Wilfried Zaha makes dream debut as Charlotte FC thump Atlanta United 2-0 | OneFootball

Having not started a competitive match since last September, and having missed Matchday 1 for Charlotte FC while awaiting the birth of his daughter, there were questions how long it would take Wilfried Zaha to make an impact as the headline star of his new club.

The answer was approximately 49 minutes.

After a quiet first half, the former Crystal Palace star burst to life with an excellent assist and then an even better finish early in the second. And that was more than enough to lift Charlotte FC to a 2- victory over Atlanta United on Saturday afternoon, only its second ever at home against its regional rival.

"It's been an amazing week," Zaha told Apple TV afterward. "I've managed to witness the birth of my daughter. So I feel like that's given me extra power, extra strength going into this game. The group's amazing. We worked hard. And we got the win that we needed."

For as quiet as Zaha has been in the last couple years, the outburst should've reminded skeptical Charlotte fans and future MLS opponents that it was only three years ago the Ivorian was scoring double-digit goals in the Premier League.

To set up the opener, Zaha ran onto a missplayed defensive header about 25 yards from goal, held the ball up against multiple defenders to allow support to arrive, and then played an absolutely perfectly timed ball to Pep Biel who finished coolly past Brad Guzan.

Five minutes later, it was Zaha cleaning up Biel's hard work down the right flank. With options in the middie, Biel elected to shoot himself. Guzan saved but didn't push the ball from danger, and Zaha volleyed an extremely cool finish that beat Guzan to the bottom right corner.

"I think it's a statement," Saha said. "The whole team are working hard, and we're just taking our opportunities as well. So that shows to every other team in the league that we mean business this year."

A return to double-digits?

Zaha eventually found himself on the outside of the starting XI at his stops in Galatasaray and Lyon, but his track record of producing when on the field remains solid. He averaged 0.56 goals per 90 minutes playing primarily off the bench in Istanbul in 2023-24, and that was without taking a single penalty.

If he's the man to do the PK duty for The Crown, there's no reason the 32-year-old can't get back into double digits and maybe even top the 14-goal figure he posted for Palace in 2021-22, playing against MLS defenses that are a clear step down in class.

It didn't hurt that Atlanta was without injured starting fullbacks Brooks Lennon and Pedro Amador, but the wider gap between the first string and second string talent level -- especially in defense -- is why stars of Zaha's pedigree can find MLS to be a generous league for their finishing touch.

Waiting on Agyemang

Charlotte remained unbeaten two matches into their second season under manager Dean Smith despite another relatively quiet day from Patrick Ayemang, who has generated growing expectations after scoring 10 goals last season and enjoying an exceptional January camp with the U.S. men's national team.

The 24-year-old was mostly a decoy on the afternoon, completing only three passes. He did have one big chance later in the second half, but his effort was well off the mark.

If Agyemang can recapture some of the sense of danger he showed last season or more recently with the USMNT, that's only going to open more space for Zaha down his trademark left flank. And that could be great news for a Charlotte side looking to push into the upper echelons of the Eastern Conference.