CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA — Charlotte's offense was relentless Wednesday night, overwhelming Temple with a 7-0 victory that showcased the 49ers' attacking prowess. The home side controlled the match from start to finish, with Denis Krioutchenkov leading the charge as the primary architect of Charlotte's dominant performance before a crowd at Transamerica Stadium.
Krioutchenkov opened the scoring in the 11th minute, assisted by Jemone Barclay and Ben Fisher, setting the tone for what would become a rout. Natsuki Ogata doubled the lead just moments later in the 12th minute with a finish from a Krioutchenkov setup. Krioutchenkov struck again in the 17th minute to make it 3-0, and the 49ers never looked back. Landon Petz added a fourth goal in the 27th minute, assisted by Michael Mor and Leo Stritter, as Charlotte's attack overwhelmed Temple's defense throughout the first half.
Temple's defense crumbled early and often, unable to contain Charlotte's movement or pressing intensity. The Owls, struggling through an eight-game losing streak and sitting at 1-12-2 on the season, offered little resistance. Despite a couple of early substitutions attempting to stabilize the backline, Temple conceded at will. The visitors managed just two shots on goal for the entire match, a stark contrast to Charlotte's 17 attempts.
The second half brought more of the same. Elias Arsvoll extended Charlotte's advantage to 5-0 in the 59th minute, assisted by Wiktor Pucilowski and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou. Pucilowski then got on the scoresheet himself in the 72nd minute, with Landon Petz and Diogo Fazenda combining for the assist. Ogata capped the scoring in the 82nd minute, her second goal of the evening, as Charlotte's substitutes continued the onslaught.
Charlotte's dominance was evident in nearly every statistical category. The 49ers fired 27 shots compared to Temple's four, and their 17 shots on goal dwarfed the Owls' two. The home side also won the corner kick battle 6-2, controlling possession and dictating play throughout. Temple's goalkeeper made 10 saves but was simply overwhelmed by the volume of chances created.
Krioutchenkov's two-goal performance highlighted Charlotte's balanced attack, while Ogata's brace demonstrated the depth of the 49ers' offensive weapons. The combination of early pressure and relentless attacking proved too much for Temple to handle, with multiple players contributing to the goal-scoring effort.
The victory improves Charlotte to 8-4-2 and snaps a recent loss to FIU. The 49ers have now won their last match and will look to build momentum heading into their next contest. For Temple, the loss extends their struggles significantly. The Owls remain winless in their last eight matches and will need to regroup quickly before facing UAB on Sunday.
Charlotte hosts Missouri State on Sunday at 7 p.m., while Temple travels to face UAB on the same day at 2 p.m. The 49ers will aim to maintain their attacking form, while the Owls desperately need to find their footing in conference play.