Charlotte FC suffers third consecutive loss at the hands of Orlando City SC

Charlotte FC suffered another loss on the road against Orlando City SC.

Charlotte made some changes to their starting XI going into the match, with Patrick Agyemang starting at striker, Pep Biel playing on the wing and a midfield trio of Ashley Westwood, Djibril Diani and Brandt Bronico.

Charlotte was able to put a shot on goal in the first minute of the match with a cross in from Nathan Byrne to Kerwin Vargas for a header that was saved fairly easily. Orlando had their first chance of the match not long after in the fourth minute. Following a corner kick, the ball was crossed back into the box, taking a bounce towards Wilder Cartagena, who put a shot on goal that was saved by Kristijan Kahlina.

Orlando kept knocking with a header from Facundo Torres over the crossbar in the 19^th minute. Charlotte had another chance in the 30^th minute with a Agyemang shot from the edge of the box saved by the keeper.

Charlotte had their third chance of the match from a set piece played short then cross to the far post for a Tim Ream header that had too much on it and missed wide.

In the second half, Orlando was able to strike early. Charlotte’s defense was caught out of position after Martí n Ojeda took the ball near the byline and crossed it to an unmarked Facundo Torres near the far post who had just the keeper to beat with his shot.

Orlando made Kahlina keep working with a Facundo Torres shot from distance forcing him to make a diving save at the near post in the 65^th minute. Shortly after, Charlotte made their first substitutions of the match with Liel Abada and Iuri Tavares coming on for Pep Biel and Agyemang in the 72^nd minute. Júnior Urso and Idan Toklomati, making his MLS debut, joined Tavares and Abada as substitutions in the 73^rd minute, coming on for Diani and Vargas.

Abada and Urso linked up for one of Charlotte’s few chances of the match, a pass lifted to Urso for a header that missed high and to the left in the 88^th minute. Orlando sealed the deal on the goal kick following the missed header. A long ball from the goalkeeper was followed up with a ball through to Duncan McGuire who got between Ream and Adilson Malanda and chipped the ball over Kahlina to take a 2-0 lead in the 89^th minute. McGuire nearly added another in the 97^th minute with a header missing wide of the goal.

The 2-0 loss is Charlotte’s third consecutive loss and sixth consecutive match without a win, but remain seventh in the MLS Eastern Conference, two points behind NYCFC in sixth. Charlotte managed just four shots for the entire match and allowed Orlando to control the match.

Charlotte has a chance to bounce back, returning home to take on the New England Revolution on Saturday, September 21, kicking off at 4:00 p.m. EST.