Three things we saw in the Union’s record-setting loss to Charlotte FC

The Union suffered a 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday night, their sixth consecutive defeat to open the Major League Soccer season.

Here’s what we saw:

The Union (0-6-0, 0 points) conceded the first goal of Saturday’s match, with Ashley Westwood lacing a shot past Andre Blake from near the top of the 18-yard box in the 30th minute.

The Union have allowed the first goal of the match in all six of its MLS games this season, and in five of those matches, the Union have gone down a goal before halftime.

Playing in driving rain through much of the first half on Saturday, the Union left too much room for Charlotte (3-1-2, 11 points) to operate on its first goal. Pep Biel played a pass inside the penalty area to Idan Toklomati, who set Westwood up at the top of the 18-yard box with plenty of room to shoot.

Danley Jean Jacques pulled the Union level with a goal in the 78th minute, but Charlotte caught the Union sleeping after the restart. Charlotte scored in the 80th minute, with Biel finding Wilfried Zaha on a cross to the back post, and Zaha’s volley beating Blake.

“One of the worst things to happen in soccer,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said. “You’re at your most vulnerable when you’ve just scored.”

It is the third time this season the Union have given up a goal after finding an equalizer. The Union suffered similar defeats against New York City FC and the Chicago Fire.

After being left off the team sheet for the Union’s loss to the Chicago Fire for missing a team practice, Ezekiel Alladoh returned to Bradley Carnell’s lineup.

The striker, who joined the Union for a club record fee in December, took two shots before being brought off in favor of Jesus Bueno in the 64th minute.

Alladoh, 20, has yet to put a shot on target in an MLS match.

“We continue to coach him on a team level and an integrated level, as well as an individual level,” Carnell said. “I think he’s benefited in the last two weeks from that attention, from that detailed coaching. I understand the price tag, with his name attached to it, but he’s still 20 years old … No one around here is giving up on Ezekiel.”

But a cursory observation showed the Union’s offense able to create more chances in the second half, particularly after Alladoh’s exit.

Jean Jacques’ goal came in the 78th, shortly after Cavan Sullivan replaced Indiana Vassilev in midfield. It was the first goal of the season for Jean Jacques, and the first MLS assist for Sullivan.

And while Zaha’s goal in the 80th minute rendered Jean Jacques’ moot, the Union’s attack did appear sharper as the game neared its end.

The Union finished the first half with just .05 expected goals (xG), a predictive stat based on shot quality, but finished the game with 1.4 xG. The Union outshot Charlotte, 15-10, but only three of the team’s shots were on target.

“[It is] extremely frustrating,” Carnell said. “We had them on the ropes, and yet again, we take nothing away from the game.”

The Union are still searching for their first points of the MLS season, which they opened on Feb. 21. Their only win since came in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup opening round series against Trinidadian team Defence Force F.C.

Carnell’s side was hopeful it would be able to find a result after nearly two weeks without a match thanks to the late March FIFA international window, but it was unable to against Charlotte.

“As a group, right now, everything’s an uphill battle.” Carnell said. “Everything’s a struggle. Everything we touch needs to turn to gold, and it’s not. That’s the unfortunate part, because we’re in a tough situation. But we can’t hang our heads, we can’t drag our feet and mope around. We have to get up and go again.”

The Union’s next opportunity to stop their record-breaking season opening skid will be a road game against CF Montréal on Saturday (2:30 p.m., Apple TV).

“Montréal, we have to get at them,” Carnell said. “This is a crucial game coming up, in my opinion.”

Montréal (1-5-0, 3 points) has allowed 17 goals this season, the second-most in the league behind Orlando City. Montréal’s lone win this season was a 3-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls.