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Charlotte FC’s best playoff path comes if the team clinches a top-4 spot and home-field advantage by defeating the Philadelphia Union in the regular season finale Saturday
Charlotte FC hopes to be doing some of this on Saturday night as it guns for a top-4 finish in the Eastern Conference. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC.)
As soon as Charlotte FC got knocked out of the first round of the MLS playoffs by Orlando last year, the club set a goal of finishing in the top four of the Eastern Conference this season. On Saturday, the final regular season game of the year known as “Decision Day,” they have a chance to do it.
A win against Philadelphia would secure Charlotte the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, which means the Crown would be guaranteed two of a possible three games in the first-round series at home. Charlotte learned exactly how important that was after dropping both games in Orlando in the best-of-three series last year.
Coming to the season finale with a shot at the No. 4 spot might not sound far-fetched for a team that has won 10 of its past 12 league games, including an MLS record-tying nine in a row. But Coach Dean Smith is pretty sure he saw some raised eyebrows at a speaking engagement with season ticket holders July 8, when he brought it up after Charlotte had just lost nine of its previous 12 MLS games.
“I mentioned that we were still aiming for the top four, and I could see a few fans’ faces, ‘Really?’” Smith said. “Now we’re here at the last game, and we’ve got an opportunity at home to get to the top four. That’s always been our aim, and it’s in our own hands to go and do that.”
Charlotte is 12-3-1 at Bank of America Stadium this year, which is second to only Philadelphia (12-1-4) for the best home record in MLS. Charlotte is 37-15-15 at home all-time, compared to 18-38-12 on the road. As Charles Boehm of MLSsoccer.com put it in his roundup of 5 must-watch games on Decision Day, Bank of America Stadium has “legions of loud, quirky fans and an irrepressible party atmosphere week after week.”
Charlotte could still secure a No. 4 spot if it loses or draws but would need help from other clubs to pull it off. (New York City FC and Nashville are the two other clubs vying for the fourth spot.) Other scenarios that would get Charlotte into the top four:
Charlotte FC draw AND New York City FC draw or loss
Charlotte FC loss AND New York City FC loss AND Nashville SC draw or loss
If Charlotte doesn’t win, there are three scenarios in which the Crown would finish fifth and travel to either New York City or Nashville in the first round. There’s one scenario in which it would fall to sixth and travel to play Miami.
If Charlotte plays in a 4/5 matchup against NYCFC and has to play two games in New York, the team would have to play one and possibly two games back at Yankee Stadium. Charlotte just lost 2-0 in a noon start there on Sept. 20 on a smaller field shoe-horned into a baseball outfield.
If there’s an edge to be given on Saturday, it would seem to be Charlotte’s, since the game is at home and because Philadelphia has already clinched the Supporters’ Shield, as the MLS regular-season champion. But Smith, who congratulated the Union in his press conference Thursday, isn’t expecting big changes in Philadelphia’s lineup coming off an international break last weekend.
“I don’t expect anything different from them because they’re going into a playoff period the same as us the week after the game, and they’ll want their players who haven’t played for a couple of weeks to play,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t expect them to miss or rest any players.”
Big game track record
Granted, Charlotte FC is in only its fourth season, but there’s some precedent for playing well in big games. Two games come to mind:
In 2023, Charlotte FC defeated Lionel Messi and Miami 1-0 on “Decision Day” to clinch the club’s first playoff berth in the wildcard game.
Last year, Charlotte FC beat Orlando in Game 2 on penalty kicks in the first and only MLS playoff game ever held at Bank of America Stadium to force the series back to Orlando. Remember this drone shot from Charlotte FC content team?
The upper deck will not be open Saturday, and somewhere around 30,000 fans are expected. But it still figures to be supercharged. Charlotte FC had its best atmosphere of the season, beating Miami 4-1 Sept. 13 to tie Seattle for the MLS win streak record, in front of 35,607.
Biel, an early MLS MVP candidate, is out for remainder of season with knee injury
Biel making a move in one of his final games with Charlotte this season in Leagues Cup vs. Juarez. (Photo by Kevin Young of The 5 and 2 Project.)
Attacking midfielder Pep Biel made two attempts off the bench to return from a hamstring injury, only to have a tendon flare up in the back of his knee. Smith said Thursday that a recent scan revealed the tendon was torn and Biel will have to miss the remainder of the season. Smith said the injury doesn’t require surgery, only rest and rehabilitation.
“He’ll be looking at next preseason to start training,” Smith said.
Biel was one of the hottest players in MLS early in the season, making a bid for MVP honors with a team-leading 10 goals and 12 assists. Charlotte FC extended his loan through the end of the season and was poised to extend his contract after Biel met performance metrics, kicking in an option to purchase from Greek club Olympiacos. When Smith was asked if Biel’s injury would jeopardize his long-term future with the club, Smith said: “No, I don’t believe so.”
As for the short term, Charlotte will miss the dynamic playmaking potential of its leader in goal contributions (22), ahead of both Wilfried Zaha (19) and Idan Toklomati (15). But Charlotte also won five of the nine games on its record win streak, without him in the lineup.
“It obviously would have been nice to have him coming back at this period, given the player he is and the numbers that he’s produced this season,” Smith said. “But we know we can do it with or without Pep as well.”
Analysts for Apple TV’s Season Pass fielded questions this week ahead of Decision Day, so we asked them about the impact of Biel’s injury on Charlotte’s playoff chances. Two analysts offered opposite responses.
From former MLS standout Sacha Kljestan:
I think Charlotte’s playoff chances take a pretty big hit without Pep Biel, who is one of their most important difference-makers besides Wilfried Zaha. It’s tough for any team to make a run through the playoffs without one of their best attacking players.
Kljestan said he had three main criteria for championship-caliber teams: a good center back pairing, a proven mentality for winning games they probably shouldn’t and difference-makers in attack. He had counted Charlotte as having all three until the extent of Biel’s injury was announced. “[That] knocks them down a notch as far as true contenders in my opinion,” he said.
From former MLS standout Dax McCarty:
It’s a big loss for Charlotte, no question about it, but Dean Smith is an experienced manager, he’s a very good manager, and he knew how to get the best out of his team when Pep Biel wasn’t available. I think Charlotte is definitely still in with a good chance in the playoffs without him.
Club honors its own at black tie event
Captain Ashley Westwood and his lovely bride, Becca, in the photo booth at the “Mighty Black and Blue Gala.” (Photo from Westwood’s Instagram account.)
The end of the regular season means more than just playoff projections and fan appreciation week. Charlotte FC players and coaches got together for the club awards banquet Monday night, known formally as the “Mighty Black and Blue Gala.” The winner for best dressed was captain Ashley Westwood, who donned a tuxedo. Judging by photos circulating on players’ social media accounts this week, all the players and their plus ones were looking fabulous.
Among the other award winners: Toklomati won the Rising Star award, named in honor of the late Charlotte FC defender Anton Walkes, as voted by coaches and also the fans’ player of the year award. Andrew Privett won for Community Player of the Year, based on involvement in community events.
Fans chose Zaha’s game-winning volley against Cincinnati as goal of the year. And players voted Biel as their player of the year.
Players’ wives had some fun in the photo booth. From left to right: Rebecca Bronico, Becca Westwood, Annie Toffolo, Chloe Byrne and Emily Bingham. (Photo courtesy of Westwood’s Instagram.)
More accolades: Toklomati was named No. 3 on Major League Soccer’s 22 under 22 list, which highlights top young talent across the league. The list is chosen by a combination of MLS staff, MLS Season Pass analysts, and coaches and technical staff from 23 of 30 clubs around MLS.
The only players ahead of Toklomati were No. 1 Obed Vargas of Seattle, who has eight goal contributions, and Alex Freeman of Orlando, a defender who helped the U.S. Men’s National team finish second in this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. Toklomati leads Charlotte FC in goals with 11 and is one shy of matching Karol Swiderski’s club record for a season with 12 in 2023.
Up Next: Charlotte FC (18-13-2) vs. Philadelphia Union (20-7-6)
When/Where: 6 p.m. Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte.
How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Find information about how to subscribe for the season here.
How to listen: WFNZ 92.7 in English, WOLS 106.1 in Spanish.
Notable:
The game gets a 6 p.m. first kick, which is tradition on Decision Day, with Eastern Conference teams all playing at 6 p.m. Eastern followed by Western Conference teams at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Charlotte aims to add to its club-record 18-game win total.
New English left back Harry Toffolo, who has been out since Aug. 24 with a hamstring strain, has been practicing all week and is poised to return to action Saturday. Smith said if Toffolo feels up to it, he might start him. Ideally, Toffolo would get 60 minutes of action to build up for the playoffs.
Center back Tim Ream did not play when the U.S. Men’s National team defeated Australia 2-1 Tuesday night, so he’ll be on regular rest for Saturday.
Philadelphia brings two former Charlotte FC players to Bank of America Stadium for the first time since leaving the club in former No. 1 SuperDraft pick Ben Bender and reserve goalkeeper George Marks.
Carroll Walton is a longtime baseball writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution now in her fourth season covering Charlotte FC. She would love to hear from you. E-mail her with questions, suggestions, story ideas and comments!
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