across the entire region.”
"Women's football in Mexico has experienced sustained growth over the last five years and its development, both on and off the field, coupled with the female empowerment it has achieved and will continue to achieve, is one of the strategic priorities of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF),” said Yon de Luisa, President of the FMF. “It is with pleasure that we are teaming up again with the U.S. Soccer Federation in the pursuit of this World Cup for our region, which will undoubtedly be historic."
The U.S. hosted the Women’s World Cup in 1999 and in 2023; Mexico has never hosted the event. This year’s Women’s World Cup will be held during the (Northern Hemisphere) summer months in Australia and New Zealand.
Ryan Reynolds sightings in North Carolina just became more likely …
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh football club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and featured in the docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham,” was already set to play in a 7v7 soccer tournament in Cary in late May/early June.
Now, they’ve added a friendly against Chelsea on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill. It should be even more of a David v. Goliath match than Charlotte FC’s friendly against Chelsea last year: Wrexham plays on the fifth tier of the English football pyramid, though they will likely be promoted to the fourth level by the time they come to the U.S
.
Charlotte teams not named Charlotte FC? They’re doing great.
Despite a 0-0 draw against Union Omaha this week, the undefeated Charlotte Independence (2-0-3, 9 points) remains atop the USL 1 table going into a home match against the Central Valley Fuego at 2:00 PM on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the MLS Next Pro Crown Legacy FC squad (3-0-1-0, 10 points) is also undefeated in regulation play and is in third place overall. Even after prolific goal scorer Brandon Cambridge was called up to play for Charlotte FC, the team defeated Inter Miami’s second team 3-0. Their next match is against Columbus Crew 2 at home at 2 PM on Sunday, March 26.