FC Cincinnati will be looking to increase their lead at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference when they travel to the Bank of America Stadium to face Charlotte FC on Sunday.
The hosts, meanwhile, find themselves in the bottom half of the table and are seeking to avoid a seventh successive game without a victory.
Match preview
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After enduring a winless month of June, including two defeats and three consecutive draws, Charlotte were forced to settle for a point for the fourth match in a row in their first game of July as they played out a 1-1 draw with New York City FC on Thursday.
McKinze Gaines opened the scoring for the Crown with a stunning strike on the edge of the area on the 17-minute mark, and the visitors appeared to be on course to claim all three points until NYCFC restored parity nine minutes from time courtesy of a deflected strike from Braian Cufre.
Having picked up just seven MLS points from their last 21 available, Christian Lattanzio's side have subsequently slipped to 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, seven points behind seventh-placed Atlanta United who occupy the last Final Series spot.
Dropping points from winning positions in four of their last six MLS matches has proven costly for Charlotte, and they will hope to end their three-game winless home run on Sunday against a Cincinnati side whom they beat 2-0 in North Carolina last year.
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Cincinnati have been head and shoulders the best MLS side so far this season having accumulated a league-high 44 points from 20 matches, although they have recently endured a minor blip in form.
Indeed, the Orange and Blue have won only one of their last four games and have failed to win their last two, with a 3-0 away defeat against DC United – just their second loss of the season – followed by a 2-2 home draw with New England Revolution last Sunday.
The visitors were 2-1 ahead at the interval before Cincinnati forward Dominique Badji scored his second of the game and his fourth of the campaign to restore parity early in the second half.
Pat Noonan's side are sitting pretty at the summit of the Eastern Conference and a victory on Sunday could see them move nine points clear of second-placed Nashville SC who have played a game more.
While Cincinnati have excelled at home so far this season, winning 10 and drawing one of their 11 MLS matches, Noonan will be keen to see improvements made on the road as the Orange and Blue have only won three of their nine away games this term.
Team News
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Charlotte duo Adilson Malanda and Hamady Diop both missed the last match due to respective leg and abdominal injuries, and while the latter is set to remain sidelined, the former is doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Enzo Copetti was forced off with an injury just after the half-hour mark last weekend and it remains to be seen whether the striker will be fit to feature against Cincinnati; Karol Swiderski or Patrick Agyemang could be tasked with leading the line if Copetti is ruled out.
Summer signing Scott Arfield, who has joined the club on a free transfer from Rangers, made his debut as a second-half substitute last time out and the Canadian midfielder will be pushing for his first start for the Crown on Sunday.
As for Cincinnati, Matt Miazga and Brandon Vazquez are still away on international duty with the USA at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while Junior Moreno is set to remain sidelined having missed the last three games with a leg injury.
Nick Hagglund and Luciano Acosta were both on the scoresheet in a 2-0 home win over Charlotte last year and they are both expected to start at centre-back and in attacking midfield respectively this weekend.
After scoring a brace last time out, Baji is set to continue in attack alongside Yuya Kubo, with Sergio Santos and Arquimides Ordonez forced to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench.
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Lindsey, Sobocinski, Jones, Byrne; Westwood, Afful, Bender; Jozwiak, Swiderski, Gaines
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentaro; Hagglund, Mosquera, Gaddis; Arias, Nwobodo, Angulo, Barreal; Acosta; Baji, Kubo
We say: Charlotte FC 1-3 FC Cincinnati
Despite a recent wobble in form, Cincinnati will be regarded as favourites to come out on top against a struggling Charlotte outfit this weekend.
The visitors have had few problems finding the net so far this season, scoring in all but one of their 20 MLS matches, and we can see them having more joy in front of goal in North Carolina.
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