Sergio Guerra, Sports Editor/Photographer

After last week’s stalemate against Inter Miami CF, the Queen City bounced back and had its way with New York Red Bulls in a 6-1 offensive masterclass on Saturday, March 21. Charlotte FC saw five different goal scorers at Bank of America Stadium in a match that took the North Carolina side up to fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with eight points. Forward Wilfried Zaha was the standout player for Charlotte, with a masterful finish in the second half while also creating three chances for his teammates. 

A Second Half Barrage 

The first half of the match saw New York Red Bulls hold a majority of the possession (62%) and have nine total shot attempts compared to Charlotte’s five. However, it was the hosts that would find the back of the net in the 14^th minute through forward Idan Toklomati, who was able to connect with a set piece delivered by midfielder Pep Biel.  

The 1-0 scoreline would hold till halftime, and Charlotte FC wasted no time after the break to double its lead. Kerwin Vargas scored off a fast break and a mistake by a New York defender in the penalty area. The match would be put all but out of reach of New York after a red card was given to the visitors’ center back Gustav Berggren after he brought down Idan Toklomati just outside the penalty box. Charlotte’s Pep Biel was able to capitalize off this free kick by sneaking the ball into the bottom left corner in the 54^th minute. 

Wilfried Zaha would score his goal in the 68^th minute to put Charlotte up 4-0 after cutting inside from the left wing and curving the ball into the opposite goal corner. Finally, super sub-Archie Goodwin would put the icing on the cake with goals on either side of New York Red Bulls lone consolation goal in the 81^st minute. 

Top Performers 

Pep Biel left a huge impact on the pitch, with a goal and an assist in Charlotte’s offensive display. Biel’s goal makes him Charlotte’s leading goalscorer this season with four goals in five matches. Archie Goodwin also came on in the 75^th minute of the match to secure a brace, albeit the match’s result was pretty much confirmed by that point. However, Wilfried Zaha was the main threat throughout the entire match, playing all 90 minutes and finding the back of the net with an incredible finish. In addition to his goal, Zaha had the most successful dribbles of the match with three, the most duels won with 10, and the most touches in the opposition’s box with 14. The 33-year-old proved too much to handle for New York’s defenders and shows Charlotte fans that he is still here in the states to leave a mark. 

Looking Ahead 

Charlotte FC now sits in the MLS Eastern Conference playoff spots in fourth place with eight points – four points clear of 10^th place Atlanta United. Up next, the Queen City is set to host Philadelphia Union on Saturday, April 4. It’s a match that Charlotte expects to win as Philadelphia Union sits last in the East with five straight losses to start the season. The following week, Charlotte FC faces a huge test against Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC at home. Historically, this matchup has been even, with both sides having three wins against each other and one draw. Nashville SC has a busy schedule before Charlotte, facing Chicago Fire on April 4 and playing a Concacaf Champions Cup (North American club competition) tie against Mexican-side Club America on April 7.