February 23, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Charlotte FC News Release
Charlotte FC enter the club’s third season with a new coach at the helm: Dean Smith. The Englishman’s squad will look to continue their preseason momentum after going undefeated across six games and keeping four consecutive clean sheets in their last four.
Now, the team will open their 2024 MLS campaign against New York City FC on Saturday, February 24th in front of an open upper deck at Bank of America Stadium. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Match: Charlotte FC vs New York City FC
When: Saturday, February 24th
Where: Bank of America Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30pm ET
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV – How to Watch & Listen
Listen: WFNZ 92.7 FM (English) & WOLS 106.1 FM (Spanish)
For all other radio station affiliates in the Carolinas, click here.
Know Before You Go: For details on match day at Bank of America Stadium, click here.
Capitalizing on Home Opener Hype
Charlotte FC’s home opener at Bank of America Stadium will likely be the world’s highest-attended soccer match in the world on Saturday. Without a doubt, it will be the highest-attended game in MLS on Saturday, with 60,000-plus expected.
Ultimately, that means a lot of extra hype around the match. Bank of America Stadium will be buzzing, ready to explode in cheers, and the team on the field needs to capitalize on the energy in the stands.
“We want to make sure that we’re proving them [the fans] right,” Smith said in Thursday’s press conference. “Because I can feel that they’re behind us.”
To do this, all eleven players need to keep their composure in a high-pressure environment. Calmly sticking to the principles that Head Coach Dean Smith has put in place throughout preseason will be paramount to win a home opener for the first time in Club history.
New Head Coach, New Style
Charlotte FC changed coaching leadership this offseason, electing to part ways with Christian Lattanzio and bring in respected former Premier League manager, Dean Smith. Smith has made an immediate impact on the team throughout preseason, emphasizing a culture of togetherness and clear, direct principles of play.
On Saturday, expect to see a team that first focuses on defending at an excellent level (“being hard to beat”, as Smith described in Thursday’s press conference and throughout preseason).
“It [our defensive style] looks like one that teams will struggle to play through,” Smith said. “We want to be compact and make them go where we want…
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