Charlotte FC building momentum with 3 straight wins 

STEVE GOLDBERG | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Charlotte FC players celebrate their 3-2 win against Atlanta United July 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Crown has won three straight wins going into their July 26 match against Toronto FC in Charlotte.

With the MLS All-Star Game in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, Charlotte FC is getting a much-needed break after three games in eight days.

But what a week it was with maximum points in three consecutive wins, the second run like that this year, and first successive victories since April.

It’s been a while since it was a thing, but if there is any essence of envy left in Charlotte’s psyche about Atlanta, it’s certainly not emanating from the soccer side. Charlotte FC completed the first double by either side in four seasons of MLS competition with a 3-2 win at Atlanta United FC July 19. Charlotte now has a 5-3 advantage in the series. 

Atlanta’s home turf may well be a suburb of Charlotte these days, as it was the third straight win for the Crown in Georgia.  Charlotte captain Ashley Westwood credited the 12th man. 

“When you've got 2,000 Charlotte fans there to watch you play, it gives you a real motivation to go and get the win for them,” he said. 

The win continued what could be the turning point in a season which has seen the Crown reach the top of the table, only to fall out of the playoff picture during an extended exile from Bank of America Stadium. Six of the final 10 regular season matches are at home starting Saturday against Toronto before the Leagues Cup begins with at least three games from July 31-Aug. 7. The next MLS match is a trip to Cincinnati on Aug. 10.

Back in form

The boys in blue and white demonstrated what the team is capable of. After going down 1-0 in the 19th minute, Charlotte equalized 30 seconds into the second half with Kerwin Vargas slotting the ball from the right between the retreating Atlanta defense and goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Idan Toklomati snuck between them to deflect the ball inside the near post.

“There wasn't much in the first half,” Westwood said. “We said that at halftime. We wanted to be a bit more positive. The manager wanted us to be a bit more positive. Get Kerwin on the ball. And we did that, and he's gone on to create a goal. It just shows the character we've got here.”

Thirteen minutes later, Wilfried Zaha took a pass from Pep Biel down the middle and scored with his left foot. Biel put another jewel in the Crown with his first-time shot in the 77th minute. With four minutes left in the 90, and another eight given in added time, Charlotte saw out the match for the win.

“The front four again were magnificent. Pep. Wilf. Idan is looking like a real top striker, so we're clicking at the right time. We're timing this run well.”

Atlanta coach Ronny Deila put it this way: “Today, I am very (upset). It is tough. This is the very worst kind of thing because I think we should win today.”

“Just look at the goals. [Charlotte] had one header in the first half after one minute, and that is all they had in the first half. I think they had 12 touches in the box. 12 touches. Then, they have a one-two on the side. [The ball] goes wide. We are three against one in the center of the pitch, plus the goalkeeper. We lose that challenge, and then they go in to score.”

Atlanta centerback Derrick Williams was a little more complimentary in his assessment. 

“Second goal … Biel picks up a good position in the pocket, turns, and then comes in between me and (left back) Matt (Edwards). I think it is a great touch. I thought it was a foul on me. Look, that’s when these different players step up and show how good they are, because his first touch was perfect and he was quiet all game and just turned up like that, and that’s a good thing to have.”

Biel and Zaha were both named to the MLS Team of the Matchday, the Spaniard in the first eleven and the England/Ivorian on the bench. While Biel is getting the more recognized “goal contributions,” Zaha has become the master of the pass-before-the-pass, the delivery that creates the creation of a goal-scoring opportunity. Biel did have one of those on Toklomati’s goal while Zaha had the direct assist on Biel’s goal.

Not all the stars

With Patrick Agyemang, who was a Commissioner’s Choice for the 2025 MLS All-Star Team roster before his transfer to Derby County in the English Midlands, means Charlotte FC will be, once again, invisible in the showcase.

That doesn’t mean Charlotte players are not worthy of the honor. As MLS Goalkeeper of the Year last season, Kristijan Kahlina was most definitely a snub, and though he’s had some hiccups this year, his performance against Atlanta with a couple of big-time saves (four total) showed that his form is back.

The most deserving player this season, though, has to be Biel, who scored the game-winner and had two assists against Atlanta. In the past four games he has four goals and four assists.

His total through 24 games is 10 goals and 12 assists. 

More about the Leagues Cup

CLTFC qualified as an MLS playoff team last season. The updated format will feature interleague matches between MLS and LIGA MX clubs through the quarterfinals. Only the top four MLS and LIGA MX teams, compared only to their own league participants, will advance to the knockout round with pairings based on performance.

The 2023 Leagues Cup was a good run for Charlotte, even though most of the games were played in Texas. That sharpened the Crown for a late run that helped them advance to the post-season play-in game. In 2024, not so much, as MLS essentially stopped play for all teams, even those eliminated from the competition, through August. That lack of competition slowed the Crown’s momentum going into the last part of the season and playoffs.

If Charlotte is one of the four MLS teams moving forward, the Leagues Cup matches will be mid-week games that should not interfere with the regular season schedule.
The first phase games are against FC Juarez on July 31, Chivas de Guadalajara on Aug. 3, and CF Monterrey, who recently competed in the FIFA Club World Cup, on Aug. 7. 

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