Fan favorite Bender gunning for Charlotte FC return
Plus Copetti bids Charlotte fans farewell, Westwood logging big minutes, late-night practice after midweek game, and advancing Saturday's game with L.A. Galaxy.
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Bender ‘played with freedom’ while scoring twice in rehab game as he eyes return from knee operation
Bender celebrates his second goal Wednesday night for Crown Legacy FC. (Photo by Alana McCallion of Crown Legacy FC.)
As if Charlotte FC’s Ben Bender needed any more inspiration to return after seven months out with a surgically repaired left knee, he got it Wednesday night from a small but vocal group of fans from Chattanooga at the Matthews Sportsplex.
Bender, who had already scored a goal and assisted another for Crown Legacy FC, heard fans chirping something to the effect of “You’re never getting back to the first team.”
His response? Powering toward the far post and heading in a free kick for his second goal with just moments to spare in his scheduled 45-minute shift. That Bender was thinking of trash-talking fans and not his left knee was as good of a sign as his three goal contributions in a 4-1 win for Charlotte’s MLS Next Pro team.
“For the most part last night, I forgot about my knee,” Bender said by phone Thursday during a break from watching a livestream of his wife, Heather Leubacker, score two goals and assist two others in Maryland’s 15-9 loss to Florida in the NCAA women’s lacrosse quarterfinals.
“A couple times decelerating defensively I noticed it, but for the most part I (didn’t),” he continued. “I was a bit nervous before the game, didn’t know what to expect. And then once I got out there for the warmup, I was just like, ‘Man, this is amazing to be able to play again,’ and I just played with freedom.”
Bender was playing his first game since he was injured trying to avoid a Philadelphia defender along the end line Sept. 20. After first trying to rehab the injury, he ultimately underwent surgery to repair a meniscus root tear Oct. 24. The surgery was more extensive than a typical meniscus tear, requiring a hole drilled in his tibia, cartilage “buttoned” to the bone, six weeks on crutches and an extensive recovery.
A difficult part for Bender has been the unknown.
“It wasn't black and white,” Bender said. “My wife and parents and I were asking lots of questions, and it was very vague because there’s not a lot of research on professional athletes with this type of injury. That’s what the surgeon was saying. That’s probably the most stressful thing, to not have a clear answer. But I’m thankful that it’s starting to feel better and I’m able to play again.”
He had a minor setback with a quadricep muscle strain that changed his trajectory, but now he’s back on track. The plan is to arrange another 65 to 70 minutes of game action, Coach Dean Smith said, “and keep progressing from there.”
This is the first serious injury for Bender, 23, Charlotte’s No. 1 overall pick from the University of Maryland in the 2022 SuperDraft.
The good news for Bender is that he doesn’t have to prove to a new coach the kind of player he’s been. Smith happened to be in the stands at Bank of America Stadium as a spectator on June 11, 2022, when Bender scored the go-ahead goal in a 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls. Bender took three touches from outside the box and fired off a stinging left footer to the far post to set off one of his trademark corner-flag kicking celebrations.
“I guess you never know who’s watching,” said Bender.
Breaking bread: Bender said Smith’s efforts to get to know him off the field have meant just as much. Smith knows how much Bender likes to bake and asked him recently for a loaf of bread. Bender gave him some ciabatta, which takes him two days to make, start to finish.
“It was very tasty,” Smith said.
Like with baking bread, Bender plans to take his time during this recovery and get it right — even with Charlotte FC clamoring for more offensive production given the recent departure of Enzo Copetti.
“I haven't wanted to rush this process at all,” Bender said. “I want to look long-term in the future because it wouldn't be good to get injured again. It's important to make sure your muscles are super strong before coming back. That's been my mentality.”
Copetti thanks club, fans in Instagram farewell
Hours before Enzo Copetti’s departure from Charlotte FC became official Thursday afternoon, the outgoing DP striker posted a video montage and thank you message to Charlotte fans on Instagram. It was written in Spanish, but with thanks to Charlotte FC fan Jorge Torres for translating it, Copetti wrote:
I’m saying farewell (or bye) to Charlotte FC. All that’s left is to thank the club for opening their doors. It was a phase filled with challenges and lessons. Thank you to teammates, coaches and staff for everything. Thank you to the fans/supporters for cheering me on. I wish you great success for what’s to come. Thank you.
