Saint Louis FC Takes On The Charlotte Independence Saturday In North Carolina

Saint Louis FC faces the Charlotte Independence this Saturday in North Carolina. Kickoff is set for 6 pm at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.

Stream the game Saturday night on YouTube or join the St. Louligans at International Tap House in Soulard. You can also watch the game at Hattrick’s Irish Sports Pub in O’ Fallon, Missouri.

The Charlotte Independence are affiliated with Colorado Rapids, owned by Stan Kroenke, of Major League Soccer.

 

Last Time Out For STLFC

STLFC (4-6-4) earned a point on Wednesday at home thanks largely to the play of goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Grinwis made several spectacular saves to help preserve the 0-0 draw with the Rochester Rhinos. The clean sheet on the other side of the ball was preserved by Tomas Gomez, a product of Webster Groves High School and the St. Louis Scott Gallagher program.

Watch the Gateway Arch Match Recap below

Gateway Arch Match Recap STLFC vs Rochester July 5

Charlotte Independence  On 4-Game Win Streak

Charlotte (7-3-4) played in the lone USL game on the Fourth of July, taking on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The Independence extended their winning streak to four games a 3-1 win and are unbeaten since a 1-0 loss to Louisville City FC back on June 7th, a five-game span.

Charlotte currently sits in 4th place in the USL East with a record of 7-3-4 and 25 points through 14 games.

Enzo Martinez & Jorge Herrera Lead Charlotte Attack

Charlotte has scored 24 goals in its 14 games this season, an average of 1.7 goals per game. On its four-game win streak, the Independence has scored 9 goals, an average of 2.25 games.

Three of the team’s wins on the current streak have featured two-goal performances by an individual player. Enzo Martinez, Jorge Herrera and David Estrada have each recorded a brace with Martinez and Herrera each scoring three goals in the last four games.

The aforementioned Enzo Martinez and Jorge Herrera also lead the Independence in scoring on the season. Martinez has tallied seven goals while Herrera has scored six. Estrada has scored three goals this season.

Herrera and Alex Martinez, Enzo’s younger brother, share the team lead in assists with three apiece.

Herrera Has Been A Fixture On The Charlotte Soccer Scene

Jorge Herrera has been a professional soccer player in Charlotte, North Carolina since 2007. The 36-year old Colombian midfielder signed with the Charlotte Eagles, then of the USL Second Division, that year.  In 2014 the Independence came on the scene and moved into the USL, while the Eagles moved to the Premier Development League. Herrera was the first signing for the club. and has been a fixture in the Charlotte soccer community ever since.

A New Home For Independence Soccer This Season

The Charlotte Independence are in their first season playing at recently constructed stadium at the Matthews Sportsplex. The club is averaging 1,561 fans per match at the 2,500-seat stadium this season. After this season, construction will begin to expand the stadium capacity to 4,000.

A Family 4 Pack is available for this Saturday’s match for $50. The package included 4 tickets and a parking pass.

Could Mirkovic Return This Weekend?

Saturday’s match could see the return of Ivan Mirkovic to the Saint Louis FC lineup. The midfielder suffered a broken leg in the second game of the season back in April against Ottawa. Mirkovic has been seen training in recent weeks and should be available for Preki soon.

Mirkovic was one of the first signings announced by Saint Louis FC after the hiring of Preki and the Serbian was seen as an addition that would captain the club and control the midfield. The pair teamed together to win the USL Championship in 2014 in Sacramento.

Injury updates on Max Alvarez, who was also in Sacramento for the 2014 run, and Milan Petosevic were not available, but both should be returning to action soon.

Stream The Match

All USL games this season are available to stream live for free on YouTube.  We’ve provided the link for Saturday below.

Want to watch the game with other soccer fans? Head down to International Tap House in Soulard on Saturday to watch with the St. Louligans or head to Hattrick’s Irish Pub in O’Fallon, Missouri to watch the game on that side of the river.

Saint Louis FC vs Charlotte Independence July 8, 2017 #CLTvSTL

Charleston Battery Up Next At Toyota Stadium

STLFC returns to Toyota Stadium at World Wide Technology Soccer Park on July 15 for a match against the Charleston Battery. The Battery are currently in first place in the USL East.

Tickets can be purchased at SaintLouisFC.com

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