Search Results

By Ryan Donahue Ashley Westwood celebrating his goal against the Columbus Crew (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner) Charlotte FC faces off this Saturday at the Bank against the front runners of the Eastern Conference FC Cincinnati in what could be a major statement for Dean Smith if Charlotte can grab three points against the league leaders. With three wins and two ties in its first five games of the season, Cincinnati sits top of the East and leads in the Supporters Shield race. Last season Cincinatti’s playoff run was ended by its local rivals Columbus and in the summer the club decided to part ways with their main man up front Brandon Vazquez who was sold on to Liga MX side Monterrey for $7.5 million as reported by The Athletic. While Cincinnati does not have their prolific goal scorer in the side, League MVP Luciano Acosta will certainly test the resilience of Charlotte’s back line who have yet to concede at home this season. Further, Cincinnati has used the sale of Vazquez to enhance other areas of the side, signing experienced national team defenders Miles Robinson who was a free agent, and fullback Deandre Yedlin from Miami. In the past hours, Cincinnati recently added Yamil Asad, an experienced Argentine midfielder with stints at both DC United and Atlanta United in previous seasons. However, it is unlikely that he would feature in Saturday’s matchup. Charlotte, who has also strengthened their squad in recent weeks with the signing of Liel Abada from Celtic FC, is in contention to debut on Saturday night. Smith also confirmed in the pre-match press conference that both Enzo Copetti and Brandt Bronico will be available for selection having returned from injury. While it is unclear what Smith’s starting eleven will be on Saturday, Charlotte fans could potentially see a front three of Vargas, Copetti, and Abada attacking Cincinnati's back line at some point during the match. Although they are the current Supporters Shield leaders, Cincinnati has conceded in both of its away games so far this season, and with a back three made up of Kip Keller, Matt Miazga, Robinson, or Ian Murphy there will be opportunities for Charlotte’s dynamic attacking forwards to get in behind and create chances on goal. With exciting matchups happening all across the pitch, there will also be an intriguing face-off between coaches. Smith whose reputation is built on a long-term successful career in Europe will go head to head with an exciting, however less experienced Pat Noonan who in his first two seasons with Cincinnati has been able to turn them from a side struggling for playoffs to a realistic finalist contender. Noonan’s typical formation consists of a 3-4-1-2 with Acosta sitting in the attacking midfield role and two outside wing backs supporting the center backs. Charlotte who will likely square up in its traditional 4-3-3 will likely see less possession of the ball in the midfield and could find opportunities to catch Cincinnati out with direct passing into its wide forwards who will be able to attack the space and go one-on-one with Cincinnati’s center-backs. While undefeated at home in Charlotte’s first two games to NYCFC and Columbus, Charlotte will need to put in a very high-quality performance if they hope to take away three points this weekend. However, if Charlotte can take advantage of their opportunities and come away with a win it will be a big statement to Charlotte fans that Smith and his men are moving in the right direction and able to compete with any of the top teams in the league.

By Sam Vanolinda and Brian Maurer Djibril Diani (Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art) Charlotte FC vs Columbus Crew The Bank is starting to become a fortress for Charlotte FC. After one of the craziest first halves of football, The Crown managed to use their man advantage and score two timely second-half goals, leading to a huge win against the champs, without a DP. The first half contained a multitude of injuries, a red card, an almost impossible miss, a called-back goal for Charlotte, a called-back goal for Columbus, a missed penalty, and over an hour of game time passing before the fans could take their bathroom breaks at the half. “A thousand games in football, I've never done 62 minutes in a first half,” Head Coach Dean Smith said post-game, “...Perseverance, patience, and trying to do the right thing managed to get us the win in the end.” A beautiful strike from Ashley Westwood and an assured finish from Patrick Agyemang led Charlotte to all three points Saturday night. Stock Up João Pedro Pedro stepped in for Jere Uronen, who had just gotten back from International duty, at the left-back position Saturday. Pedro came in and looked like a veteran player; his passing was great, and defensively he was solid, showing why it was a great decision to bring him up from Crown Legacy FC this year. Pedro plays similarly to fellow Brazilian CB/LB Igor, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion. He is not the typical wing-back who is going to be incredibly progressive on the attacking side, but he is composed on the ball, great in the air, and can be trusted to build attacks with his passing ability. Pedro had a couple of impressive diagonal passes and helped preserve a clean sheet, his stock is on the rise after he looks to have secured a rotational role within the first team with this spot start. Djibril Diani In his home debut, Diani was the man of the match with an assist, 90% passing accuracy, four tackles won, three interceptions and seven duels won. It was a masterclass from the center-mid position for Diani, who has already proven to be a smart signing in the transfer window. The Frenchman teamed up with Westwood in the double pivot to defend impressively and move the ball toward the attack, with a great pass through to Agyemang for the second goal. “Diani played really well,” Smith said, “He did what he had to do, caused problems, I thought JP (Pedro), it was his debut today, full debut, I thought he was excellent today as well. Defended balls over the top really well, was calm on the ball, it helps that those two know each other really well, they’re thick as thieves whenever you see them, you don’t normally see one without the other.” Seems like Diani and Pedro have a good partnership going, it will be exciting to see how they play together as the season goes on. Patrick Agyemang All Charlotte FC needs this year is good finishing and the results