‘Crown him’ – Fans ecstatic as Wilfried Zaha shines in impressive Charlotte FC debut with 2-0 win over Atlanta United

Wilfried Zaha made a dream debut for Charlotte FC, scoring a goal and an assist in their 2-0 victory over Atlanta United in the 2025 MLS season home opener on Saturday.

Despite having limited preparation due to the recent birth of his daughter, Zaha showed no signs of rust. The former Crystal Palace star's performance left fans buzzing with excitement and validated the club's decision to bring him to Major League Soccer.

“It was just joy, man, being able to repay all the hype,” Zaha said on his performance. “The lads believe in me, the gaffer believes in me, and hopefully after this goal, everyone else will too.”

Zaha finished the full 90 minutes as Dean Smith’s side walked away with all three points in the Week 2 fixture.

“I would call [the week] hectic, to be honest,” Zaha said. “Obviously it's non-negotiable being there for my daughter's birth, but then at the same time, work is work, so I'm there for my daughter, but then I know that I've got to go back and do what I do.”

With a successful debut under his belt, Zaha and Charlotte FC will look to build on this performance as they continue their 2025 MLS campaign. The team's next challenge will be a tough away fixture against reigning Supporters' Shield holders Inter Miami on March 9.

That is before back-to-back home league fixtures against FC Cincinnati and San Jose Earthquakes.