Matchday 24, a case study in the value of MLS 360 and the whiparound show!
- 43 goals scored across 14 matches (3.07 average)
- 5 red cards to players
- Just one of the Eastern Conference's top nine teams won
Onwards, for some of the biggest quotables and takeaways following Saturday's 14-game slate.
Charlotte FC fans probably aren't too surprised to learn their club, during the 2023 season, leads MLS in points dropped from a winning position (17). It happened again in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Cincy, unable to hold onto the two-goal lead that Karol Swiderski established with a pair of acrobatic first-half finishes.
It's now five straight draws for Charlotte, who are part of that Eastern Conference logjam on 26 points. And there's definitely some tensions building among the fanbase, with head coach Christian Lattanzio lamenting postgame how CLTFC fell "into that trap again" and must overcome "the fear of losing." Context also matters, according to the Italian manager.
"I think the frustration is that this is the second year we are in the league," Lattanzio expanded postgame. "We are in a difficult moment in this club and I think that we are heading in the right direction in the sense that we play toe-to-toe against everybody. I am the first one to be frustrated when I'm in front and want to win, but at the same time, we don't get embarrassed on a weekly basis. We play against the team that is top of the MLS, we are two-nil up. We are all disappointed here like we lost five-nil at home and we drew."
Cincy, who now have new DP forward Aaron Boupendza in market, pulled out another comeback result while missing several key players. Though winless in three straight games, they're eight points clear in the Supporters' Shield race and will take a road point in whatever manner it arrives. They'll be more than okay in the long run.
The Orange & Blue's difference-makers were two of their three All-Stars, with midfielder Luciano Acosta notching 1g/1a and left back Álvaro Barreal drawing a PK and scoring the equalizer. Then, with center back Ian Murphy shown red with 15 minutes to play, the visitors locked it down.
"I think we know that the character of this group is pretty strong," said Cincy head coach Pat Noonan postgame. "I've said that over and over. And that's why we speak about this game in this fashion with us getting a point, it's just how these guys are capable of responding when things aren't going their way.
"The last two weeks, we've found ourselves in different positions in the game, in terms of trailing, needing to find our way back into games, losing rhythm, and not always looking like ourselves. But the fight's always there. And when the fight's always there, and you have a group as talented as this, when you get it right, it'll look like it did for the stretch that put us in this position to begin the year."
