Charlotte FC head across the country to play against the Seattle Sounders as they remain in the hunt for their first away win.
Here are the three ingredients of the match for the Sounders.
Don’t Concede Early
CLTFC have conceded first in the 2nd minute in their last two matches. They’ve managed to respond well in both instances but allowing it to happen a third time in a row in a tough away venue like Seattle is a deep hole to bury yourself in.
It’s much harder said than done, but if you don’t concede a goal you are guaranteed to get a point at the very minimum. When you concede a goal, it forces you to change your whole game plan and approach to the match, on top of the hit your team’s morale receives.
The pressure is on the Sounders to win this match after coming off a loss and being the home team. The longer the game goes without them scoring, the more desperate they will become, giving openings that Charlotte FC can exploit.
Play Your Game
The last two times Charlotte FC have played opponents considered to be some of the best in the league (Philadelphia Union and C.F. Montreal) they respected them a little too much. The team played more conservatively and it seemed to hinder them, giving their opponents a relatively comfortable match.
But this is Major League Soccer, and in this league, anyone can beat anyone on any day, anywhere.
“The way I see the league in general, the teams in this league, is that there are no standout teams. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day,” said CLTFC mainstay midfielder, Brandt Bronico.
Instead of hyper-focusing on the opponent like they did in those encounters against the Union and Montreal, focusing on their own strengths will be key. Play your own game and try to force the Seattle Sounders to adjust to you.
Nothing to Lose
Charlotte playing two matches in six days and then traveling cross country to play a third in a seven-day span is exhausting. At the end of the day getting a result away from home against the CONCACAF Champions League winners under these circumstances is a tall order.
But head coach Miguel Ramírez fully intends to try and win this match, “I’m not taking a plane almost six hours to just fight for a point.”
However, many outside the Club don’t expect an expansion club to waltz into Seattle and get a result against the MLS giants especially after playing a midweek match. But there is a certain freedom that comes with going into a game with low expectations from the outside.
The Crown have nothing to lose in trying to take the game to Seattle. And with an international break right after the match, the CLTFC players will get a lengthy rest to recover after the long week.
Earning a point but especially getting that first away win in Seattle will serve as a massive confidence boost for their away woes this season and could turn a new page for the team.
