Charlotte FC wins third straight match against NYCFC

PHOTO | TROY HULL

Charlotte FC's McKinze Gaines celebrates Saturday after his assist led to Karol Swiderski's goal in the Crown's 3-2 win against NYCFC at Bank of America Stadium.

One of the few true accomplishments of Charlotte FC’s inaugural season last year was the Crown taking down Eastern Conference power NYCFC, not once but twice.

Other than the Philadelphia Union, which bested New York three times, no other team achieved it. Charlotte did it again Saturday, fighting back from equalizing, but in the end not demoralizing goals to win 3-2 at Bank of America Stadium before an announced attendance of 30,454. The result improves Charlotte (3-5-3) to 12th place in the East, equal with Miami, Montreal, and Toronto with 12 points. They are 2-2-2 at home. NYCFC (4-4-3) sits in fifth place with 15 points and have yet to win on the road this season (0-4-2).

“I'm very proud of the boys tonight because I asked them only one thing,” coach Christian Lattanzio said. “I asked them to show grit as a team, and a will to win. For me, willing to win is not just wanting to win, because everybody wants that, but it's how you fight on every ball, how you fight on every dual, when you have the ball when you don't have the ball.”

NYCFC are a team Lattanzio knows well. He spent several years inside of the City Football Group that owns NYCFC, both at EPL’s Manchester City, and in New York where he was an assistant coach to Patrick Viera.

“(New York) plays well. It is one of the teams that plays the best football, so I want to congratulate them (on) the way they play. They made it difficult for us.”

In contrast to most games, Charlotte was dangerous early and often, showing that the success this team has had against one of MLS’s best was still in bloom. The final stats were even with Charlotte leading in shots (11-10) but behind in those on target (3-6). For most of the match though, the Crown led in both of those categories, with most of NYC’s ticks of those boxes coming at the end as Charlotte bunkered in to withstand the storm as New York desperately tried to bring the game level once again.

Charlotte scores early

Eight minutes in, a long clearance by NYC keeper Luis Barraza was taken out of the air about 10 yards into Charlotte’s half by Jaylin Lindsey, who started at right back. He headed the ball to McKinze Gaines, just across midfield on the right, who chested the ball down and played it quickly to Karol Swiderski and started his run down the right flank.

Swiderski laid the ball back first time to Ashley Westwood, who played a brilliant through ball back to Gaines. He let the ball run across his body, crossing it firmly on the ground to an onrushing Enzo Copetti, who did what every Charlotte fan has been waiting for from the Argentine designated player, smashing it into the net from 4 yards out.

Charlotte continued to pressure the NYC goal with Justin Meram, in his first start for Charlotte, grazing the outside of the right post in the 27th minute and less than 60 seconds later a goal by Swiderski being negated by an offsides call in the buildup.

NYCFC weren’t sitting back, forcing Kristijan Kahlina, back between the posts in goal for Charlotte for the first time this season, into a kick save in the 33rd minute. Four minutes later, Richard Ledezma set Gabriel Pereira in a race for the ball with Jan Sobocinski. Pereira knocked the Charlotte defender off the ball, cut it to his left, and beat Kahlina to even the score at one apiece.

Copetti answered almost immediately, rising to head Meram’s corner kick from the left inside the far post to put Charlotte back up 2-1 in the 39th minute. It was the Argentine striker’s team best fourth goal in 11 games. In testimony to how difficult it has been for Christian Lattanzio to find consistency this season, only Copetti and centerback Adilson Malanda have started all 11 games this season. Kerwin Vargas is the only other player to have competed in all 11 games, starting seven.

It was a solid first half, arguably Charlotte’s best this season in regard to creating dangerous chances on the end of sharp and connected play. They found the seams, and demonstrated a chemistry that has been too infrequent to this point.

Not over yet

New York kept coming. Nine minutes into the second half, an awkward tackle attempt by Malanda took down Braian Cufre, injuring his leg in the process and giving up a penalty kick that was scored by Santiago Rodriguez to level the score at 2-2. Charlotte’s mastery was looking fragile at this point.

Malanda tried to continue but eventually subbed out in the 65th minute with Brandt Bronico coming in and Derrick Jones moving to centerback.

Order returned in the 74th minute when Swiderski’s sharply struck free kick from about 19 yards out on the right rifled into a crowd at the top of the 6-yard box. Ledezma attempted to clear it over the goal, but his header found the net and Charlotte was back on top 3-2.

Ledezma’s chance for redemption just seconds later was tipped away by Kahlina but it heralded the onslaught about to come from the visitors. The last 20 minutes saw the Crown in full defensive mode with NYC’s possession dominance growing and any semblance of a Charlotte attack disappearing as they bunkered in. They made up for that with determination on defense, clearing ball after ball away from the Charlotte goal.

With another corner kick thwarted in the fifth minute of added time, the final whistle blew and the win secured. Swiderski fell to the ground, as did several of his teammates, more emotionally exhausted than physically.

No rest for the weary

Charlotte returns to action on Tuesday with a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 tilt at home against Orlando City at Matthews Sportsplex, which seats about 4,500. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Charlotte won their first game of the season at Orlando on March 18.

Then it’s off to Atlanta on Saturday with a chance to avenge a 3-0 loss to the Five Stripes at home on March 11. That won’t be easy as Charlotte’s starting lineup will be governed by injuries and suspensions. Malanda’s status is unknown at this point for a team that is already missing the other first choice centerback, Bill Tuiloma.

Both Copetti and Derrick Jones came into Saturday’s game a yellow card away from suspension mandated by accumulating five warnings. Both were carded: Jones in the second minute for a foul, and Copetti in the 66th for dissent.

Copetti, who never shies from sharing his opinion with match officials, said “If you know me from Argentina, you know this is my game.” Lattanzio, citing his admiration of Copetti’s passion, laughed and said a tradeoff of two goals for a yellow card is something he can live with.

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