will come. The xG is high, the chances are being created, and the team needs a reliable player to put the ball in the net. It seemed to be another story of bad finishing in the first half with all the missed chances. If The Crown did not pick up the win with a man advantage, spirits wouldn’t be high. Luckily, Westwood’s amazing strike woke up the team, and Agyemang put the game to rest with his great finish from a Diani through ball. Agyemang provided good hold-up play, was solid in the air, and provided a true striker's finish for his goal, smashing the ball into the top of the net from close range. This performance should increase Agyemang’s confidence as he subs in for Copetti while he recovers from injury. Ashley Westwood Westwood has been exactly what a captain should be this year. Solid and composed, and coming up big when it matters. Even from a deeper lying position Westwood still finds a way to contribute to the attack as he has more key passes than all other Charlotte midfielders combined. Westwood had a good game from the center mid position, alongside Diani. He connected the defense and attack well, and when the team (and the fans) was at peak frustration, he scored a super important goal to take the lead. The goal he scored could be one of the most important moments of the season. It's early, but if Charlotte did not score a goal and the match ended in a draw, that negative momentum could’ve started a poor run of form for the club. The team needed these three points and this momentum. They are keen to show that they aren’t the same team as last year and Westwood has played a pivotal role in the team's improvement. Stock Down Brecht Dejaegere Dejaegere was not playing awful today in general, but it’s impossible to ignore the chance he missed in the first half. Charlotte FC vs. Columbus Crew | Full Match Highlights | March 23, 2024 It happens to all soccer players, but the goal was gaping and he was undefended. It didn’t end up costing the team, but Dejaegere will have to pick up his performance next game to rebuild his confidence. Iuri Tavares After missing the penalty at the end of the first half, it looked like Tavares had been affected by that moment. He was sporadic on the ball in the second half and seemed unsure of his actions when in possession. He’s young and has been very impressive so far this season, he will learn and move on from that moment, but it looked to have affected him against the Crew. Smith mentioned he had been practicing very well when it came to penalties in the post-game presser, but it seems like it might be time for a more experienced player to get a chance after two youngsters have missed at home. Tavares will need to shake this moment off next week and show his great talent, but his stock is down after that game. Jaylin Lindsey Lindsey’s role in the first team continues to trend downward. In 2022, Lindsey had started the first five matches (450 minutes played). Last season, Lindsey had played 156 minutes through the first five weeks. This year Lindsey has yet to make an appearance. With Uronen out this seemed like the first big chance he had to get minutes. Smith opted to play Pedro instead. At this point, Lindsey looks to be completely on the outside looking in as Nathan Byrne eats up minutes on the right flank. An ominous position to be in during a contract year.

By Ryan Donahue Uronen is on International duty this weekend (Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art/TopBin90) Charlotte’s left-back Jere Uronen was called up to the Finland National team as part of the European International window ahead of this summer's upcoming tournament. While Finland’s results saw the nation eliminated from qualifiers it is unlikely that Uronen would be available for Charlotte’s home match against Columbus Crew on Saturday night as the Finnish outside back will likely return to Charlotte next week. The absence of Uronen leaves an opening in Charlotte’s back line that Dean Smith will need to fill and will likely look to one of the following players to help bridge the absence in Uronen’s position. In Smith’s press conference yesterday he said the three options he was considering are João Pedro, Jahlene Forbes, and Jaylin Lindsey. Pedro The Crown Legacy and MLS NEXT Pro Best XI defender signed with Charlotte FC ahead of this season. Having featured at center back as well as demonstrating flexibility to play at left back, Pedro would be a suitable replacement for Uronen. Pedro is a solid defensive option who also can get forward and chip in with goals and assists. In his 2023 season with Crown Legacy, he converted two goals and three assists. Pedro having demonstrated his experience in the left-back position, matched with his ability to contribute to the attack, could tempt Smith to allow Pedro to stake a claim for more first-team minutes in the future. Forbes The Wake Forest left-back was selected in the second round of the 2024 SuperDraft by Charlotte. Forbes played four seasons at Wake Forest at left-back where he picked up multiple ACC honors across 66 matches in which he scored eight goals and added 17 assists. Forbes has also featured for the U-17 US Youth National Team. While it is more likely that Smith will lean towards starting Pedro as the outside back, Forbes did feature for Crown Legacy and would be in contention to start or come on as a substitute for Pedro to help reenergize a backline that has historically struggled to close out second halves. Lindsey If Smith opts to go with a more experienced selection he may choose to add Lindsey as the right back and shift Nathan Byrne to the left. With Byrne having featured in this position in the past this would bring more experienced profiles to fill Uronen’s absence. Although Lindsey and Byrne could put in shifts as the outside backs, the absence of Uronen creates a good opportunity for Smith to allow younger players to stake their claim for why they should get more first-team minutes. Final thoughts From what we have seen from Dean Smith’s management style so far it would not be surprising to see him give an opportunity to either Pedro or Forbes whose primary positions are more suited to starting in the left-back role over Lindsey. If Charlotte hopes to come away with a result at home versus Columbus it will be important that whoever Smith selects to replace Uronen is ready for the task as their role will be critical to Charlotte maintaining a strong back line and providing an attacking option going forward.

