Naples vs Charlotte Independence Prediction
Naples to Edge Struggling Charlotte
Preview
Right then, let's have a proper look at this USL League One clash between Naples and Charlotte Independence. Naples are sitting pretty in 5th with 44 points, while Charlotte are lagging behind in 8th on 37 points. There's a bit of a gap between these two, and form-wise, it's showing.
Naples have been a bit hit and miss lately, mind you. They've only picked up 3 wins from their last 10 games, losing 4 of those. They did put four past Alta at home not too long ago, which shows they can turn it on when they want. But they've also had some stinkers - losing 0-1 to Spokane and getting battered 0-2 by Westchester, who are propping up the table. Still, they did the business over Charlotte in the reverse fixture, winning 1-0 away back in September.
Charlotte, on the other hand, are in a right old mess. Seven losses in their last 10 games tells you all you need to know, really. They've not even managed a draw in that run - it's all or nothing, and mostly nothing. They did put three past Alta in a 3-2 win, but then went and lost 1-2 to Chattanooga and 0-1 to Spokane. Their away form is particularly shocking - just one win in five trips, shipping 2.4 goals per game on the road. That's not just bad, that's relegation-form bad.
When you look at the home and away splits, it's pretty clear cut. Naples are scoring two goals per game at home and only letting in one. Charlotte are letting in nearly two and a half goals away from home. That's a recipe for disaster, that is.
The only previous meeting between these two was that 1-0 win for Naples, and I reckon we might see something similar here. Naples know how to get the job done against this lot, and with home advantage and Charlotte's defensive woes on the road, I'm leaning towards the home side.
The bookies have Naples at 2.02, which looks decent value to me. They should be winning this more often than not given the gulf in form and Charlotte's travel sickness. Sometimes the simple bet is the best bet, and this feels like one of those times.