In an electric match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte pulled out a 2-1 victory to satisfy the home crowd of 37,809 fans. The competition began on the 26th of August 2023 and was heavily contested between the two teams.

Ashley Westwood started off the scoring spree for Charlotte with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box in the 29th minute. As a result, Charlotte led by 1-0 at the halftime whistle.

The visiting Los Angeles Football Club didn't go unnoticed. Mario González found the equalizer in the 67th minute with an assist by Denis Bouanga, making the scoreline 1-1. However, Charlotte decided their fate in the 75th minute when S. Arfield netted the ball into the visitor's side, making it 2-1.

The match was not without hassle as Adilson Malanda of Charlotte was shown the yellow card just eight minutes into the game, followed by Karol Świderski also from Charlotte at the 13th minute. Timothy Tillman of Los Angeles took a yellow card for a bad foul at the 19th minute. Charlotte’s Brandt Bronico was booked towards the end of the match, drawing a yellow card in the final moment of injury time.

Both teams also made strategic substitutions to bring new energy on the field. Particularly notable was the Charlotte coach's decision to bring S. Arfield onto the pitch in the 72nd minute, which was instrumental in their victory. Los Angeles made a substantial change at the 63rd minute with double substitutions that saw Filip Krastev and Kellyn Acosta replacing Timothy Tillman and Ilie Sánchez respectively.

This win deals a blow to Los Angeles Football Club's ambition, as they are sent back to re-evaluate their tactics. Up next for both teams, Charlotte will be up against Orlando City on August 30, while Los Angeles Football Club is set to face Inter Miami on September 5. The teams now must regroup and prepare for the next challenge in their busy schedule. Let's hope we see another thriller.