Karol Swiderski scored a first half penalty on his return for The Crown; Ashley Westwood assisted Iuri Tavares again for a second half goal
First Half
Lineup: Kahlina, Byrne, Malanda, Privett, Uronen, Westwood, Diani, Bronico, Vargas, Tavares, Swiderski
On Saturday night in Austin, both teams debuted new Designated Players for the 2024 season. For Austin FC, Osman Bukari – a full Ghanaian international – made his first appearance on the right wing. For Charlotte FC, it was a more familiar face in Karol Swiderski, freshly returned from a half-season loan at Verona in Italy’s Serie A.
Bukari was the first one to craft a chance, lifting a cross towards Gyasi Zardes inside the box. Zardes climbed high and a bit backward to reach the header, and so he couldn’t direct the ball on goal.
However, in the 11th minute, Alexander Ring struck first for Austin. Charlotte was sloppy playing out from the back and turned the ball over, giving Dani Pereira a chance to dink in a cross over Andrew Privett’s head. Ring arrived behind the young defender and headed the ball down into the net past a helpless Kristijan Kahlina.
Swiderski had his first good chance in the 17th minute. Djibril Diani quickly slotted the ball forward for the Polish striker, and he turned with space and time on top of the box. After taking some time to size up the shot, he fired it over the bar.
In the 25th minute, Diani went on another long run down the left sideline (where he was finding a lot of room throughout the match). He found Iuri Tavares in the box with his cross, who went for an acrobatic scissor kick that went wide of the post.
CLTFC was dominating most of the possession since that early Austin goal. Eventually, just over the half hour mark, that dominance paid off with a penalty kick. Nathan Byrne served in a long cross to the back post, where Diani nodded it down to Tavares. The forward had his back to goal, and Ring swung through his back legs to send him to the ground. Referee Jon Freemon pointed to the spot without hesitation.
Then, it was (of course) Karol Swiderski who stepped up to shoulder the penalty-taking responsibility. In the 33rd minute, he sent Stuver the wrong way and slotted the ball into the right side netting for the equalizer.
Austin flashed a few signs of danger over the remaining minutes of the half. However, most of it passed without much to note, and the sides went to the locker rooms knotted at ones.
Second Half
Lineup: Kahlina, Byrne, Malanda, Privett, Uronen, Westwood, Diani, Bronico (82’), Vargas (71’), Tavares (71’), Swiderski (65’)
Substitutions: Agyemang (65’), Smalls (71’), Dejaegere (71’), Bender (82’)
Just twenty seconds into the first half, Karol Swiderski should have doubled his goal tally for the day. Austin right back Hector Jimenez played a blind back pass to his goalkeeper, Brad Stuver, and Swiderski was lurking to pick it off. He rounded Stuver and had an open goal to shoot at, but he struck it off balance, and it pinged off the crossbar.
On the other end, Austin nearly scored from a corner kick, but the header flashed a few feet above Kahlina’s crossbar.
Then, just a few minutes later, Swiderski had another excellent chance. It came from a one-time Ashley Westwood cross (almost a carbon copy of his assist to Tavares against Columbus) that found Swiderski’s head. Unfortunately for Charlotte, Stuver made a top-class reaction save.
Finally, in the 56th minute, Charlotte FC was rewarded for their excellent start to the second half. Brandt Bronico won a throw-in and took it quick to Westwood inside the box. The Charlotte captain stood up a short cross to Tavares on the back post, who calmly side-footed his finish past Stuver to take the lead. It was an eerie reproduction of their connection for that Columbus goal.
Austin FC Head Coach Josh Wolff made three immediate changes after the goal went in. Owen Wolff replaced new man Bakari, and Jimenez exited for Jon Gallagher. Right back Mikkel Desler – Austin’s other big summer signing – also entered the match for his debut.
Tavares had another chance in the 59th minute. He settled a cross from Kerwin Vargas, cut in on his right foot, and snapped a shot at goal while slipping on the grass. Stuver once again made a good stop.
Charlotte FC Head Coach Dean Smith’s first move came in the 64th minute. Patrick Agyemang, who had been sacrificed in the starting lineup for Swiderski, came into the match to replace his Polish teammate. Tyger Smalls and Brecht Dejaegere also entered in the 71st minute, replacing Iuri Tavares and Kerwin Vargas on the wings.
At this point in the match, Austin was on the ascendancy as they dominated possession for a long stretch. Charlotte defended their box well but struggled to get on the ball to clear their lines and ease the pressure.
Eventually, the Verde and Black found their equalizer in the 80th minute. After a bit of a broken play on top of the box, they found Diego Rubio inside on the left side. He fired in a first-time cross on the ground, and Gallagher beat Privett to the front post to smash home from point-blank range.
Immediately, Dean Smith brought in Ben Bender for Brandt Bronico to try to find a winner. Dejaegere almost found that goal straight away when Smalls found him in space on the right side. The Belgian drove at his defender and rifled a shot towards the far post that flew just inches wide.
Byrne had a decent chance in the 88th minute when a cleared set piece landed at his feet on top of the box. His curling effort, though, landed on top of Stuver’s net.
Agyemang then had likely the best chance to win the game just before stoppage time. He fought his way past Brendan Hines-Ike at midfield, who did his best to drag the forward down in a bear hug. Ben Bender was wide open on the back post, but Agyemang played the pass too close to Stuver, who anticipated Agyemang’s intention and intercepted the ball.
Privett came up with a big block in the second of six stoppage time minutes. Wolff had a great chance to take him one-on-one, but the American defender stayed patient and lunged to block his shot when he made his move to the right.
He made another crucial play during what appeared to be a clear one-on-one opportunity between Austin’s Diego Rubio and Kahlina. The young defender quickly pounced on a loose touch from Rubio, clearing the ball to secure a draw for Charlotte.
This marks the end of Charlotte’s three-match away series, during which they earned a commendable five out of nine possible points in a difficult stretch. All eyes now turn to the Leagues Cup, where both MLS and Liga MX teams duke it out World Cup-style for a shot at a trophy.
Charlotte FC vs Cruz Azul | July 31 | Leagues Cup
Cruz Azul comes to The Fortress to take on Charlotte FC in Leagues Cup 2024 on July 31st at 8:00 p.m.
