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By Ryan Donahue Liel Abada (left) being helped up by Nathan Byrne (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90) After a tough defeat this past weekend in Miami, Charlotte FC is back at home and looking to re-spark positivity as Dean Smith’s side looks to leapfrog fourth-place holders FC Cincinnati in the first night fixture at Bank of America this season. With Charlotte repping their Fortress Kit backed by a sea of Charlottean supporters, here is how Charlotte is expected to line up. Defensive unit The defensive line will most likely remain unchanged with Tim Ream and Nathan Byrne as the outside left and right backs. This past week, Charlotte announced the addition of Souleyman Doumbia as a new left-back option however it is unlikely he will feature this weekend given the short amount of time since he signed. Smith stated that Doumbia will be working on getting his visa sorted and hopes to have him available next week. The defensive center-back partnership will feature Adilson Malanda and Andrew Privett at the center of the defense with Kristijan Khalina in net. Midfield line The Charlotte midfield trio should be consistent with previous matches. Ashley Westwood is expected to captain as one of the more central defensive midfielders with Brandt Bronico or Eryk Williamson in the other spot. In the attacking midfield role, Charlotte’s Pep Biel has shown moments of real quality so far this season and Smith will likely rely on him again this weekend. Forward line Charlotte’s offensive front three is expected to include Patrick Agyemang at the top of the forward line. Agyemang has yet to get on the score sheet this season but with Wilfried Zaha and Liel Abada getting more comfortable in their roles, Agyemang is going to get chances and this weekend could be a perfect opportunity for Charlotte’s young striker to grab his first goal of the season. Zaha and Abada will also most likely start as Smith acknowledged in his press conference that all players from the previous weekend’s fixture are available for Saturday night. After a lot of buzz around Charlotte following their win over Atlanta two weekends ago, fans were left bitter after a frustrating result to Miami however if Charlotte can use their home-field advantage, Smith’s side has more than enough quality to get past what will be a tough Cincinnati side. Predicted Starting XI

By Brian Maurer Ian Murphy (left) and Liel Abada (right) battling for the ball in 2024 (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90) Charlotte FC is coming off a disappointing loss. They were up a man for over 50 minutes and still couldn't find a goal or a shot on target. The Crown is back at the Bank this weekend, and they are up against FC Cincinnati, who they took four points off last season. Charlotte Head Coach Dean Smith will aim to keep his club unbeaten against Cincinnati on Saturday and these are three key matchups that can help him do it. Liel Abada vs Lukas Engel The pressure on Liel Abada is mounting. Some of the excitement going into this season was Wilfried Zaha, Patrick Agyemang, and Pep Biel would all draw defenders and help open space, time, and opportunities for the Israeli attacker. Abada hasn't been able to get any momentum going, even with a full preseason, which was also supposed to help him get off to a faster start. This week Charlotte's winger is up against Lukas Engel, Cincinnati's new left wing-back. Engel likes to spring forward and join in the attack so Abada will need to find a way to get into the space left behind and set up counter opportunities for the Crown. Of all of Charlotte's attackers he needs to get going with some end product, and a goal contribution in this weekend's home match against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference would be a great way to dispel some of the mounting concerns. Ashley Westwood vs Evander Earlier in the offseason, Cincinnati looked to have an MVP-sized hole to fill when Lucho Acosta started going public about wanting to leave FCC. In the end, the Orange and Blue replaced that hole with another MVP candidate, Evander. The Brazilian had over 30 goal contributions in all competitions last year for the Portland Timbers and he is starting to find the end product with continued reps in Cincinnati. Ashley Westwood will need to keep an eye on Evander defensively as he is the new centerpiece of this Cincinnati attack who can create and finish chances. One of Evander's aims will be to combine with FCC's new club-record signing Kevin Denkey, and Westwood's job will be to reduce those combination opportunities from happening. Patrick Agyemang vs Miles Robinson Patrick Agyemang is another Charlotte attacker who needs to get on the scoresheet this season. Zaha was double and triple-teamed last weekend against Miami so Agyemang should be able to find openings if Cincinnati does something similar defensively. The American international striker needs to find a way to get the ball in those situations when all the focus is on Zaha. Cincinnati has allowed 10 goals so far this year, and eight of them were scored by strikers. Agyemang has a tough matchup against Miles Robinson, but it doesn't matter. Agyemang needs to win some of the battles in the box and in build-up play to show that he deserves to keep getting starts. Summary This game is all about getting the attack going for Charlotte FC. In other situations FC Cincinnati might not be the best team to try and build attacking momentum against, but they are going to have tired legs after playing in Mexico midweek losing to Tigres UANL 3-1 in Concacaf Champions Cup. The recent tournament elimination and extra midweek game should give Charlotte an advantage and their struggling attackers need to take advantage of this moment at home in front of their supporters.

