WHO:

Charlotte Independence, 7-8-9, 24 points, 11th place Eastern Conference

WHAT:

a regular season USL match

WHEN:

Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Sportsplex at Matthews, 2425 Sports Parkway, Matthews, NC 28105

WATCH:

TV: WMYO        RADIO: 1080 WKJK          STREAM: ESPN+

WHO, AGAIN?

Morados just played Charlotte a month ago. They haven’t won since. In fact, the Indies are winless since July 11, and have only scored twice in that span. On the season, they’ve scored 30 goals but conceded 37. City put four on them in their first meeting. They don’t shoot a lot, but they convert 17% of their shots into goals, which is actually pretty high. That said, 17% of a small number is a lot less than 17% of a big number.

This has been a tough season for Charlotte. Losing Enzo Martinez has resulted in a much more muted attack for the Jacks, and they haven’t been able to make up for it with solid defense, either. Jorge Herrera can’t be ignored, of course, and Cordell Cato has made himself an important part of Charlotte’s offense.

This game, for me, is more interesting in terms of what City has on offer. Who will play now that the roster is starting to fill out a bit? Who’s fit enough to go 90, or even 60 minutes? I don’t think much will change from a tactical perspective, as there’s little reason to do that. I am intrigued to see what Jose Carranzo can offer, however, and if we don’t see him tonight, we’ll probably see him Saturday. I have a strong feeling that Sands will probably feature, too.

Morados need three points after dropping two on Saturday. They generally play pretty well on the road. Charlotte’s actually lost as many home matches as they’ve won, so this looks like as good a chance as any to get Hack’s first win. Let’s do it.

VAMOS MORADOS, VAMOS A GANAR