WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: CHARLOTTE FC
Welcome back to What You Need To Know, a preview for Austin FC fans to check in on their next opponent.
Opponent: FC Charlotte
Kick Off time: 7:40 PM
Location: Q2 Stadium, Austin, TX
I try to keep these focused on the next match, delving into teams the fan base may not be familiar with, talking through some larger storylines, and of course, consistently pointing out the other team’s goalscorers.
For those of you who may not be aware, a group of Austin FC fans fundraised and organized a plane banner to fly over the stadium before Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders. The plane banner “Austin Deserves Better - #WOLFDUT” caused a stir, and not just due to the spelling error (note: the error was on the part of the plane company as the receipt circulating has it correct). It has brought on a lot of discussion in the fan base, but not in the way you’d expect.
It hasn’t brought on a discussion of WolffIn vs. Wolffout, I’ve yet to see or hear a coherent argument in favor of keeping the coach with a 46-28-62 record in Austin. It has, however, brought on a discussion about fandom itself.
How do fans support a club and team on the field while also showing their displeasure at the direction of the club?
Is a protest of not showing up like Colorado Rapids fans did in 2023 more effective than the in-stadium protests of LA Galaxy fans in the same year? Is silence a better message when Austin FC is known for its noise, especially from the South End? The only true Q2 protest was in 2022 when La Murga and the Supporter’s Section spent 10’ silent in a protest of bringing back domestic abuser Cecilio Dominguez.
The “Wolff Out” chants on the Apple broadcast and Matt Doyle referencing the plane on the preview show for the FC Dallas match on Wednesday are clear signs the movement is gaining steam in the press. For those of us who want to see change for the better, we have to keep in mind a very simple fact: there are only two people who need convincing in this discussion: the owner, Anthony Precourt, and the Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell. The time when they are a captive audience is inside of Q2, which makes it the best time to make our voices heard. #WOLFDUT
History vs. Austin FC:
These clubs have only played one time, back in 2022 when Austin FC won 1-0 thanks to a Dani Perreira banger.
Recent Matches:
FC Charlotte has only lost 2 of their last 8 games including a draw against Columbus away on Wednesday. They’re currently 6th in the Eastern Conference.
Players to Watch:
Patrick Agyemang
Charlotte’s leading scorer, the American forward has scored in his last two starts including on Wednesday. He was the 12th overall pick in the 2023 SuperDraft (the pick right before Austin selected CJ Fodrey) and after only 12 appearances last season, he is in the middle of breaking out as their regular starter.
Adilson Malanda
The French defender came to Charlotte in the 2022 season and immediately made an impact. He’s the leader of a defense that has only allowed 25 goals in 24 matches. He's good for second in the league in goals against per match (Only Columbus is more stalwart).
Liel Abada
The right-sided forward and once an Austin FC transfer target, provides attacking width for Charlotte. His pace and trickery on the ball are a key part of what has helped Charlotte sustain an attack and get behind defenses. Guilherme Biro (or Zan Kolmanic) at left back will need to stay aware of him and not get beat on the counterattack as we saw on Wednesday.
Keys to the Match:
New Signings, who dis?
Tonight is the first match where Osman Bukari and Mikkel Desler can play. They’ve both been here for a few weeks but neither has played in a competitive match since May. They should be on the bench tonight but we may only see 30-35 minutes from either player.
Piecing it together
After Wednesday’s fiasco incident where Sebastian Driussi was sent off for violent conduct and Julio Cascante received his 5th yellow card of the season neither player is available tonight. We should expect to see the returning Brandon Hines-Ike partner Leo Vaisanen in defense, but the midfield is a more topic interesting to talk about. With Alex Ring seemingly in Josh Wolff’s doghouse, we could see Dani Perreira (who looked much better on Wednesday) partner Owen Wolff again with Diego Rubio play as a strike partner with Gyasi Zardes up top or we could see Ring play with Perreira or Wolff pushed forward in what would be a more defensive set up. Austin has struggled to score goals and as was mentioned above, Charlotte has a very stout defense for them to try and break down.
Playoffs
Austin FC currently sits outside of the playoffs tied with Minnesota on points. A loss tonight would put Austin on a three-match losing streak heading into the League Cup, where the losing streak is likely to continue. Yes, reinforcements are here or on the way, but are they going to be enough to turn this team’s fortunes around when the remaining schedule is filled with teams above the playoff line?
See you at Q2!
WRITTEN BY: SCOTT SPECHT
