NYCFC vs. Charlotte FC Breakdown

The Independence Day celebrations bleed into Wednesday night in Queens. Citi Field, the home ballpark of MLB’s New York Mets, serves as a part-time match grounds for 2021 MLS Cup champions NYCFC on nights and weekends where Yankee Stadium is in use for the old ballgame, which happens again this Wednesday.

NYCFC and Charlotte FC Head Into Midweek Fixture In Need of Three Points

Wednesday will be a one-match night in Major League Soccer. Less than 24 hours after the Rose Bowl played host to a rescheduled playing of El Trafico, NYCFC (5-9-7, 24 points in the standings,) return to the Mets’ stadium to meet sophomore side Charlotte FC (6-6-8, 24 points in the standings.)

Kickoff of the midweek fixture is set for just past 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. This is a crucial match for both sides.

Although both teams are level on points with 24 heading into the contest, Charlotte FC currently occupy 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings thanks to owning the better overall record at 6-6-8 through 20 matches played. With the postseason format changing in MLS to take the top nine teams in each conference, the winner has the advantage going forward.

BACK AT IT! LET’S DO THIS! ⚔️ #ForTheCrown  | #CLTvNYC pic.twitter.com/2vl3DIX9b4

— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) July 5, 2023

NYCFC Coming In on Six-Game Points Streak

While NYCFC has managed to pick up points in the standings heading into the Wednesday night match, they’ve mostly not been accumulated three at a time of late. Dating back to the club’s June 3 game, New York City has drawn in five of their last six appearances.

Last Saturday night, they came away with a victory for the first time since Earth Day on the road against FC Dallas with a 1-0 win against CF Montreal in Quebec. The fact that New York City and Charlotte are close to one another in the standings is no accident.

It’s certainly not lost on NYCFC manager Nick Cushing, who used his media availability on Monday to outline how evenly-matched this contest looks to be.

“Charlotte are a good team,” Cushing began. “They’re well-coached, they’re very similar in style in the sense they want to dominate the ball, and they’ll come and press us really high.”

If New York City is to win on Wednesday, they’ll need to turn in their best performance of the season. Will they be able to pull it off?

NYCFC Need to Get Ball to Pellegrini

New York City was led last weekend by left winger/ forward Matias Pellegrini. A former member of the Argentina Under-20 Men’s National Team, he scored his first goal in MLS since 2020 during his stint with Inter Miami CF in the 33rd minute of play.

To find his last goal in club football, you’d have to go back to last year when he was on loan with Estudiantes of the Argentina Primera Division. This is a man who had a lengthy scoring drought as recently as a few days ago.

Now that he’s broken the cold streak, can he find the back of the net for the second match in a row? It starts with giving Pellegrini an open lane.

Can Charlotte FC Shut New York City Down?

In recent times, Charlotte FC has been struggling on the pitch. Going into this fixture, the second-year team in the Carolinas has gone winless in its last five matches (0-3-2).

Charlotte hasn’t won a match across all competitions since right before Memorial Day on May 27. That night, a 73rd-minute tally by Karol Swiderski proved to be the difference in a 1-0 win vs. the LA Galaxy.  

Since then, goals have come at a premium for The Crown. Dating back to the club’s May 31 away loss to the Philadelphia Union, Charlotte FC have scored just seven goals all told.

Another shutout on Wednesday will hurt the team’s playoff hopes even more.

Charlotte Need a Solid Night from Swiderski for a Win

Speaking of Karol Swiderski, the designated player who featured for his home nation of Poland in the Qatar World Cup last fall has accounted for five goals this season for Charlotte. Much like Matias Pellegrini, Swiderski has also been in a scoring drought of late.

He’s been kept off the scoreboard for a little over a solid month heading into Wednesday, Swiderski has been without a goal since Charlotte’s lightning-delayed encounter versus Columbus Crew SC in the Buckeye State’s capital.

Swiderski has put the biscuit in the basket when Charlotte FC and NYCFC have met on the pitch in the past. Last year, during the clubs’ first-ever encounter at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, he converted on a shot during the fourth minute of play, and upon further review, the goal was confirmed.

Swiderski can make opposing defenses pay when he’s on his A-game. He’ll need to be on-point again in Wednesday’s match.

Final Thoughts

Wednesday night’s affair is only the fourth all-time meeting between NYCFC and Charlotte FC in league play. The sophomore club has had New York City’s number so far in the head-to-head series.

Charlotte has bagged all three points in all three of the previous matches they’ve played against NYCFC, including both games late last summer. Will history repeat itself or will New York City finally get in the win column against The Crown?

Prediction: NYCFC 2, Charlotte FC 1.