Charlotte FC has goalkeeping to lean on in Round One match with hot Orlando City

Orlando City was a tough team to beat over the second half of the season. They'll look to maintain that success when they host Charlotte FC in the opening match of their best-of-three Round One series of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday.

The Lions (15-12-7, 52 points) went on an 11-4-1 run from June 22 through the end of the season to finish fourth in the MLS Eastern Conference table. They allowed more than two goals only three times during that span and held opponents to one goal or fewer in each of their 11 wins save one, including a three-match shutout streak from Aug. 31 to Sept. 18.

That stretch was preceded by a season-high five-match winless run (0-3-2).

"There's such a good banter around all the team, and I think it's the best thing in the world," midfielder Dagur Dan Thorhallsson told the team website. "When you're with a group and you're in their locker room and everybody's laughing, I feel like we're all more relaxed. Of course, there's a tension in the air because it's the playoffs, but everybody's relaxed and ready for it."

Orlando finished ninth in MLS with 56 goals, led by 14 from Facundo Torres and 10 off the foot of Duncan McGuire. Torres' total matched a career-high for the Uruguayan.

This year marks a fifth straight postseason appearance for Orlando City, all under the guidance of coach Oscar Pareja.

Charlotte (14-11-9, 51 points) enters the series having gone 4-0-1 over its final five matches to close out the season. Three of those wins were clean sheets, including the last two of the campaign.

The club finished the season having conceded the second-fewest goals in MLS, with 37, a notable drop from the 52 allowed in 2023. A large part of that comes from the play of goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, whose 121 saves in the regular season were tied for third-most in the league.

"I think he's the biggest turnaround that people have seen, in terms of how many goals we conceded last season to how many goals we've conceded this season," coach Dean Smith said. "And he's been a massive part of that. Twelve clean sheets, he's outstanding. And he's been pivotal for us."

After missing the first part of the 2023 season recovering from back surgery, Kahlina has enjoyed a healthy 2024, playing every minute for Charlotte FC.

--Field Level Media