The RailHawks are always eager to face tough opposition. When it comes to playing an MLS team, they’re raring to go. The NASL club is no stranger to MLS games; in fact, they thrive in them.
The local upset artists boast the record for most wins against Major League teams by a NASL team in the MLS era of the Open Cup. The RailHawks have won six out of 11 matchups against MLS competition. MLS sides have only lost 68 games against lower-division teams since they entered the tournament in 1996.
The club prides itself in its Open Cup record. Not just because of its success against first division teams, but because of what the tournament means to the team and the fans.
“We have done well against MLS teams in the Open Cup and we have a good record in it,” said midfielder Nazmi Albadawi. “It’s a tournament that we take very seriously and that the club enjoys. Our fans love it and that’s huge to us, knowing the fans enjoy it and that they come out to the games.”
The RailHawks shocked the nation with their surprise 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire in the 2007 Open Cup, sending them to the fourth round before reaching the semifinals in their first tournament appearance.
The upsets would not stop as the RailHawks consistently performed in difficult and important games. The team defeated Chivas USA in 2013 and 2014 in consecutive fourth round appearances.
The RailHawks’ favorite Major League victim is the LA Galaxy. Carolina has yet to lose against the four-time MLS champions. The RailHawks have defeated the Galaxy every time the sides have met in the Open Cup, pulling off a three-peat in successive tournament matchups.
The club’s most recent cup win against the Charlotte Independence will see the RailHawks hosting the New England Revolution in the fourth round of the tournament.
The RailHawks and Revolution have a shared history, playing each other three previous times. The most notable matchup was Carolina’s first game against the Revolution in the semifinals of the 2007 Open Cup. The match ended as a 2-1 loss for the RailHawks in a fiercely physical game that included three ejections and eight cautions. Since the tournament debut, Carolina has been largely successful in the Open Cup, reaching the Quarter Finals twice in 2013 and 2014.
The RailHawks expect a challenging game. Last season, the Revolution finished fifth in the Eastern Conference, earning 50 points from 34 games. New England’s recent acquisition of star forward Kei Kamara, paired with Revs stalwarts Juan Agudelo, Charlie Davis and Lee Nguyen, poses a dangerous threat to the RailHawks’ defense.
The New England squad will also feature North Carolina and Triangle natives Donnie Smith and Darrius Barnes. Smith, from Matthews NC, played for UNC Charlotte for four years before he was selected in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft in 2013. Barnes lived in Raleigh and attended Southeast Raleigh High School. Barnes, a reliable defender, played youth soccer in the TFC and CASL systems, and was a member of the RailHawks U23 team in 2007. Barnes joined his fellow Duke University alum, Revolution Head Coach Jay Heaps, when he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
Connor Tobin, veteran defender for the RailHawks, is looking forward to the game.
“Anytime you start going to the deeper rounds in the cup, they’re fun. There’s a good level of intensity. They’re a good squad, they’re out to advance and I’m sure their ambition is to win the cup, as is ours, so it’ll make for a good match,” said Tobin.
The RailHawks are always eager to face tough opposition. When it comes to playing an MLS team, they’re raring to go. The NASL club is no stranger to MLS games; in fact, they thrive in them.
The local upset artists boast the record for most wins against Major League teams by a NASL team in the MLS era of the Open Cup. The RailHawks have won six out of 11 matchups against MLS competition. MLS sides have only lost 68 games against lower-division teams since they entered the tournament in 1996.
The club prides itself in its Open Cup record. Not just because of its success against first division teams, but because of what the tournament means to the team and the fans.
“We have done well against MLS teams in the Open Cup and we have a good record in it,” said midfielder Nazmi Albadawi. “It’s a tournament that we take very seriously and that the club enjoys. Our fans love it and that’s huge to us, knowing the fans enjoy it and that they come out to the games.”
The RailHawks shocked the nation with their surprise 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire in the 2007 Open Cup, sending them to the fourth round before reaching the semifinals in their first tournament appearance.
The upsets would not stop as the RailHawks consistently performed in difficult and important games. The team defeated Chivas USA in 2013 and 2014 in consecutive fourth round appearances.
The RailHawks’ favorite Major League victim is the LA Galaxy. Carolina has yet to lose against the four-time MLS champions. The RailHawks have defeated the Galaxy every time the sides have met in the Open Cup, pulling off a three-peat in successive tournament matchups.
The club’s most recent cup win against the Charlotte Independence will see the RailHawks hosting the New England Revolution in the fourth round of the tournament.
The RailHawks and Revolution have a shared history, playing each other three previous times. The most notable matchup was Carolina’s first game against the Revolution in the semifinals of the 2007 Open Cup. The match ended as a 2-1 loss for the RailHawks in a fiercely physical game that included three ejections and eight cautions. Since the tournament debut, Carolina has been largely successful in the Open Cup, reaching the Quarter Finals twice in 2013 and 2014.
The RailHawks expect a challenging game. Last season, the Revolution finished fifth in the Eastern Conference, earning 50 points from 34 games. New England’s recent acquisition of star forward Kei Kamara, paired with Revs stalwarts Juan Agudelo, Charlie Davis and Lee Nguyen, poses a dangerous threat to the RailHawks’ defense.
The New England squad will also feature North Carolina and Triangle natives Donnie Smith and Darrius Barnes. Smith, from Matthews NC, played for UNC Charlotte for four years before he was selected in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft in 2013. Barnes lived in Raleigh and attended Southeast Raleigh High School. Barnes, a reliable defender, played youth soccer in the TFC and CASL systems, and was a member of the RailHawks U23 team in 2007. Barnes joined his fellow Duke University alum, Revolution Head Coach Jay Heaps, when he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
Connor Tobin, veteran defender for the RailHawks, is looking forward to the game.
“Anytime you start going to the deeper rounds in the cup, they’re fun. There’s a good level of intensity. They’re a good squad, they’re out to advance and I’m sure their ambition is to win the cup, as is ours, so it’ll make for a good match,” said Tobin.