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That pesky red line. It mocks you as you strive to get above it. And when you finally do, you want to hold on for dear life to keep above it. And for the Charlotte Independence that is what today is about. Win against Toronto FC II and the Independence will remain in playoff positioning. Charlotte was able to finally break its road duck on Wednesday with a win over FC Montreal. Colorado Rapids striker Caleb Calvert nabbed the lone goal to give the Independence full points on the road for the first time this season.
So the goal for Charlotte is simple: win.
The Eastern Conference Table:
| Points | Games Played | Win | Loss | Draw | |
| Rochester Rhinos | 50 | 23 | 14 | 1 | 8 |
| Louisville City FC | 45 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 |
| New York Red Bulls II | 39 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 6 |
| Charleston Battery | 39 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 9 |
| Richmond Kickers | 36 | 25 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 35 | 24 | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Harrisburg City Islanders | 34 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Charlotte Independence | 32 | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 |
| Saint Louis FC | 26 | 24 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
| FC Montreal | 25 | 25 | 7 | 14 | 4 |
| Toronto FC II | 18 | 22 | 5 | 14 | 3 |
| Wilmington Hammerheads FC | 16 | 24 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
What to Watch For
1) That Road Form: Make no mistake, the Independence have been poor on the road this year with a putrid 1-4-5 record when they are away from home. But that victory on Wednesday night was huge and it truly could act as a spring board going into the final six games of the season. Four of those are away from Ramblewood, but of their remaining six matches all but one are against teams (currently) below them in the table. Nevertheless, getting those road points will be vital.
2) Quite a Streak: It is pretty easy to understand the concept of playing your best football coming into playoff time and Charlotte has compiled a 4-0-4 record in their last eight. The last time they tasted defeat was July 11. Not too bad for the boys from the Queen City.
3) Badji Back in Colorado: We reported on this on Friday, but Rapids forward Dominique Badji was recalled from his loan at Charlotte. This is a bit of a blow for Charlotte, but will be good for Badji to get called back to the big club.
How to Watch
Match Date/Time: Sunday, August 30 at 1:00 PM MDT
Venue: Ontario Soccer Centre--Vaughan, Ontario
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