Charlotte FC Academy Player Provides Cherry Atop MLS NEXT All-Star Game Win
Daniel Brown scores final goal for the East in blowout victory
If you were hoping for a nail-biter from the MLS NEXT All-Star Game at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex on Monday night, well … we hope you at least enjoyed the red moon early.
The East All-Stars put on an absolute clinic in the fifth edition of the academy league’s All-Star Game, prevailing 6-1 over the West All-Stars, making it five All-Star wins in a row for the East side.
The East All-Stars were led by Charlotte FC Academy U18 head coach Jordan Melia, who guided the U18 squad to a runner-up finish in their conference during the 2025–26 regular season. As a bonus for the hometown fans, a Charlotte FC Academy kid — 15-year-old Daniel Brown — got to steal a little bit of the show with the only second half goal for the East.
Here’s how it went down.
East comes out swinging
Essentially, the match was decided in the first 12 minutes.
D.C. United Academy homegrown forward Oscar Avilez opened things up in the 6th minute, and before the West could even catch its breath, Columbus Crew Academy’s Jamil Danjaji — also a U.S. Youth National Team regular — got in behind and slotted home a right-footed finish. Chicago Fire Academy’s Christopher Morales then picked out Nashville SC Academy’s Liam Stribling with a gorgeous long ball in the 12th minute, and just like that, it was 3-0 before many fans had found their seats.
The East kept its foot down the rest of the half. Metropolitan Oval Academy’s Marcus Singleton II made it four in the 30th minute, and the West’s goalkeeper had to make a genuinely impressive save in the 37th minute just to keep the score from getting even more embarrassing.
It didn’t matter much — Avilez struck again a minute later, his second of the night, for a 5-0 halftime lead that felt more like a final score.
Give the West some credit for a couple of moments, though: there was a scramble off a corner where the West keeper came flying all the way out of his box to clear the ball (offside no-call and all), and forward Danny Carmona rattled the post late in the half for arguably West’s best chance of the game.
A moment bigger than the match
Before the second half kicked off, both sidelines paused for something that mattered more than the score — a halftime tribute honoring the recently deceased Dr. Victor D. Kidd.
Kidd, a licensed psychotherapist and former senior advisor on player care and wellness in MLS, was represented by his family and children at the halftime event.
A statement from MLS read as follows: “Dr. Victor Kidd, affectionately known as ‘Vic,’ was a trusted collaborator and advocate for Major League Soccer, partnering with the league on numerous initiatives, including MLS Next, designing training programs for MLS Academies and helping to co-create Playing as One, MLS’s flagship program dedicated to combating discrimination on and off the pitch.
“As a licensed psychotherapist, Vic supported countless individuals and athletes with compassion, wisdom, and integrity, while championing greater access to culturally competent and affirming mental health care,” the statement continued. “Known for his professionalism, loving heart, infectious humor, unwavering faith, and tireless work ethic, Dr. Kidd had a rare gift for connecting with people and making everyone feel seen, heard, and valued. He is survived by his wife, Nikki, and their son, Chance.”
A good reminder that these All-Star showcases are about more than just goals.
Daniel Brown’s moment, West gets on the board
The West came out of the break with both more life and possession, and the affair got a bit chippier with yellow cards for both sides. The East weathered the attack and settled back into control of the ball as the half wore on.
The moment the home crowd came for arrived 33 minutes into the second half: Charlotte FC Academy product Daniel Brown, playing in front of his hometown fans, uncorked a rocket from outside the box to make it 6-0 and send the Sportsplex into a frenzy. You couldn’t have scripted it better for the kid.
Speaking with Soccer Sheet after the match, Brown called the experience “absolutely amazing” and acknowledged the children who began chanting his name near the end.
“It’s hard to not smile, to have a whole bunch of kids calling my name,” he said, “It’s awesome.”
Easton Wilson finally got the West on the board late, sneaking a near-post finish past the East keeper to make the final 6-1 — a respectable scoreline dressing up what was, by any measure, a one-sided night.
Oscar Avilez’s two-goal night earned him MLS NEXT All-Star Game MVP, becoming the first player in D.C. United’s history to win the award.
Not a bad line to add to the résumé.
Read more: MLS All-Star Week Puts Charlotte’s Soccer Scene in the Spotlight
This story was originally published by Soccer Sheet.
