Charlotte clashes with another hot foe in San Diego FC

Two of the better scoring teams in MLS will meet for the first time on Saturday when Charlotte FC host expansion side San Diego FC.

Pep Biel scored the lone goal last Saturday at Montreal as Charlotte (5-2-1, 16 points) won its second straight game and fourth in five tries to remain in second place in the tight Eastern Conference table. The 28-year-old attacking midfielder now leads Charlotte with three goals and is the joint top assist man in the league with five.

Biel, who joined the club on loan in August of last season, has played a part in eight out of Charlotte's 13 goals to start the current campaign.

"He's turning in really good numbers but he's turning in really good performances as well," Charlotte coach Dean Smith said on Thursday.

Smith attributes it to Biel's experience from playing for clubs in Germany, Greece, Denmark and Spain as well as his ability to play in different positions on the field.

"He's got really good technical ability, he's got a great tactical mind as well, so I think you're starting to see the full package of what he's blossoming into now," Smith said.

Charlotte, which is a perfect 4-0-0 at home this season, will welcome Ivory Coast international Wilfried Zaha (thumb surgery) back to the team after missing last week's match. The 32-year-old winger has two goals in six games this season.

Showing no signs of being in its inaugural season, San Diego (4-2-2, 14 points) sits in third place in the Western Conference table.

Anders Dreyer tops San Diego with three goals while Mexican international Hirving "Chucky" Lozano leads the way with four assists in five games. San Diego is tied for third in MLS with 15 goals.

Dreyer provided an 89th-minute assist on substitute Tomas Angel's goal in San Diego's 3-2 loss at Colorado on April 12. The defeat snapped a two-game winning streak for San Diego but it was the third consecutive game the club managed to find the back of the net at least twice.

Coach Mikey Varas liked what he saw from his team despite the result.

"The positives are we played with initiative, which is something that we want to do all the time, so that's important," Varas said after the loss.

"We'll have a lot of learning lessons from this game, but I would say the positives are we're going to learn something from the game and take that into next week's away game."

San Diego has lost its last two road matches after winning its first two away from home on the season.

--Field Level Media