First match. West Coast. Seattle. Rain.
Charlotte FC were up against the odds in this one but battled to the bitter end to take a point home in their season opener. A tightly contested first half led to a slog of a second half where Seattle felt like they would take all three points, and deservedly so. Jordan Morris bagged two goals, and the Sounders looked likely to add a third at any moment, completely controlling the match late into the second half. However, last-minute heroics from substitute Idan Toklomati forced an own goal in the match's dying embers. They saw Charlotte FC start the season with a point against the Western Conference favorites.
The Crown will rejoice in leaving Seattle unscathed with a point to show for it. They might not be happy with the performance, but matches like that to start the season can bring a group together right from the jump. Next up: a meeting with Atlanta United to kick off the season at home. No rest for the weary.
Clip Notes:
- Fans will have to wait for the debut of Wilfried Zaha as he was excused from the match for personal reasons. Kerwin Vargas and Liel Abada started at the wings.
- Seattle had a much-rotated lineup from their midweek CONCACAF Champions Cup match. They had a couple of shakeups in their attack, but their starting defense remained intact: one of the top defenses in the league in 2024.
Seattle came out of the gates with a very high press and really frustrated Charlotte FC. It was very difficult for CLTFC to play out of the back or hold any possession, which is something you expect to see from a team in their home opener.
- Editor's note: It was at this time the author recognized that the Fortress Kits are amazing.
Charlotte did everything to weather the storm, but Jordan Morris found the breakthrough in the 19th minute following a Charlotte FC turnover in the attack.
- After that, CLTFC started to find their footing and hold possession. This led to an eventual corner, where a beautiful ball from Pep Biel found a towering Adilson Malanda to open the scoring in 2025 for Charlotte FC.
- Important note: Brian Dunseth described Malanda as a 'rising salmon.' We are in midseason form, folks.
At the break, these were two talented teams in a tightly contested battle. Both sides were happy to go in 1-1. Benches will play an important role in this one. (No, this wasn't a hindsight 20/20 take; it was written in real-time.)
- Tought start to second half as a defensive lapse on the backline led to Jordan Morris sneaking in on goal and an easy take to go up 2-1 early.
Seattle mostly dominated the match from there, as substitutions and changes in some tactics allowed them to hold possession. They nearly added a third, but Kristijan Kahlina stood tall in the net to keep it close.
Charlotte changed the midfield, bringing in Djbril Diani and Brandt Bronico to strengthen the midfield. Idan Toklomati and Tyger Smalls were brought on to change up the attack.
- One fleeting moment of urgency from Toklomati in the 93rd minute salvaged the match as he battled to win the ball, drive straight down the pitch, and sent in a dangerous cross along the six. From there, Seattle did the work as Yeimar put it into the back of the net. Own Goal Strikes again. A point apiece.
Clip Notes are technical notes stylists use to enhance consultations and give customers the haircut they want whenever they visit any Great Clips location.
NEXT MATCH:
NO FEES ALL WEEKEND | HOME OPENER TICKETS
We're ditching ticket fees all weekend long.* Don’t miss out on your chance to join us for the home opener on Saturday, March 1!
*Verified resale tickets excluded from this offer. Sales tax and a $3.95 processing fee will still apply. Offer is only valid on Friday 02/21/25 from 12:00 AM ET through Sunday 02/23/2025 at 11:59 PM ET for the 03/01/2025 match at Bank of America Stadium.
