The black and blue needed a win after some time away from the pitch.
PHILADELPHIA β After a week away from the pitch, Charlotte FC hit the road Saturday to take on the Philadelphia Union. The team’s last match ended with a 2-0 win against Toronto, but the black and blue needed to prove they hadn’t lost their rhythm.
While they were able to keep up to tempo in the second half, the Union was able strike one last chord that led to a road loss for Charlotte.
The first half was addled with yellow cards: two against Charlotte FC (specifically midfielder Kerwin Vargas and striker Wilfried Zaha) and three against Philadelphia (for defender Olwethu Makhanya, midfielder JesΓΊs Bueno, and former Charlotte FC midfielder Ben Bender). Right as the match wound down for halftime, however, Bueno found the net to give the Union a 1-0 lead.
The bulk of the second half saw little action, with Philadelphia defender Francis Westfield getting a yellow card. However, Zaha got an assist from defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty – who’s on loan from CF Montreal – to tie it up 1-1 at the 78-minute mark.
For much of the back half of the match, it seemed like both teams would leave the pitch with a draw. But as time ticked into stoppage, Philadelphia striker Markus Adedeji found the net with a boost from defender Francis Westfield to make it 2-1 for the Union. Charlotte couldn’t respond before the match ended, losing three MLS standings points in the end.
The black and blue are still on the road for the next two matches in the schedule. They get another break this coming week but hit the pitch again on Wednesday, June 25, against Sporting Kansas City. Kickoff is a bit later at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
Charlotte faces Chicago Fire FC again on Saturday, June 28, aiming for revenge after Chicago trounced them at home 4-1 in May. Kickoff that evening is also at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
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