By Billy McGee
April 3, 2026
Photo: Charlotte FC
Charlotte FC returns from the international break with a matchup against the reigning MLS Supporters’ Shield winners, the Philadelphia Union, on Saturday. They are also entering the U.S. Open Cup in the round of 32 with 15 other MLS teams after the drawing took place on Thursday, April 2.
The Crown are coming off a club-record performance in a dominant 6-1 win over the New York Red Bulls. Idan Toklomati opened the scoring in the 14th minute, giving Charlotte a 1-0 lead at halftime. The attack surged in the second half, beginning with Kerwin Vargas finding the back of the net for the first time this season. Shortly after, the Red Bulls were reduced to 10 men when Gustav Berggren was shown a red card, and Pep Biel converted the ensuing free kick to make it 3-0. Wilfried Zaha added his first goal of the season in the 68th minute, before substitute Archie Goodwin scored twice — his first career goals for Charlotte FC — in the 77th minute and again in stoppage time to cap off the rout.
Philadelphia has gotten off to a rough start in 2026 after finishing the 2025 MLS regular season with the most points in the league. Through five games, they have yet to earn a single point, losing every match while scoring just three goals and allowing nine. In their final game before the international break, they fell 2-1 to the Chicago Fire. Chicago struck first in first-half stoppage time before Philadelphia equalized four minutes later with a Milan Iloski goal to make it 1-1 heading into halftime. Chicago added a second goal in the 58th minute and held on for the win.
The Union are yet to have a single player score more than one goal this season with Iloski, Indiana Vassilev and Augustin Anello each recording one. Only two of those goals were assisted, as Vassilev’s goal came from a penalty kick.
The Crown’s defense has been solid overall this season, with the exception of the LA Galaxy match. Charlotte has allowed six goals through five games with half of those coming against the Galaxy. They’ve conceded the third-most shots in the league (38) — nine more than any other team that has allowed fewer than 10 goals — though that number doesn’t tell the full story. Charlotte does a good job of limiting the amount of quality chances their opponents create, forcing them to settle for shots that are less likely to find the back of the net. According to FotMob, there are 11 MLS teams with a higher expected goals (xG) conceded than Charlotte, compared to just two teams that have faced more shots. MLS saves leader Kristijan Kahlina has also been a huge factor for Charlotte’s defense. His 30 saves are seven more than the next closest goalkeeper, proving why he is regarded as one of the best in the league.
While showing flashes at times, Charlotte’s attack has been somewhat inconsistent this season. Outside of their six-goal explosion against the Red Bulls, they have scored just four goals — three of which came against Austin FC. Both Austin and the New York received red cards against Charlotte, raising questions about the attack’s ability to perform over 90 minutes against a fully-manned side. In the three games against full-strength opponents, Charlotte has scored just one goal and tallied xG totals of 0.6, 0.4 and 1.4. Only 2.4 of Charlotte’s 8.05 xG through five matches has come in games where they have played against 11 men for the entirety of the match.
Coming off a club-record performance and a week of rest, Charlotte should be able to maintain their defensive form and will have the opportunity to prove their last game wasn’t a fluke by continuing to create chances in the attack, putting them in a strong position to secure three points against a struggling Philadelphia Union side.
The match against the Philadelphia Union will kick off on Saturday, April 4 (7:30 p.m.) at Bank of America Stadium and will stream on Apple TV.
In U.S. Open Cup news, Charlotte FC drew Charlotte Independence, marking the first time the two sides will face each other. The match is scheduled for the week of April 13, with the official date yet to be announced. The Crown also received hosting priority in their group, meaning that if they advance past Independence, they will host the winner of Atlanta United and Chattanooga. U.S. Open Cup matches will be streamed on Paramount+.
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