In a matchup of two tired teams, the Charlotte Independence and Orlando City B played well on Saturday night, considering that both were still recovering from mid-week matches, and the 1–1 draw was probably a fair result.

Their tiredness didn’t effect the goalkeepers much though. Both Cody Mizell and Earl Edwards Jr. put on fantastic performances at the Plex, especially Orlando’s Edwards.

The opening goal of the game came in the 5th minute from the penalty spot after Luke Waechter was called for a foul inside the box. I would argue that there was minimal contact (if there was any contact at all), so I think this was a soft penalty at best. Regardless, Hadji Barry converted from the spot even with Mizell getting a fingertip to it. That was his fifth goal in four games and he’s now scored in four consecutive games.

The Independence equalized just two minutes later with a goal from David Estrada after a Jorge Herrera shot was blocked and Joel Johnson mishit a shot that turned into a perfect pass. Sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good.

The Jacks luck essentially ran out there though, with 80 minutes still to play. No matter how well they passed and shot, they just could not get the ball into the back of the net. At about the 70th minute, my friend and fellow SNST writer Chris Davis said “it just isn’t our night.”

I think that sums up the game perfectly from a Charlotte point of view.

There were many chances for both teams to find a second goal, although Charlotte had most of them with 21 shots and 9 on target, but Earl Edwards Jr. was always there. It was a tough result to only come away with a single point considering how well the Independence played, but Edwards earned his side the away point.

At the end of the day, the Jacks remained on top of the East, OCB stayed in the playoff picture, and both teams can hold their heads high after their performances.

Man of the Match

David Estrada

(Photo Credit: Alex Warren)

Estrada really stepped up big time tonight for the Jacks. He scored the only goal on the night and was involved in a lot of the attack, creating three chances for teammates as well as putting two other shots on target. He also played the full 90 for only the third time this season.

Enjoy a sweet tea as you recover David!

Takeaways

Cooling Off

The Independence have scored just one goal in each of their last three games after scoring multiple goals throughout most of their #beatless run. It’s a small sample size so I won’t be too alarmed, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Super Sub In the Making

Jamie Siaj has all the abilities to become Charlotte’s super sub off the bench. He nearly scored a winner tonight in just over 30 minutes of game action, and his work-rate was fantastic both in the attacking third and in defense on set-pieces. I hope coach Jeffries continues to give him chances.

Important Stretch

In my opinion, the next two games against Toronto FC II and the Richmond Kickers are must-win games for the Independence. With tough games remaining against Charleston, Louisville and Tampa Bay to close out the regular season, it is crucial that the Jacks take care of business at home against the two worst teams in the East. They can’t afford any more slip-ups against lesser opponents if they want to stay in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.