The announcement put the finishing touches on a transaction that Charlotte FC initiated a week ago. The team and Copetti parted ways after he struggled to just one goal in 11 games under Smith. Charlotte FC has 11 games to go now before the summer transfer window opens July 18, during which it will look to restock its roster with as many as two designated player spots.
Ironman: Westy’s goal, stamina help Charlotte over Chicago 1-0
Westwood and teammates celebrate his lone goal against the Chicago Fire. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC.)
As much of youth movement as there is going on at Charlotte FC — with the likes of Patrick Agyemang, Nikola Petkovic, and Tyger Smalls carrying an offensive load — the veteran influence is palpable, too. Ashley Westwood, the 34-year-old captain, hasn’t come out of a game yet this season. He played another 90 minutes in the first midweek game of the season Wednesday, while also scoring Charlotte FC’s lone goal in a 1-0 win in Chicago.
“Not bad for an old chap,” his wife Becca Westwood kidded in her Instagram post with a video of his curling shot from the top of the penalty box.
Westwood goal was the first he has scored on a free kick in 10 years. His last one came in 2014, just three days shy of his 24th birthday, when he scored for Aston Villa at Manchester United in Old Trafford Stadium, for his second goal in the English Premier League.
“That’s my range,” was his understated English but confident explanation.
Westwood anchored the midfield as waves of substitutions came on around him to help preserve fresh legs for Charlotte, with three games in eight days. Westwood is one of three Charlotte FC players to play every minute of the season so far, along with center back Andrew Privett, 23, and goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, 31.
“This is what I’m built for,” said Westwood, who overcame a gruesome ankle injury in 2022 with Burnley FC to reinvent himself in MLS. “I feel 21 again. I’ve come back from an ankle injury last year. I got injured early on (with a hip flexor tear). I knew it was going to happen; after a big injury you do generally get another one. I’ve worked hard. All the (medical and training) staff has been phenomenal with me. They trust me now to do my own thing. I feel amazing again, and long may it continue.”
Agyemang drawing attention: Westwood’s free kick was set up by a foul Agyemang drew from Carlos Teran, the Colombian center back who seemed to make it his aim to get inside Agyemang’s head.
Teran shadowed Charlotte’s talented young striker all game long and at one point followed him to the sideline in front of Charlotte FC’s bench, where assistant coach Pa-Modou Kah had to cup his hands to Agyemang’s ear to maintain privacy. Agyemang tried to shoo Teran away.
Agyemang and Teran had been going at each other all game. Agyemang got a yellow card after one of those confrontations and seemed as visibly frustrated as he’s been in two seasons with Charlotte FC. Smith, noting the frustration, pulled Agyemang in the 70th minute in part to avoid another yellow card and also to rest him.
Now that Agyemang has taken over the full-time striker’s spot from Copetti, Westwood said he can expect more of the same defensive attention:
I said to him at halftime, “Don’t get frustrated. You’re going to get this now. You’re going to be a marked man. That’s credit to you, what you’re doing.” He needs to keep improving and playing his football. The guy was rolling around on the floor half the time, so Pat was doing a great job. He’s in there buzzing him, rightly so, he’s been amazing. His character around the place is infectious. He’s got the world at his feet.
Nashville defender Walker Zimmerman mixing it up with Charlotte FC striker Patrick Aygemang on May 11. (Photo by Kevin Young of The 5 and 2 Project.)
Late night of practice at the Bank
If you were awake in uptown Charlotte in the wee hours of Wednesday night and saw the lights on at Bank of America and wondered what was going on, that was Charlotte FC practicing, after getting back from Chicago around 2:30 a.m.
