Refreshed, Reenergized, Refocused: Ingredients of the Match

August 22, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release

Charlotte FC is gearing up to resume their MLS campaign this week, facing off against the New York Red Bulls.

Here are the three ingredients of the match:

Back at the Bank

Recent performances have shown that the Red Bulls’ horns are smaller outside of Red Bull Arena. They haven’t secured a win in their last five away matches and now face the daunting task of playing at Bank of America Stadium, a venue known for being notoriously challenging for visiting teams.

Charlotte FC has the advantage of playing their first two MLS matches after the break at home. Starting their playoff push with a statement win against a direct competitor in the Eastern Conference would be a significant boost for a team aiming to climb the standings. With the support of their fans, Charlotte can take the game to the Red Bulls, which is an uncomfortable position for any opponent.

Full Concentration

Earlier this season, Charlotte suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Red Bulls, marking one of their most disappointing losses under Dean Smith’s leadership. However, the score didn’t fully capture Charlotte’s overall performance. For much of the match, Charlotte played well, but a brief lapse in concentration during a critical five-minute window altered the game’s outcome drastically.

“If we take five minutes out of that game, we would have had a positive result. We had about a five-minute spell where we lost our way,” Smith reflected. “We’ve got to make sure for 90 minutes that we are fully concentrated.”

The Red Bulls’ strategy heavily relies on provoking errors and capitalizing on them, making full concentration essential for Charlotte. If they can avoid those lapses, Charlotte stands a strong chance of overcoming the Red Bulls this time around.

Refreshed, Reenergized, Refocused

After being knocked out of Leagues Cup, Charlotte FC have been off the pitch since July 31. This three-week break has given the team ample time to rest, refresh, and refocus as they prepare for the final stretch of their playoff run, which spans the last nine matches of the season.

“It’s a long season, I didn’t realize how long it was here,” remarked Head Coach Dean Smith. “As unfortunate as it was to go out of Leagues Cup, it wasn’t a bad thing as well to get a bit of a breather, reset a little bit, go over the basics, and reflect on what we’ve been doing.”

This period of recovery and introspection is expected to fuel a strong comeback as the team…