Streak, and more, at stake for Charlotte FC
As Charlotte aims to be first MLS team to win 10 in a row, it eyes Supporters' Shield and homefield advantage; Plus Toklomati's impact, Zaha's generosity, advancing Saturday game in New York and more
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There’s more than an outright MLS record streak on the line when Charlotte FC plays at New York on Saturday; Supporters’ Shield and homefield advantage within reach
Red hot Idan Toklomati, who celebrates his hat trick with winger Wilfried Zaha, led Charlotte FC to a ninth consecutive win last week against Miami. (Photo by Kevin Young of The 5 and 2 Project.)
Charlotte FC has matched the MLS record for longest win streak at nine in a row. The team can claim the record outright if it beats New York City FC on Saturday in New York for its 10th in a row. But if you listen to veteran defender Nathan Byrne, the players have other, bigger goals on their minds.
“I think it’s more for the Charlotte fans to say that we’ve got that record,” Byrne said. “For us, we want to win things. It’s not really about how many you win in a row. That helps with doing that, but if we go in the playoffs and lose in the first round, I’m not going to say, ‘Oh, well, we won 10 in a row.’ It doesn’t mean anything. We’re here to win trophies, and that’s what we want.”
Having clinched a playoff spot last Saturday after dispatching Miami 3-0, and with Portland beating the New York Red Bulls, here are two significant goals left on the table for Charlotte FC:
The Supporters’ Shield as overall regular season champion of MLS, and
At top-4 finish in the Eastern Conference, which would assure Charlotte home-field advantage in a best-of-three first round series
Here’s a breakdown of the prospects for each:
Chances at Supporters’ Shield
Charlotte FC is No. 3 in the Eastern Conference, with four regular season games to go, including a “Decision Day” finale against Philadelphia, which is the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference.
Charlotte (53 points) is currently fifth in the supporters’ shield standings behind Philadelphia (57 points), San Diego (56 points), Cincinnati (55 points) and Minnesota (54 points). If Charlotte wins its remaining four games, including the regular season finale against the Philadelphia Union on Oct. 18, it would have 65 points and a fighting chance.
Charlotte would also need some help against clubs like San Diego, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Vancouver, but as long as Philadelphia is in range, the team feels that it has a shot.
“We’ve got to win games to continue to be in that challenge,” Smith said.
Both the Union — with games to play against New England, New York City FC and D.C. United — and Charlotte, who will also face NYCFC and D.C. United as well as Montreal, have favorable schedules before Oct. 18.
Home-field advantage
The top four teams in each conference get home-field advantage in the best-of-three first-round series, meaning Charlotte would have the chance to host two games. (The wildcard, semifinal and final games are all single-elimination.)
Orlando had homefield advantage in last year’s first-round matchup with Charlotte and won the series 2-1 after claiming both of its home games. Charlotte has an MLS-best home record of 12-2-1 this season.
Charlotte is in third place in the Eastern Conference with five teams within five points of them: Nashville (50), New York City FC (50), Miami (49), Columbus (49) and Orlando (48). A win over fifth-place NYCFC on Saturday would go a long way in assuring Charlotte a top-four finish.
Standings from MLSsoccer.com
Déjà vu for Dean Smith; Does Poznan with Tepper
Charlotte FC coach Dean Smith led Aston Villa to a 10-game winning streak in the English Championship in 2018-19, which catapulted the team to a chance for promotion to the Premier League, which they earned with a win over Derby County in Wembley Stadium.
The difference this time around?
“The one at Villa, you went into each game knowing you were going to win because [of] the players that you had available at the time,” said Smith, who named budding English star Jack Grealish captain during that run. “This run, it’s been about being really strong and comfortable in both [18-yard] boxes, but not having as much control of the games like that Villa run.”
With Charlotte on the verge of matching Seattle’s MLS record of nine straight wins, Smith broke up any tensions by having some fun before the Miami game. He was serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation and watching from the owners’ box, when he joined the Charlotte FC fans in the Poznan, their pregame jumping ritual. He had one arm around technical director Tommy Wilson and extended the other to owner David Tepper, who joined in for some bopping fun.
“I said I’d like to do it with the supporters a little bit tongue in cheek to you all,” Smith said. “But I respect what our supporters give us at home, and I just felt it was an opportune time, I wouldn't have been able to do it with the fans behind the goal and get up to watch the game in time, so I just thought, let’s drag Tommy Wilson and Dave into it and show our appreciation to what our supporters give us as well.”
Toklomati nearing Charlotte record for goals in a season
Toklomati dominated Miami with his first hat trick. (Photo by Kevin Young of The 5 and 2 Project.)
