CHARLOTTE – Fresh off their first away win, Charlotte FC interim head coach Christian Lattanzio speaks on how the team can carry that momentum into their match against Nashville SC.
“It was very good for us to get the first away win because we have never experienced that as a club. And so that creates belief. Belief that you can do it. We can talk as much as we want but until you do something the doubt is still there... Now we hope that this doubt is gone because we did it and in a difficult environment as well, against a very good team in my opinion with very good players and well organized.”
“And now the next challenge is to carry on the momentum. We just have to take each game and prepare it the best that we can and to find the right characteristics of the twenty players that will represent us tomorrow. With motivation, with resilience, togetherness, and also try to play the football that we want to play.”
Nashville are known to defend in a low block – stacking numbers in and around their own box – making them very difficult to break down. And scoring against low blocks has been a struggle for the Crown this season.
“They are one of the teams that defends better as a block. They are compact and know how to arrive in position, experienced through the middle, mobile in the wide positions. Yeah it will be a challenge but if we want to play in this kind of formation and this style of football, you know you’re going to deal with these kinds of blocks and this kind of compactness from the opposition.”
“It will be down to us to be resilient because you can be resilient with the ball as much as you can be without it. And so we have to be patient, move the ball quickly, and to try to go to good positions. And then try to be more creative in the last third, more resilient, and keep running at them and keep asking questions if the game will go that way.”
The Crown are back at their fortress and playing in an atmosphere that never ceases to amaze Lattanzio. The team is itching to make the fans proud this weekend as they look to get back to winning ways at home after their loss at home against Austin FC.
“At home, we have an unbelievable atmosphere with great support from fans... So that’s a big help for us in many different ways. And we want, as much as possible, to make them happy and proud of the team that they see and that is their team.”
Bash at the Bank
Bash at the Bank | 4 PM on Mint Street
Come join us of the pre-match party of the summer.
- DJ, Food Trucks, & Fire Truck
- Kids Fun Zone with Inflatables, Face Paint Artists, Minty, and more.
