Charlotte FC survives NYCFC’s ferocious second half, wins first match in 43 days
Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith and his players knew how much this game mattered.
It was the focus heading into the final stretch of home games before the Leagues Cup. It became even more dire after a late two-goal collapse against Orlando City that ended in a draw last Saturday. Smith and his players knew they needed to right some of the wrongs that have become the story of this season — the mistakes that pushed them to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Saturday, the team righted some of those wrongs, even with a sloppy second-half performance.
“(The players) knew how important that was for how we’re going to go finish the season,” Smith said. “There’s a few nerves out there.”
Charlotte bested New York City FC, 2-0, on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. Forward Idan Toklomati put Charlotte on the board early, finishing a cross from midfielder Pep Biel in front of the goal in the 15th minute. Forward Kerwin Vargas pushed the game out of reach with a Charlotte goal in the 81st minute. It had been 43 days since the Crown last tasted victory. It had been 50 days since Charlotte last won at home.
The Pigeons struggled to capitalize on opportunities despite having more shots on goal. Their best chance to find the equalizer came in the 38th minute. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina emptied the net to retrieve the ball high in the box. Forward Alonso Martínez maintained possession, shooting from the right side of the box without Kahlina guarding the goal.
CLTFC defender Adilson Malanda raced to the goalmouth, heading the ball to the center of the box as Kahlina recovered just in time to save a right-footed shot from NYCFC forward Agustín Ojeda.
“You’re just hoping that it’s not one of them ones where we make a big mistake and they scored again,” Smith said. “Because a lot of the goals in the run of away games have been really tight, and some we should have won, and we’ve given goals away like that.”
The Crown didn’t let it happen Saturday. The Pigeons couldn’t find another chance to tie it in the first half.
But New York entered the second half with a sense of urgency. Charlotte couldn’t maintain the ball as NYCFC sent three shots to Kahlina inside the first 10 minutes. The Pigeons wouldn’t let up.
“The second half for 25 minutes was quite attritional watching it to be honest with you,” Smith said. “We kept turning the ball over, getting it and then giving it back, and they put us under pressure.”
NYCFC controlled the ball 60.9 percent of the game with the majority coming in the second half. Through the 79th minute, New York had eight shot attempts to Charlotte’s one. Another late game collapse seemed likely. Unforced error after unforced error plagued the team. The Crown was sputtering.
But Charlotte found its moment.
In the 81st minute, Vergas sent a left-footed shot from the center of the box. It missed to the left off an NYCFC player. He rebounded the ball, and powered it high into the net out of reach. The Pigeons’ last two attempts to tie the match were blocked.
“We fight with each other,” Kahlina said. “We fight together.”
The crown wanted to right its wrongs.
And while Smith is aware his team could improve, they protected a lead they couldn’t last Saturday, and they’re three points better in league standings as the Leagues Cup draws closer.
“We know we can get miles better than tonight,” Smith said. “And tonight was about getting over the line.”
This story was originally published July 13, 2025 at 12:42 AM.
