CHARLOTTE, NC (June 13, 2026) – The Charlotte Independence continued their record-setting run Saturday night, defeating FC Naples 4-3 to secure the club’s seventh consecutive league victory.
After matching the previous club record of six straight league wins with Wednesday’s triumph over Union Omaha, the Independence wasted little time establishing a new benchmark.
Once again, Luis Alvarez led the way. The midfielder scored his league-leading eighth and ninth goals of the season while adding an assist in another standout performance. Souaibou Marou extended his scoring streak to four consecutive matches, while Viggo Ortiz delivered the eventual game-winner. Christopher Jaime continued his impressive creative form as well, recording two assists to bring his total to four across Charlotte’s two meetings with Naples.
The Jacks came flying out of the gates and struck in just the sixth minute through the league’s leading scorer.
Marou raced in behind the Naples back line and lifted an effort over goalkeeper Lalo Delgado. The shot bounced off the post and into a crowded six-yard box, where Alvarez reacted first to hammer the rebound home and give Charlotte an early 1-0 lead.
Charlotte controlled the opening 20 minutes, monopolizing possession and pinning Naples deep in its own half. The visitors struggled to get a foothold in the match as the Independence dictated the tempo from the opening whistle.
The Jacks nearly doubled their advantage in the 18th minute when Marou flicked a ball into the path of Enzo Martinez, but the Uruguayan couldn’t keep his effort under the crossbar. Naples, however, capitalized on its first real chance just a minute later.
Kevin O’Connor delivered a perfectly weighted chipped pass over the Charlotte back line, and William Arevalo met it first time, guiding his finish home to level the score at 1-1.
Martinez remained a constant threat throughout the half. In the 33rd minute, he burst free near the top of the box and forced Lalo Delgado into a sharp save from close range.
Despite generating only two shots before halftime, Naples made both opportunities count as dangerous chances. Christopher Garcia slipped in behind the defense in the 42nd minute, but his attempt sailed over the bar and kept the match level heading into the break.
Charlotte reclaimed the lead in the 59th minute through a familiar source. Marou extended his scoring streak to four consecutive matches after Martinez switched play to Jaime, who drove a low cross into the six-yard box. Marou arrived at the perfect moment and calmly finished from point-blank range to restore the Independence advantage.
Against the run of play once again, Naples found an equalizer in the 68th minute. O’Connor whipped a dangerous corner into the six-yard box, and after a scramble in front of goal, the ball fell kindly to Luca Mastrantonio, who rifled his finish into the back of the net to make it 2-2.
Charlotte refused to let the setback slow its momentum and was rewarded in the 82nd minute through its talisman once again. Jaime picked out Alvarez in space nearly 25 yards from goal, and the midfielder needed no invitation. Alvarez shifted onto his favored right foot and curled a low, precise strike beyond the outstretched arm of Lalo Delgado and into the side netting, restoring the Independence lead with his second goal of the night.
Fresh off the bench, Ortiz continued his knack for scoring spectacular goals. After Alvarez won the ball in midfield and sprayed it wide, the winger drove at the Naples defense, cut inside, and calmly took two extra touches to create space. He then picked out the top corner with a sensational curling finish in the 86th minute, extending Charlotte’s lead to 4-2.
Naples refused to go away quietly and cut the deficit back to one just before stoppage time. O’Connor, who was a constant threat with his delivery throughout the night, whipped another dangerous set piece into the box. Giovanni Miglietti rose highest and powered a header home, setting up a tense finish for the hosts.
But the Independence weathered the late pressure and saw out the result, securing a club-record seventh consecutive league victory. The win sends Charlotte into its extended break on the back of the squad’s best run of form in club history.
POST-GAME SOUND
Head Coach Mike Jeffries on finding a way to win:
“That’s the will of the group. Tonight was about resilience. Wednesday was a hard game and a good result for us, for sure. Then to come back three days later — even though both games were at home — takes resilience. To stay in the game after conceding the lead twice is a credit to the guys.”
Jeffries on the impact of midfielder Christopher Jaime:
“He’s got an engine that’s ridiculous. We marvel at it almost every game. The play at the end of the game where he steps in, wins the ball, moves it forward and creates a chance — that’s in the 94th minute. The guy has been playing straight through and running more than anybody else, and he still has that in him.”
Viggo Ortiz on returning to the scoresheet + the team’s run:
“it’s an amazing feeling. I’ve been dealing with some injuries and working my way back, but I’ve just kept my head up, kept pushing, and kept working hard every day. I live for those moments, and when I got my chance, I made sure to make the most of it. Seven wins in a row is huge. Every day we’ve been working, working, working, and we’re ready to achieve more. We just keep pushing each other and raising the standard.”
Luis Alvarez on his torrid run:
“I’ve achieved this stretch through hard work, effort, and dedication, and thanks to the confidence my coach and the technical staff have in me—as well as the trust my teammates place in my work every single day, treating me as if I hadn’t scored at all this season.”
