Charlotte FC claimed a 2-0 victory over Atlanta United FC in its home opener on Saturday afternoon, thanks to second-half goals from Pep Biel and Wilfried Zaha.
Zaha, making his Charlotte debut after a long tenure with Crystal Palace in the Premier League, made an immediate impact. Meanwhile, reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina recorded his first clean sheet of the season, tallying four saves for Charlotte (1-0-1).
Atlanta (1-1-0) registered 16 shot attempts but managed only four on target. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made three saves to keep his side in the match.
The breakthrough came in the 49th minute when Biel capitalized on a counterattack. Zaha set up the opportunity with a well-placed pass into the box, leaving Biel one-on-one with Guzan, and the Spanish midfielder calmly slotted home.
Just five minutes later, Zaha doubled the lead in another quick-strike attack. After Guzan deflected an initial shot, Zaha pounced on the rebound, sending a bouncing effort into the right corner of the net.
Atlanta pushed forward aggressively in the closing minutes, creating several scoring chances, but Kahlina stood firm, making a key save during a late surge.
Biel has now found the net in two of his last three MLS appearances, including a goal in Charlotte’s final match last season. He also registered an assist in last weekend’s season-opening draw at Seattle.
