Full Time: Cruel result for an authoritative Charlotte FC performance

Caleb Adams

WASHINGTON, DC – The score line against D.C. United showed 3 – 0 in favor of the home team but it didn’t tell the whole story.

Charlotte FC didn’t look like an expansion side making their debut and it seemed to hit D.C. United by surprise in the first half. CLTFC looked comfortable to start the match and limited D.C. to very few scoring opportunities.

But unfortunately for Charlotte, luck was not on their side. They conceded two goals in the first half that were against the run of play killing the momentum going into half time.

However, the team kept battling to the very end, keeping D.C. on their toes and never taking their foot off the gas. Despite the game resulting in a 0-3 loss, Charlotte FC showed strides of progress and that they can compete in this league.

Coming Out Swinging

One of the keys for Charlotte FC coming into this match was managing their butterflies in this historic moment. In preseason, there was a common trend of the team starting out slow and trying to get into a rhythm.

In their first-ever MLS match, CLTFC came out in complete contrast to their preseason performances. They were not intimidated by the occasion and were authoritative from the start. For large portions of that half, CLTFC kept D.C. United on the back foot, pinned in their own half.

In his press conference leading up to the game against D.C., Charlotte FC head coach Miguel Ramírez said that success for this game wasn’t based on the result but rather how the team competed.

“I feel proud and happy when I see my team able to compete, later the results are another thing. There is too many factors in a game that you can’t control, even when you are better than the opponent, you can lose the game.

“But if I have the feeling that they [the team] are competing, and we are able to be in their half and control the tempo. This for me is a success because it is what we can control.”

Ramírez will certainly be very proud of his players’ performances in their first official MLS match. They controlled the tempo, were able to create scoring opportunities, and most importantly compete.

Soccer is a Cruel Game

Due to the low scoring nature of soccer, it is a sport where playing better doesn’t always guarantee you the win. One single moment can win or lose you the game, and sometimes those moments are completely out of your control.

The first goal conceded was a controversial penalty call that came when Charlotte were in peak control of the match. Unlucky deflections off shots resulted in the second and third goals.

The score line against D.C. United wasn’t indicative of Charlotte FC’s performance and that’s just the nature of sport. Unfortunately for teams, not everything can be controlled but for the things that Charlotte FC could control they did well and showed early promise for long season ahead.

Other Things to Note: