The Charlotte Independence won their first USL Championship match of 2019 with a 2-1 result against Bethlehem.

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MATTHEWS—An unconventional lineup during a short week worked for the Charlotte Independence.

A 2-1 result against Bethlehem Steel marks Jim McGuinness’ first since taking over as head coach in December. Charlotte improved to 1-4-1 and four points.

“I’m really relieved more than anything,” McGuinness said. “It’s been a long time coming. Our performance was good tonight. It was strong. We kept the ball well. We defended a lot better.”

With three games in seven days, McGuinness made five changes from Saturday’s lineup, including 18-year-old Manchester City academy product Curtis Anderson replacing Brandon Miller in goal. McGuinness also started veteran striker Jorge Herrera, who scored the game-winner with an assist from midfielder Alex Martinez.

“A couple of guys were sore,” McGuiness said. “Kevan [George, a midfielder] was sore. Enzo [Martinez, a striker] was sore. A couple of guys [midfielders Dominic Oduro and Abdoulie Mansally] put a big shift in the last game. Three games in a week, we’ve got to be switched on to that. Thankfully we’re going to have one or two new additions for the weekend, which will strengthen our squad as well.”

Anderson’s debut included a clean first half, their first of the season. Keeping Bethlehem off the board until the 80^th minute marked the longest Charlotte has gone this season without conceding a goal.

“It’s a big night for Curtis,” McGuinness said. “It’s his first professional game at first-team level. He did very well. He used the ball well—really good with the ball at his feet. He was calm. He was composed.”

Said Anderson, who won the U-17 World Cup with England in 2017: “I’ve just been doing my best to get in the team, doing my best to help the team in training to make sure I’ve got relationships with players before I get in the team. Today, when I went in, it was easy, just because I’ve been working on it for the last few weeks.”

Anderson prefers to play with the ball at his feet, which requires chemistry with defenders like rookie Andrew Gutman, who scored his second professional goal off midfielder Mark Hill’s free kick.

“He’s good on the ball,” Gutman said. “He played me a couple good balls, one time out of the back. He’s a young kid, but he’s really mature, and he did well tonight.”

Gutman,, the 2018 Hermann Award winner as America’s top college player, joined Charlotte in February on loan from Celtic. The rookie from Indiana plays with the composure of a veteran, sharing the team lead for goals with Oduro and Herrera.

“It is my rookie season, but I look at it as, I feel like I belong here,” Gutman said. “The guys on the team give me a lot of confidence to do my thing, and it’s showing the first couple games in. I’m only getting more and more comfortable on the ball with the players, making my runs forward, defending—hopefully I can keep scoring, getting assists and defending well.”

Note: The Independence donated the proceeds from ticket sales tonight to the Woodhead family. Charlotte area soccer player McKenna Woodhead was paralyzed last August in a jet ski accident. The Jacks raised $25,000 during the inaugural #MCKENNASTRONG game. Tonight they raised $10,000, which will help the family pay for medical care.

“The Independence have just floored us,” said Mike Woodhead, McKenna’s father. “All the generosity from not only them, but the soccer community, everybody who has come out tonight, it’s so overwhelming.”

Said Independence President Jim McPhilliamy: “Until they come up with a cure for what ails her, she is always going to have a need for some sort of financial assistance for the cost that the family bears, and we’ll be a part of that.”

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