Charlotte FC gets one goal (an Olimpico!) and revenge against Atlanta United

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Charlotte Observer) - Charlotte FC scored in the 11th minute and held on to even the ledger with a 1-0 win over Atlanta United in front of 32,496 fans at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday.

Jordy Alcivar scored directly from a corner kick from the left side. His right-footed cross-turned-shot swerved wickedly as it approached the goal over the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

It came shortly after he had taken two corners from the right side during a period of concerted pressure on the Atlanta goal by Charlotte. It was an impressive showing by the now 3-0-4 Charlotte against the 2018 MLS Cup champions, who rewrote the standard by which first-year teams are measured after a strong debut in 2017.

Coach Miguel Angel Ramirez returned to a four-back defensive setup from the five he lined up last week against the Philadelphia Union. The 4-4-2 paired Karol Swiderski and Daniel Rios up top.

Charlotte was sluggish off the start with passes not connecting and players not reading each other well, turning when they should’ve checked back, not making an anticipated run, and so on. That changed after the goal as an energized Charlotte started taking the match to United with aggressive play and passes finding their mark.

Atlanta’s compact shape up the middle also allowed Charlotte to find space on the wings, especially on the right for Alan Franco and Jaylin Lindsey.

Twenty-five minutes in, the MLS stats were still showing Atlanta with a lead in possession time but it didn’t feel like that.

The first 10 minutes were mostly in the Charlotte end but Alcivar’s goal woke up everyone dressed in blue, on the pitch and in the stands. Charlotte FC finished with a slight possession advantage, controlling the ball 50.8 percent of the match.

CONTROL AND PATIENCE

For a first-time observer, it would have been hard to tell which team was a first-year club and which was the MLS champion in 2018. The defense didn’t over-react to offensive moves and limited Atlanta chances. On offense, Charlotte waited for plays to develop and consistently looked for the best pass to make.

AN OLIMPICO

Alcivar’s goal, scored directly by the player taking a corner kick, is known as an Olimpico, not because it was first done in an Olympic games but because Argentina’s Cesareo Onzari scored that way against reigning Olympic champions Uruguay in 1924 and the name stuck.

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