MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Charlotte Independence answered twice after Memphis 901 FC had taken the lead in both the first and second half as the sides played to a 2-2 draw at AutoZone Park on Saturday night.

Coming off a late draw in its last outing, Memphis got out to a good start and produced the first chance in the 10th minute when Michael Reed fired a shot from the right side of the penalty area that was saved by Charlotte goalkeeper Brandon Miller. Six minutes later the pressure paid off as Rafael Mentzingen wove to the byline on the left side of the penalty area and cut back a cross for the waiting Brandon Allen to finish from close range.

Keanu Marsh-Brown was the next 901 FC player to threaten as he fired a free kick from 30 yards toward the top-left corner, forcing another good save from Miller, while Mentzingen tried to add a goal to his earlier assist with a low shot from 25 yards that went just wide of the left post.

The Independence didn’t find much joy in the first half of their first game back following the season resumption, but six minutes into the second half they found an equalizer. From a free kick near the goal line on the right, Enzo Martinez floated a perfect delivery into the top of the six-yard area where Luke Haakenson rose to power home a header.

Memphis didn’t wait long to regain the lead, however, as a missed clearance in the Independence’s penalty area fell to Rece Buckmaster, who took a touch around an approaching defender and then shot low into the right corner of the net.

The sides exchanged long looks on goal as the second half progressed, but then the game took another twist with seven minutes to go as the Independence’s Jake Areman found Valentin Sabella on the right side. The former Florida Soccer Soldier got past one defender, then skipped past another as he moved into the penalty area and finished calmly into the bottom-left corner to pull the visitors level again.

Memphis almost pulled another late goal out of its hat just as second-half stoppage time began when Cal Jennings created space on the right side of the penalty area and delivered a low cross through the six-yard area, only for Duane Muckette’s desperate slide to arrive a fraction of a second late to divert the ball home. Instead, honors would end even as 901 FC continued to look for its first win of the season.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Enzo Martinez, Charlotte Independence – Martinez provided a picture-perfect assist for the Independence’s opening goal, and recorded four key passes while completing 23 of 28 passes overall.