The reason? After its first midweek game of the year, Smith wanted to implement a new routine he employed in the English Premier League. While the players with heavy minutes in Chicago had their “regen” (regeneration) work of hot and cold tubs and massages, the substitutes had training — in the middle of the night.
“It’s one of those things where you have to weigh up, ‘Do you get back and let them all go home and then get them at 1:00 in the afternoon?’” Smith said. “Yet some of them got kids and will still be up at 8:00, and you’re disrupting their sleep anyway. So what's the happy medium? What’s the best plan forward? For me, it’s get the regen, get the workout done and then get back home and they’ve got the rest of the day to themselves.”
The routine allows more rest and recovery on the back end before Charlotte plays again Saturday, at home, against L.A. Galaxy.
“Sleep is the best recovery you can get,” Smith said.
Notable: MLS Salaries out, Men in Blazers visit, fan group discipline
MLSPA’s listing of the highest-paid players for Charlotte FC signed since April 25.
MLS player salaries published: The Major League Soccer players association released its annual listing of player salaries across the league. New designated player Liel Abada is the highest-paid player for Charlotte, with a base salary of $2.3 million, followed by Karol Swiderski at $2.2 million (though he is playing in Italy on loan and doubtful to return), followed by Brecht Dejaegere and Copetti making $1 million apiece. For a complete list, go here.
Men in Blazers in town: Roger “Rog” Bennett, British-American broadcaster of the renowned national soccer podcast and TV show “Men in Blazers,” is coming to Charlotte this weekend to soak up the Charlotte FC culture. He’s invited fans to join him for a pint at Valhalla at 317 Church St. at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Men in Blazers, who draw nearly 1.5 million downloads each month, normally focus on the English Premier League, Champions League and the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams, but also dabble in MLS. Bennett joked that fans should BYOB — “Bring your own Bojangles.”
Discipline for two Supporter Groups: The “Royal Family,” which is the leadership council of Charlotte FC’s five main fan groups, levied discipline this week to two supporters groups represented in an altercation outside the stadium. The fan group Blue Furia is banned from the pregame tailgate at McNinch Street for three games, and the Carolina Hooliganz for five games. Blue Furia said on social media that it will hold its own tailgate on Saturday. Neither of those groups will be allowed to bring their supporter groups’ flags and banners inside the stadium for those games.
Women from the groups got into a heated confrontation that left Juli Gregory, president of Blue Furia, with a bloody face. Multiple sources told The Ledger that other members of both groups confronted each other in a nearby parking lot, though it’s unclear how much of the arguing was physical and how much was vocal.
Up Next: Charlotte FC (6-5-2) vs L.A. Galaxy (5-2-6)
When/Where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
How to watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Find information about how to subscribe for the season here.
How to listen: WFNZ 92.7 in English, WOLS 106.1 in Spanish.
Notable:
Charlotte FC has used three consecutive shutout wins vs. Portland, Nashville and Chicago, to move above .500 for the first time this deep into a season. Jere Uronen out.
Charlotte is now third in the Eastern Conference with just 13 goals allowed. Charlotte, which is coming off its first road win of the year Wednesday in Chicago is now 1-4-1 on the road this season, 5-1-1 at Bank of America.
L.A. Galaxy makes its first trip to Bank of America since a record-setting crowd of 74,479 watched Charlotte FC lose 1-0 in its inaugural home match in March 5, 2022.
The Galaxy are tied with Portland for the Western Conference lead with 25 goals scored.
Left back Jere Uronen is out with a groin strain. He suffered the injury in practice Tuesday and missed Wednesday’s game in Chicago.
Smith did some lineup juggling Wednesday night to help keep legs fresh for tonight, giving Tyger Smalls his first MLS start on the wing, and starting Junior Urso in midfield.
Winger Liel Abada is still out with a quadriceps injury, but Charlotte FC is now targeting his return for May 25 against the Philadelphia Union, after originally thinking it would be four days later against the New York Red Bulls.
Carroll Walton is a longtime baseball writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution now in her third season covering Charlotte FC. She would love to hear from you. E-mail her with questions, suggestions, story ideas and comments!
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