Top-ranked Charlotte Independence hosts a busy Union Omaha squad in a mid-week matchup.
Match Information
Location: American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Kickoff: 7:00 PM EST
Weather: Sunny, 84F
Charlotte Independence – What to Know
After the first month of play, The Jacks sit at the top of the table with two wins, two draws, and no losses. They lead the league in goals with six, shots with 59, and currently have a +3 goal differential.
While one of the goals was technically an own goal, the other five came from five different players from all over the pitch, forwards, midfielders, and defenders.
Key players include Gabriel Obertan who has created 9 chances created in four matches, and Dane Kelly, with seven chances created, two assists, and one goal. In his short time at the USL League One level, Kelly has proven he is still a threat, after a USL Championship career in which he became the all-time goals leader. What’s more is that Kelly is usually backed up by the club’s 2022 goals co-leader, Khori Bennett, who provides a fresh threat in the second half.
Union Omaha’s defense can expect a relentless and physical attack from this squad.
Absent or Questionable: Carson Tallboys (injury)
Charlotte Independence – Last Result
Charlotte drew North Carolina FC 1-1 on April 8th in a visit to their upstate rivals. NCFC struck first on an Oalex Anderson goal in the first half, but Dane Kelly equalized in the second half.
Charlotte has been using a 4-4-2 setup all season so far. As long as they remain healthy, we’d expect Obertan and Kelly to start up front.
Union Omaha – What to Know
It hasn’t been the best start for Union Omaha, but not been the worst either. The Owls currently sit in 7th place with a 1-1-1 record, plus a solid win over USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive in the US Open Cup.
After three matches, they have a respectable four goals on only 31 shots. Six of these shots have come from Joe Gallardo, who joined the club late in the off-season, and five from second-year forward Noe Meza, who led the club in goals in 2022. Each has one goal, along with JP Scearce and Steevan Dos Santos. Like Charlotte, the attack is not wholly dependent on one or two players.
This is also reflected in the number of Union Omaha players with chances created, a spread of three each from Alex Steinwascher, Gallardo, Meza, and Shaft Brewer.
Assuming the availability of Junior Palacios and Conor Doyle, Charlotte can expect to run up against a strong and physical defense. We’d expect a large number of yellow cards from both sides. The biggest question is how Omaha can handle a well-rested Independence side.
Absent or questionable: Dion Acoff, Yoskar Galván-Mercado, JP Scearce
Union Omaha – Last Result
The Owls dropped a home match to NCFC 2-1 over the weekend. Dynamic midfielder JP Scearce was absent from the roster, leading to some significant shifts in the setup. Notably, Marco Milanese got his first start as left-back.
This will be Union Omaha’s fourth match in two weeks, which may factor into roster decisions.
2022 Head to Head
April 30th, 2022
Charlotte Independence 2-1 Union Omaha
Charlotte goals: Luquetta, Bennett*
Omaha goal: Meza*
July 1st, 2022
Union Omaha 0-0 Charlotte Independence
August 17th, 2022
Union Omaha 2-1 Charlotte Independence
Omaha goals: Meza*, Willis*
Charlotte goal: Bennett*
* Player on 2023 roster