Charlotte Footy sits down with Laurel Pfahler of Queen City Press to preview Charlotte FC’s matchup with FC Cincinnati — Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. (Apple TV). Pfahler discusses Cincinnati’s recent five-game stretch, including back-to-back losses to Nashville and Philadelphia, and the impact of losing captain Matt Miazga and midfielder Evander ahead of Saturday’s match.

The conversation also looks at Cincinnati’s depleted back line, the arrival of new signings, and where the club can turn for leadership with key players unavailable. Pfahler also explains why independent soccer coverage matters as traditional media staffs continue to shrink, drawing on her experience covering FC Cincinnati since its USL days.

Follow Laurel on X: https://x.com/LaurelPfahler

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What should Charlotte FC expect from a CF Montréal side that is struggling for results but still has the pieces to make Wednesday night difficult? Charlotte Footy welcomes Montréal reporter Hady Raphaël of The Ball is Round Montréal Podcast to break down the matchup, including Danny Pereira’s injury, Montréal’s defensive approach and the threat of Prince Owusu in transition.

Raphaël also explains why Montréal’s recent results aren’t telling of what the team can do, plus what Charlotte should watch for against a team likely to prioritize limiting early chances. On Charlotte’s side, Harry Toffolo remains out, while captain Ashley Westwood is suspended.

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Victor Araiza joins the Charlotte Footy Podcast to preview Charlotte FC’s matchup with Houston Dynamo FC, discussing a Houston side that has exceeded expectations behind a defense-first approach but continues to search for consistent scoring.

Araiza breaks down Houston’s key players and defensive structure, identifies the right side of the Dynamo defense as an area Charlotte could target and explains why an early Charlotte goal could force Houston away from its preferred style.

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Atlanta United enter Saturday’s rivalry match against Charlotte FC riding their first three-game MLS winning streak since 2021, and Sydney Hunte of Scarves and Spikes joins the podcast to break down what has changed since the international break.

Tata Martino has found a more settled midfield, with academy product Adrian Gill emerging as an important piece, while Júnior Alonso and Paulo Díaz have formed a promising center-back pairing. Atlanta are also getting goals from unexpected sources, and with Breel Embolo now in the mix and additional roster flexibility available, Hunte explains why he thinks Atlanta should push for the playoffs rather than look ahead to next season.

From there, we dig into Saturday’s matchup and whether Charlotte’s attack, led by Pep Biel and an increasingly integrated Allan Saint-Maximin, can disrupt Atlanta’s momentum. Hunte sees this as Atlanta’s toughest test of the winning streak and explains why the hosts need to start aggressively, feed off the home crowd and avoid slipping back into the mentality that has plagued them when things go wrong.

With Charlotte fighting to maintain its playoff position and Atlanta trying to climb into one, there’s plenty at stake in the latest chapter of this rivalry.

Hear it from the other side. Charlotte Footy features MLS media members from around the league to preview Charlotte FC’s biggest matchups.

The Charlotte Footy podcast previews Wednesday’s Charlotte FC-Toronto FC matchup with Toronto soccer writer James Grossi, who says TFC is starting to find some stability after months of injuries, roster turnover and uncertainty.

Grossi breaks down how additions like Niklas Dorsch, Walker Zimmerman and Georgi Mihailovic have changed the team, while pointing to Theo Corbeanu and Dorsch as players Charlotte needs to watch. He also sees Charlotte’s ability to attack quickly through the wide areas and get runners into space as a potential problem for Toronto’s back line.

On the Charlotte side, the squad is mostly healthy, with Harry Toffolo still out and Allan Saint-Maximin potentially in line for a bigger role.

Follow James on X.

In this episode of the Charlotte Footy Podcast, Colin is joined by Daniel Rebain of Area Sports Network to preview Charlotte FC’s matchup with Red Bull New York. They discuss New York’s first half of the season, key players to watch, defensive concerns, and what each team needs to do to earn three points on Saturday. It’s a quick, informative look at one of the weekend’s most important Eastern Conference matchups.

Follow Daniel on X: @DanRebain97

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Charlotte Footy's first podcast episode previews Wednesday’s Charlotte FC-Atlanta United derby with Sydney Hunte of Scarves and Spikes. The discussion focuses on why Atlanta’s place in the standings doesn't matter in a rivalry match, Charlotte’s potential rust after the long break versus Atlanta already having a game under its belt, key injuries and roster availability for both clubs, Atlanta’s ongoing struggles in attack despite defensive reinforcements, and why Pep Biel remains Charlotte’s biggest difference-maker. Hunte also explains why he believes Biel is one of MLS’s most underrated players and the player Atlanta will have the toughest time containing.

Listen here, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any of your favorite podcast platforms!

If conversations like this are valuable to you, I'd love to have you along. A subscription to Charlotte Footy gets every story, podcast and notebook delivered straight to your inbox, and helps me keep building independent soccer coverage for Charlotte.