By Andrew Crowell Nimfasha Berchimas (left) battling James Sands in his MLS debut (Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art/Topbin90) Per Caroll Walton of the Charlotte Ledger, Nimfasha Berchimas, 17, underwent surgery on March 6 for a broken bone in his foot.  The injury is thought to have occurred during a preseason friendly. Although he was supposed to start the season with Crown Legacy FC, Berchimas was also listed on the Charlotte FC first-team roster. Bones of the foot include the tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges. Although it is not known which bone was fractured for the young Charlotte starlet, the most common fracture site in the foot is usually along the fifth metatarsal on the outside of the foot. A fracture at this location is known as a Jones fracture. This injury occurs when force is applied on the outside of your foot with your foot twisting away from your body. These forces most commonly occur during sports, falls, and overuse over time. Walton also reported the winger will be out for 12 weeks which is in line for a recovery from surgery plus some rehabilitation time. Bone fractures take 6-8 weeks to fully heal and then the rehab process will include working ankle range of motion, ankle and foot strength, and weight-bearing. Stay tuned to our social media pages and website for the latest on Charlotte FC injuries, player status, and more. Disclaimer: None of my work should be taken as medical advice. All opinions are my own.

By Ryan Donahue After a frustrating Sunday, for Charlotte FC fans, the side was disappointed to return home with no points against an absent Messi and Inter Miami. The side conceded a goal directly from the start of the second half, in what Dean Smith described as a lack of focus from his senior players, otherwise, Smith felt his team were the better side for large stretches of the game. Inter Miami’s goalkeeper Oscar Usteri’s red card challenge on Wilfried Zaha looked to be a momentum swinger that most fans believed would allow Charlotte to go on to win the game but were left disappointed in the end. Charlotte, who now dropped to sixth position in the Eastern Conference standings will need to use the week to regroup and prepare for next weekend’s fixture at home against Evander and FC Cincinnati who will present another tough Eastern Conference clash. With anticipation for Charlotte’s first evening fixture at the Bank. Soccer in the Carolinas is officially back with other clubs around both states kicking off their seasons this past weekend. Here is a recap of what happened. Top Stories of the Week Ronaldinho in South Carolina for ceremonial stadium groundbreaking Battery reinforces with youth NC Courage set to award Jessica McDonald as Ring of Honor inductee Carolina Core FC makes two more signings Carolina Ascent continues ascending in the rankings Charleston Battery Lost vs Louisville City FC (1-2) on March 8 It was a difficult start to the Battery’s season home opener as the side lost to Louisville City FC in a 1-2 defeat.  Louisville strikers Ray Serrano and Adrien Perez capped off a goal each for Louisville with Juan Torres getting on the scoresheet for Charleston.   While not all bad for Charleston fans, the club announced the signings of two new young players. Mexican youth international, Vigo Ortiz  (16) signed a multi-year professional contract with the Battery after previously playing on an Academy contract. The Battery also signed  Diego Rodriguez  (18)  to a USL Academy contract The eighteen-year-old is the brother of current Battery midfielder Arturo Rodriguez and a prospect of the FC Dallas Academy he won the 2024 Dallas Cup.   The Battery will look to get their first result next Saturday when Rhode Island travels to Patriots Point. North Carolina FC Drew vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1-1) on March 8 North Carolina FC (NCFC) shared a point with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Saturday night’s home fixture. NCFC struggled to match Pittsburgh in shots, possession, number of passes, and pass accuracy but a goal from Evan Conway in the 22nd minute was enough to secure the draw. NCFC is another Carolina side that reinforced their roster in the past week. The club announced the additions of two young Academy standouts  Finn Sundstrom and Jayson Quintanilla who signed contracts this past week. NCFC hosts Loudoun United FC next weekend with the side looking to get its first win of the season. Charlotte Independence In anticipation of the Charlotte Independence season and home opener this weekend against Richmond Kickers, the side announced this past week its official renewed partnership with Novant Health as the club’s official healthcare provider. Novant Health  will be the official kit sponsor for the Independence this upcoming season and both parties are excited to continue its impact on the local community. Greenville Triumph Drew vs Westchester SC (1-1) on March 8 Greenville Triumph secured a 1-1 draw this past Saturday evening against Westchester SC. Sebastian Velasquez's penalty kick conversion in the 31st minute was enough to cancel out Westchester’s Juan Obregon’s goal 14th-minute penalty kick earlier on.  Greenville Triumph will host Union Omaha on Wednesday night with a special appearance  from former Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho who will be in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony of the club’s new stadium in Mauldin, South Carolina. Ronaldinho  joined Greenville Triumph as a partial owner of the club and will be honored with a pre-match recognition before kick-off. Crown Legacy FC Drew vs NYCFC (2-2) lost in PKs (1 point earned) on March 7 Crown Legacy FC kicked off their home opener this past Friday night against NYC FC which ended in a 2-2 draw with NYC FC winning the penalty shootout. The Crown was the first to strike with goals from Rocket Ritarita and a potential goal-of-the-season contender from Brian Romero, however, NYCFC’s Seymour Garfield-Reid’s stoppage-time equalizer was enough to prevent Crown Legacy from taking all three points. Crown Legacy lost in penalties so they only secured one point out of the performance. As Legacy looks to bounce back with their next match at the end of March, the club announced the signing of new UNC Charlotte defender Daniel Moore  who signs for the 2025 season with an option to extend through 2026. Assistant General Manager Bobby Belair expressed his satisfaction with the addition of another local Carolina player