Charlotte FC tops Inter Miami at home. Here’s what we learned
Charlotte FC defeated conference rival Inter Miami on Saturday 1-0 in its return to Bank of America Stadium, marking a fourth straight victory for Charlotte on home turf.
Andre Shinyashiki, who joined the expansion team’s roster earlier this week from the Colorado Rapids, scored the only goal of the match. He was assisted by winger Yordy Reyna in the 68th minute.
“Now that I’ve watched the replay of the (goal), I think that it’s pretty clear that we are eager to score goals and that’s why I think we’re gonna do a lot of that this year,” Shinyashiki said.
Here’s what else we learned from Charlotte FC’s match in front of an announced crowd of 32,018.
Sharp-shooting Shinyashiki
The former Rapids striker was picked up by Charlotte FC before the close of the Major League Soccer primary transfer window on Wednesday. His arrival was announced Tuesday and he spent the week in training before subbing on in the second half for Charlotte, coming on in the 57th minute along with Reyna.
The pairing made a quick impact as Reyna sent the ball to a sprinting Shinyashiki, who slid to meet it with his right foot just outside the net. He fired the ball at a sharp angle to the far post, giving Charlotte the late advantage.
“Reyna is so technical, so good at crossing,” Shinyashiki said. “I saw him in training this week, so when he gets the ball all I’m thinking is, ‘Get in the goal frame. It’s gonna come to you.’ And he’s plays a perfect pass and I’m in the goal frame, I’m in the box. If you want to score goals, that’s where you have to be.”
Shinyashiki moved to Charlotte for those exact types of opportunities. He played deeper in the field for Colorado but has long been a target for head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez, who highlighted the player’s effort and his desire to “live in the box.”
“He has the quality to control (the ball), to make good decisions,” Ramírez said. “He has good crossing ability and as a center forward, as he is, he want to live in the box, arrive...I’m happy with him, and I’m happy for him today...He wanted something new in his career, and he chose Charlotte before other big and good options in MLS.”
His move proved just as beneficial for Charlotte, which benefited from the “flexibility,” as Ramírez put it, to switch to a system that utilizes more attackers. The tandem of Shinyashiki and Reyna added a necessary boost and provided a well-timed connection that lacked earlier in the match.
New look for starting lineup
Charlotte returned to its home stadium after a stretch of four games on the road, including one mid-week U.S. Open Cup game. Unlike prior home stays, Charlotte didn’t net any early goals despite repeated opportunities. The score was tied 0-0 at the half.
Charlotte’s lineup saw wingers McKinze Gaines and Kamil Jóźwiak on the pitch from the initial whistle, marking a first start for Polish designated player Jóźwiak. He helped create added chances for Charlotte early in the match, winning a free kick and assisting an attempted shot by striker Karol Świderski.
But Charlotte’s attack fell flat finishing plays and wasn’t a threat off multiple corners. Ramírez made simultaneous substitutions in the second half, with Reyna coming on for Gaines and Shinyashiki in for Jóźwiak. Defender Christian Makoun also subbed in for captain Christian Fuchs, who was attended to by trainer for a possible leg injury before walking off the pitch.
Ramírez said that midfielder Alan Franco picked up a slight injury in training, which is why the regular starter didn’t see minutes. He also said that Jóźwiak is still working back to his full strength after a prior ankle injury and illness, but has been starting to see more minutes.
“There were different moments and phases throughout the game,” Ramírez said. “(Miami) knew how to press and how to be compact and they compete really, really well, make our control and our game more difficult.”
Kahlina comes up big
Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina again produced key saves, two notably coming early as Miami’s attack worked back possession before the halftime whistle.
Miami defender Kieran Gibbs took a left-footed shot from the middle of the box that Kahlina stopped with his chest. He also fended off the attacks of Indiana Vassilev, a forward who returned to Miami’s squad earlier this week on loan from Aston Villa.
Vassilev started for the club and fired two tough shots early in the game, one of which nearly gave Miami the lead. In total, Charlotte took 14 shots while Miami took 12, but none got by Kahlina, the Charlotte goalkeeper whose quickly become a linchpin of the young team.
But on Saturday, it was Shinyashiki who was named Man of the Match for the late and necessary goal that underscored the importance of his recent arrival.
This story was originally published May 7, 2022 at 5:51 PM.
