In a tightly contested match, Charlotte FC played to a 0-0 draw against the LA Galaxy, extending their unbeaten streak to four games and earning another cean sheey in their impressive May run.
Defender João Pedro emphasized the team's recent success following his first consecutive start, stating, “We’ve put together big wins [this month], it’s the fruits we are bearing from our work in training.”
This hard work was evident in the team's ability to keep another top-three offense in the league scoreless, the other being the Portland Timbers.
Head Coach Dean Smith praised his team's defensive discipline, particularly in the first half. “I thought first half, defensively, we were excellent. Our game plan was to make them play around us, which we made them do for quite a lot. I think the final summed it for us again. When we managed to get the ball or we ended up with a counter-attack, we never connected that pass,” he explained.
Smith also reflected on the overall quality of the match, noting, “All in all, I thought it was a really good game. Interesting, but no goals.”
Despite the lack of scoring, the game was a testament to Charlotte's structured play and tactical discipline. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina played a crucial role in maintaining the clean sheet, showcasing his calm and composed demeanor coming up with some clutch saves in the final minutes of the match.
“Calmness. He’s a calm goalkeeper. He does the basics really well, and that’s what you want from a goalkeeper, to keep the ball out of the net,” Smith said of Kahlina's performance.
Kahlina himself acknowledged the collective effort behind Charlotte's solid defense, attributing much of his and the collective's success to Coach Smith's tactics.
“This is all from the coach," praised Kahlina. "He put these tactics, this shape, and it really works. Everything is from him... I think how he prepared from the start our team, I think the whole team plays really good defense."
Charlotte FC will look to build on this momentum next Saturday when they host the Philadelphia Union, aiming to continue their unbeaten run and secure another three points at home.
CLT vs PHI | May 25 at 7:30 | Bank of America Stadium
Four straight unbeaten matches
Three consecutive Clean Sheets at home
MAYhem has a whole new meaning — see you Saturday!