to join the roster. Carolina Core FC Ahead of this upcoming weekend's season opener on the road, Carolina Core has continued to bolster its roster. The side has added more additions with forward Anthony Sumo  Jr. and midfielder Mateo Sarmiento announced this past week. Sumo Jr joins the Core from Kalonji Pro from the United Premier Soccer League and Sarmiento joins from Inter Miami’s academy. Head coach Donovan Ricketts acknowledged that both players will bring unique qualities to the first team. Carolina Core will face Inter Miami this upcoming weekend in Miami as the side looks to get off to a strong start this season. North Carolina Courage (W) North Carolina Courage in anticipation of their upcoming kick-off this weekend, announced that the side has added Katelyn Rowland   as an assistant goalkeeper coach. Rowland joins Nathan Thackery’s goalkeeper staff after a very successful career in NWSL which included six seasons with the Courage. NC Courage also announced that Jessica McDonald  will be inducted into the 2025 Ring of Honor and will be honored at the side’s home opener on March 22. The North Carolina Courage will kick off their regular season opener against Racing Louisville on March 15. Carolina Ascent FC (W) Won vs Spokane Zephyr FC (2-1) on March 8 Carolina Ascent picked up a win this past weekend against Spokane Zephyr. Ascent FC got on the scoresheet early in the second half with Elianna Hutchinson and Jenna Butler scoring in the fifth and thirtieth minute. Spokane’s, Ally Cook scored a late penalty but in the end, was not enough as the Ascent picked up another win putting them third in the league Ascent now travels south this weekend to face off against Tampa Bay Sun FC as they look to climb further up the table.

By Sam Vanolinda Idan Toklomati (20) - CF/RW - Charlotte FC Idan Toklomati was momentous for Charlotte FC in their opening game against Seattle. The 20-year-old replaced Patrick Agyemang and created an own goal in the 92nd minute, saving a point for the Crown. In the second game of the year, he replaced Agyemang again late, but with the team up 2-0, he just saw the final minutes out. Most recently, the Israeli attacker made an appearance at right wing replacing Liel Abada against Inter Miami where he came within inches of a goal, hitting the far post. Unless Charlotte soon brings in another striker to back up Agyemang, Toklomati will likely see some decent game time, especially if he performs as well as he did in his short cameos against the Sounders and Miami. Dean Smith said Toklomati and Kristijan Kahlina were the only impressive players in that game against Seattle, so the coach has already called out his talent and effort. Toklomati is a highly rated prospect who traveled to the 2024 Olympics with the Israeli national team. He is a player who could one day become a household name in MLS. Let's dive into what type of player Toklomati is and how he could develop with the club. How does he Compare with Agyemang? Agyemang is 6’ 4”, while Toklomati is  5' 10", so we have two different prototypes for the striker position. The American striker is more of a lengthy, physical threat, who is most dangerous in 1 v 1 situations and finishing around the six. Toklomati is more controlled and bursty with his speed, making nifty runs inside or out wide to get behind defenses. Toklomati is a modern winger/striker hybrid. He has the trickiness of a winger and the size and strength to slot into the striker position. He reminds me of Brighton and Hove Albion star,  João Pedro. In image 1 (above) he drifts into the left flank and uses his speed and technical ability to beat a fullback and create a goalscoring opportunity.  Toklomati also looks to get in behind the defense with angled runs through the middle (see image 2 below). This is the type of splitting run Toklomati likes to make in games. He has the burst to easily outpace the center backs and the dribbling and finishing ability to take advantage of the positions he gets into. The most glaring positive that stands out about the Israeli attacker is his effort. He is good at pressing defenders off the ball, which is an underrated quality for a forward. That press is the reason that Charlotte saved a point against Seattle. If a defender on the opposing team makes a mistake, Toklomati will be the first player to capitalize on it. In image 3 (above), you can see him pressuring the opposing center back and winning the ball. After winning possession, he makes the right run and grabs an assist (image 4 below). Toklomati is not going to be the goalscoring threat that Agyemang is; Agyemang’s size and speed combined with his finishing and 1-v-1 ability are what make him one of the highest-potential strikers in the MLS; with that said, it is always a good idea to have options off the bench that have a different playstyle. Don't underestimate Toklomati’s aerial ability and athleticism either, in image 5 (below) you can see how high he gets for the opening score of in this game. His modern combination of winger skills and striking ability make him a player with bags of potential. He can have an impact on the game both creating and finishing chances. In image 6 (above) he gets up high again for a goal with Crown Legacy against New York Red Bulls II in August of 2024. Here is the link to his full highlights in Israel, and here is the link for his impressive performance against New York: How will he develop? Last year with Crown Legacy, he started five regular-season games and two MLS Next Playoff games and contributed five goals and two assists. It was obvious quite quickly that Charlotte had gained a high-level attacking talent.  In the preseason, he got some solid minutes with the first-team players, and now he has come off the bench in the opening game three games of the season. Agyemang will be the first choice at striker, and the wings have depth. But as seasons go on injuries happen and form fluctuates. I can see Toklomati starting a game later in the season, especially if the team doesn't bring in more attacking players. The U.S Open Cup will likely be a time for the youngsters on the team to thrive, so I think Toklomati will get a start in the opening game of the competition, here we will be able to analyze a full start. Agyemang has had a shaky start to the season, so if Agyemang struggles again, he may get more minutes than he has averaged so far. After the Miami performance, it also looks like Toklomati could get some minutes out on the right wing if Abada doesn't improve.

