Brandt Bronico Embodies the Charlotte Derby
MLS Charlotte FC

Brandt Bronico Embodies the Charlotte Derby

Published on April 15, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Charlotte FC News Release


Nobody has played more games in the Black and Blue of Charlotte FC than Brandt Bronico, who has appeared in 153 of the club's 161 matches across all competitions. The club's third-ever signing, his 11,549 minutes on the pitch are second only to goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina.

But before he ever kicked the ball for The Crown, Bronico, a High Point native who played his college ball at UNCC, took the pitch for the Charlotte Independence, then in the USL's second-tier Championship division for the 2021 season. Along with Christian Fuchs and Adam Armour, he was on loan as they prepared for the launch of Charlotte FC's first campaign in 2022.

"I wanted to be back in Charlotte playing soccer, so I am grateful to have the opportunity to go on loan with the Independence this season," said Bronico at the time.

Then 25, he was originally drafted by the Chicago Fire with the No. 47 overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. He was traded from the Fire to Charlotte FC on Dec. 18, 2020.

"Charlotte is a place I hold close to my heart and I'm excited to continue my soccer journey back in the city."

Five years later, the truly homegrown local hero will face his former team in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the nation's oldest and most prestigious soccer competition that brings together all professional and some amateur levels of the game in pursuit of the Dewar Challenge Trophy.

"It's gonna be just a really cool experience; super unique," said Bronico. "We haven't gotten a chance to play them in the Open Cup in the past."

They came close last year after Jon Bakero scored first, but three late North Carolina FC goals foiled that. So this will be the first official match between the two professional teams, making it the first true derby match for The Crown in the Queen City.

That doesn't mean the clubs aren't familiar with each other. They have scrimmaged a half dozen times since 2022, as recently as last month on the training grounds of CLTFC.

It's the first Open Cup meeting between two Charlotte teams since the Independence defeated the Charlotte Eagles in the Second Round of the 2017 tournament.

The Jacks - whose nickname comes from Captain James Jack, who ferried the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence by horseback to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1775 - are currently 11th in the 17-team USL League One table, but that's deceiving as they've only played three matches (1-1-1) while most teams above them have completed four to six matches.

Charlotte FC are fifth in the MLS East.

Close Friends

"I still have a really good relationship with Mike Jeffries and Clay Dimick and them. So, I'm looking forward to competing against them and challenging them in the Open Cup."

Jeffries has been GM of the Independence since their inception, and the head coach for all but part of one season.

Dimick, an outside back, is the team captain and the longest tenured player with the Independence.

Bronico says they were aware of each other, as Dimick played for Belmont Abbey College when he was with the 49ers, but didn't meet until he joined the Jacks.

They became and remain good friends, attending the same church, and Dimick is always there to provide parenting advice as he leads Bronico three to one in that category.

They both also proudly sported the "mullet-hawk," a Billy Ray Cyrus meets The Clash hairdo that was close-cropped on the sides, spiked aerodynamically on top, and with a party in the back.

"Yeah, we both kind of rolled with that," said Bronico. "Another way that we connected."

Also on that 2021 team was Enzo Martinez, who has returned to the Jacks this season and remains the club's all-time leader in goals (47) and assists (29).

Martinez, who played the last four seasons with Birmingham Legion, was a nationally honored high school player in Rock Hill before competing for UNC. Another player from that squad who has also returned is defender Kevin Riascos, who has been playing most recently in his native Colombia.

Respect for the Cup

Since 2022, Bronico has played in all eight of CLTFC's U.S.Open Cup matches. He played in six during his time with the Chicago.

His first Cup match was in 2013 for the former Greensboro team, the Carolina Dynamo, while still in college. A teammate there was Nashville SC defender Daniel Lovitz.

He truly loves the competition, saying, "It's America's version of the FA Cup."

"My second year in Chicago, we got to the semifinals of the Open Cup and got knocked out by Philly. So, I've been close to getting to the final of an Open Cup, but haven't quite got there yet. It's an historic tournament in the United States, and something that I want to win for sure. We're taking it serious, and the guys are ready."

So is head coach Dean Smith. While he may rotate the starting lineup from last Saturday's game against Nashville, he isn't underestimating the Independence.

"Yeah, we will rotate a little bit. But, we said at the start of the season, we're taking the competition seriously, as we did last year, but we've got respect for our opposition as well."

Reminded that along with the historic trophy, the tournament features a $1 million total purse -$600K to the winners - and a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, Smith replied, "I don't think about that at all."

