Three matches against New York City FC and three wins for Charlotte FC in this matchup’s short history.
The Crown bounced back after an uninspiring performance against D.C. United with a polar opposite one against their Eastern Conference rivals. Head Coach Christian Lattanzio mentioned that he had a “frank” discussion with his players following the defeat against D.C. United, and that in the build up to NYCFC he asked just one thing of his players.
“I’m very, very proud of the boys tonight because I asked them only one thing. I asked them to show grit as a team and willingness to win. It’s not just wanting to win, because everybody wants that. It’s how you fight on every ball, on every duel, whether you have the ball or not.
“Can you win every ball? You can’t, but if you lose the first three or four can you go on the fifth one with the same spirit or you let the other two or three affect you? I think this is the difference between winning games.”
Lattanzio has stated several times that the team was missing some of their leaders that can help push them to the next level. Leaders like Ashley Westwood, Kristijan Kahlina who returned from injury to make his first start for the Club this season against NYCFC, and newcomer Justin Meram who brings 13 seasons of MLS experience to his new team.
The impact they had? “I think it is evident for everybody to see,” is what Lattanzio had to say.
Individually they directly contributed to the win with Kahlina making crucial saves, Westwood threading the pass to set up the first goal, and Meram delivering a delightful ball that completed Enzo Copetti’s brace. As a unit, they collectively pushed and encouraged their team in what Kahlina called a “battle of mentality” between the two sides.
The team had to mentally combat conceding two goals against the run of play and defending their lead for 20 minutes without their starting center back Adilson Malanda who came off due to injury – and they succeeded.
“To me that means the world because you know, I like to play your fancy football and then sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it goes against us...
“Then it was 2-2 and you could tell New York was feeling the momentum but the boys responded with a lot of passion in the way that we spoke very strongly [about] in the week. That we need to have this grit and mentality that every ball is important, the next one even more, and the next even more.
“This is the base. If you don’t have this, football always comes second. You can have all the qualities in the world, but if you don’t put that, football qualities come second. I can see the qualities that they, everybody can, but that determination... when they show that, for me, the coaching staff, the club, the fans, it’s gold.”
