By Billy McGee
October 17, 2025
Charlotte FC controls its own destiny heading into the final match of the regular season against the Philadelphia Union, as the club vies for a top-four finish to clinch home-field advantage in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Crown hold the tiebreaker over both New York City FC and Nashville SC in the race for fourth place, meaning a win would guarantee a fourth-place finish. However, they would need the other two to drop points if they fail to win.
Prior to their week off during the international break, Charlotte FC defeated D.C. United 1-0 on the road despite missing Brandt Bronico, Adilson Malanda, and Ashley Westwood due to suspensions. D.C. had two players sent off in the first half — goalkeeper Luis Barraza in the 21st minute for handling the ball outside the box, and defender Aarón Herrera in the 30th minute after headbutting Wilfried Zaha.
Zaha scored the lone goal of the match in the 33rd minute, just moments after play resumed following Herrera’s red card. With D.C. reduced to nine men for more than half the match, Charlotte dominated possession with over 60 percent of the ball and led in shots, shots on target, and corner kicks.
The Philadelphia Union have already secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference after a 1-0 win over New York City FC clinched the Supporters’ Shield as Major League Soccer’s best regular-season team. The Union boast the league’s best defense, conceding just 33 goals through 33 matches, while ranking fourth in goals scored with 57. Their attack is led by forward Tai Baribo, who started the season on fire with 13 goals in his first 14 appearances before adding just three more since. Philadelphia’s offense, however, is far from one-dimensional, with three other players contributing five or more goals — Bruno Damiani (7), Mikael Uhre (6), and Indiana Vassilev (5).
In the reverse fixture between Charlotte and Philadelphia, the Union edged out a 2-1 victory thanks to a dramatic 98th-minute winner. Charlotte’s lineup for this matchup will look very different, with Nathan Byrne and Tim Ream available and Kristijan Kahlina returning in goal; he missed the previous match due to personal reasons. They will, however, be without Pep Biel, who suffered a hamstring injury during the Leagues Cup, made two substitute appearances upon returning, and then endured another injury (knee) that is expected to sideline him for the remainder of the season.
“He’s picked up a new tendon injury that will probably keep him out for the rest of the season,” said head coach Dean Smith at a press conference this week.
If Charlotte is to beat Philadelphia, they will have to find a way past the Union’s stingy defense. Wilfried Zaha and Idan Toklomati will be key to Charlotte’s attack. Toklomati will need to return to form, having gone three games without contributing a goal — his longest stretch without scoring since taking over as the first-choice striker.
Zaha has been the engine of the attack since Biel went down, making an impact not only on the stat sheet, scoring in each of the last two games, but also by creating chances through winning free kicks. He has been the most fouled player in Major League Soccer this season, enduring 118 fouls.
“They can get frustrated with him, with what he can do with the football. He can make people look silly at times; it gets the red mist flowing very quickly for them,” said Smith when asked about Zaha’s ability to get under opponents’ skin.
If Zaha can continue creating chances, both in open play and by winning free kicks, the Crown should have plenty of opportunities to break down Philadelphia’s strong defense and get Toklomati back on the scoresheet in a crucial game.
Just because Philadelphia has locked up the top spot in the playoffs doesn’t mean they have nothing to play for. They will be looking to carry momentum into the postseason for a run at the MLS Cup.
“I don’t expect anything different from them,” said Smith. “Because, they’re going into a playoff period the same as us the week after the game, and they’ll want their players who haven’t played for a couple of weeks to play.”
Charlotte will have their work cut out for them, but the return of Bronico, Malanda, and Westwood from suspension, along with a boost from the home crowd, could prove crucial for the Crown as they look to cap off the best regular-season record in the club’s short history.
The match is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, with streaming available on the Apple TV MLS Season Pass. Early fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition t-shirt for Fan Appreciation Night. Fans can also stay after the match for a laser and light show beginning 15 minutes after the final whistle.
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