A controversial red card and a late goal were the difference as Charlotte FC handed FCC a frustrating 1-0 loss on Sunday. Wilfried Zaha scored the winner in the 85th minute after FCC had controlled much of the match but failed to find the net.
First Half
FCC had the better looks and held 60% of possession in the first half, but a few excellent saves from Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina kept the match 0-0 through 45 minutes.
Head coach Pat Noonan called it “frustrating that the scoreline finishes where it did,” adding, “We didn’t take advantage of an opportunity tonight; that’s disappointing, but I don’t think it was a lack of effort. Maybe just some ideas in front of the goal and a couple of moments where we could’ve found it. We said at the time there’d probably be one moment, and we couldn’t find it.”
Late in the half, Luca Orellano went down and was forced to leave with what Noonan described as “muscular discomfort,” specifically hamstring tightness. “We don’t know the extent,” he said. Ender Echenique came on to replace him to start the second half.
Second Half
Around the 70-minute mark, Brian Anuga was assessed a questionable red card while going for a 50/50 ball.
On the decision, Noonan explained, “On Brian, [the referee] deemed that an advantage, so play carries on. For me, that’s just a poor judgment call because there’s no advantage. Is the tackle a red? How it gets to that point is the disappointment. Everything’s right aside from judgment; there’s clearly a defender there to prevent us from getting out in transition. If the foul is called immediately, we’re not talking about a red card a few seconds later.”
Down a man, FCC adjusted tactically. “Structurally, we went to a shape in the immediate aftermath to make sure we had security defensively,” Noonan said. “You’re not going to take too many risks and leave yourself exposed. After the water break, we discussed what it would look like if we had to adjust, and that’s when we made changes. I liked the way the guys pushed;we got into some good spots to get the ball in front of goal, but we just couldn’t put them under enough pressure.”
Charlotte finally broke through in the 85th minute when Zaha found the net in a chaotic sequence. Noonan said FCC defended the initial cross well, “but in the second phase, we allowed them to get the next touch and score. It’s just about better positioning in those moments.”
Echenique showed flashes in his substitute appearance. “He was lively,” Noonan noted. “Made good runs, got in behind, and was dangerous early on. But he was kind of isolated for a while, which made it tough.”
Noonan also touched on the return of Kevin Denkey to the bench for the first time since injury. “He scored a lot of goals before he got injured, so we’ve lost that production and the relationships in the attack. You lose a little bit of that chemistry when he’s out.”
That score held to the final whistle, capping off a completely frustrating night for the home side.
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