Oppo Research: 5 Things about Charlotte FC

In this edition of Oppo Research, Hudson River Blue spoke with Daniel Bramlette of the Charlotte Soccer Show to learn more about Charlotte FC, New York City FC's playoff opponent on Friday night in Game 3 of Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Here is your NYCFC versus Charlotte preview.

1. Charlotte fans are hopeful after Game 2

Hudson River Blue: With the series tied at 1-1 and heading back to Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte is in a great position to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in club history. After Saturday’s game, what’s the vibe in Charlotte right now?

Daniel Bramlette: The overall vibe is hopeful and expectant. Too much of the post-Game 1 chatter focused on lamenting the Tuesday early evening kickoff and not enough on admitting Charlotte's players completely no-showed in the first half. It was a bad mindset to take into Game 2, but thankfully not a fatal one.

Game 2 was a tension-filled white knuckler that ended in a joyous release after Kahlina's final save. Now with everything riding on Game 3, and a Friday Night Fortress Kickoff on the docket, we're ready to show off the best home-field advantage in the league. Hopefully, our energy level gets matched by the squad from the opening whistle this time.

2. Wilfried Zaha, Idan Toklomati need to make an impact

HRB: Charlotte’s offense, as expected, looked much more threatening on Saturday with the addition of Wilfried Zaha, but he ended a three-game scoring streak. With Charlotte yet to score a goal in this series, does Zaha still need him to break out to win Game 3?

In addition, Idan Toklomati hasn't scored in six games since bagging a hat trick against Inter Miami on September 13. What's led to these struggles? 

DB: We definitely need Zaha to make an impact, but not necessarily on the scoresheet. While a goal or assist (or both...or multiple of both!) would be great to see from the DP, he's far from the only player on the team that can create a goal. Idan Toklomati, Brandt Bronico, and Ashley Westwood all proved dangerous in the attack in Game 2, and even though Kerwin Vargas was relatively quiet, he's become a proven contributor as well.

Where we really missed Zaha in Game 1 was just being that starman to keep the defense on edge and occupy their focus. Without Wilf, defenders were able to collapse on Kerwin and force Liel Abada to try and carry the offensive load, which he was unable to do. Zaha being back on the pitch just makes things easier for everyone else, even if he's not the specific one doing the damage statistically.

Toklomati has cooled off a bit from the super-hot streak he had going, but I would point to his silky backheel in the first half of Game 2 that set up Toffolo's horrible miss, as well as a few headers in both games that could've seriously threatened with just a little more oomph behind them, and say that Idan continues to do just fine.

We'd love to see a goal or two from him on Friday, of course, and I think that as teams and scouts are learning more about him, they pick up some tricks on how to defend him more effectively. All kidding aside though I think it's a little too much to say he is "struggling" recently, as he continues to be one of the most important and dangerous players in our attack this series.  Again, that backheel pass to Toffolo deserved a much better finish...was .32 xG and I think my teenager could and should have scored it. An unreal miss set up by a fantastic pass from Idan.

3. A hostile Bank of America Stadium

HRB: The crowd at Bank of America Stadium wasn’t great for the opening match of this series last week. With an expected bigger turnout for Friday, how do you see Charlotte taking advantage of the crowd while playing at home?

DB: The Game 1 crowd was fantastic. Granting that there were plenty of visibly empty seats in the NFL stadium we call home, there were still more than 20,000 people in the Fortress being loud and doing their best, despite a 6:45 weekday kickoff. I myself sprinted to get to the match on time, and I didn't appreciate the commentary, some of it coming from our own manager, that the atmosphere was somehow lacking. The Supporters Section behind the goal was completely full and raucous...it's not our fault the players didn't show up ready to go, and we did our jobs better than they did theirs in Game 1. Having said that, we're certainly expecting the crowd to be even bigger and better in Game 3, and hopefully, the energy transfers from the stands down to the field more than it ever has before. It's a massive, massive game in the history of this young franchise.

4. The X-Factor: Kristijan Kahlina

HRB: What's the X-factor that could decide this game?

DB: I said before the series started that Krisitjan Kahlina was capable of winning the series single-handedly, and he's halfway toward doing just that after a monstrous, match-winning performance in Game 2. But for Game 3, we'll throw the X-Factor label back onto the mercurial superstar Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha refused to apologize for the red card that left him suspended for Game 1, insisting that "I'm human, I've been fouled a million times" as some kind of justification for the dumb 2nd yellow on Decision Day. I personally find that excuse to be laughable, but Wilf is who he is, and I was not surprised that he only answers to himself. Whatever I or anyone else thinks about Wilf's off-the-field statements, he's been very reliable at producing on the field, while struggling to maintain composure at times, too. How he finds and manages that balance on Friday night will make all the difference in which team advances.

5. Predicted score, Starting XI

HRB: Prediction time: Starting XI? Final score?

DB: I've got Charlotte winning 2-0, with a much more inspired offense and no moments of stupidity like we saw when five guys let Alonso Martínez run right past them in Game 1.