Know Your Enemy, USL Cup Edition: Charlotte Independence

The Richmond Kickers will take a break from table play this weekend, hosting closest league rival Charlotte Independence in Prinx Cup action on Saturday.

It's the first of three scheduled meetings between the sides, with regular season matches coming in July and September. It's also the opening match for both sides in the Cup group stage.

Similarly, the clubs met three times in 2025, with Charlotte sweeping the series. However, all players who scored goals against Richmond that season have since moved on.

Charlotte nearly won the Cup group last year, taking down USL Championship club North Carolina FC, beating Lexington SC in penalties, and losing to Loudoun in penalties. All of this came before a resounding 3-0 win over Richmond to close out group play. Ending group play tied with Loudoun and Louisville in points, the tiebreaker went to Loudoun due to the penalty win over Charlotte.

As indicated, Charlotte shed a significant amount of talent in the off-season. This included league veteran striker Christian Chaney, who led Charlotte with a career-high 13 goals. Chaney ended up signing with Corpus Christi in free agency.

So far in 2026, Charlotte has seen an inconsistent season. Its lone win was a 4-0 drubbing of league powerhouse Spokane Velocity, but they've since dropped two matches in a row to New York Cosmos and One Knoxville.

Here's who Richmond fans should keep an eye on this Friday.

Charlotte Independence: Players to Watch

Viggo Ortiz, Midfielder #11

Charlotte acquired the 17 year old phenom on a permenant transfer from Charleston Battery in January. Ortiz signed a multi-year contract with USL Championship club Charleston at the age of 16, but only made four appearances for the senior team in 2025.

Ortiz would go on to score the match winner against his former club in the U.S. Open Cup earlier this month. He's also scored a pair of goals in four regular season matches. An early contender for Young Player of the Year, Ortiz is putting up a case that perhaps Charleston gave up on his development a bit too early.

Souaibou Marou, Forward #26

The 25 year old was second on the squad in goals in the 2025 season, mostly as a substitute. This year, he's been asked to step up to the starting 11 in all of the matches in which he's been available. So far he has responded with a goal and an assist in three matches.

Luis Álvarez, Midfielder #47

The former Young Player of the Year nominee has been a dominant force on the wing and in the midfield for Charlotte over the last few seasons. The club cashed in last year with a mid-season transfer to USL Championship club Tampa Bay for what was said to be a record fee between the leagues. But with Tampa Bay going through a coaching change and rebuilding for 2026, there was no longer a role for him there, so he was loaned back to Charlotte for the season.

So far, he's right back where he was early last season, moving the ball through the midfield and creating quality chances. In four matches, he has a goal and an assist, both in the win over Spokane. When Álvarez succeeds, Charlotte succeeds.

Javen Romero, Centre Back #5

The former LAFC and Guadalajara youth product joined Charlotte last year and quickly took over an outsized role in defense, making 21 starts as a 19 year old. While Head Coach Mike Jeffries appears to still be working out his pairing, Romero has made all four regular season starts this year. He leads the squad in clearances, blocks, tackles won and aerial duels won, providing consistency while the defense is developed around him.

Richmond Kickers vs. Charlotte Independence: How to Watch

Location: City Stadium, Richmond
Kickoff: Saturday, April 25th, 6:00 PM
Streaming: ESPN+, CBS 6.3

Image credit Charlotte Independence