CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a thrilling encounter on Friday night, Kristijan Kahlina made a significant impact by stopping two penalties in a 3-1 shootout, leading Charlotte to their inaugural MLS Cup playoff victory after the match ended in a scoreless tie during regulation time.

This win keeps Charlotte’s playoff hopes alive in the best-of-three series against Orlando, with the decisive Match 3 scheduled for November 9, where Orlando will host and seek to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

During the shootout, Kahlina showcased his skills early by diving to his left to thwart Nicolás Lodeiro’s initial penalty attempt. Following that, Patrick Agyemang found the net for Charlotte, giving them a 1-0 lead. Orlando struggled, as Robin Jansson’s second penalty kick soared over the goalpost. Meanwhile, Karol Swiderski capitalized on the opportunity by placing the ball into the bottom corner, extending Charlotte’s lead to two goals.

Kahlina sealed the match with a final save, stopping Duncan McGuire’s penalty shot, much to the delight of the home crowd, which was officially recorded at 40,238 attendees.

Orlando’s goalkeeper, Pedro Gallese, played a crucial role in maintaining the scoreless first half, particularly with an impressive reflex save against Liel Abada’s header from close range during a counterattack in the 23rd minute.

In a dramatic turn of events late in the second half, Orlando thought they had taken the lead when Facundo Torres scored, but the goal was disallowed due to Lodeiro being ruled offside in the play leading up to the goal.

Throughout the match, Kahlina was mostly untroubled, managing only one save during regular play, showcasing Charlotte’s strong defensive performance.