As an offseason arrival at the Charlotte Independence, Souaibou Marou had already shown the impact he could have off the bench when he bagged the winner in extra time against Carolina Core FC in the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup.

With the side trailing Westchester SC by a pair of goals on the road at halftime on May 10, however, it might have been hard to envision the impact the Cameroonian midfielder was about to make for his side.

Marou produced the first hat trick by a substitute in League One history – and the first for the Independence in league play since its arrival in the league in 2022 – to send Charlotte to a 3-2 victory that was capped by a powerful headed finish that served as the 89th-minute winner.

“I am so moved and very happy to represent the Charlotte Independence and it’s thanks to the whole team because we work so close together,” Marou said postgame. “We are so proud, especially since we were losing 2-0, and we will continue to work harder to get the top of the standings.”

For his outstanding performance, Marou has been selected as May’s Prinx Impact Sub of the Month, a new series highlighting key substitutions that have changed the course of a game this season.

The 24-year-old crossed the Atlantic Ocean to join the Independence, having previously competed for historic South African club Orlando Pirates. Having come off the bench in all his league appearances previously, Marou used the performance – in addition to bagging goals in Charlotte’s next two league outings – to push for opportunities in the starting lineup.

For Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries, Marou’s performance showed off the qualities that make him an attacking threat when he’s on the field.

“The movement that he showed in the box is one of his strengths and it got him in for the goals,” said Jeffries after the contest with Westchester. “Very, very clever, always trying to free himself, and a good presence in the box to finish when he gets in those areas. We felt like we needed some of the qualities that he could bring facing the game. The box presence, the runs in behind, stretching the game a bit. … I thought he came in and did those things, so I am proud of him and happy for him.”

In a month of comebacks for the Independence – where the side gained a league-high six points from losing positions overall – Marou made the most of his moment to shine.

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