Stakes Even Higher for 2nd Meeting Between Autumn Gold & Black, Charlotte Independence SC
USL1 Fort Wayne FC

Stakes Even Higher for 2nd Meeting Between Autumn Gold & Black, Charlotte Independence SC

Published on September 23, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Fort Wayne FC News Release


Fort Wayne Football Club and the Charlotte Independence SC have met once before on the field, and the league spotlight was fully on them.

It was May 2 and the long-anticipated opening of Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, a glitzy night that culminated with a 2-all draw that included Taig Healy scoring the first goal in the venue's history and Jayden Smith also finding the back of the net in Fort Wayne FC's first home match in professional soccer.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the Autumn Gold & Black meet the Independence again. The spotlight will again be on them. The stakes will be even higher.

Fort Wayne FC, the youngest team in USL League One, is chasing a playoff spot. With a 10-9-7 record, the club is in the eighth and final playoff slot amid the 17-team table - with only six matches remaining in the regular season.

Charlotte, meanwhile, is in second place at 17-5-5 and has already secured a berth in the postseason. That includes an incredible 13-1-0 record at home in league play with the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC being the only team to win in Charlotte.

Fort Wayne FC is 5-5-3 away from Ruoff Mortgage Stadium. Saturday's match in North Carolina will air on ESPN+.

Charlotte is the league's highest scoring team with a total of 63 goals this season - 13 more than anyone else. By comparison, Fort Wayne FC is eighth with 41 goals and one fewer match played.

Charlotte's offense has been paced this season by Souaibou Marou (12 goals), Luis Alvarez (nine) and Jon Bakero (eight). Bakero was the USL League One Player of the Month for August and has 11 assists this season - tied for the league record for most in a single season.

Fort Wayne FC's Taig Healy - who finished second for Player of the Month honors in May - leads his club with 10 goals in league play. Ryan Becher has nine and that includes his current four-match goal-scoring streak, during which he's totaled five goals.

Becher and Tiago Dias scored in last Saturday's crucial 2-all tie at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium with FC Naples.

Defensively, Fort Wayne FC ranks fifth in the league with only 35 goals against and Charlotte is ninth with 39.

Fort Wayne FC goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann leads the league with eight clean sheets.

Fort Wayne FC will be without goalkeeper Aurie Echevarría, who is with Puerto Rico's National Team for CONCACAF Nations League matches. The club has not yet announced a roster replacement for Echevarría, who will miss at least two Fort Wayne FC matches.

The next home match for Fort Wayne FC will be Oct. 3 at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium against Forward Madison. It'll be Hospice/Healthcare Night, presented by D.O. McComb & Sons Funeral Homes. Those with hospice/healthcare identification can take advantage of a BOGO (buy one, get one free) ticket offer at the Ruoff Mortgage Stadium Ticket Office only: 12:30-5 p.m. Oct. 2, 12:30 p.m-end of match Oct. 3.

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United Soccer League One Stories from September 23, 2026


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