Charlotte FC’s draw against Orlando FC is disappointing, but is it a sign of progress?
Not all ties are the same.
That was the message from Charlotte FC’s Brandt Bronico after his team’s 1-1 MLS deadlock Wednesday night with Orlando FC at Bank of America Stadium.
“Last year, we sometimes tied games I felt we could have lost,” Bronico said. “This year, those ties are often in games we could have won.”
Wednesday’s result was one of the latter, Bronico said.
Charlotte FC, he said, is making progress.
“Ultimately, it comes down to finishing our chances in the final third,” Bronico added.
Playing in a steady rain before a small but enthusiastic crowd, Charlotte did enough to win the match.
The Queen City side won the battle of possession, 65.5 to 34.5 percent, and had several excellent scoring opportunities.
“We had the vast majority of the possession,” coach Christian Lattanzio said. “I was happy with the way we played.”
Charlotte’s goal came in the 81st minute, on a penalty kick by Enzo Copetti, who entered the game seven minutes earlier and was playing for the first time in more than a month after recovering from a leg injury.
Copetti was fouled by Orlando’s Rodrigo Schlegel in the box and converted on his kick, sending it skidding past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.
But a Charlotte defensive mistake in the 89th minute cost the local side. Orlando’s Martin Ojeda launched a long free kick, and when two Charlotte defenders miscommunicated, the ball sailed into the goal. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina managed to get a glove on the ball, but it hit the post and went into the net.
“It was definitely disappointing,” Bronico said. “We definitely thought we’d get the three points. Those three points are important, especially with not many games left.”
Instead, Charlotte FC (7-9-9) got one point and sits two points behind Chicago for the final playoff spot in the MLS East. Charlotte has nine matches remaining.
“Now we’ll have to go to Nashville on Saturday and play well there,” Bronico said.
Charlotte and Nashville will meet at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Then the Queen City side will be off for two weeks, during the international break, before returning for the home stretch.
Lionel Messi x2
Charlotte FC will finish the season with two matches against Lionel Messi and Miami CF.
The team’s match originally scheduled for Aug. 20 has been reset for 8 p.m. Oct. 18, a Wednesday night. Then the teams will meet Oct. 21 in Charlotte, in a regularly-scheduled match, to close the regular season.
