Spokane Velocity slides out of playoff picture with loss to Charlotte 4-2
The visiting Charlotte Independence put on an impressive offensive display and cruised past Spokane Velocity FC on Saturday evening in USL League One play.
Striker Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored twice during the first half for the Independence, who tallied two goals during a 12-minute stretch in the second half to thwart a Velocity rally. Charlotte held steady over the final 20 minutes, earning a 4-2 victory at ONE Spokane Stadium.
The Velocity (4-4-2) drew even at 2-2 in the 61st minute when forward Masango Akale weaved through traffic just outside the box and fired a long shot just over the outstretched arm of the keeper and into the back of the net.
“He’s a dynamic winger who likes to run at players and beats them,” Spokane forward Josh Dolling said of Akale.
Spokane left Charlotte midfielder Gabriel Obertan uncovered on the ensuing possession. He broke free into open field, drove into the box and angled in a short-range goal.
“It’s a dagger,” Akale said. “When you score, equalize, and they go and score again right after, it can bring down the team morale a bit. But the thought is the same – go again. There was a lot of time left. The answer is simple: We just have to score again.”
The Independence (7-3-2) put Spokane away 10 minutes later. A pass took an unfortunate bounce off of a Velocity defender in the box and fell in front of Charlotte midfielder Joel Johnson, who had an open look at the net and capitalized with an easy goal.
Spokane struggled to defend Charlotte’s counterattack. The Independence scored three of their goals in transition. The Velocity had possession for 63% of the match but allowed quick scores.
“It’s difficult, because we scouted that – we knew that’s what they were going to do,” Dolling said. “We knew they had dynamic players on the counterattack who would give us possession, lure us in, then break fast.
“We didn’t deal with that. That’s on us, because we scouted that it was going to happen.”
Charlotte took a 2-1 lead in the 43rd minute on a penalty kick from Obregon, who earned a try after a short shot attempt clipped the arm of a Spokane defender.
Obregon also converted an open-net goal in the 18th minute. Obertan cleared Spokane goalkeeper Brooks Thompson out of the way with a chip-shot assist.
Dolling opened the scoring for Spokane with a one-touch goal off of a perfect assist from Akale, who tucked a pass in between several defenders to the penalty area.
Charlotte recorded 13 shots against 11 for Spokane, which missed three good chances between the 22nd and 27th minutes, and two more between the 53rd and 59th minutes.
Obregon, the top goal-scorer in the USL1 with nine, led all players with five shots. Obertan had three shots and an assist, extending his league-leading assist total to five.
Spokane next plays on the road Aug. 3 against South Georgia Tormenta FC.