Charlotte FC got the better of New York City FC in their last outing and will be looking for their first sweep of the season in their rematch against the Pigeons.
Here are the three ingredients of the match:
Carry the Energy
A fun tradition before Charlotte FC kicks off matches this season is doing the famous Poznań celebration to the song “Pepas”. It’s provocative and gets the people going. It jumpstarts the already boisterous Charlotte crowd for the opening minutes of the game and sets the tone for the rest of the match.
Feeding off that energy in the opening minutes and carrying it onto the field will be key to creating momentum for the team early on. The last time these two sides played, CLTFC stunned NYCFC with a goal in the 4th minute which boosted the confidence of the team.
The Crown have won seven out their nine games when scoring in the first 15 minutes. After three straight losses at home, getting off to a strong start will be vital in building early belief and fueling the fans.
Attack the Goal
One way Charlotte FC can get the fans engaged early on is by "attacking the goal" as interim head coach Christian Lattanzio described what the team did in the second half of the FC Cincinnati match.
After holding 58% of possession in the first half against FC Cincinnati but not creating many chances something had to change for Charlotte in the second half. That change came in the form of being more direct and purposeful in possession.
Instead of opting for easy and safe passing options, CTLFC players were driving at their opponents, playing threatening passes in behind, and combining quickly in the middle to progress the ball towards their opponent's goal. This made Charlotte less predictable which led to better scoring chances.
Against an NYCFC team that has conceded two or more goals for seven straight matches, the Crown have a great opportunity to end their two-match scoring drought. Staying aggressive in attacking their opponent’s goal could prove to be fruitful.
Disrupt the Orchestrator
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about NYCFC is their plethora of attacking options. However, what’s gone under the radar is the transformation of one of their most notable attackers, Maxi Moralez.
Previously an attacking midfielder, he’s dropped lower in the midfield becoming more of a deep-lying playmaker. He's become NYCFC’s orchestrator in the middle of the park, influencing everything that NYCFC does. He averages 83.4 touches per 90 minutes, more than doubling the average 20 – 40 touches players usually have in a match. He is the link between the defense and the offense and disrupting him, disrupts the entire team.
Blocking the passing lanes to Moralez will help in depleting the service that NYCFC’s star-studded attacking cast normally receives from their orchestrator.
In partnership with Harris Teeter, CLTFC is bringing you the Ingredients of the Match ahead of every time our team takes the pitch during this inaugural season. While the ingredients may differ from week to week, one thing we can all agree on is when it comes to matchday, it’s all about the food and the preparation and Harris Teeter has what you need. Milk, Creamers and Frozen Desserts from Planet Oat and Sunshine Energy Drinks for your matchday prep! Harris Teeter, an Official Grocery Store of Charlotte FC!