By Sam Vanolinda Photo Courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90 The glaring negatives for Charlotte FC this season, which have been ignored due to the match results, were displayed in Sunday afternoon’s 1-0 loss to Inter Miami. After Wilfried Zaha poked the ball past Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari in the 38th minute and was brought down by the Argentinian with a clear goal-scoring chance in front of him, we all thought that the Charlotte FC team with a man advantage would cruise to victory against a Messi-less Inter Miami team. Unfortunately, the Crown's tortoiselike offensive showing and a loss of concentration at the start of the second half set the tone for a disheartening night. The first couple of weeks have been very positive for Charlotte this season, but there have been issues with many players on the team that will now take the spotlight after an embarrassing prime-time performance. Dean Smith in the post-game presser said he was impressed with the way the team played. I think for the first 20 minutes of the game the team played with great energy; besides that, they struggled greatly with a man advantage. Here is the stock up/down for Sunday’s game: Stock Up Idan Toklomati  Every week Toklomati is finding his way into the game. In a 10-second sequence, he made more of an impact than Liel Abada has all season. Shortly after being introduced in the right-wing position, Toklomati beat a defender and cut in towards the goal, coming inches away from evening the game with a shot that hit the left post. Now, Toklomati has been subbed into two positions: striker and right-wing. Dean Smith clearly sees a lot in the youngster. In a game with not many positives, let's look to the youth; Toklomati is a prospect who has made an impact so far.  If Abada keeps offering absolutely nothing, why not give Toklomati a start in that position? Iuri Tavares Tavares made it back into the game on Sunday night, being subbed in the 77th minute for Pep Biel. While his impact wasn’t incredible, his stock is up due to his appearance. With Abada’s poor performance, we may be able to see more minutes for Tavares in the upcoming games. Stock Down Patrick Agyemang Another game in which Agyemang has had little involvement. It seems like he has lost confidence when possessing the ball. With the small chances he did have, he was wasteful. His header that went wide in the second half needs to be finished. Agyemang just needs to see the net ripple to build some momentum and confidence. A 10-man Miami team seemed like the perfect storm for him to make a mark on the match, but it was not to be. When the opposing team is down to 10 men and has their third string goalkeeper in the game, the striker should be salivating.  Three total shots with none on target and 21 touches in 86 minutes of play. There are plenty of veteran strikers who are still on the market that can offer a lot more impact. Liel Abada Again, I am not trying to single out these players every week, but these players are the reason Charlotte FC’s offense is so slow. It's easy to see when you watch the game. The right side of the field was barely even thought about. The ball was constantly being forced to Zaha because Abada showed little quality on his side.  DP players are going to get significant minutes, but there are better options at right wing right now.  Abada had eight passes. Eight . Zero chances created, 23 touches, and 0/3 successful dribbles. It may as well have been 10v10 when he was on the field.  After zero successful dribbles, his replacement, Toklomati immediately came in and successfully beat a Miami player before creating a massive chance. Adilson Malanda  Inter Miami’s goal just seconds into the second half was a lack of concentration from the whole defense, but Malanda did not track the run of Allende after the 1-2 with Suarez well enough. Malanda did not show urgency when Suarez lofted the ball over his head, and by the time he could turn around, Allende was slotting the ball into the corner and celebrating. Besides this one moment, the defense had very little to do and was solid in thwarting Miami's attacks, but against a team with the attacking quality Miami has you cannot lose concentration. When you are playing against the Revolution you may get away with not tracking a run, but Sunday afternoon Charlotte was playing against Luis Suarez; even when he is pushing 40 he has absolute world-class ability on the ball. Brandt Bronico At the start of the first half, it looked like Bronico would have a great game. He was making wide, angeled runs in the space that Wilfried Zaha was creating. When the Miami right back Gonzalo Lujan would press Zaha when he received the ball, there was instantly a lot of space in behind on the flank. Bronico was making impactful runs and receiving the ball in space. Unfortunately, once Miami got into the game and started dominating possession Bronico faded into obscurity in the game; he only had 23 passes and was dispossessed three times.  This was the type of game where you want a more attacking player in Bronico’s role, especially when Miami went down to 10 men. Dean Smith could've made a change at halftime. Bronico thrives when out of possession hustling and counter-attacking, but when it's 11v10 you want a more creative player to ignite the offense.

By Andrew Crowell Dean Smith (Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art/Topbin90) This week’s match brings the Crown to Miami to take on a potentially Lionel Messi-less squad that won 2-0 in the midweek against Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier while playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This is a pivotal match in the race for the top of the Eastern Conference this season with Inter Miami being one of the better teams the Crown will have to best to take the next step up in the conference standings from last season. Last week’s Injury Pulse referenced Pep Biel and Wilfried Zaha’s minutes being worth watching. Biel looked healthy and Zaha showed no signs of missing some training sessions for the birth of his child, as the pair each added a goal to their resume last weekend.  Regarding injuries from last week, Brandon Cambridge and Jahlane Forbes seem to still be dealing with hamstring problems. Manager Dean Smith has already revealed in a press conference this week that they will be unavailable this weekend. It is also worth noting that Nimfasha Birchimas suffered a broken bone in his left foot and was scheduled to have surgery on Thursday, per the Charlotte Ledger’s Carroll Walton . Berchimas stated the recovery time was around 12 weeks. As of now, there is no other injury-related news on the squad. Everyone else is healthy, but stay tuned to our website and social media accounts for the latest on the squad. Disclaimer: None of my work should be taken as medical advice. All opinions are my own.

By Ryan Donahue Photo courtesy of Cisco's Art/Topbin90 After a big win this past weekend at the Bank over Atlanta United with Wilfried Zaha opening his account, Charlotte FC now heads south to take on Inter Miami in a battle for third position in the Eastern Conference.  With rumors regarding Messi’s availability continuing to cause speculation, Charlotte fans should be excited for what could be a huge statement if Dean Smith’s side can get another result on the road. Early reports indicate that Charlotte’s full roster is available to travel therefore Smith will likely play the same lineup he had last week. Here’s how Charlotte FC could lineup to take on Inter Miami: Defensive unit In goal, Kristijan Kahlina gets the start with the Croatian goalkeeper picking up his first clean sheet of the 2025 season last weekend. Kahlina was involved in several key saves in the first half to keep Atlanta at bay and a strong showing on Sunday will be critical for preventing the likes of Luis Suarez and Messi. At the center of defense, Adilson Malanda and Andrew Privett are expected to partner again. The two center backs both had strong showings in the first two games of the season and have quickly reasserted themselves as a difficult defensive unit to break down. The outside backs will include Tim Ream and Nathan Byrne who have maintained a consistent standard in both performances. Midfield line Charlotte’s midfield trio was adjusted last weekend with Eryk Williamson dropping to the bench and the Crown’s fan favorite Brandt Bronico returning to the midfield. Bronico’s energy last weekend was a major influence on the overall result, something that was lacking against Seattle. Ashley Westwood will captain the team as one of the center defensive midfielders and Pep Biel who opened his scoring account as well last season will be in the attacking midfield position. Forward line In the attack, Patrick Agyemang will be hungry to get his first goal as Charlotte’s leading number nine. With Agyemang as Charlotte’s center forward, the wings will be DP’s Liel Abada and Wilfried Zaha. Zaha’s performance in the second half last weekend was the X factor that carried Charlotte to a win against their rivals, Zaha and Abada’s contributions will be needed again in Miami. Charlotte’s rotation options for the weekend are likely to include Eryk Williamson, Iuri Tavares, Kerwin Vargas, and Idan Toklomati depending on what Smith views as most needed to get points on the day. With confidence and momentum running high, this weekend's fixture could be a significant statement for the club’s season if they can secure points. Predicted Starting XI

By Brian Maurer Patrick Agyemang (left) in a duel with Tomas Aviles (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90) After picking up four points through their first two MLS matches, Charlotte FC heads south to face the defending Supporters' Shield winners, Inter Miami. It's an opportunity for the Crown to show the rest of the Conference that they mean business and can compete for a top 4 finish in the East. Here are three 1 v 1 matchups that could be pivotal to the outcome of this Sunday night fixture: Lionel Messi vs Adilson Malanda Messi is the ultimate game-breaker. He has been playing more centrally this season, so instead of occupying the left-back as he has in past matchups versus Charlotte he will likely occupy the center-backs more. Malanda defending the Argentine forward will be key to reducing his impact on the game. Last year when Charlotte traveled to Miami, Messi didn't have a strong showing but he still put in a golazo to tie the game. Doing everything you can to keep track of him and reduce his access to the ball in dangerous areas will be the most important focus in this game for the Crown. Messi was rotated out of the Heron's midweek Concacaf Champions Cup match against Cavalier so he should be set to play this weekend. Sergio Busquets vs Brandt Bronico Reducing Miami's attackers' access to the ball will prevent Messi and co. from causing problems on Charlotte's defensive line. Busquets got over 100 touches in Miami's home opener in week one versus NYCFC and he will likely be working to get the ball a bunch to help connect play with the forward line again this Sunday. Bronico will need to use his endless energy to limit the time Busquets has and make life annoying and difficult for the Spaniard to try and reduce his world-class distribution. Noah Allen