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USL Charlotte Independence

Charlotte Independence v Memphis 901 FC: Match Preview

August 14, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charlotte Independence News Release


CHARLOTTE - The Charlotte Independence look for its first win at the Sportsplex at Matthews this season in a USL Championship Group G rematch against Memphis 901 FC on Saturday, August 15th at 7 p.m. ET and broadcast live on ESPN+, presented by Smoothie King.

"Memphis is a very dangerous side with pace at outside back and talented one-v-one players in the midfield," said Independence head coach Mike Jeffries. "[Brandon] Allen up top is a proven goal scorer and offers a strong target for them to run off as well as a box presence."

"Defensively, they pressure and counter-press well - very strong central defenders who are good in the air."

Following a 1-1 draw against the Charleston Battery in their first game at the Sportsplex at Matthews in 294 days, the Independence earned another point in a 1-1 draw against Group G leaders Birmingham Legion FC in their second straight game at home on Wednesday. Dane Kelly's 80th career USL career goal was canceled out by a Mikey Lopez equalizer for Legion FC in the 93rd minute as the Jacks remained in third place in the group standings with six points.

In their last match, Tim Mulqueen's side fell to North Carolina FC 1-0 to conclude a three-game homestand that began with a 2-2 draw against the Independence last month. Currently fourth in Group G with five points, Memphis will look to record its first win on the road this Saturday.

"We have to manage their pressure - in Memphis in our first game back, we had a tough time dealing with it," said Jeffries. "We also have to play quickly through their counterpressure and handle their ability to play through Allen."

Last Time Out The Charlotte Independence got an 82nd minute goal from Dane Kelly to secure a 1-1 draw with USL Championship Group G leaders Birmingham Legion FC.

Jeffries did not make any changes to the starting XI that tied the Charleston Battery 1-1 in its third match of the season but was forced to make an early change as FC Cincinnati loanee Rey Ortiz replaced an injured Derek Gebhard in the midfield in the 27th minute.

Even with three weather delays during the match, the Jacks continued to push for a goal and was rewarded in the 82nd minute when Kelly found the back of the net off a header by Luke Haakenson. The goal was Kelly's third of the season and the 80th of his USL career, the first in the league's history to reach that figure.

On the other end, Legion FC pushed numbers forward, including netminder Matt Vanoekel, for a corner kick in stoppage time. A deflected ball fell perfectly for Legion FC midfielder Mikey Lopez who drilled home an equalizer for the visitors in the 93rd minute.

Last Time They Met The Independence and Memphis faced off earlier this year on Saturday, July 25th at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn. The Independence earned a hard-fought point on the road after coming from behind two different times as second half goals by midfielders Luke Haakenson and Valentin Sabella canceled out Memphis 901 FC's goals in each half.

Series History (W-L-D) Independence Record vs. Memphis 901 FC: (2-0-1) Independence Home Record vs. Memphis 901 FC: (1-0-0) Independence Away Record vs. Memphis 901 FC: (1-0-1)

2020 CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE USL CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS: Lucas Hatsios, Brandon Miller, Austin Pack

DEFENDERS: Owen Barber, Clay Dimick, Shalom Dutey, Duke Lacroix, Aaron Maund, Dylan Mitchiner, Joel Johnson, Rey Ortiz, Hugh Roberts, Joey Skinner

MIDFIELDERS: Jake Areman, Junior Etou, Derek Gebhard, Kevan George, Luke Haakenson, Valentin Sabella, Oscar Ramsay

FORWARDS: Enzo Martinez, Tresor Mbuyu, Dane Kelly, Guido Valada

2020 MEMPHIS 901 FC USL CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS: Jim Barkei, Jimmy Hague, Tim Howard

DEFENDERS: Rece Buckmaster, Marc Burch, Zach Carroll, Liam Doyle, Triston Hodge, Jackson Morse, Mark Segbers

MIDFIELDERS: Jose Baxter, Raul Gonzalez, Jean-Christophe Koffi, Rafael Mentzingen, Dan Metzger, Duane Muckette, Leston Paul, Michael Reed

FORWARDS: Brandon Allen, Pierre Da Silva, Matt Hundley, Cal Jennings, Keanu Marsh-Brown

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

- Five players have scored for the Independence in the 2020 USL Championship: Dane Kelly (3), Derek Gebhard, Luke Haakenson, Enzo Martinez, Valentin Sabella (1)

- Four players have recorded at least one assist for the Independence this year: Haakenson, Martinez, Jake Areman, Aaron Maund, (1)

- Kelly became the first player in USL Championship history to score 80 career league goals. Kelly, who scored his 80th USL goal in a 1-1 draw against Legion FC, leads the Jacks in goals this season with three.

- Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller's 24 saves is ranked second in the USL Championship Eastern Conference this season.

- Miller, Duke Lacroix, Enzo Martinez, and Hugh Roberts are the only players to play all 450 minutes for the Jacks this season thus far.

ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE: The Charlotte Independence professional soccer team joined the United Soccer League (USL) Championship as an expansion team in September 2014. An ownership group led by Jim McPhilliamy, the President & Managing Partner of Major League Lacrosse's Charlotte Hounds, acquired the USL franchise rights from the Charlotte Eagles. McPhilliamy and his investment group founded Queen City Sports Club with the goal of making Charlotte a better place to live through annual increases in both the quality and quantity of events that are provided for the community.

In the fall of 2018, Queen City Sports Club and the Charlotte Independence signed a 10-year lease to move to American Legion Memorial Stadium following a revitalization of the historic landmark set for the spring of 2021.

COMPETITION FORMAT: The 35 Championship's clubs will be divided into eight regionalized groups and are set to play 263 games over 13 weeks to decide which 16 teams will advance to the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, which will open in the second weekend of October.

Games completed prior to the season suspension in March will be counted and are included in the schedule.

The top two teams from each group in the regular season will advance to the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, producing a field of 16 teams overall in a regionalized single-elimination bracket. Group winners will be paired with Group runners-up in the Round of 16, with home advantage being determined by record for the remainder of the bracket.

- Click Here for the Jacks' 2020 USL Championship Schedule

- Click Here for the Complete Revised 2020 USL Championship Schedule

Every game of the 2020 USL Championship season will air on the ESPN family of networks, with broadcasts on ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ bringing all the excitement of the first league in the United States to return to play in home markets directly to homes across the United States.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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