By Sam Vanolinda Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/TopBin90 Charlotte FC has had a decent start to the season. One win, one draw, and two losses; not bad, but not great. One thing that has stood out is the defensive effort of the team, Dean Smith has the squad more organized and prepared on the defensive end, with only four goals allowed, one of those being a wonder goal by Lorenzo Insigne. The team is also in the top ten in expected goals (xG.) Enzo Copetti has had his fair share of chances, but he can’t score that goal that will begin his momentum this season; now he has picked up an injury, and Patrick Agyemang is getting a chance to establish a larger role in the team. I said in my preseason preview article that Copetti would be the catalyst that determines the success of this season, and he has had a tough start, with his injury it's up to other players to step up. In a press conference earlier this month, Smith mentioned the team was still looking to add one or two players this season. There is still time for Charlotte to bring in a couple more players, especially this summer when the European leagues finish. Here are a couple of holes that could still be filled: Attacking Midfielder Brecht Dejaegere has been doing a solid job in the center of the midfield, but he has not been enough of a difference-maker. More than anything, Charlotte needs a player to smooth the transition from defense to attack, an attacking midfielder who can make runs toward the box and set up his teammates. Charlotte has had good chances to counterattack, but with the double pivot of Westwood and Urso, the team does not have enough options in the final third. A player in the mold of Thiago Almada, Riqui Puig, Carles Gil, or Luciano Acosta would benefit this team greatly. It's easier said than done because those types of players aren't easy to acquire, but someone who is technical, can make the key pass, and can dribble forward well with the ball would give Charlotte FC a major boost. Veteran left center-back Andrew Privett and Adilson Malanda have been a solid center-back pairing since the Leagues Cup last season. Adding a veteran presence to push Privett and see if he can attain a higher level could benefit The Crown. They lack a veteran presence at center-back, besides Bill Tuiloma, so an experienced defender could benefit this young group off the field and through the grind of a long season. Left-back Jere Uronen has been called up for international duty so Charlotte's depth on the left is about to get tested. If Charlotte's other options at left-back struggle this week against Columbus it could be a sign that The Crown needs to start looking for some additional depth to help support Uronen. Especially if Finland ends up qualifying for the Euros this summer because Charlotte would likely lose their starting left-back for an extended period. DP spot, TAM, and U-22 slot available Charlotte FC has the flexibility to address these needs with a higher degree of investment if they choose to do so. They have the DP spot to invest heavily for an attacking midfielder, which could get them their version of an Acosta or Puig. With the rule change coming that was announced yesterday even with Abada becoming a senior DP next season Charlotte will have the ability to go either YDP or senior DP with an attacking midfielder signing. If this move is done in the summer there could be several exciting options. The U-22 slot is another option for addressing the midfield, and there were already rumors about interest in youngster Franco Rodriguez earlier this year. The Crown has multiple approaches for the left center-back and left-back positions. If Charlotte goes the veteran route they could use some of their targetted allocation money (TAM) to make a move happen. This move would get them a higher-level candidate who could beat out Privett for the starting job which could motivate him to push his game to another gear.

By Brian Maurer Photo Courtesy of Mixons Gallery On March 5, 2024, Crown Legacy FC announced they signed preseason trialist Jonathan Nyandjo to his first professional contract. Nyandjo, or “Jono”, is a Charlotte native who took a path less traveled to that coveted pro contract. Many kids in Charlotte today will have an opportunity to grow up trying out for Academy teams and if they are good enough getting opportunities abroad. Charlotte FC’s established Academy-to-Pro pathway has magnified those opportunities. That wasn’t always the case.  “With me, I didn’t really get that route…you never want to be that person to complain about something like that…because everyone’s situation is different,” Nyandjo said. When Nyandjo was growing up he didn’t have that same local opportunity that many – including his younger brother James – have now. Nyandjo opted for the college route, and Jason Osborne – who is now the Charlotte FC U-17 Head Coach – played a pivotal role in recruiting him to UNC-Charlotte. “When I first got to Charlotte it was a little bit rough…I was working really hard and I wasn’t seeing the direct outcomes so it was a little bit frustrating” reflected Nyandjo on how his college experience started. While his start to college ball was difficult Nyandjo highlighted that his Head Coach Kevin Langan believed in him. “It probably changed my life,” said Nyandjo on what his coach’s belief did to inspire him forward. Nyandjo was hurt for part of his Sophomore year which led to him refocusing and getting back to work for what he felt was a “Make or break summer” before his Junior year started. “On paper, it's my best season, mentally I thought it was probably my worst season…That summer I worked crazy hard so the outcome wasn’t as big as I was expecting” said Nyandjo, and that result was “another lesson I had to go through.” The young forward was able to acknowledge that there are times when the hard work doesn’t pay off “Sometimes you do everything you feel that you need to do and the chips don’t fall” Nyandjo disclosed. While his story could have ended here, he instead