Ben Bender addresses the media after scoring the fastest brace in club history in Charlotte FC’s 2-2 draw against New York Red Bulls.
Okay Uh so first of all congratulations on Marriage and also uh talk about how you Felt tonight coming in thank you yeah um You know we were excited to start the Second half of the season Um we talked about that in the locker Room we wanted to put out a strong Performance and First half I think we did uh second half You know uh we want to play uh our style Of football more Um control the game and they made it Really hard with the way they pressured So I think we need to keep working on That Um but it's a good point overall Um in a tough place Thanks Carol Hey Ben congratulations on the goals and The uh wedding and um everyone's gonna Want me to take dive on this grenade I Know you're really private about your Personal life but how do you feel being A married man and what has that meant to You Um to celebrate that this week Thank you Carol um yeah it's it's Amazing Um you know it's for me it's a lifelong Commitment and I'm super excited about That Um yeah I want to um Uh you know do my best to to love and
And be sacrificial and and selfless Um all the days of my life so that's a That's a big goal of mine Is Hannah someone you've known your Whole life pretty much yeah she is was She the Girl Next Door Uh what girl next door no I'm saying That you know how that you meet someone In your neighborhood or something oh no No Family family friends okay Um About the two goals it's uh will Martin Is telling Caleb tonight that you you Called for that ball from Kalina like You gave him a signal did you see Something developed there Yeah Um I know Kalina like has some really Good Vision Um He's he's always looking for those type Of balls I saw the defense stepping up And I kind of peeled off their left Center back and and I saw Kalina we made Eye contact and I just knew he was going To play a long ball so I was thinking in My head start the run early and and then Yeah just kind of blanked out from there Um took a touch across and then just Struck it Then the second one just just seeing the Work Enzo did trying to be in the right Place at the right time yeah Enzo was
Making really good uh runs forward and Holding the ball up giving little flicks For us because you know it was hard to Play but he did well Um to to get those flicks and for me Just trying to get those second balls And reading um where they where they Come and and yeah that was just a great Second effort from him to win that 50 50 And then yeah I just tried to pick up That second ball and then just hit it Second on my second touch One last one for me just a big picture I Know you're pretty hard on yourself and You know you've worked really hard since You came into this league what what did Tonight tell you about the work you've Done and how far you've come Uh everything's a working progress Um in life and you know There's gonna be ups and downs and you Just have to be mentally tough through It Um yeah and so tonight was a good night For me Um I'm sure there'll be more hardships In the future but just put my head down Continue to work hard Um and and that's what I've been taught From a young age and I'm gonna keep Doing that but do you feel like you're a Little bit quicker to make decisions and Quicker to react maybe I'm sure Understanding the structure and how we
Want to play the positioning talking With the coaches more Um just my second year being more Experienced in the league picking up the Little details stuff like that helps a Lot Thank you Ben Thank you Carol Thanks Carol we'll go to Sam and then End with Steve Hey Ben congratulations on all the Fronts Thank you So last year we talked uh after the Match At Red Bull Stadium Um you know last match of the season and One of the things that you told me was That Uh you know obviously it didn't feel Good being out of the playoffs didn't Feel good losing that last game and you Know you were going to take that feeling Over the the postseason to get better Um can you talk to me about that that Process Yeah I mean That was that's a big goal of mine Um you know that's a team goal to get to The playoffs and make a run and Hopefully end up you know on top uh Every team wants to do that but for me In the off season you know every run Workout every
Um fitness workout ball workout I did That was kind of my mentality and yeah I Want to bring energy to the team Um yeah whatever position whatever Position I'm in I'm gonna give a hundred Percent and so yeah that was definitely Something I try to bring in uh to this Season Um in working hard to get that brace Tonight did you take any feeling from Your last time at Red Bull Stadium uh Tonight or was it a clean sheet I think Our clean slate Um I mean Sometimes the opportunities come up in In different ways so Um I don't I don't think it was just red Rules you know any any game I'm gonna Try and take the opportunities I get so I I go on Um with the same mentality for every Game And then uh finally uh you know you told Me at the end of the season last year That you your plan was to kick a Double-digit number of flags this year You think you're uh on track to do that Uh we'll see only time can tell that Would be awesome but uh for now Um just gotta keep taking those Opportunities when they come All right thank you Ben safe travels Home
All right Steve okay then Um again like everyone congratulations On getting married I think uh you're Still gonna have some more could do to Equal What Hannah has in the trophy case Um sure with uh that we've talked about That before but Um that first goal taking that ball out Of the air with your left foot wasn't Quite as high as uh Carol had gotten on The ball that he looped in for Jalen but You know that's a very specific you know Kind of trap to make and not one that Happens often but when it does happen You know not everybody's ready for that Having to touch you know bringing a leg Up that high is this something that you Practice uh you know strapping the odd Balls you know on the Run still you know Things the the ones over the shoulder is That something you do in training Uh yeah I mean I want to say That's something I've always you know Like to do like guys like Mueller Robin Um you know so many world famous Footballers are so good at and and it's A really exciting thing to do so I mean I definitely Have tried to work on that in the past You know sometimes it it doesn't come Off right but when it does it's if it Feels really good so Um yeah I I definitely try and work on
That in training Um but yeah luckily tonight it came off Right Yeah but that's part of being prepared For us like Carly Lloyd with her gold From Midfield in the World Cup there's Not everybody knew at that point that That's something she practiced all the Time she had tried it in other matches Things like that uh sometimes she'd Scored them in a lesser match sometimes She had missed them but it was she was Prepared to be in the moment uh for when That ball is coming over the top and It's not something that's usually set up And training you know it's the players Who are very good at that are the ones Who take it on their own to you know to Set up You know be making the awkward look Normal And something like that so that's why I Was wondering if it is something to Where you worked with you know other Players you know throwing the ball over The top and practicing you know just Getting that touch on the ball I mean Not really specifically when it happens In training it it's every now and then But it was more about this positioning For me and and the eye contact with Kalina because I knew that he was going To play a long ball and
Yeah so there's more about positioning Um and then just being able to execute In those moments yeah and the other one I mean a lot of your goals have come From being in the right place at the Right time and the second one was very Much that you know following up the Position and then Enzo you know Basically making a slide tackle to get The ball back to you so is that Also something that you can prepare for Is it is it more you know natural Instinct Both Um I'm I'm always Um I always have an instinct to try and Read the second ball Um that's something we talk about a lot In training fence the ball on the Defensive side and fence the ball on the The offensive side so Just trying to pick up those second Goals Um being ready to pounce uh wherever it Goes and tonight uh I was in the right Place at the right time for that one Yes you were well thank you very much uh Safe travels home and Um we'll see you on Saturday Woody can I ask one more quick one Did you see the pulisic goal where he Kicked the flag did you hear about that No I didn't
I think is he still on your game you Think Oh man I don't know if I'll ever reach his game Thank you Ben All right thank you guys John I know You're there we'll let you just take it Off cam yeah thank you thanks guys
Charlotte North Carolina – High Quality of Life and Low Cost of Living
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The city of Charlotte is a place where the hustle and bustle of big-city living blends seamlessly with close-knit communities and the outdoors. With the mountains and ocean within a short drive, Charlotte offers a high quality of life with lower costs of living than many other cities.
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