vs Patrick Agyemang Last year, Agyemang did not earn the start when the Crown traveled to Miami and the game was screaming for his style of play. Agyemang will get that opportunity this Sunday. Charlotte will need to disrupt Miami's control of the ball and the game and a part of that strategy will be to keep putting the ball in over the top where their young striker can chase it down and create a few chances. Allen has started in both MLS matches for Miami this year and will likely be one of the two center-backs charged with trying to limit Agyemang's impact on the game. Allen is quite a bit smaller than Agyemang which could make this match-up more intriguing as he will have to get creative in how defends an attacker who is nearly a foot taller than him. Summary This game will come down to how whether Charlotte can disrupt Miami from playing the way they want to play, which is a heavy-possession game that is slow and methodical with plenty of attacking volume. If the Crown is going to disrupt the Herons they will need to prevent their key distributors from having access to the ball and limiting time and space in those moments when players like Busquets and Messi have possession.

By Ryan Donahue Jeremiah White IV transferred to Poland (Photo courtesy of Legia Warszawa) After a convincing 2-0 win at home this past weekend, Charlotte FC is sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference. Having secured a point on the road at Seattle and three points against rivals Atlanta United, Charlotte now faces off against Messi and co. this weekend on Sunday, March 9 at 4:00 pm. With vibes on high both inside the locker room and amongst the fans, here’s the latest from around the Carolinas. Top Stories of the Week Carolina Core FC makes a historic transfer Carolina Ascent players recognized for Player of the Month awards Crown Legacy FC secures European silverware ahead of regular season kickoff NC Courage players return from International Duty NCFC announces upcoming season full roster   Charleston Battery Charleston Battery kicks off their home season opener this weekend against Louisville City FC on Saturday night. The side wrapped up its last preseason fixture sharing a point with Clemson Tigers this past weekend. Juan David Torres from the Battery scored a second-half goal to help the Battery secure its result with everything to play for starting this weekend. The Battery also released its 2025 primary and secondary kits which include their new front-of-kit sponsor The Ideal Life. NCFC With North Carolina FC additions settling into the side, the club formally announced its 2025 team roster ahead of kick-off this Saturday against Pittsburgh Riverhounds at 7:00 pm at home. NCFC Head Coach & Sporting Director John Bradford acknowledged that the side is composed of a strong foundation of returning players from the 2024 season, six new professional signings, and two academy signings and believes the side aims to compete for more championships moving forward. Charlotte Independence The Independence won its preseason fixture against Crown Legacy FC this past weekend with a 2-0 win at Charlotte FC’s training facility. With two weeks still to go until the side’s season opener, the Independence this past week celebrated Luis Alvarez  (Midfielder) and Nick Spielman (Defender) who were named to the 2024 USL League One All-League teams. Charlotte Independence will play their season opener on March 15 away to the Richmond Kickers.  Greenville Triumph The Triumph were victorious over local South Carolina Division 1 Clemson University with the side outscoring the Tigers 4-2. Ben Zarkowski picked up a brace along with contributions from Michael Gonzales, and Sebastian Velasquez to bring in the goals on the night. On Monday, Greenville socials announced the Club’s upcoming theme nights for the season which teased superheroes, retro night, and fresh kits. Greenville kicks off its regular season home opener this Saturday, March 8 against Westchester SC. Crown Legacy FC Crown Legacy FC was recognized this past Saturday for winning the Medulin Cup in Croatia. Charlotte’s MLS Next Pro side traveled to Croatia to compete among other international teams as part of their preseason fixtures heading into the side’s season opener this weekend. Crown Legacy will kick off it’s season home opener on Friday, March 7 at 7:00 pm against New York City FC II. Carolina Core FC Carolina Core wrapped up its preseason fixtures with a disappointing stoppage time 2-1 defeat to UNC Greensboro this past weekend. The club also confirmed the departure of Jeremiah White IV who joined Legia Warsaw in a historic transfer described as a new pathway for MLS NEXT Pro talent. Carolina Core’s next fixture will be Saturday, March 14 against Inter Miami II on the road with fans having to wait until April 5 for the side's first home opener. North Carolina Courage (W) While NC Courage announced their new Believe secondary kit this past week, the players have also been busy on the pitch. The Courage’s Jaedyn Shaw, Manaka Matsukubo, Denise O’Sullivan, Aline Gomes, and Feli Rauch all returned from their international fixtures with the full focus now on preparing for the season ahead. The North Carolina Courage will kick off their regular season opener against Racing Louisville on March 15. Carolina Ascent FC (W) Carolina Ascent’s Jenna Butler and Mia Corbin were nominated for USL Super League’s February Team of the Month. Corbin, who has been making headlines with her three goals in three games, has also helped Food Lion to donate 3,000 meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Ascent was disappointed to pick up a 2-1 defeat to Fort Lauderdale United FC. Ascent’s Rylee Baisden was awarded the Nucor Tough As Steel Player of the Match. Ascent fans will be disappointed by the result as Ascent now sit third in the league table just two points below Fort Lauderdale.  Ascent will travel to Spokane Zephyr FC this upcoming Saturday as the side looks to get back to winning ways.