redoubled his efforts and ended his Senior year as a First-Team All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist. The work eventually did pay off. “That’s why the very last year felt so rewarding” stated Nyandjo. After the college accolades the UNC-Charlotte graduate thought he had set himself up to go pro through the draft. “In December the way you see it in your head is ‘oh I’m gonna get drafted and all this is gonna happen’ so when it doesn’t the reality starts to set in that this could be it” Nyandjo reflected. While Nyandjo did not get drafted, it did nothing to weaken his resolve. As he had already done so many times before he worked to find another way to accomplish his dream. This led him to a trial with Crown Legacy FC and earning a pro contract with the development club. “Everybody’s pathway is different…it ultimately opened up this option,” Nyandjo said. “I’m going to give 100% to this project and see where it goes because that’s all I can control.” In some ways, because of how much the city of Charlotte means to him, it does feel a bit like destiny. “I love Charlotte…obviously it’s my career and I would love to play wherever God blessed me enough to put on shoes and play, I’m happy…but, when it was even an option to stay in Charlotte for me it was like okay this is what I want to do…I love Charlotte so much” said Nyandjo. Charlotte FC fans were introduced to the hometown kid this past Sunday as he started at center forward during a 1-1 draw against the new expansion side and local rival, Carolina Core FC. The Charlotte native describes himself as a footy player who would play anywhere on the field. More specifically, he describes himself as “a forward player – I like to create chances, I like to score, I like to dribble, I like to create, I like to cause problems, energy, work, fight” stated Nyandjo. In his college career, he played on the wings as well as centrally. He said that Legacy Head Coach José Tavares is currently most interested in him at center forward. Matthews Sports Plex bore witness to some of that attacking ability, especially during his attempted bicycle kick that just missed over the crossbar. The young attacker feels a constant connection to this city which is reflected in his desire to push himself to make attempts like the bicycle kick on the field. “It’s a different feeling…it’s a different vibe, you feel more attached to it…like you’re ready to cry when things go wrong, it’s that type of emotion…I like the emotion and I like having something bigger than you on the line” responded Nyandjo when discussing the feeling of playing in his hometown. That emotion is something he also thinks about when it comes to Charlotte fans pushing the first team. He reflected on how he has seen fans get behind other local players like midfielder Brandt Bronico and full-back Jaylin Lindsey. He specifically highlighted the Tifo the fans made for Lindsey. “If Charlotte was really pushing you that much it must be such an insane feeling,” exclaimed Nyandjo. As Crown Legacy’s second season gets underway, there is another hometown kid for Charlotte fans to root for. Because of all the times this opportunity almost didn’t happen for him, the former Charlotte 49er is not likely going to take his moment for granted. The fans, the city, and the game mean too much to him “It’s a blessing, it’s a privilege if you get this chance.”

By Brian Maurer Photo Courtesy of Getty Images Bank of America Stadium will host a match between European giants Real Madrid and Chelsea. It will take place on August 6 and will give fans from the Carolinas the opportunity to see many of the best soccer players in the world. Exclusive pre-sale tickets will be available starting March 25 with general on-sale ticket access beginning on March 27. Real Madrid sit comfortably a top La Liga this season, led by young superstar Jude Bellingham, who is quickly becoming one of the best in the world. The English midfielder has 28 goal contributions in all competitions in his first season with Madrid. The Carolinas will be treated to other young stars like Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Eduardo Camavinga playing for Madrid. As well as club legends like Daniel Carvajal. Chelsea has struggled since they last came to Charlotte, when they lost to Charlotte FC in PKs during The Crown’s inaugural season. The Blues currently sit 11th in the Premier League but will bring many notable international stars to the States. World-famous attackers Christopher Nkunku and Raheem Sterling will represent Chelsea, also young star Cole Palmer. The young Englishman has 19 goal contributions in EPL this season. Other notable internationals likely traveling with the London side are Reece James, World Cup winner Enzo Fernández, and Moisés Caicedo. These world-renowned clubs will face off a week after Charlotte FC host Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup Group Stage match on July 31. Making this one of the most ambitious summer weeks in Bank of America Stadium history as Charlotte will play host to clubs from three different nations in seven days.

By Brian Maurer Head Coach José Tavares is getting Crown Legacy FC ready for their second season after a successful inaugural campaign. Legacy won the Eastern Conference in 2023 before losing 1-0 in the playoffs to Columbus Crew 2. Team President Darrius Barnes was named Executive of the Year for his work in 2023. Defender João Pedro was named to the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI. Four players earned first-team contracts; Iuri Tavares, Nikola Petković, Pedro, and Chituru Odunze. Tavares has started in all three of Charlotte FC’s games and has scored his first MLS goal. Petković and Pedro have both made their MLS debuts. Charlotte FC-signed Nimfasha Berchimas and Patrick Agyemang were regulars for Crown Legacy in 2023 and have now become a part of Dean Smith’s first-team rotation in 2024. Legacy’s 2023 captain David Poreba returned to Polish side Stal Mielic before being loaned to Chicago Fire II where he will