Charlotte FC spoils D.C. United's playoff hopes

Pep Biel broke through early in the second half, Patrick Agyemang added his team-leading 10th goal and visiting Charlotte FC dumped D.C. United out of the playoff picture with a 3-0 win on Saturday night in both teams' regular season finale.

Liel Abada added a late third, and Brandt Bronico assisted the first two goals for Charlotte (14-11-9, 51 points), which had already assured its place in the MLS Cup Playoffs and finished fifth in the Eastern Conference.

They'll face fourth-place Orlando in a first round playoff series and the club's first postseason matches since entering MLS in 2022.

Kristijan Kahlina made three stops to keep an Eastern Conference best-tying 12th clean sheet and send D.C. United (10-14-10, 40 points) to a defeat when a win or a draw would've given the Black-and-Red their first postseason appearance since 2019.

Instead Atlanta secured the ninth and final East spot with its win at Orlando.

D.C.'s Christian Benteke will likely finish as the top scorer in MLS with 23 goals, having entered the night four in front of his nearest competitor.

But he was unable to convert on several chances for a D.C. side that was in the ascendancy throughout the first half.

The best came in the first minute, when Kahlina's extended leg denied the Belgian's low attempt. Later, Benteke was clearly offside on a pair of apparent goals in the 39th and 65th minute.

Charlotte looked much improved to begin the second half and grabbed the lead through Biel in the 58th minute.

Biel began the attack himself with an excellent diagonal outlet pass wide to Bronico, then hauled up the field to get into the box ahead of some D.C. defenders.

Bronico returned the pass with a low cross toward the penalty spot, and Biel slotted in a low finish past Bono from about 12 yards out.

Ayemang doubled the advantage from another Bronico cross in the 75th minute, and Abada sealed the points on a late feed from Karol Swiderski in the 90th.

--Field Level Media