By Brian Maurer Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90 Last week, MLS released the Spring 2025 Roster Profiles for every club in the league. Our friend, Caleb Adams, gave a bullet-point breakdown of what Charlotte FC's roster looks like and how it can evolve going into the summer. Following up on that here is a deep dive into how Charlotte's roster compares to the rest of the Eastern Conference and what actions will need to be taken as the 2025 season progresses: U22 Initiative Model As Adams points out, Charlotte FC's roster, with two Designated Players and three U22 Initiative slots filled, allows them flexibility, as they can currently activate the U22 Initiative Model as their roster construction path. In the summer, Charlotte will be able to add a DP or a U22 Initiative Player to finish filling out their roster. If Charlotte elects to sign a DP that would likely be the one major move they make. If the Crown elects to keep the U22 Initiative Model they will likely also be able to make another move if they shift some pieces around to bring another TAM-level player with the extra GAM that the U22 Initiative Model provides. The likely scenario, given that Charlotte is in win-now mode is that they push for a third DP. The caveat is whether Pep Biel would need to be a DP if his purchase option is exercised. There is no confirmation on how flexible his contract is after the loan expires in the summer. TAM-Level Charlotte FC has right around the average number of TAM-level players on their roster as the rest of the Eastern Conference. The average number of actively available TAM players in the EC is 5.67. Charlotte has six. This means that Charlotte is keeping pace with the top-end spending on their roster compared to the conference competition. An added benefit as things stand for Charlotte is that all six of their TAM players are a part of their starting lineup. Once you add their two DPs, Wilfried Zaha and Liel Abada, eight of Charlotte's starting eleven are the highest-cost players on the roster. This is a good thing as it means their money spent looks like it will ratio more evenly with minutes played. Roster decisions Charlotte FC has 14 players who have contracts expiring before the 2026 season. The players at the top-end of the roster like Zaha and Biel are a bit easier to see the path forward than the others. If Zaha leads this team with plenty of goal contributions and helps them push for trophies and the top four in the East this year the club will aim to keep him longer term. If Biel is tracking at around double-digit goal contributions by his loan expiration he will likely be looked at longer term. Patrick Agyemang, Brandt Bronico, Djibril Diani, and Bill Tuiloma are all on the senior roster and are all on expiring contracts with an option year for 2026. Ben Bender and Eryk Williamson are both on the senior roster with expiring contracts and no options remaining on their current deals. Depending on how the season plays out that is four central midfielders on the senior roster on expiring contracts. This could lead to a bit of a shake-up in the middle for 2026. This also could give an opportunity to young prospects like Aron John next season if he performs well again for Crown Legacy FC in 2025. The other big focus here is Agyemang's contract situation which will likely be an ongoing saga until a deal is reached or a godfather offer comes in for him. Charlotte will need to make decisions about two of their backup goalkeepers as David Bingham and George Marks are on expiring contracts with no option years left. They have additional goalkeeper depth in Chituru Odunze and Nick Holliday so there isn't much urgency in making a decision here. The more interesting decisions on the supplemental roster are Brandon Cambridge, Jahlane Forbes, Tyger Smalls, and Nick Scardina. They all have options left on their contracts but so the club has time to make a decision, but can any of them earn themselves new contracts and find a way to push themselves onto the senior roster? This will likely be the goal for these young prospects.

