Kerwin Vargas scored in first-half stoppage time as Charlotte FC topped visiting DC United 1-0 on Saturday night, winning for the fifth time in their last eight matches.
Charlotte hasn’t allowed a goal in five consecutive home matches. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina was credited with one save for his eighth clean sheet of the season despite picking up a late yellow card.
Charlotte (8-6-4, 28 points) ended up in scoreless draws in its previous two home matches.
DC United (4-7-7, 19 points) has a six-match winless streak, losing four of those outings. Some sustained late-match pressure didn’t produce a goal.
Goalkeeper Alex Bono of DC United, which was coming off a two-week layoff, made one save.
Charlotte’s strong stretch shows a 5-1-2 record since the beginning of May.
Vargas’ third goal of the season halted his six-match stretch without scoring.
Jere Uronen provided the assist, sending a corner kick into the middle of the box. Vargas found the right angle for a header, outmaneuvering four D.C. United players to get to the ball first, and Bono couldn’t reach the ball.
Charlotte outshot D.C. United 14-6, putting two on goal compared to one for United, who owned the advantage in time of possession, 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent.
The teams will meet again in the regular-season finale in Washington.
–Field Level Media
