Two goals and a good defensive display helped Charlotte FC end a two-game skid with a 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers.
A standout performer in the match for Charlotte was midfielder Nikola Petković. The 21-year-old Serbian made his sixth appearance and third start of the season and scored his first MLS goal which put Charlotte up 1-0 in the 54th minute. The goal was not Petković’s only chances in the match, in the 18th minute he received the ball on a run, getting behind the Portland defense and missed high on the one-on-one with the keeper. Petković’s performance landed him a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday.
Along with Petković, the other goal scorer for Charlotte was Enzo Copetti. The DP striker had had a rough start to the season, having just one assist and zero goals in his eight appearances prior to being subbed on for Patrick Agyemang in the 77th minute. Copetti’s goal came after a Portland error on a throw in in the first minute of stoppage time, taking the ball and having just the keeper to beat, Copetti put the ball in the back of the net to extend Charlotte’s lead to 2-0 and all but secure three points.
Charlotte’s goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina stood out as well, making three saves while keeping a clean sheet against the third highest scoring team in MLS. Along with Kahlina standing out, the Charlotte defense returned to early season form, helping keep the clean sheet, allowing just seven shots from Portland while the Charlotte attack had more than double that number with 15. The clean sheet was the first one kept against Portland since Houston Dynamo FC did so on March 16.
The win was a much-needed boost for Charlotte as they have five more matches to play in the month of May.
Charlotte’s next match is against Nashville SC at home on Saturday, May 11 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST and streaming on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
