Match Preview: Charlotte FC vs. Atlanta United

Atlanta United travels to play Charlotte FC on Sunday for the first matchup between the two sides at Bank of America Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET.

Here’s how to watch, listen and live stream the match.

It’s been a week of highs and lows for Atlanta United. The team is coming off its first road points of the season, stealing three points from D.C. United in second-half stoppage time on a header from Marcelino Moreno.

However, three key starters sustained injuries during the match: Osvaldo Alonso (torn ACL), Matheus Rossetto (hamstring) and Josef Martínez (knee). While Alonso’s timeline is TBD, Rossetto and Martínez are both expected to miss several weeks.

“Tough week,” head coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “But as always, everyone is important on the squad. Next man up, and we will go from there.

A few players who could find more playing time on Sunday include midfielders Santiago Sosa and Franco Ibarra. The two players from Argentina both came on as substitutes in the D.C. match. Midfielder Amar Sejdić, who didn’t play against D.C. United but started the first three matches of the season, could also return.

Up top, the team also has a few attacking options to fill in for Martínez. There’s Dom Dwyer, the league veteran who scored a goal in the 3-1 win against Sporting Kansas City. Homegrown Jackson Conway made eight total appearances with the first team last season and last week scored a hat trick with the 2s.

Ronaldo Cisneros, who was loaned out from Chivas Guadalajara in Liga MX, arrived to Atlanta this week. The tall Mexican forward has been training this week and could be another option to replace Martínez.

“We know what each one of them can provide to the team,” Pineda said. “They’re fairly different in terms of characteristics, so we will see. But happy to have those options.”

The team is looking for its first back-to-back wins of the season and the first since the three-match winning streak last season in September. Even amongst a challenging week, Pineda wants the team to sustain success and take advantage of road points early in the season. And the key to making that happen is playing consistently. 

“I think that’s something we haven’t had even within 90 minutes,” Pineda said. “I would like them to be more consistent, whether it’s week to week or whether it’s half to half of the game. I think we need to come back to being a little more dominant.” 

About The Opponent 

Up this week, Atlanta United faces a squad they saw recently on March 13. Charlotte FC is an Eastern Conference club based in North Carolina. In December 2019, it was announced that Charlotte FC would join MLS as the league’s 28th club. The 2022 season is the team’s inaugural season in MLS. 

Much of the team’s history and branding are rooted in the city’s namesake, Queen Charlotte. The club uses a crown in its branding to represent the city of Charlotte’s nickname as the “Queen City.” The team’s primary colors are blue, black and white and incorporate mint in their secondary kit. 

Charlotte FC is led by Miguel Ángel Ramírez, a native of Spain. Some of his previous coaching experience includes Porto Alegre Internacional in Brazil, Independiente del Valle in Ecuador and the Qatar youth national teams. 

The club is owned by David Tepper who also owns the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. Charlotte FC also shares its home stadium, Bank of America Stadium, with the Panthers. This will be the first meeting between the two sides on Carolina soil. 

“Hopefully this can be a good game for us playing in a very good stadium,” Pineda said. “We are going to meet in that stadium for the first time, and I think it’s going to be good for the players to have a good performance down there.” 

Series History  

It’s a short history, but Atlanta United leads the all-time series against Charlotte FC 1-0.

The last time out was not even a month ago when Atlanta United hosted Charlotte at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was tight, contested matchup that was tied going into second-half stoppage time. Then, midfielder Jake Mulraney delivered the game-winner to take away Charlotte’s first-ever result and end Atlanta United’s five-match winless streak against expansion sides.

2022 So Far

They appear to be on opposite ends of the Eastern Conference table entering Sunday’s matchup but only four points separate the two sides.

Atlanta United enters the matchup against Charlotte tied for second place in the standings with a 3-1-1 record and 10 points.

So far, Atlanta United has spread the wealth, scoring nine goals by eight different goal scorers. Three of those goals have also changed the results of matches: Mulraney’s left-footed strike against Charlotte FC last time out, Brooks Lennon’s direct free kick in the 3-3 draw to CF Montréal, and Moreno’s slow, dribbling header last week against D.C.

Meanwhile, Charlotte enters Sunday with a 2-4-0 record and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The scoring has also been more concentrated toward one player; Polish forward Karol Swiderski is responsible for four of the club's six goals.

However, the club has had bright moments in its inaugural season. Charlotte started out winless in its first three matches, then earned back-to-back wins at home. The club’s first win was 3-1 against last year’s top regular season finisher in the Eastern Conference, New England Revolution, followed by a clean sheet against FC Cincinnati.

Players To Watch 

Santiago Sosa – The midfielder from Argentina has steadily gotten more playing time after working his way back from a sports hernia surgery. With two starting midfielders out due to injury, Sosa could be the next man up for Pineda. Look for Sosa to balance the midfield, distribute and create attacking chances for whoever occupies the no. 9 spot. 

Brooks Lennon – Atlanta United’s Mr. Reliable is finding his teammates at an incredible rate this year. He leads the team in key passes (13), nearly 10 more than the second-best player on the team. Lennon makes wide, attacking runs to allow for crosses into the box and also takes a good many of Atlanta United’s corner kicks, both of which should help the right fullback continue to create chances.

Ben Bender – The former University of Maryland star is having one of the best starts for a No. 1 SuperDraft pick in MLS history. He has three assists in six MLS appearances, leads Charlotte FC in key passes (8) and nearly found the back of the net last time against the 5-Stripes, forcing goalkeeper Brad Guzan to make the save.

Karol Swiderski – Atlanta United meets Swiderski in the middle of a hot streak. The designated player from Poland has scored four goals in Charlotte’s last three matches and has helped the expansion club find its attacking identity. He poses a threat from distance as well; two of his four goals have been from outside the box.

Other Tidbits

• Atlanta recorded its first clean sheet of the season last week against D.C. Since 2019, Guzan leads MLS with 33 clean sheets, five ahead of Philadelphia’s Andre Blake with 28.
• Atlanta has scored a stoppage time goal in three straight matches, the longest such streak in club history.
• Although the team is visiting, Atlanta United will be wearing the BLVCK kit on Sunday.

It’s a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff for Charlotte FC and Atlanta United on Sunday. Click here to learn all the ways to watch, listen and live stream the match.