By Sam Vanolinda Wilfried Zaha crowned as Man of the Match (Photo courtesy of CJ Hellner/Topbin90) To quote Sir Minty’s new best friend Tom Bogert: He’s Wilfried Zaha, dude. What a picture-perfect weekend for Charlotte FC. Following a shaky first half, the stars aligned for Wilfried Zaha when, first, he accidentally poked a ball through to Pep Biel for the opening score, and then expertly finished a volley into the bottom right corner to secure the three points against rival Atlanta United. Zaha’s signature fist pump jump celebration will be remembered forever in the atmospheric, passionate Selhurst Park, but now it has traveled 3982 miles to the cauldron of a stadium that is the Bank, where 50,000 Pepas-loving fans embraced him at the same moment he embraced them.  Whether his stadium sells steak pies or Bojangles chicken boxes,  Zaha will always be the same player. A player that isn’t shaken by the moment; a player that can have a quiet half and adjust to win a game for his team. At the beginning of the game, fellow Ivorian Emmanuel Latte Lath seemed like the player that would hog the spotlight Saturday Afternoon, but the great defensive showings from the entire back four and Kahlina steadied the ship and allowed Zaha to take over in the second half.  Let's take a look at the stock up/down from the Crown's 2-0 win versus Atlanta United: Stock Up Wilfried Zaha Zaha had a very quiet game in the first half. Atlanta wing-back Matthew Edwards was man-marking him; which caused him to have little time on the ball. The touches he did have were rusty. You could tell he was feeling out the intensity of the league in his opening minutes — limit testing what he could do and what he couldn’t. “I had a little go at a few people because I want to win” Zaha added post-game, “I just thought we just need to speed up what we are doing, and once we did speed it up I don’t think they could live with us in the second half.” Zaha is a player who is going to be vocal, and he told his teammates that they need to get the ball to him quicker so he has time to turn and progress. In the second half, Zaha came deeper to get the ball, and left back Tim Ream began to press forward slightly to take advantage of the space Zaha created because he was being man-marked. Eventually, Charlotte FC managed to create more attacking opportunities, and Zaha was at the right place at the right time like a superstar player is.  Zaha did not have a dominant game, but he still was there when the team needed him. That is what a DP should be. You will not always be embarrassing defenders and taking 10 shots on goal; all Zaha needed was one. This game was reminiscent of his last year at Crystal Palace. He transitioned into more of a poacher, rather than a winger who will dribble past players constantly. That is what you are going to get from Zaha here in Charlotte. Andrew Privett I could put the entire defense for the stock-up segment of the article, but I will single out Privett for his performance on Saturday. Privett was a brick wall. He had the incredibly hard task of trying to deal with Lath, Miguel Almiron, and Saba Lobjanidze. This is easily a top-five front three in the league, which Atlanta United has spent over $30 million to acquire.  Deal with them he did. Privett had 7 clearances, two interceptions, one tackle, one block, three recoveries, and was 89% on passing; most importantly, one clean sheet. I have to give credit to Tim Ream as well. After struggling last week versus Seattle, he had the job of marking Almiron and did an exceptional job. Pep Biel Two goal contributions in two games, a good start to the year for the Spaniard.  In addition to his great finish for the opening goal of the game, Biel started to find pockets in the defense that allowed the team to progress forward in the second half.  I think that Biel should be the player on the team that touches the ball more than anyone. He has the dribbling ability to create attacking opportunities for the team. Even though he had a great game against Atlanta, I think Biel will get better as the season goes on once he is fully fit. Brandt Bronico It didn’t take long for Brandt Bronico to prove himself worthy of being in the starting lineup like he was at the end of the 2024 season.  “I thought the midfield two were excellent,” Dean Smith said post-match. “Ashley Westwood and Brandt Bronico, they snuffed out any danger in front of the back four really quickly, they went and pressed really well when they needed to and they had really good balance. I thought BB especially was excellent today.” Bronico was impressive as always with his hustle and pressing. Although Eryk Williamson took his spot for the first game, Bronico proved why he is so valuable to the team. Bronico does all the dirty work and increases the energy of the team. He is a player that will be key to Charlotte’s success. He can make an impact on both ends of the field. Stock Down Patrick Agyemang I am not going to go too hard on Agyemang, because I am sure there will be a point in this season that he feels unstoppable; all strikers have dry patches.  With that said, he was completely silent in this game. He did put pressure on Atlanta when chasing after the long balls that Charlotte was sending forward. The two goals were a result of long balls, the first being a long ball directed to Agyemang. He will always be great at pressuring the center-backs when the ball is in the air, but we all know that Agyemang is much more than that. He needs to start coming short just to get a couple of touches on the ball to get into the game.  One shot, only two successful passes in the entire 78 minutes he played, 16 touches, and a yellow card. Not a day you will remember for Agyemang. Liel Abada Abada is on the decline again. He just has not felt like a Designated Player so far this year. He is a winger with decent pace, he can control possession to a solid extent, and he will make the easy play. None of those qualities scream DP. 13 passes, one chance created, and zero accurate crosses; hopefully in the upcoming games we can get the ball to him more to see what he can do. Eryk Williamson It never bodes well when your coach jumps on a presser the previous week visibly frustrated and upset with the team's performance and then you are the player that is benched in the follow-up game. Especially when your replacement, Bronico in this case, is talked about as being “ excellent today. ” This is the scenario Willamson is now in. The upside is he looks like a great option for 30 minutes every game off the bench to reinforce any of the three midfield roles. This will surely get him regular reps and could lead him to earn a starting spot back in the coming weeks.