Charlotte Independence blitzed Sarasota Paradise with three goals in the opening 14 minutes and held on for a comfortable 3–1 victory in USL League One on Saturday. Souaibou Marou, Jon Bakero, and Christopher Jaime all struck early for the hosts, while Roberto Burlew pulled one back late for Sarasota.

The rout began almost immediately. Marou opened the scoring just two minutes in, finishing off a pass from Bakero to put Charlotte ahead before Sarasota had settled. Six minutes later, the roles reversed — Bakero doubled the lead himself, converting from a Christopher Jaime delivery. The third came in the 14th minute when Jaime got on the scoresheet, set up by Joseph Skinner. Three different scorers, three different providers, and the game was essentially over before the quarter-hour mark.

The rest of the first half offered little beyond a yellow card for Sarasota's Stretch just before the break. Charlotte's Séga Coulibaly was booked early in the second half, followed by teammate Clay Dimick in the 77th minute, but neither card carried significant consequences.

Sarasota finally found a response in the 82nd minute when Burlew converted from an Emiliano Terzaghi assist to make it 3–1. It was nothing more than a consolation. Burlew picked up a yellow card in the 90th minute to cap a frustrating night for the visitors.

The emphatic win keeps Charlotte Independence pushing in the League One standings, while Sarasota Paradise will need to find answers quickly — particularly at the defensive end — after a first-half collapse that left them chasing shadows.