South Charlotte Today

Atlanta United will face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium in a highly anticipated rivalry match. After over 2,000 fans traveled to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to witness a 3-2 victory for Charlotte FC, the club aims to complete the season sweep against their southern rivals.

The match is scheduled for Saturday, August 31, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and available for listening on WFNZ 92.7 FM (English) and WOLS 106.1 FM (Spanish).

Charlotte FC has made significant changes during the summer transfer window, notably bringing in attacking midfielder Pep Biel from FC Copenhagen. Head Coach Dean Smith expressed confidence in Biel's ability to make an immediate impact. “I’d be comfortable [starting Biel],” Smith said in his pre-match press conference. “In the 30 minutes [against the Red Bulls], he showed me he was comfortable… he’s shown me in training so far that he’s been really good, too.”

Smith highlighted Biel's qualities: “He’s a player who's going to find pockets of space, who can turn very quickly, and play forward quickly, as well... he's just very clever at finding the ball in terms of what you want to see offensively and open play.”

Atlanta United has undergone significant changes since their last encounter with Charlotte FC. Key players like Almada and Giakoumakis have departed, and former head coach Pineda was dismissed following their loss to Charlotte FC. Interim Head Coach Rob Valentino now leads Atlanta United.

Dean Smith noted potential challenges from Atlanta United: “I thought they gave us problems in the first 30 minutes at their place... They break really quickly.” The main player to watch for Atlanta will be Alexey Miranchuk from Italian club Atalanta.

Charlotte FC currently sits sixth in the Eastern Conference with aspirations of securing a top-four spot for home-field advantage in the playoffs. Their recent form includes a notable run on the road with victories over FC Cincinnati and draws against Columbus Crew and Austin FC.

As Charlotte FC enters the final stretch of the season reenergized after a brief Leagues Cup run, they aim to bounce back from a recent draw with the Red Bulls by securing a key win against Atlanta United.