Search Results

By Brian Maurer Wilfried Zaha (Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art) Charlotte FC is off to its best start in club history. The Colorado Rapids are coming off a bad 3-0 home loss to the Portland Timbers. The Crown should see this as an opportunity to grab points on the road against a team that has been giving up the third most attacking volume ( 9.6 xGA ) in MLS. Here are three 1 v 1 battles that could dictate the result of Saturday afternoon's matchup. Djordje Mihailovic vs Nathan Byrne Djordje Mihailovic leads the Colorado Rapids in chances created with 14. He is the key man in the Rapids' attack and will look to create more opportunities for Rafael Navarro, Kevin Cabral, and Cole Bassett. Last year, Mihailovic played a central attacking midfield role; the last few games, he has been playing out wide on the left. Nathan Byrne will need to make sure he keeps Mihailovic closed down by limiting his time and space on the ball, otherwise, he will create several chances. Last week, San Jose's Cristian Espinoza created 11 chances against Charlotte. If Byrne allows Mihailovic to have the space to create that many scoring chances on the road, the Crown could be vulnerable making this a key matchup to watch. Reggie Cannon vs Wilfried Zaha It's been three games since Wilfried Zaha's debut Charlotte FC goal, and it feels like he is due for one. At the very least, he needs to put in a strong performance to put the Charlotte fans' expectations at ease. Zaha was promoted by Dean Smith as a "goal grabber" and the rate of one goal every four games is below expectations. Two weeks ago, Liel Abada and Patrick Agyemang needed goals, and they found them against FC Cincinnati; this week it's Zaha who needs to find a finish. The Ivory Coast international will be up against Reggie Cannon and a Rapids defense that has struggled through the early part of the season. The opportunities should be there for Zaha, whether he can lead Charlotte from the front on the road is going to be pivotal not only in this game but throughout the season. Cole Bassett vs Ashley Westwood Cole Bassett has the most passes into the final third, and progressive passes for Colorado. The young American midfielder is key for setting up Colorado's attacks and helping them set up possession in dangerous areas. Ashley Westwood will need to monitor where Bassett is and cut off his access to the ball before he can distribute it forward to attackers like Mihailovic and Navarro. Summary This is a matchup where both teams should feel they can get a win. The Rapids need a home win as they have yet to get one, and they just got beaten badly 3-0 by Portland in Colorado. Charlotte FC has built up a lot of early momentum, and they will be looking to take that momentum on the road to get their first road win of the season. These two clubs also recruit and structure their rosters very differently. Colorado recruits heavily from domestic markets and uses intraleague mechanisms a lot. Their starting eleven has consisted of seven or more Americans in most of their MLS matches so far this season. Charlotte FC recruits far differently, as the majority of their starting lineup is made up of international signings.

By Ryan Donahue Photo Courtesy of Francisco Diaz/Topbin90 Charlotte FC’s winning form continues as the side shook San Jose last Saturday night in a 4-1 home win in front of another packed home support. Charlotte now sits second in the Eastern Conference, chasing table leaders Philadelphia by only two points. As the club continues to catch the eye of both pundits and players alike, Dean Smith’s side continues their preparation with another opportunity to obtain three points against the Colorado Rapids this weekend on the road. As Charlotte prepares for Colorado, here’s how teams around the Carolinas performed across the past weekend. Top Stories of the Week Teams begin their US Open Cup campaigns Big fixtures ahead in the US Open Cup Carolina Ascent is contending for the title Charleston Battery Upcoming: Charleston Battery vs North Carolina FC The Charleston Battery were off this past weekend but will be gearing up for their fixture against North Carolina FC this Saturday. North Carolina FC  Won vs FC Tulsa (1-0) on March 22 North Carolina FC picked up three points on the road this past weekend against FC Tulsa. The visitors secured a late 82nd minute goal thanks to the contributions of Pedro Dolabella to get the win on the night. North Carolina, despite having less of the ball and fewer shots helped move their position in the table up to the fourth in the USL Championship. Next up, North Carolina will take on their Carolinian rivals from Charleston hosting the Battery this Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park in a match that will have a big impact on either side's table standings. Charlotte Independence Won vs Rough Riders (3-2) The Independence’s US Open Cup campaign started this past week with the side facing off against Rough Riders in an action-packed shootout. Rough Riders opened the scoring first with a 49th-minute goal from Riders Jacob Woznicki. Independence’s Rafael Jauregui helped to pull the side level in the 79th minute before heading into extra time, where an additional goal from Jauregui and Christian Chaney was enough to seal the deal despite a late goal from Riders’ Elias Khodri. The Independence getting off to a good start should help the side carry some momentum into the weekend with the Independence hosting Chattanooga Red Wolves on Friday night at 7:00 PM ET. Greenville Triumph  Upcoming: Greenville Triumph vs Spokane Velocity FC The Greenville Triumph had a bye after advancing in the US Open Cup past Asheville City SC. Greenville Triumph will host Spokane Velocity FC on Saturday at 7:00 PM ET as the side looks to chase down league leaders FC Naples and Richmond Kickers, each only one result above them. Crown Legacy FC Upcoming: Crown Legacy FC vs Orlando City U-23 Crown Legacy takes on Orlando City U-23 tonight at 7:00 PM ET. Despite a deflating draw in their opener, Legacy aims to ignite its season against an unbeaten Orlando City side. Carolina Core FC Lost vs NYCFC II (1-2)    It was a disappointing end to the night for the High Point side, who were defeated by NYCFC II. NYC’s Camilo Ponce and an own goal from Kai Thomas were too much to overcome despite a late goal from Jacob Evans. The Core will not have time to dwell too much on the result however as the side will begin its preparation for Charlotte Independence next week in the U.S. Open Cup Round 2, which will surely be a highly anticipated matchup in the Carolinas. North Carolina Courage (W) Lost vs Seattle Reign (1-2) After two matches, the Courage are still searching for their first three points of the 2025 season. The side struggled this past weekend against the Seattle Reign. The Courage’s Aline Gomes scored a goal in the second half to give supporters hope that a potential comeback was possible; however, the goals from Jess Fishlock and defender Jordyn Bugg were enough to keep the Courage out of the match. As the Courage continues to search for their first win of the season, they will have a good test ahead this weekend with the side traveling to Portland to take on the Thorns. The Thorns currently sit below the Courage in the NWSL conference and will be a competitive fixture that the Courage will want to get all three points from. Carolina Ascent FC Won vs Lexington SC (4-0) It was a dominant evening for the Carolina Ascent FC who beat up on Lexington Sunday evening in a 4-0 win on the road. Ascent had 24 shots and 12 on target, leaving Sarah Cox with plenty to do throughout the match. Ascent eventually was too much for Lexington to handle as Riley Parker, Mia Corbin, and a brace from Audrey Harding were more than enough to win the match. This Saturday, Ascent will host Dallas Trinity Club on Saturday at 7:00 PM ET. With both teams being close in the table and the first-place spot within reach, a win for Ascent has the potential to carry them to the top of the USL Super League.