likely face off against Crown Legacy in 2024. The 2024 season brings another exciting change as the Charlotte area development team will participate in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in place of Charlotte FC. Their first US Open Cup match-up will be on March 21st vs. South Carolina United Heat. Legacy has several players returning for 2024. There are also several new faces from abroad and from the college level. As well as a Charlotte FC Academy graduate. Here is a list of all the players signed to a Crown Legacy FC contract for the 2024 season: Goalkeepers Isaac Walker (Age: 23) - GK - Returnee The 2023 MLS Goalie Wars Champion returns for his second season with Legacy. In 2023, Walker earned 18 starts with 14 wins. Nicholas Holliday (18) - GK - Previous club: North Carolina FC Holliday was signed from NCFC where he had 27 appearances in all competitions during his time with the club from Cary. A special note: Holliday’s contract includes a guaranteed future contract with Charlotte FC. “We see plenty of potential in Nicholas, thanks to his development with North Carolina FC, and we look forward to his progression through MLS NEXT Pro to the First Team in the coming years,” said Charlotte FC Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair. Defenders Willian Sangoquiza (18) - CB - Previous club: América de Quito Sangoquiza was signed on a one-year loan from the Ecuadorian side América de Quito. He will also fill an international roster spot. There is a purchase option in his contract. The Ecuadorian had 14 appearances and two goals for Quito. “Willian is a young, high-upside center back that has played first-team football in multiple positions which highlights his unique skill set for his age,” said Belair. He is primarily a center-back but has also played right-back and in midfield. Julian Bravo (23) - CB - Previous club: Timbers 2 Bravo was signed from Timbers 2 where he had 27 MLS NEXT Pro appearances in 2023. He also had two goals during the 2023 campaign. The center-back will come to Crown Legacy with multiple years of professional experience since being drafted by the Portland Timbers in 2022. Assane Souleymane Ouedraogo (18) - LCB - Previous club: FC San Pedro Ouedraogo was signed on a permanent transfer and will occupy an international roster spot with Crown Legacy. “As a left-footed center-back, Assane possesses rare talent with characteristics we are looking for on both sides of the ball. We are looking forward to seeing how quickly Assane can progress in our competitive environment,” said Belair. The defender was signed from Ivory Coast side FC San Pedro. He has also featured for the Ivory Coast National Team at the U-23 level. Jean-Aniel Assi (19) - RB - Previous club: CF Montréal Assi was signed as a free agent. The Ivory Coast native was originally signed to a homegrown contract by CF Montréal in 2020 and has been on loan for the past two seasons in the Canadian Premier League. He also has experience playing for the Canadian Youth National Team, most recently in the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Midfielders Philip Mayaka (23) - DM - Returnee Mayaka was a key defensive midfielder for Legacy in 2023, earning 26 starts. He will likely be depended on regularly again in 2024 after the former first-round SuperDraft pick had his option exercised. Cameron Duke (22) - CM - Previous club: Sporting Kansas City Duke will add MLS experience to the Crown Legacy roster. He has 54 appearances for SKC with 22 starts. He has five goal contributions (2g/3a) in his MLS career.“Cameron is an exciting young midfielder with dynamism and versatility,” said Belair. The Kansas native rose through the SKC academy with Charlotte FC full-back Jaylin Lindsey and will be looking to earn an opportunity to rejoin his former USYNT teammate on the first team. Brandon Parrish (22) - CM - Previous club: Clemson University Parrish brings championship pedigree from the college ranks. He has been a part of two NCAA Championship wins during his time at Clemson and will look to show that his ability to his club win translates to the professional level at Crown Legacy FC. “Brandon is a high-potential midfielder who proved his talent during his four seasons at Clemson,” said Belair. Erik Peña (18) - CM - Previous club: Charlotte FC Academy Peña made Charlotte FC history becoming the first Academy graduate to sign an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Legacy. “We are extremely proud of Erik to be the first player to take this pathway, and we look forward to watching him grow and be an example for the rest of our Academy,” said Belair. Peña made 12 appearances and earned two starts with Legacy as an academy prospect in 2023. Thiago (21) - Midfielder - Returnee Thiago was a rotational midfielder for Crown Legacy last season, earning 18 appearances with eight starts, scoring once in 2023. He will be aiming to carve out a larger role in 2024 as several starters have now moved on. Filip Mirkovic (22) - AM - University of Pittsburgh Mirkovic was signed by Crown Legacy as a free agent after he was drafted by Orlando City 54th overall in the 2024 SuperDraft. The attacking midfielder spent four years at the University of Pittsburgh and accrued 28 assists, which is a record for Pittsburgh Men’s soccer. He’s also a two-time First Team All-ACC. “His elite vision, passing ability and leadership makes him an exciting prospect that will further strengthen our midfield core. We are excited to watch Filip develop in our environment as he begins his professional career,” said Belair. Forwards Gurman Sangha (24) - Winger - Returnee Sangha was a rotational winger for Crown Legacy in 2023, earning 12 appearances with four starts. He, like Thiago, will be looking to have a bigger impact in 2024 with several key attacking pieces moving on. Josué Rodrigues (19) - Winger - Returnee Rodrigues earned 14 appearances with one start in 2023, also scoring once during the campaign. He will be looking to earn a larger role in 2024 alongside Sangha and Thiago. Markó