Why Charlotte FC still has a glimmer of hope for MLS playoff berth
It’s pretty much a win-or-else situation Wednesday night, when Charlotte FC hosts Toronto in an MLS match at Bank of America Stadium.
Kickoff for Charlotte’s next-to-last home match of the regular season is 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte FC’s hopes of landing an MLS playoff berth have taken a beating in recent weeks, with the Queen City side going 1-2-4 in matches since late August. Both of those losses came in the last week.
Wednesday’s match offers hope, as Toronto is 15th and last in the MLS East — the only team below Charlotte in the standings.
The Queen City side still has playoff hopes, although Charlotte probably would need three or even four victories in its remaining four matches. Charlotte has 33 points — four behind ninth-place Montreal, which sits in the final playoff berth. However, Charlotte FC will have to pass five teams to get that No. 9 spot.
Toronto’s last road victory was in August 2022, a string of 19 matches.
Charlotte travels to 11th-place Chicago on Saturday night, then faces 13th-place Miami on the road (Oct. 18) and at Bank of America Stadium (Oct. 21) to finish the regular season.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle