MATCHDAY INFO:
NORTH CAROLINA FC VS. INDY ELEVEN
LUCAS OIL STADIUM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 – 7:00 PM ET
DIGITAL: ESPN+
LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC, #INDvNC
CARY, N.C. (August 14, 2018) – North Carolina FC will aim for a second road victory in as many games when it faces Indy Eleven Wednesday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at 7 p.m. ET.
Currently working on a six-game undefeated streak, NCFC (8W-8L-6D, 30 points) on Saturday started a pivotal three-game road trip with a 2-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. With the win, NCFC is up to 10th place in the USL’s Eastern Conference, two points back of a playoff spot.
Another crucial match awaits, as coach Colin Clarke’s team prepares to face another club right in the thick of things in the playoff race. After drawing Louisville City FC 2-2 in its latest match on Aug. 5, Indy (9W-7L-5D, 32 points) holds eighth place in the Eastern Conference, the final playoff spot.
In the draw against Louisville, Indy relied on Jack McInerney to provide the goals, as the first-year member of the team scored twice, in the 16th and 21st minutes. McInerney, who most recently played for the LA Galaxy, before joining Indy, has scored a team-high six goals in 17 matches.
In addition to McInerney, Indy has counted on Ayoze Garcia Perez in its attack. A former member of the New York Cosmos from 2013-17, Ayoze is second on his team with four goals and his five assists are tied for the ninth-most in the Eastern Conference.
Coached by first-year boss Martin Rennie, former coach of the then-Carolina RailHawks from 2009-11, Indy ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference in fewest goals conceded (25).
The two teams last met in April, with NCFC finding itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 result on a chilly and rainy Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Last Time Out:
After a strong first-half performance from goalkeeper Alex Tambakis kept the game scoreless through the opening 45 minutes, NCFC scored twice in the second half against Tampa to earn its third road victory of the season.
Midfielder Marcel Kandziora opened up the scoring for NCFC with a 65th minute goal, his second of the year. Unmarked in the box, Kandziora leaped and headed home a cross from midfielder Steven Miller.
Thirteen minutes later, in the 78th minute, midfielder Kyle Bekker and forward Daniel Rios teamed up to double NCFC’s advantage. The beneficiary of a precise, low-to-the-ground cross from Bekker, Rios netted his 12th goal of the year from just a few yards out, a strike that gave NCFC the breathing room it needed to comfortably close out the game’s final minutes. Rios’ dozen goals are the second-most in the USL, and Bekker is the league’s co-leader in assists with 10.
Players to Watch:
North Carolina FC – #14 Daniel Rios
For both Rios and NCFC, the Aguascalientes, Mexico, native’s loan spell in Cary is yielding great results. Rios, of Chivas Guadalajara in Liga MX, has cemented his spot in Clarke’s starting lineup thanks to his ability to make the most of his scoring chances. Happy to be finding regular playing time and up to the challenge of adapting to a new style of play in the USL, Rios leads NCFC in scoring with 12 goals, and only three players in the league have found the back of the net more than he has. Fresh off a goal against Tampa, Rios will be hoping to score in consecutive games for the third time this season when NCFC faces Indy. Rios hit the crossbar twice in NCFC’s previous match against Indy in April.
Indy Eleven – #99 Jack McInerney
McInerney is only 26 years old, but the forward has brought ample experience and skill to Indy in his first season with the club. Apart from a brief loan spell with the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2010, McInerney played exclusively in MLS from 2010-17. McInerney scored 43 goals in 175 matches with the Philadelphia Union, Montreal Impact, Columbus Crew SC, Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy. So it’s no surprise that McInerney leads Indy with six goals, or that he’s been dependable for Rennie, his coach. Prior to scoring both of Indy’s goals last time out against Louisville City, McInerney notched an 86th-minute game-winner in Indy’s 1-0 triumph at Bethlehem Steel.
Coming Up Next:
NCFC concludes its road swing with a visit to New York Red Bulls II on Tuesday, August 21 at 7 p.m. ET. The match will be played at MSU Soccer Park in Montclair, N.J. The two teams have never met before.
###
MATCHDAY INFO:
NORTH CAROLINA FC VS. INDY ELEVEN
LUCAS OIL STADIUM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 – 7:00 PM ET
DIGITAL: ESPN+
LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC, #INDvNC
CARY, N.C. (August 14, 2018) – North Carolina FC will aim for a second road victory in as many games when it faces Indy Eleven Wednesday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at 7 p.m. ET.
Currently working on a six-game undefeated streak, NCFC (8W-8L-6D, 30 points) on Saturday started a pivotal three-game road trip with a 2-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. With the win, NCFC is up to 10th place in the USL’s Eastern Conference, two points back of a playoff spot.
Another crucial match awaits, as coach Colin Clarke’s team prepares to face another club right in the thick of things in the playoff race. After drawing Louisville City FC 2-2 in its latest match on Aug. 5, Indy (9W-7L-5D, 32 points) holds eighth place in the Eastern Conference, the final playoff spot.
In the draw against Louisville, Indy relied on Jack McInerney to provide the goals, as the first-year member of the team scored twice, in the 16th and 21st minutes. McInerney, who most recently played for the LA Galaxy, before joining Indy, has scored a team-high six goals in 17 matches.
In addition to McInerney, Indy has counted on Ayoze Garcia Perez in its attack. A former member of the New York Cosmos from 2013-17, Ayoze is second on his team with four goals and his five assists are tied for the ninth-most in the Eastern Conference.
Coached by first-year boss Martin Rennie, former coach of the then-Carolina RailHawks from 2009-11, Indy ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference in fewest goals conceded (25).
The two teams last met in April, with NCFC finding itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 result on a chilly and rainy Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Last Time Out:
After a strong first-half performance from goalkeeper Alex Tambakis kept the game scoreless through the opening 45 minutes, NCFC scored twice in the second half against Tampa to earn its third road victory of the season.
Midfielder Marcel Kandziora opened up the scoring for NCFC with a 65th minute goal, his second of the year. Unmarked in the box, Kandziora leaped and headed home a cross from midfielder Steven Miller.
Thirteen minutes later, in the 78th minute, midfielder Kyle Bekker and forward Daniel Rios teamed up to double NCFC’s advantage. The beneficiary of a precise, low-to-the-ground cross from Bekker, Rios netted his 12th goal of the year from just a few yards out, a strike that gave NCFC the breathing room it needed to comfortably close out the game’s final minutes. Rios’ dozen goals are the second-most in the USL, and Bekker is the league’s co-leader in assists with 10.
Players to Watch:
North Carolina FC – #14 Daniel Rios
For both Rios and NCFC, the Aguascalientes, Mexico, native’s loan spell in Cary is yielding great results. Rios, of Chivas Guadalajara in Liga MX, has cemented his spot in Clarke’s starting lineup thanks to his ability to make the most of his scoring chances. Happy to be finding regular playing time and up to the challenge of adapting to a new style of play in the USL, Rios leads NCFC in scoring with 12 goals, and only three players in the league have found the back of the net more than he has. Fresh off a goal against Tampa, Rios will be hoping to score in consecutive games for the third time this season when NCFC faces Indy. Rios hit the crossbar twice in NCFC’s previous match against Indy in April.
Indy Eleven – #99 Jack McInerney
McInerney is only 26 years old, but the forward has brought ample experience and skill to Indy in his first season with the club. Apart from a brief loan spell with the Harrisburg City Islanders in 2010, McInerney played exclusively in MLS from 2010-17. McInerney scored 43 goals in 175 matches with the Philadelphia Union, Montreal Impact, Columbus Crew SC, Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy. So it’s no surprise that McInerney leads Indy with six goals, or that he’s been dependable for Rennie, his coach. Prior to scoring both of Indy’s goals last time out against Louisville City, McInerney notched an 86th-minute game-winner in Indy’s 1-0 triumph at Bethlehem Steel.
Coming Up Next:
NCFC concludes its road swing with a visit to New York Red Bulls II on Tuesday, August 21 at 7 p.m. ET. The match will be played at MSU Soccer Park in Montclair, N.J. The two teams have never met before.
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