With three goals against Miami, Toklomati has 11 on the season (12 including Leagues Cup), which brings him one goal shy of Karol Swiderski’s club record 12 in 2023. Toklomati has gotten there in about half the time. In just three months since taking over the starting role for departing Patrick Agyemang, Toklomati has scored 10 goals in 12 MLS starts.
Toklomati has been a scoring machine, using his head, his left or his right foot. Remember those frustrating days — and the postgame comments after — when this team would create chances but not convert them? It’s not been a problem lately. Toklomati’s shots have had both quality (beating the goalkeeper) and accuracy (on target). He’s sixth in MLS in goals scored per shot at 0.27. (Translation: when he shoots, he scores.)
Toklomati dazzled with a slick first touch in his first MLS goal in April against Nashville, but since moving into the starting lineup in May, he’s needed less flash than steadiness. He makes his runs, shows up in the box and scores. Just ask Brandt Bronico, who knew Toklomati would be there twice in his first two goals against Miami.
When Kerwin Vargas crossed for Toklomati’s first goal Saturday, Bronico had stepped forward on a “dummy” move, drawing the defender away, knowing Toklomati would be trailing into the box. Bronico found him in the box for his second goal after squaring a pass that Toklomati met ahead of two converging defenders.
Smith said he’s still hungry for more.
“Even though he's scoring the goals, he’s no different as a person,” Smith said. “He's not grown a couple of inches, as some people could, with the chest out and the shoulders back. He just gets down to his work week in, week out, and he's pleasing to see for us.”
A generous week for Zaha; giving PK to Toklomati and taking team out for steak dinner
Wilfried Zaha (foreground) treated the players of Charlotte FC to a steak dinner out at Steak 48 in SouthPark. (Photo courtesy of Zaha’s social media.)
Wilfried Zaha was already proving to be a generous teammate with 10 assists on the season. Then he drew a foul in the box against Miami and offered Toklomati the resulting penalty kick and a chance for a hat trick. Toklomati deposited the gift in the left corner to become the first Charlotte player to score three goals since Daniel Rios had four against Philadelphia on Oct. 1, 2022.
“He's like a little brother to me,” Zaha said. “He’s like a sponge. He takes in the stuff I tell him. … He’s done so well. Scoring the third goal is literally going to be a memory that’s going to stay with him forever.”
Tokomati said afterward that Zaha had asked him if he wanted a hat trick.
“I look back at him, like ‘Oh my god, he’s an angel,’” Toklomati said. “After I scored the hat trick, I almost lost my mind. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had.”
Two days later, Zaha took the entire team to Steak 48 in SouthPark. He’d told the team he’d take them out if they won and kept his word Monday night at a players-only dinner out. It was a way Zaha could thank his teammates for showing their support in sporting shirts from his new “What A Life” clothing line before the Miami game.
Abada pregnancy news
Winger Liel Abada and his wife, Bar, announced this week on Instagram that they are expecting. Since the Israeli’s move to Charlotte last year, he has announced his engagement, gotten married and is now expecting a child.
Question for readers: Should we start calling Charlotte FC ‘The Crown’?
Four years into coverage of Charlotte FC, since the club’s first season in 2022, Fútbol Friday has never used the term “The Crown,” which is an unofficial nickname often used by broadcasters. After toggling between “Charlotte,” “Charlotte FC,” “team” and “club,” we are wondering if adding variety would be good … or if it’s too hokey?
Ledger readers, please make the call. Asking for a friend. You can weigh in here:
Up Next: Charlotte FC (17-11-2) vs. New York City FC (15-9-5)
When/Where: Noon, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York.
How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Find information about how to subscribe for the season here.
How to listen: WFNZ 92.7 in English, WOLS 106.1 in Spanish.
Notable:
The noon start is a result of last-minute schedule changes after weather forced New York City FC to reschedule its game against Columbus to Wednesday and push Charlotte’s game in New York from Friday to Saturday. The grounds crew needs 72 hours to convert Yankee Stadium back to baseball in time for Tuesday night’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
Midfielder Pep Biel, who played 15 minutes off the bench in his return from a hamstring injury Saturday, is available to start for Charlotte on Saturday.
Defender Harry Toffolo (hamstring) is still probably a week away from his return, but backup striker Archie Goodwin is expected to be available.
NYCFC brings momentum of a 3-2 win over Columbus on Julian Fernandez’s stoppage time goal Wednesday. Charlotte brings fresher legs.
New York City is 10-4-0 at home this season and battling for a top-four spot in the East and homefield advantage in the playoffs, currently at No. 5.
Charlotte is 5-1-1 all-time against NYCFC and hasn’t lost to the team since the first meeting in 2022, a 3-1 loss at Red Bull Arena that Aug. 17.
Carroll Walton is a longtime baseball writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution now in her fourth season covering Charlotte FC. She would love to hear from you. E-mail her with questions, suggestions, story ideas and comments!
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