Over 1,200 Charlotte FC fans traveled to Atlanta for tonight’s rivalry match. The Crown delivered for them with a commanding, hard-fought victory.
First Half
Lineup: Kahlina, Lindsey, Malanda, Sobocinski, Byrne, Bronico, Westwood, Bender, Jozwiak, Swiderski, Meram
To open the match, Charlotte FC weathered a good opening spell from Atlanta United, mostly thanks to a pair of strong saves from goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. In just the 2nd minute, Atlanta broke the CLTFC press, and Brooks Lennon fired a low cross into the box. Kahlina bravely got a touch on it just before Andrew Gutman arrived and crashed into the Croatian. After being cleared by CLTFC medical staff, he bettered himself in the 16th minute, closing down the angle on an Luis Araujo 1v1 chance and making a big stop to keep the game scoreless.
Only two minutes later, The Crown bounced back and took the lead through new man Justin Meram. After a period of good play, Ashley Westwood delivered a pinpoint cross to an unmarked Meram on the back post. Meram calmly side-footed the ball into the turf and over Atlanta keeper Westberg into the back of the net.
After that frenetic start, the match settled into a steady rhythm for the remainder of the half. CLTFC were resolute defensively, consistently denying time and space to the Atlanta attackers. Both teams had their share of half chances, but Charlotte went into halftime with the advantage.
Second Half
Lineup: Kahlina, Lindsey, Malanda, Sobocinski (Diop 71’), Byrne, Bronico, Westwood, Bender (86’), Jozwiak (64’), Swiderski, Meram
Substitutions: Gaines (64’), Diop (71’), Afful (86’), Cambridge (86’)
Charlotte FC came out of the gates swinging in the second half, extending their lead to 3-0 inside the first fifteen minutes.
In the 48th minute, Karol Swiderski did well to beat Miles Robinson to a ball into the channel and fired his cross into Kamil Jozwiak, who had beaten Atlanta left back Andrew Gutman to the front post. Westberg made a brilliant point blank save, but Jozwiak had been pulled back by a scrambling Gutman.
After a lengthy VAR review, referee Lukasz Szpala gave a penalty and sent Gutman off with a straight red card, reducing Atlanta to 10 men. Swiderski stepped up to the spot, sent Westberg the wrong way, and celebrated in front of the 1,000+ traveling CLTFC supporters.
Soon after in the 57th minute, Meram got his second of the match and Charlotte FC’s third through a well-worked team goal. Jaylin Lindsey slipped Jozwiak in behind, and he reversed it for a late-arriving Meram to finish into the far post.
Both teams hit the woodwork late on before Atlanta pulled one back off a corner kick through Juan José Purata.
Still, Charlotte FC did what they needed to do to secure the result at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The traveling CLTFC faithful will have a happy four-hour drive home after their team evened the season series with their rival and won their third-straight game in all competitions.
