CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC was set to host the Columbus Crew at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday for a long-awaited rematch. But instead of seeing which team would rain on the other's parade, it turned out Mother Nature would rain on it - literally.
Before kickoff, lightning near the stadium forced a weather delay that spanned more than three hours. Then the match finally got started just after 10 p.m., but just mere minutes in, the storms rolled back around.
It would be nearly two hours before Charlotte FC shared the official news: the rematch with Columbus was postponed to a later date. On Tuesday, Charlotte FC announced the match was rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. The game will recommence in the 16th minute.
In the short time that both teams were on the pitch, neither one could find the net.
Charlotte is 5-9-1 against Eastern Conference opponents and 4-1-0 when it records a pair of goals.
The Columbus Crew are 6-3-6 against Eastern Conference opponents and ninth in the Eastern Conference with 27 goals led by Derrick Etienne with five. The team faces Charlotte after securing two straight shutout wins.
Saturday's game was intended to be the second meeting between these teams this season. The last meeting finished tied 1-1.
Last week, Yordy Reyna lead Charlotte FC into a matchup with Toronto FC after scoring two goals against Inter Miami. But as the team went back into conference play Saturday - and on the heels of a stunning win against a British stalwart in a friendly - they found themselves cold-stunned again in Canada.
PREVIOUSLY: Toronto FC freezes out Charlotte 4-0
Toronto solidly defended their home pitch with four unanswered goals. Jonathan Osorio started the scoring early at four minutes in, while Michael Bradley followed up 10 minutes into play. Federico Bernardeschi found the net 31 minutes in, and Bradley kicked it in again in stoppage time before the end of the first half.
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