10/28 - Matchday 32

Inter Miami defender Ian Fray

Ian Fray is a key piece of the Miami puzzle. Born in Florida to a Jamaican father and American mother, he represents Jamaica internationally. The 24 year old defender has faced a mountain of adversity early in his career: Fray's first four seasons were ended by injuries. He tore his ACL one month into his debut campaign, then again in preseason the next year. In Leagues Cup 2023, he again tore his ACL in a heartbreaking moment which left many questioning if he'd every play professionally again. Fray worked his way back to first team action in 2024's edition of Leagues Cup, only to sustain a torn meniscus in October. Again, Fray didn't give up. He has come back stronger than ever and has made 62 appearances across the last two seasons. His resilience and determination is truly inspirational, and his appetite for the game makes Fray an essential part of this Miami group.

Primarily a right back, Fray can also deputize as a center back. He's got a tall, lanky frame but is very athletic. Fray is a good 2 way fullback. Solid defensively, he relishes winning duels and stepping out of the backline to win possession. The Miami homegrown loves to get up and down the touch line, and has deceptively sleek footwork. With his height, he's a threat on set pieces and a tremendous asset in his own 18. Fray has 1 goal and 3 assists in 27 appearances this season, a respectable return for a right back. Under new manager Kily González, Fray hasn't featured in a starting role. It's clear that his athleticism would help this team, and at this point, Fray is absolutely Inter Miami's best outside back.

Charlotte FC defender Henry Kessler

Henry Kessler started his MLS career with the New England Revolution, where he was picked 6th overall in the 2020 SuperDraft. He was a part of the 2021 squad that won the Supporter's Shield and set the points record. Then, in 2024, Kessler made the move to St. Louis City SC, where injuries plagued his 2 season spell with the side. Kessler was then acquired by Charlotte FC this offseason as the de facto Adilson Malanda replacement. It would be incredibly difficult for anyone to come in to replace Malanda, but Kessler has been effective when healthy for the Crown. Again, injuries hampered the start of his time with Charlotte, but he started earning regular minutes after the World Cup break. In the 14 games that Kessler has started this season, Charlotte have 7 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses. 

Kessler's leadership and box defending have been crucial for Charlotte FC this season. Morrison Agyemang, a Crown Legacy graduate, has burst on to the scene this season, and with Tim Ream not getting any younger, Kessler is set to be the leader of Charlotte's defense. He is a very solid center back and should be a staple of the backline for years to come. The American defender's box defending is among the league's best. Seemingly in every game that he plays, Kessler makes crucial interventions to protect his goal, whether this be a heroic slide tackle to block a shot or one of his many clearances. His aerial dominance allows him to repel crosses when Charlotte has to sit in and defend, but it also makes him a threat going the other way. For a Charlotte FC team that can be very dangerous when they sit back and hit on the break, they need Kessler to be at his best and remain stout defensively for the remainder of the season.