Filipovic (24) - Striker - Returnee Filipovic earned 16 appearances with three starts. He had four goal contributions (3g/1a) in 450 minutes and will likely be looking to take over as the primary scoring threat since Agyemang and Tavares were both promoted to the first team. Jack Sarkos (23) - Striker - Previous club: UCLA Sarkos was signed as a free agent. He had 15 appearances for UCLA this past season making 11 goal contributions (9g/2a). “His success at the collegiate level has made him a highly touted prospect that we believe can develop rapidly in our system. After being courted by several MLS NEXT Pro clubs, we are thrilled to announce the signing of Jack and assist him with the next step of his career,” said Belair. Before joining UCLA, Sarkos played for Lehigh University where he earned First-Team Patriots League honors twice. Dylan Sing (23) - Striker - Previous club: Western Michigan University Sing was a standout performer at Western Michigan earning 90 career appearances and had 56 goal contributions (34g/22a) in that time. In 2023, he had 25 goal contributions (17g/8a) in 23 matches, earning him the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award. Jonathan Nyandjo (21) - Striker - Previous club: UNC-Charlotte Nyandjo was on trial with the club during the preseason and earned his MLS NEXT Pro contract after impressing during trials. “We are proud to add another local talent to our squad and showcase the talent that exists in the Carolinas from various pathways. Jono’s connection to the city and club, as well as his maturity on and off the pitch, will help us maintain the competitive and connected environment we built last season,” said Belair. The Charlotte native played in 56 matches for the 49ers, accumulating 20 goal contributions (11g/9a). In his senior year, he had eight goal contributions (4g/4a), and he helped lead the team to an American Athletic Conference title. Nyandjo was also named a first-team All-American and a semi-finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy (which is equivalent to an MVP award). Nyandjo will compete in a crowded striker position in 2024. Crown Legacy Depth Chart

By Andrew Crowell Photo Courtesy of Cisco Art Charlotte’s Argentine DP picked up the injury in training earlier this week and will have an MRI today to assess the severity of the injury. Manager Dean Smith began his press conference this week with this news while also admitting that Copetti has not been ruled out for Saturday’s clash with Nashville at Geodis Park. While we must wait for any news on MRI results to exactly determine the severity of Copetti’s injury, hamstring injuries are never good news for a player. While the initial description of the injury was ‘hamstring tightness’, we can guess that this means an injury to this area. Injuries to the hamstring effect the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris muscles on the back of the thigh with injuries to biceps femoris being the most common. Injuries to these muscles are incredibly common in soccer as they are heavily involved in both sprinting, change of direction, and shooting/kicking motions. A study conducted and published in May of 2023 determined that most hamstring injuries in professional soccer players occur during high-speed movements. The downtime for Copetti will depend on the results of his MRI and analysis by training staff with 1 of 3 grades likely for the Argentine. A grade 1 hamstring injury would involve just slight damage to the hamstring muscles and could see the Argentine return to training after just a few days to about a week. Grade 2 represents small tears in the muscles, meaning the recovery would be a little longer in the 3-to-8-week range. The worst-case scenario for the striker would be a grade 3 injury, representing significant damage and tears in the muscles of the hamstring. This recovery time would be closer to 3 months or more. As with most injuries, recovery must be complete before Copetti makes his return or he risks re-injury or even worse, a whole different injury. Hamstring injuries tend to hang around more than any other injury so it will be important for our DP to fully recover before getting back onto the pitch, so we do not lose him for even longer. Stay tuned to our live blog and social media channels for the latest on Enzo Copetti’s injury, squad news, and more! Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and none of my work should be taken as medical advice.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art/TopBin90 Yesterday, Tom Bogert of The Athletic reported that MLS is expected to make a new roster rule change this summer. The plan is to decouple the Designated Player (DP) spots from the U-22 Initiative slots. As things stand currently, teams who want to unlock all three U-22 Initiative slots have to make sure one of their DP signings is a Young Designated Player (23 or under), a DP under the Max-TAM Level salary (currently $1,683,750), or not have three DPs at all. If MLS officially decouples the DP spots from the U-22 Initiative slots it won't matter what types of DPs are on rosters, they will be able to sign three DPs and three U-22 Initiatives regardless of status. How does this roster rule change impact Charlotte FC? For 2024, the roster rule change would not impact Charlotte FC's roster decisions. By signing Liel Abada to a YDP contract Charlotte has already unlocked their three U-22 Initiative slots. However, Abada turns 23 near the end of this season, making him a senior DP in 2025 since he turns 24 during that league year. This rule change will give Charlotte extra negotiating power in the summer and winter window when they look to fill their final DP and U-22 Initiative slots, as they won't be beholden to finding a YDP to fill their final DP spot for the start of 2025. While this change is nowhere near as significant as many fans and pundits around MLS want, it will open up the playbook for the Charlotte FC Front Office as they look to sign their third DP and third U-22 Initiative players.

