Charlotte FC has advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup after a challenging match against North Carolina FC, which ended with a victory in extra time. The initial 90 minutes of play saw no goals from either side, but extra time brought a surge of action with five goals scored.
The Charlotte team featured a heavily rotated lineup, with Andrew Privett as the only regular starter. Jahkelle Marshall-Rutty made his debut for Charlotte at left back. Despite controlling the game and its tempo, Charlotte struggled with timing in the final third due to many new players on the field.
Substitutes Liel Abada, Patrick Agyemang, and Brandt Bronico significantly improved Charlotte’s performance upon entering the match. However, regulation time ended without any goals scored. Early in extra time, Abada broke the deadlock by scoring, though NCFC quickly equalized just a minute later.
Charlotte FC then took control and secured their win by scoring three additional goals. Agyemang’s header made it 2-1, while Nikola Petkovic and Kerwin Vargas added two more goals to seal the victory. Notably, Vargas’ goal marked his 100th appearance for Charlotte FC across all competitions.
Looking ahead, Charlotte FC will face D.C. United in the Round of 16 after D.C.’s recent win over Charleston Battery. The date and time for this upcoming match will be announced following the completion of all Round of 32 matches.
