No one would call it a perfect performance, but when Charlotte FC had to go on the road and get three points to keep their hunt for a top four spot alive, they got the job done.
D.C. United certainly helped The Crown’s cause, with two red cards for the home team giving Charlotte a two-man advantage for sixty minutes.
The first came when D.C. goalkeeper Luis Barraza handled the ball outside of his box. After a VAR check, he was given a red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Ten minutes later, D.C. midfielder Aarón Herrera head-butted Charlotte forward Wilfried Zaha, forcing the home squad to play with nine men for a good portion of the match.
Zaha would make D.C. pay immediately, taking the resulting free kick and firing the ball into the top corner to give The Crown a 1-0 lead with the help of an assist from midfielder Nikola Petkovic.
The goal was Zaha’s 19th goal contribution of the season and his ninth goal.
Despite the two-man advantage, the scoreline would stay the same for the remainder of the match, with Charlotte FC taking the three points with a 1-0 road win. This result is The Crown’s fourth road win in their last five matches. It also turns the momentum around from the last two-match loses that followed the Club's historic nine match winning streak.
After an international break, Charlotte FC will return home to Bank of America for Fan Appreciation Night to take on the Philadelphia Union, who have a chance to clinch the MLS Supporters’ Shield against New York City FC later on Saturday.
NEXT AT HOME
OCTOBER 18 // CHARLOTTE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Charlotte FC take on Philadelphia Union at Bank of America Stadium on October 18 at 6:00 p.m for Fan Appreciation Night. The first fans to arrive will receive a limited-edition t-shirt giveaway presented by Ally, as The Crown play in their regular season finale.
