Can Lightnin’ strike again for Charlotte FC?

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Charlotte FC defender Bill Tuiloma battles for possession of the ball in the Crown's 2-1 win July 16 against D.C. United at Bank of America Stadium, their second straight.

Wednesday was a busy day for Charlotte FC. 

On top of introducing a new kit in the Adidas MLS Archive collection that paid homage to the city’s pro soccer roots, the morning made official news that Charlotte would host the 2026 MLS All-Star Game.

That evening, the players vogued in a sharp new third kit against DC United that celebrated the Carolina Lightnin’, the city’s first professional team that climaxed their first season with the 1981 American Soccer League championship trophy. It’s probably just a coincidence that the Crown’s first goal came as the clock hit 43, the same number of years after that championship season, with goal scorer Pep Biel and teammates running to celebrate just in front of the tunnel where veterans of that Lightnin’ team had gathered to be introduced during the halftime break. And it’s most likely a fluke the final score was 2-1, the same as that ASL final. 

Just a coincidence, CLTFC coach Dean Smith agreed afterward, but did acknowledge the new kit and the attendance of former Lightnin’ players and staff.

“The lads were talking about it in the dressing room. It was great to see (owner) Dave Tepper in it, and he’s (wearing) the cap as well. We want to tip our cap to the players who’ve started the legacy off before us, and our job is to continue that legacy for them, so it’s great that we could do that today. 

What truly mattered was that the energy and performance were there. Pep Biel doubled the score just three minutes into the second half, providing the margin that would survive a 60th-minute goal by DC to claim three valuable points that kept the Crown in playoff contention.

It’s their first back-to-back wins since April, when they won three consecutive before May became a mayday distress call.

The reported attendance was 32,293, but it was clear that this was a tickets-distributed number, more than an actual turnstile count. Pregame excitement for the match with the new kit debut was high though, as there were long lines in wait for the team store at the stadium to open. On adidas.com Thursday, the $100 replica jersey was sold out. 

This is how we do it

The first goal demonstrated what this team is capable of when the mojo’s working. From a free kick at the top of Charlotte’s defensive third, Tim Ream played the ball wide left to Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who played it up the left and a few yards more inside to the feet of Wilfried Zaha. Quick on the turn, Zaha took two touches, then sent it to Djibril Diani, who arguably had his best performance of the season on both sides of the ball, at the top left of the penalty area. The Frenchman drove towards the endline before crossing towards Idan Toklomati, who was crashing the middle of the goal just outside the 6-yard box. D.C. defender Kye Rowles was quick to intercept but could only keep it from reaching Toklomati as the ball bounced invitingly in the box. Biel, on a diagonal run from right to left across the box, split two defenders to smash it over goalkeeper Luis Barraza.

Along with Gabriel Pirani, who scored DC’s goal, Barraza was the highest-rated player for his team. He had to be. The United keeper had a busy night, having to make five saves, three of them diving, and several clearances under immediate pressure by the Queen’s Guard. He had to make a spectacular save to deny Biel a hat trick.

Zaha was instrumental in creating both goals. He was the pass before the pass on the second as well, feeding Marshall-Rutty, who assisted Biel to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute.

All-Star Pep rally

Biel was mentioned by the Apple TV broadcast announcers as “one of the most notable players in MLS not named to the All-Star team,” which will convene in Austin, Texas July 23. At least one local media member suggested to Commissioner Don Garber on Wednesday that the Spaniard, still on loan to CLTFC from Greek side Olympiacos, would be the best possible replacement for now-departed Patrick Agyemang, who was one of two Commissioner’s Picks for the roster, along with San Diego’s Chucky Lozano.

STEVE GOLDBERG | THE CHARLOTTE POST

A pair of Pep Biel goals lifted Charlotte FC to a 2-1 win against D.C. United July 16 at Bank of America Stadium. Biel has nine goals and 10 assists in 22 matches, which leads Charlotte in both categories.

Just by comparison to Lozano, who has six goals and six assists in 18 games, Biel is unequivocally worthy. After his Wednesday brace, he now has nine goals and 10 assists in 22 matches.

After Biel came to Charlotte on loan as a Designated Player during the 2024 summer transfer window, he scored two goals and passed for three assists in nine games. The club declined to take the purchase option on Biel at the end of November. Less than two months later, his loan agreement was renewed to August, but not as a DP. It was just recently amended through the end of the 2025 MLS season to prevent the chance of losing him as the playoff chase heightens. 

“Pep has become a key piece of the Club since returning for his second stint in Charlotte, and you can see the player we saw when we first brought him come alive as he becomes more comfortable within our Club and the league,” general manager Zoran Krneta said. “We want to continue seeing Pep thrive at our club, which is why we felt it was crucial to keep him throughout the end of the season and potentially for the foreseeable future.”

Asked if he had any advice for Pep on his current form, Smith said, “Keep doing what you're doing, keep eating your spinach. It'll be like Popeye. And then keep scoring goals and creating goals.”

Supermarket sweeps

Again, the loan includes “a purchase option if certain performance metrics are met.” It would be hard to believe that those numbers haven’t already been achieved. The hope is that the purchase price is already set because every next goal and assist could only drive up the cost of making Pep a Charlottean. Whether that means a return to DP status remains to be determined. 

His estimated value, according to Transfermarkt.us, was $3.48 million as of last December, but has risen to $5.23 million as of June 5. Charlotte’s most expensive acquisition to date has been Liel Abada, whose transfer fee was reported at $9.29 million. Karol Swiderski, the club’s first DP, was previously the most expensive signing at an estimated $5.2 million transfer fee from PAOK. As for money coming in, Patrick Agyemang netted the Crown a reported $8 million transfer fee with a potential of $2 million in performance add-ons.

Next up

The only road game of the next five MLS matches and three Leagues Cup games is Saturday at Atlanta, where Charlotte has won two of three. It was 3-2 Charlotte last year behind an Abada brace, and 3-1 in 2023 on the merit of Justin Meram’s two goals. It’s become the least “away” game that the Crown will have as a very strong contingent of supporters head south and make themselves heard in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“We've got a big game now in Atlanta,” said Smith. “We know how our supporters travel, so there'll be a belief from our players, wanting to do it for our supporters who keep turning up.”
Charlotte took game one of this season 2-0 on March 1 in the second game of the season, on second half strikes from Biel and Zaha.

The Five Stripes are 13th in the MLS East with four wins, 10 losses and eight draws. Charlotte (10-11-2) has one more loss than Atlanta, but six more wins 10. There has never been a draw in the I-85 Derby, where the Crown holds a 4-0-3 advantage. Neither team has won both games in a season to this point. 

Game time is 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass with radio coverage on WFNZ 92.7 FM (English); WOLS 106.1 FM (Spanish).

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