Kristijan Kahlina made 10 saves, including three crucial late denials, to help Charlotte FC preserve a 1-1 draw at St. Louis City in both teams’ season opener on Saturday afternoon.
Pep Biel scored in the second half of his first appearance since last September for Charlotte, which extended St. Louis’ winless streak in home openers to three seasons and spoiled Yoann Damet’s full-time managerial debut.
Marcel Hartel, who had nine goals and six assists last season, put St. Louis in front early in the second half as the club began a new era with Damet and new sporting director Corey Wray.
Both teams had chances to win late, but it was Kahlina who was the busier of the two goalkeepers. His best denial came against Cedric Teuchert in the seventh-minute of second-half stoppage time, and he also had to deny Brendan McSorley before referee Ismail Elfath finally blew for full time.
Biel was one of Charlotte’s three double-digit goal scorers in 2025, but he played only 48 MLS minutes after late July as he dealt with a hamstring strain and then eventually a knee injury that ended his season prematurely. Without him, Charlotte fell in the first round of the MLS playoffs for a second consecutive season.
Biel showed few signs of rust on the goal that pulled the visitors level.
Wilfried Zaha picked him out in the left side of the penalty area with a clever pass that split multiple St. Louis defenders. Biel then finished past Roman Burki from a close but tricky angle, dispatching his effort around the ‘keeper and inside the far right post.
Hartel put St. Louis in front on the hour mark after his side’s most crisp attack of the match.
Daniel Edelman played a ball forward from the right toward Simon Becher, who had space to push into the penalty area. Instead, Becher cut a first-touch pass across his body into Hartel’s run at the top of the penalty arc, and Hartel connected on a first-time finish past Kahlina’s dive.
–Field Level Media