By Brian Maurer Carolina Core FC Captain Jacob Evans (Photo courtesy of CCFC) In the 1990s, High Point, like many cities in the US, began losing its manufacturing industries overseas, leading to economic hardship in the North Carolinian town. The City Council of High Point approved a Catalyst Project in March 2016 to help revitalize the downtown area. This included a new baseball stadium. This project adapted over time and the baseball stadium turned into a multi-purpose facility. The foundation for a new soccer team was laid. Before Megan Oglesby decided to become the Principal Investor for Carolina Core FC she was invited to a presentation where a study was done in 2021 analyzing whether a town like High Point could support a professional soccer team. The study asked youth soccer families in the area how far they would be willing to travel for a professional soccer game, how much they would be willing to spend on tickets and concessions, and other similar questions. The results of the study impressed Oglesby. "I got invited to that meeting and I was like 'This is really cool somebody’s working on bringing a soccer team to the stadium [Truist Point],'" said Oglesby. She said she was invited back to a second meeting where the discussion was focused on local ownership being a key part of starting a High Point pro soccer team, as well as the investment amount, she then realized the idea was for her  to help bring a team to High Point. Oglesby officially became a part of the project in January of 2022 and has been a leader for the club ever since. Young fans playing soccer tennis at the Party on the Pitch at Truist Point (Photo courtesy of CCFC) There was a stadium and an ownership group, it then came down to finding the right league. This ended up being MLS NEXT Pro as they were set to launch a year ahead of CCFC and were open to accepting independent clubs. One of the key tenets of MLS NEXT Pro is innovation. This can be seen by the way the league tests out different gameplay rules and playoff formats. Carolina Core also views itself as being an innovative club. Oglesby says some of the ways the club focuses on innovating is in their people development (not just players but the whole organization), and their fan environment. Carolina Core FC's Party on the Pitch (Photo courtesy of CCFC) Carolina Core's Party on the Pitch is one of the unique fan experience innovations that helped set their club apart in 2024. The games are played in one part of Truist Point and the other side of the grass is open where fans can walk down and be on the field during games. CCFC also changes their pregame and halftime entertainment regularly so that fans have a new experience to look forward to each game week. By blending innovative fan experiences with their affordable ticket prices and ease of access to the stadium they provide a comfortable environment for families, which helps the club hit one of its main goals: creating lifelong fans. One of Carolina Core's other goals has been to bring in out-of-town fans and sponsorship dollars to help with the High Point economic rejuvenation. "More than half [ticket sales and sponsors] are coming from outside of High Point," said Oglesby. "Their coming from the whole triad region, but also as far as Charlotte and Raleigh." Fans sliding down to Party on the Pitch (Photo courtesy of CCFC) Core FC also hosted Cruz Azul's U23 team in the fall of last year which brought in more fans to the new soccer experience in High Point. CCFC went on to win that friendly 1-0. The club also provides free community clinics for kids where Carolina Core coaching staff and players provide coaching inside the stadium, allowing young fans to have an elite professional soccer experience. The 2025 season and beyond Carolina Core FC's 2025 season has gotten off to a good start as they picked up two points in a PK shootout on the road in their season opener. They then followed that performance up with a 4-2 win in Round 1 of the US Open Cup. Last night they fell short against NYCFC II, losing 2-1 on the road. They will have an opportunity for revenge at their season home opener on April 5 vs New York City FC II. Core FC's highly anticipated home matchup versus their Carolina rivals Crown Legacy FC is on April 26. This rivalry game is lined up during the High Point Market in the Spring giving CCFC an opportunity to be an evening highlight during one of High Point's busiest times of the year. When Oglesby was asked what some of the long-term goals for the club were she said having a full pathway from the Academy youth levels to the First Team. This year Carolina Core added a U15 team, which will be their third age group, taking another major step towards that goal. CCFC Academy players getting First Team minutes will be an exciting moment for the club and fans to look forward to in the years ahead. Being an independent club in the MLS development league can make it difficult to stand out, but Carolina Core accomplishes this with bigger crowds and an exciting environment for fans of all ages, making themselves a draw for the whole Carolina region not just in High Point proper. The club's willingness to innovate has helped boost this fan environment as it continues to grow in 2025.