He says it's all about "the trophy because we want to win something. We're competing for the trophy. We're competing for four things this season, and this is one of them."

The Independence have already upset a higher division side, the Charleston Battery, to make this game.

"It's not our first time playing against a lower league side. We know what to expect," said Bronico. "We want to advance in the Open Cup. The Open Cup is a big tournament for us, a good opportunity to go for another trophy. So it's just about playing our game and staying true to ourselves."

Cup History

This is the 111th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, which began in the 1913-14 season.

Only the recent pandemic could interrupt the competition as it ran 106 consecutive years until the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled.

Eighty teams began the competition in March.

Of MLS clubs, Sporting KC, Seattle Sounders, and Chicago Fire have all won the Cup four times, but the record for most Cup titles - five - is shared by Maccabee Los Angeles and Bethlehem Steel of Pennsylvania. Nashville SC are the defending champions, 2-1 winners over Austin FC.

The last time a non-MLS team captured the Cup was 1999, when the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the now-defunct second-tier A-League upset the Colorado Rapids 2-0. The Rhinos' run was impressive as they had to defeat three other MLS teams - Chicago, Dallas, and Columbus - on the way to the final.

This year's Open Cup format will feature seven rounds - one fewer than recent editions - to avoid overlap with the FIFA Men's World Cup calendar. With one less round, the field of professional teams was reduced from 64 to 48. Only 16 MLS teams will be competing.

The Crown in the Cup

Nine games into the club's inaugural season in 2022, CLTFC played its first-ever Open Cup match, travelling down I-85 to face the USL League One side Greenville Triumph, coached by former USA star John Harkes.

Cristian Ortiz scored six minutes before halftime, but Greenville's Jake Keegan tied the match in the 59th minute. Harrison Afful's goal in the 105th minute was after extra time.

The next match would have just a modicum of drama, as the Richmond Kickers leveled the score at 1-1 at home in the 53rd minute before falling 5-1, with Yordi Reyna scoring a brace.

The Cup run would end in the Round of 16. After conceding just two minutes into their match away to New York Red Bulls, Charlotte equalized six minutes later. NYRB regained the lead in the 63rd minute and scored another two minutes into added time as Charlotte pushed to level.

The Crown would reach the Round of 16 again in the 2023-24 tournament, starting with a 4-1 home victory over South Georgia Tormenta (USL1), with goals from Kamil Jozwiak, Enzo Copetti, Derrick Jones, and Karol Swiderski.

Jozwiak would score the only goal as the club advanced with a 1-0 Fourth Round win over Orlando City at the Sportsplex at Matthews. Away to Birmingham Legion in the Round of 16, Charlotte fell 1-0 to the USL Championship side.

Charlotte's first team wasn't given the chance to compete for the 2023-24 U.S. Open Cup as MLS limited league participation with the advent of the Leagues Cup tournament against Liga MX clubs. The Crown Legacy competed that season. They fell to the SC United Heat 1-0 in the first round.

Back for the 2024-25 edition, CLTFC couldn't score against North Carolina FC over 90 minutes of regulation play but neither could the USL Championship side. Extra time proved to be fertile ground for The Crown with Liel Abada, Patrick Agyemang, Nikola Petkovic, and Kerwin Vargas finding the net in a 4-1 win.

The Round of 16 match at D.C. United would once again be the end of the run. Now with Charlotte FC, David Schnegg gave D.C. the lead 17 minutes in. Agyemang and Bill Tuiloma gave CLTFC the lead before D.C. leveled in the 86th minute.

Ten minutes into extra time, Tyger Smalls put Charlotte back on top, but United drew even at 3-3 four minutes later. D.C. would take the win in a 2-1 penalty kick tiebreaker.

The Independence have also made it to the Round of 16, doing so in 2015, their first year after taking over the professional charter from the Charlotte Eagles.

The Jacks upset the New England Revolution 1-0. Scoring the goal was Jorge Herrera, who now coaches with the Charlotte FC Academy. They would fall 3-1 to the Fire in the next game.

Their best run since then was to the Fourth Round, where they lost to Atlanta United 3-0 in 2024.

In ten Cup competitions, the Jacks are 13-9 while The Crown are 5-2-1.

SEE THE CROWN IN ACTION:

APRIL 15 // CHARLOTTE FC vs. CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

Join us at the Matthews Sportsplex as The Crown takes on Charlotte Independence in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 15, at 7:30 p.m.

Check out the Charlotte FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 15, 2026


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