Kristijan Kahlina saves and keeps Charlotte FC in the hunt 

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina's improved form has sparked Charlotte FC's five-game MLS win streak, the longest in team history.

If he were a less humble man, Kristijan Kahlina might wave a finger, Dikembe Mutombo style, at the attackers he just stymied with a spectacular save. 

But that’s not who he is. The Croatian goalkeeper is the knight at the entrance to the bridge, the last line of defense for the castle, forbidding anyone threatening the throne.

That’s who Kahlina was on Sunday as he guaranteed Charlotte would come home with at least a point as they chase home advantage in the MLS playoffs. His effort gave Wilfried Zaha the opportunity for the Crown to claim all three points with a top-quality volley inside the post in the 85th minute.

It gave Charlotte a sweep against Cincinnati and marks the first five-game winning streak in team history. They are unbeaten in the last six since a draw with Orlando and haven’t lost in MLS play since June 28.

Blue-collar Kahlina

Kahlina plies his trade without vanity, a craftsman, a lunch pail blue-collar worker, who takes pride in his labor and brings full effort every time he clocks in.

“Like every game, I just came here to perform,” Kahlina said after the match. “I was more (concerned with) myself on goalkeeping stuff, to prevent the goal, and thank God, I think the defensive shape, and how we played, it helped me that they don't have free time on the ball. I think it was one of the best games ever here.”

Charlotte coach Dean Smith has often said that Kahlina makes the saves he’s supposed to, and some of the ones he’s not.

Even at 6-2 with his wingspan and quickness, keeping the ball out of the net is far from easy, and even the best – Kahlina was MLS Goalkeeper of the Year last season – find it challenging to always protect the 192 square feet of a soccer goal. It will not always be their fault. Sometimes it will be as it was earlier this summer, when Kahlina was infected with the mistake bug that cursed Crown defenders.
But not this night.

Kahlina was credited with seven saves and most of them had Cincinnati players grasping their heads in frustrated amazement and despair.

• In the 22nd minute, Evander, FCC’s next-level Brazilian, takes a curling free kick about 25 yards straight out from the right side of the penalty area. It clears the wall of Zaha and Abada and looks to be successful on its mission to breach the near post, but Kahlina gets there to punch it away. 

• Gerardo Valenzuela was 11 yards out, just right of the penalty spot, with the ball on his foot in the 40th minute and the whole left side of the goal inviting him to ripple it, only to see Kahlina leap to his right to get a big paw on it and push it wide.

• Four minutes later, Luca Orellano had a free kick on the right, similar to the angle that Kerwin Vargas scored against Monterrey from the left side. The left-footer hit a wicked inswinger that bent around the wall of Zaha and Abada and was targeted to go inside the near post, but Kahlina dove to push it away with both hands.

• 50th minute. Ender Echenique gets around Bill Tuiloma, who pulled up with a left hamstring strain, down the left side and drives right at Kahlina from the corner of the 6-yard-box extended with malice on his mind as he opens his hips and tries to bully a right-footed shot from three yards away past Kahlina, who blocks it with his left shoulder.

• With less than a minute left of added time at game’s end, Evander loops a free kick from about 30 yards out, and about 10 yards from the center, over Charlotte’s defensive line at the 18. Gerardo Valenzuela got past Tim Ream and lunged to get a foot on it, but Kahlina came up with a kick save.

“It's up and down, and I am (just) part of the team,” Kahlina said. “You need to go forward and doing right things. Train well. Give your maximum and then wait until one game like this one, and everything will go like good way for us. For sure, my confidence will be bigger, and it’s really nice to have a game like this.” 

When a goalkeeper is on his game, as Kahlina, 33, has been, it emboldens and lifts the spirit of the defenders in front of him. When his distribution of the ball is smart, it creates offensive opportunities. 
It should not be ignored that David Bingham has proven himself a worthy backup to the Great Wall of Kahlina. He’s started six matches across all competitions, including two against Toronto, a 2-0 win, and Philadelphia, a 2-1 loss, when Smith rested Kahlina.

Bingham, 35, conceded two goals against the Union but kept a clean sheet against the Canadian club. He made nine saves in both games with a save percentage of 81.8%. Kahlina’s save percentage is 71% in regular season games and was 76.6% in last year’s Goalkeeper of the Year season. 

After Kahlina started in a bad loss to FC Juarez in the first Leagues Cup match, Bingham got the call against Chivas and Monterrey and again allowed two goals in one game and a shutout in the next. He was the star of the 2024 Leagues Cup game against Cruz Azul, winning the tiebreaker with his saves. He also started U.S. Open Cup matches this year.

Unexpected breaking news

Which makes it all the odder when the news broke Tuesday that CLTFC was reportedly bringing Inter Miami FC goalkeeper Drake Callendar in during the summer transfer window. According to Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport,

“Charlotte FC have agreed a deal to acquire goalkeeper Drake Callender from Inter Miami, per sources. Callender, surprised by destination and wasn't consulted in the process, sources add.”

The primary keeper for Inter for the past three seasons, with 89 starts, 32 last year, has only seen the pitch in five games this year as 39-year-old Argentine keeper Óscar Ustari has taken over in net for the Flamingos with 20 starts across all competitions. Rocco Ríos Novo has taken the backup spot with three starts in six matches, all coming in the Leagues Cup first phase.

The 27-year-old’s last regular-season start was April 27 against Dallas, where he surrendered four goals. Callendar underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia on May 9. He was a nominee for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022.

The question is who will be moving out of Charlotte’s keeper carousel. Are other teams looking at Kahlina, who is signed through December 2026, as a transfer target this summer? 

According to the MLS Players Association, Kahlina has guaranteed compensation at just over $788,000 this season. Callendar is listed at $456,000, so this is no small deal. That’s starting keeper money.

Both Bingham and Charlotte’s number three keeper, George Marks, who have contracts expiring on Dec. 31, are listed at $104,000. Chituru Odunze, who has just come back from injury, will earn just over $117,000 and is contracted through 2027. 

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