By Billie McGee
July 11, 2025
Photo: Kurt Shackelford / CLTure
Following a disappointing 2-2 draw against Orlando City SC, Charlotte will remain at home to take on New York City FC for the first time this season.
The Crown started well against Orlando, taking a 2-0 lead thanks to a 40th-minute goal from Pep Biel and a 65th-minute strike from Bill Tuiloma. Not long after Tuiloma’s goal though, Charlotte conceded their first in the 69th minute and Orlando equalized in the 80th, bringing the final score to 2-2. The draw marks the third time in the past four matches that Charlotte has dropped points after allowing late goals.
“I thought our performance was better last week. The last half an hour, we looked like some of our players were flagging when we had to withstand pressure,” said head coach Dean Smith during the midweek press conference. “When I look back, we made bad decisions for their goals.”
Orlando controlled possession for most of the match, holding over 60 percent and taking 16 shots. This allowed them to dictate the pace of play, especially in the second half. Despite having less than 40 percent possession, Charlotte still applied pressure, putting five of their 11 total shots on target.
NYCFC currently sits seventh in the Eastern Conference and has allowed the second-fewest goals in the East, with 22. However, their attack has not matched their defensive strength, underperforming their xG of 33.38 with just 27 goals — the sixth fewest in the conference. This can partially be explained by their lack of shots on target, with only 80 through 20 games — the sixth-lowest mark in all of MLS. So far this season, just two players have scored more than two goals: Hannes Wolfe with nine and Alonso Martínez with eight.
In their last match, they faced Toronto FC and jumped out to a 2-0 lead shortly after halftime before conceding in the 70th minute. They quickly responded in the 74th to restore their two-goal cushion and held on for the win. They scored three goals on just 10 shots — five on target — while holding Toronto to eight shots, only two of which were on goal.
The match will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season. They split the series last year, with both teams winning at home. However, NYCFC is a different team this year, with a new coach and new additions.
“They’ve got very technical players, little combinations, little give-and-go’s. And they’ve got some rotations as well, and we’ve got to make sure that our focus, our reference is the ball and not players,” said Smith.
Charlotte will be returning a few missing players this week. Wilfried Zaha returns from his one-match suspension, while Tim Ream and Patrick Agyemang are back from national team duty. Zaha’s return gives the Crown more options in the attack, and Ream helps bolster an injury riddled back line. Meanwhile Agyemang’s role with the team this week is uncertain, as a reported transfer to Derby County seems imminent.
Facing one of the best defenses in the league, Charlotte will need the attack to be up to the task. They have a fairly good track record scoring this season, having the sixth most goals in the East with 34. Biel and Zaha have shown the ability to make things happen and create quality chances, but the defense will also need to stay strong for the entire match and avoid costly late mistakes.
The return of key players to the backline should strengthen the defense, providing valuable depth and fresh options off the bench if starters begin to tire or cramp up. The home crowd will undoubtedly play a significant role in the match, hopefully energizing the team as they look to build momentum against a NYCFC side that has secured just one road win this season.
The match is set for Saturday, July 12, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game will stream live on Apple TV+ and the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Tickets are available here.
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