By Brian Maurer Photos courtesy of Cisco's Art/TopBin90 and CJ Hellner/TopBin90 In MMA Coach John Kavanaugh’s book, Win or Learn, he states that there are two available options in competition; “winning or learning” stated clearly in the title. Here is an assessment of Charlotte FC’s season so far describing the things that are going well as areas they are “winning” in and the areas that the team is struggling in as “learning”: Winning Ashley Westwood Westwood has stood out early as the key progressor of the ball in Charlotte. Most of the club’s attacks are starting down the right-hand side and Westwood lining up on the right side of a double pivot is a big reason for that. According to American Soccer Analysis, Westwood is the best DM passer in the attacking third when looking at their expected pass (xPass) metric*. Using data from FBRef, the Englishman is leading the team in key passes (5), passes completed into the final third (15), and progressive passes (22)**. He is also tied for the team lead in shot-creating actions with Enzo Copetti. Compactness defensively Dean Smith has provided the team with a far more compact and organized defensive structure through his first three games in charge. This has led to Charlotte holding their opponents to far fewer quality chances. According to American Soccer Analysis, Charlotte has only 2.38 xGA through their first three games. When you compare that number to their previous seasons (2023 = 3.92, 2022 = 4.82) there has been a massive improvement. The consistency of the entire backline deserves a shout-out for their performances thus far (and wine, according to Smith). Iuri Tavares At the start of the preseason, Tavares was likely a far cry from being named the starting left-winger. However, after multiple injuries and last-minute outgoing transfers, Tavares has come in as the next man up. So far, he has started the season admirably being involved in both of Charlotte’s goals. His traits as a winger are far different from his counterpart Kerwin Vargas so he could provide good competition for the left-wing position as well as a change-of-pace option once new DP signing, Liel Abada, is available to play. The Cape Verdean attacker at the very least has demonstrated that Charlotte may not be as short on attacking depth as was initially perceived at the start of the campaign. Learning Finishing Charlotte FC is currently eighth in MLS in xG (5.14). They are creating chances including several high-quality chances through their first three weeks, but the finishes have not been there. Charlotte's attackers have left goals on the table, and while it is easy to point out Copetti as the primary culprit because of a few of his recent misses the chances have been spread out to others as well. The Crown will need to be more clinical in the final third as the season progresses as it will be difficult to always count on defensive compactness, especially on the road. They will need to be able to demonstrate that they can score goals. Brecht Dejaegere While Westwood’s progressive and attacking third passing has been good, Dejaegere’s quality has been limited so far. It will always be a concern when a deeper-lying midfielder has more shot-creating actions, key passes, and passes into the final third and the penalty box than the attacking midfielder. Dejaegere is going to need to stand out as a playmaker to get the volume of shots up. As you can see in the image above, Charlotte has created quality looks based on their xG but they are creating far fewer overall shots than the other teams who are stacking up xG early on. Key passes and passes into the penalty box will need to go up from Dejaegere to help increase shot quantity. Second half struggles Smith addressed the second half as an area he planned on looking into in his post-match presser after losing in Toronto. The team has yet to find a goal in the second half this season, and the team has also looked less energetic overall than the opposition after the break. Part of this could be due to them having back-to-back road matches in Canada and playing against big road crowds. The bigger concern is not putting the game away at home against NYCFC. There were chances for them in the second half against New York which they did not take (including a missed penalty). If the team continues to push hard and get out to early leads (which has been the trend so far), they will need to work out killing games off without letting teams back into games. That second wind was also needed when they didn’t find the early goal against Toronto and then got hit with a late goal from Insigne to drop them. *American Soccer Analysis' xPass score measures the amount of passes over expected. The stat used for this article referenced the number of passes (5.46) Westwood completed over expected in the attacking third. **Progressive passes are defined as completed passes that move the ball 10 yards towards goal, or completed passes into the penalty area.

By Ryan Donahue Many of the new MLS coaches in the Eastern Conference are off to a good start. While the focus of this winter has been the record-breaking transfer window occurring, several teams have received a boost from hiring a new coach and instituting a new culture. Two new cultures go head-to-head Ahead of Charlotte FC's fixture against Toronto FC, here is an assessment of several of the conference’s newer managers and how they have helped their teams kick off 2024 with winning starts. In Charlotte’s first two opening seasons, the team went 0-2 in league competition under Miguel Ramirez and Christian Lattanzio. Toronto FC also got off to a poor start in the 2023 season, eventually leading to Bob Bradley's sacking. This season both clubs have English managers with Dean Smith joining Charlotte and John Herdman the former Canadian National Team head coach joining Toronto FC*. While the season is still only beginning and results will inevitably determine success both managers have gotten their teams off to positive starts each picking up a win and a draw. While on the pitch, Charlotte has become a more stable defensive side in their early appearances the effect Dean Smith is having behind the scenes is not going unnoticed. In an article published by Tom Bogert from the Athletic, it was stated that within the club there is now a togetherness that did not exist in the first two years and that many have been impressed with how quickly Smith has been able to get buy-in from both players and staff around the club. Charlotte’s General Manager Zoran Krneta described how the appointment of Smith represents the club's intent to move toward a one-club model and credited Smith for his open-minded approach to appointing assistant coaches from within MLS rather than a more traditional European model where managers bring their crew of six or seven coaches. While a joyful spirit may not directly correlate to results on the pitch, maintaining a happy and positive dressing room where the players, coaches, staff, and club employees feel together in their mission to succeed can go a long way, and as long as the results follow Charlotte may have nailed down a top quality coach to lead the team moving forward. In the past two seasons, Toronto FC has finished in 26th, 27th, and 29th place with a 19-56-27 record across three seasons despite having made marquee