CHARLOTTE – It was unlikely goal scorer Quinn McNeill that put away Charlotte FC’s third goal of the match against D.C. United. It will be one that he will never forget as it was the first-ever one of his MLS career.
“Yeah, it was a special moment. And you know, I'm still trying to reel it in now, kind of going through my head and still not fully there. But really, it's just a special experience and share it in front of the fans with the teammates tonight and the three zero win, like there's no other opportunity, I'm really happy.”
“I don't pride myself on being like a goal scorer, you know, I want to be someone who works for the team and puts the team first. So, if the result comes out, I get a goal based on our performance, that's awesome.”
From undrafted college player to an MLS Man of the Match, McNeill has had a rapid rise in the past couple of months. It wasn’t long ago when he was relatively unknown and now he’s become a regular starter under interim head coach Christian Lattanzio.
“Yeah, it's been it's been a long one (journey). I wouldn't say traditional in any sense. I've played now two or three teams, I played with Independence and I played down in the tournament in Charleston. But I think it's just something, you know, I want to prove myself everyday, day in and day out.
“Then the club here trusted me. They said, you'll get your chance at some point with Independence. So, I just kept playing there and I believed in myself and they believed in me and now I'm here to reap the benefits.”
The win against D.C. was critical for CLTFC’s playoff push and next they have another home match where another three points could greatly boost their position in the table.
“We definitely wanted to pick up points tonight. And this was a huge game to do if we're able to do so three points jumps us up the table if we continue to do that Saturday, you know, we're putting ourselves in a good position.