signings like Lorenzo Insigne. With the disappointment of previous seasons, Toronto needed a new direction. So far this season, Herdman has already helped Toronto match their road points total from 2023 signaling early improvement. With Toronto finishing very low in the table the past few seasons Herdman’s approach is to build a team where players are fighting to earn the trust of their supporters. Reestablishing that connection won't be easy. So far Herdman seems to be winning over the hearts and minds of the dressing room and has lifted the mood with his high energy and fun approach to training sessions. Insigne credited Herdman noting that the players are working hard to improve and were happy in preseason camp. While Charlotte will come into Toronto as the table favorites for this matchup the fans should expect a great test for both of their sides to assess where they are so far in the season. Three other EC clubs are off to good starts with their new coaches In December 2023, the New York Red Bulls also decided to appoint a new head coach bringing in Sandro Schwarz. Schwarz joins the Red Bull program after coaching across several well-known European sides including FSV Mainz, Dynamo Moscow, and Hertha Berlin. The German coach has an impressive pedigree and the results for this Schwarz side have also performed well picking up a win and a draw against Houston and Nashville. Schwarz replaced interim head coach Troy Lesesne who filled in as the interim after the club parted ways with Gerhard Struber last May. Since moving on from a stint with the Red Bulls last year, Lesesne has joined the head coaching shuffle agreeing to take on the role with DC United on a three-year deal through 2026. For years DC United has struggled to make an impact of any real significance having changed managers on a relatively frequent basis since Ben Olsen left the club in 2020. Lesesne who was not offered the head coach by the Red Bulls at the end of last season acknowledges that he has lots of work to be done but feels optimistic the club has all the resources for them to succeed and breakthrough into the playoffs this season. DC currently sits second in the east ahead of week 3 with four points however Lesesne’s side will be up against a strong test in Cincinnati at home. CF Montréal added Laurent Courtois in January after leading the Columbus Crew’s NEXT Pro team to a league title in 2022 and working in the side Academy. Montréal’s chief sporting officer sees Courtois as the right person to implement the club’s sporting project built around young players in MLS. Montréal has had inconsistent playoff stents however the club believes Courtois will replicate success and help the club win both home and away. Montréal sit fourth in the east with a win and a draw in their first two games but if Courtois wants to solidify his standing in Montréal getting a result on Sunday away to Inter Miami would be a massive step forward. With only two games of evidence to go off a lot remains to be seen with how these managers' seasons will shape up; but with so many clubs focused heavily on bringing in talent on the pitch, sometimes the right tweaks to make a side click are the changes made on the sidelines. *Herdman was hired in August 2023 and formally started on October 1, 2023, according to MLSsoccer.com.

By Brian Maurer Dean Smith (left) and Zoran Krneta (right) - Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC Yesterday Charlotte FC announced they were making a club-record transfer, bringing Israeli winger Liel Abada to the Carolinas. Charlotte’s General Manager (GM), Zoran Krneta had this to say about the Israeli international. The scouting process began in Israel “We actually knew a little bit about him from Israel…we kind of like to go into these kind of new developing markets…Japan, Israel, various markets like that” said Krneta about the process of scouting foreign markets and monitoring the Israeli winger before he was signed by Scottish club Celtic. Krneta mentioned that they like to scout these newer markets because they are easier to compete in as every club is scouting the bigger markets in South America and Europe. Charlotte FC's chance of making the deal started at zero While The Crown’s front office monitored him at Celtic, Krneta mentioned that the opportunity did not look like it would ever materialize to sign the talented Abada. “I happened to have a dinner with the Chief Executive of Celtic about a year ago…he basically said…zero chance of selling him or if we do sell him he’s going to be one of the big transfers of Celtic” commented Krneta. The opportunity did come as Abada became less comfortable in Scotland leading to fewer minutes. When pushed on the topic Krneta mentioned that he did not want to discuss the off-field politics that impacted Abada’s decision to leave Celtic and that he was a professional soccer player looking to play soccer. “I think he believes that this will be the place that the people will judge him and talk about him only on the soccer terms rather than anything else – rather than where he is coming from, what nationality, or what country he’s coming from,” said Krneta of Abada choosing Charlotte. Abada's resume is highlighted by goals and speed When asked about what Abada will bring to Charlotte, Krneta said simply “Goals and assists – speed.” Krneta also mentioned that they spent a good amount of time confirming Abada’s desire to come to Charlotte specifically. “It’s more very important the player wants to be here, wants to play in Major League Soccer, wants to play for Charlotte” stated Krneta. “We are very excited that one of the top young talents in Europe right now, great results, scoring goals, assisting, he’s decided to continue developing in Major League Soccer.” Abada also appeared to be influenced by how long Charlotte’s staff had been monitoring him. “Everybody likes when he’s wanted and he knew about our interest for about a year or 18 months,” said Krneta. The Carolina crowd clearly played a role in drawing the Israeli talent as well.  “Also, I think he sees potential in Charlotte. He saw the crowds, he saw opening game, he saw the previous crowds opening games. He saw the 35,000, he wants to play in front of a big crowd,” continued Charlotte’s GM. Krneta was also advised on Abada by former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou who was coaching when the young winger was signed by the Scottish club. “He’s a [Postecoglou] signing…I have a very good relationship with [Postecoglou]...[Postecoglou] was very complimentary about him…he was like wow he’s a special player.” An evolutionary move for Charlotte and MLS With the amount of international notoriety surrounding this type of signing, it looks like both Charlotte and MLS as a whole are queuing up for some massive growth. Krneta felt that the Abada transfer was a clear indicator of this. “I mean it’s, to be honest, it’s a huge step up since I arrived the last four years…with all due respect to MLS it wasn’t really seen as a serious league let’s say ten, eight years ago even five or six and now this is changing…for us to expect European talents to come here is not realistic but it’s happening and [Abada] is the best example” stated Krneta. With one massive signing the aura surrounding Charlotte FC looks to be shifting in a very positive direction.