Richmond, VA (September 30, 2020) – In a dominant Wednesday night performance, North Carolina FC defeated New York Red Bulls II 3-0 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Dre Fortune and Ben Speas each recorded a goal during the match, and New York added an own goal to bring NCFC’s total to three goals. Alex Tambakis recorded the clean sheet in tonight’s contest.
Early into the first half, Dre Fortune dribbled up the right flank and was tackled from behind by New York defender Jake LaCava in the box, drawing a penalty kick. In a situation similar to NCFC’s last match against the Birmingham Legion, Fortune took the kick, burying the ball into the upper ninety and converting on his third penalty kick of the season. Fortune’s goal was his sixth this year, giving NCFC an early 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute.
Continuing to build on the momentum from their first goal, NCFC maintained possession in the attacking third and pressed New York’s defense. In the 26th minute, Manny Perez completed a through ball to Pecka, who fed a cross to captain Ben Speas in the box. Speas sprinted to meet the cross, driving the ball past New York goalkeeper Luca Lewis and notching his first goal of the 2020 season to put North Carolina FC up 2-0.
In the hunt for a third goal in the first half, Speas played a driven ball to meet Akeem Ward in stride just outside the eighteen. Turning on the ball, Ward curved a pass across the face of the goal as Lomis and Perez crashed the net, fighting to be on the receiving end of the cross. It was Perez who found the ball at the back post. His shot deflected off of a New York defender on its way into the net, making the third goal an own goal and extending NCFC’s lead to 3-0.
North Carolina FC entered halftime with the largest first half lead of the season in a must-win match. Nazmi Albadawi entered the match at the beginning of the second half.
Later, in the 58th minute, New York forward Sebastian Elney found himself in a one-on-one faceoff with Tambakis. Tambakis came up big for NCFC, charging towards Elney and making a diving save that would deflect to LaCava in the box. In a subsequent scoring attempt for the Red Bulls, LaCava fired off a second close-range shot, but the ball was cleared out by Alex Comsia, rendering New York scoreless as the second half wore on.
With the win, NCFC could clinch a spot in the USL Playoffs with two more wins. The team will play the Charlotte Independence at home on Saturday and a 16th match will be scheduled for a later date.
Looking Ahead: North Carolina FC will return to WakeMed Soccer Park to face off against the Charlotte Independence on Saturday, October 3rd at 7 p.m. ET.
Notes:
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North Carolina FC Youth Academy products Alex Comsia, Conor Donovan, Dre Fortune, Manny Perez, and DJ Taylor started the match. Nazmi Albadawi came in as a substitution.
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North Carolina FC has converted all three of their penalty kick attempts in 2020.
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Ben Speas scored his first goal of the 2020 season in the match.
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Alex Tambakis recorded his first clean sheet since August 8th.
Box Score:
NY (4-5-1): Luca Lewis; Joseph Zalinsky, Boima Cummins, Preston Kilwien ©, John Tolkin (Tapiwa Shumba, 72’); Kenan Hot, Deri Corfe (Sebastian Elney, 46’), Jake LaCava (Serge Ngoma, 63’), Cherif Dieye, Samad Bounthong; Omar Sowe (Dantouma Toure, 73’)
Subs Not Used: Alex Bobocea, Edgardo Rito
NC: (4-5-1): Alex Tambakis; DJ Taylor, Alex Comsia, Conor Donovan, Akeem Ward; Graham Smith, Pecka (Daniele Proch, 55’), Manny Perez (Hadji Barry, 55’), Dre Fortune (Nazmi Albadawi, 46’), Ben Speas © (Robert Kristo, 71’); Marios Lomis
Subs Not Used: Sam Brotherton, Malick Mbaye, Paulo Pita
Score:
NY: 0
NC: 3
Goals:
NY: —
NC: Dre Fortune (penalty, 12’), Ben Speas (Pecka, 26’), John Tolkin (own goal, 45’)
Cautions:
NY: Boima Cummins (44’), Kenan Hot (88’), Dantouma Toure (90’)
NC: Dre Fortune (28’)
Ejections:
NY: —
NC: —
Richmond, VA (September 30, 2020) – In a dominant Wednesday night performance, North Carolina FC defeated New York Red Bulls II 3-0 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Dre Fortune and Ben Speas each recorded a goal during the match, and New York added an own goal to bring NCFC’s total to three goals. Alex Tambakis recorded the clean sheet in tonight’s contest.
Early into the first half, Dre Fortune dribbled up the right flank and was tackled from behind by New York defender Jake LaCava in the box, drawing a penalty kick. In a situation similar to NCFC’s last match against the Birmingham Legion, Fortune took the kick, burying the ball into the upper ninety and converting on his third penalty kick of the season. Fortune’s goal was his sixth this year, giving NCFC an early 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute.
Continuing to build on the momentum from their first goal, NCFC maintained possession in the attacking third and pressed New York’s defense. In the 26th minute, Manny Perez completed a through ball to Pecka, who fed a cross to captain Ben Speas in the box. Speas sprinted to meet the cross, driving the ball past New York goalkeeper Luca Lewis and notching his first goal of the 2020 season to put North Carolina FC up 2-0.
In the hunt for a third goal in the first half, Speas played a driven ball to meet Akeem Ward in stride just outside the eighteen. Turning on the ball, Ward curved a pass across the face of the goal as Lomis and Perez crashed the net, fighting to be on the receiving end of the cross. It was Perez who found the ball at the back post. His shot deflected off of a New York defender on its way into the net, making the third goal an own goal and extending NCFC’s lead to 3-0.
North Carolina FC entered halftime with the largest first half lead of the season in a must-win match. Nazmi Albadawi entered the match at the beginning of the second half.
Later, in the 58th minute, New York forward Sebastian Elney found himself in a one-on-one faceoff with Tambakis. Tambakis came up big for NCFC, charging towards Elney and making a diving save that would deflect to LaCava in the box. In a subsequent scoring attempt for the Red Bulls, LaCava fired off a second close-range shot, but the ball was cleared out by Alex Comsia, rendering New York scoreless as the second half wore on.
With the win, NCFC could clinch a spot in the USL Playoffs with two more wins. The team will play the Charlotte Independence at home on Saturday and a 16th match will be scheduled for a later date.
Looking Ahead: North Carolina FC will return to WakeMed Soccer Park to face off against the Charlotte Independence on Saturday, October 3rd at 7 p.m. ET.
Notes:
-
North Carolina FC Youth Academy products Alex Comsia, Conor Donovan, Dre Fortune, Manny Perez, and DJ Taylor started the match. Nazmi Albadawi came in as a substitution.
-
North Carolina FC has converted all three of their penalty kick attempts in 2020.
-
Ben Speas scored his first goal of the 2020 season in the match.
-
Alex Tambakis recorded his first clean sheet since August 8th.
Box Score:
NY (4-5-1): Luca Lewis; Joseph Zalinsky, Boima Cummins, Preston Kilwien ©, John Tolkin (Tapiwa Shumba, 72’); Kenan Hot, Deri Corfe (Sebastian Elney, 46’), Jake LaCava (Serge Ngoma, 63’), Cherif Dieye, Samad Bounthong; Omar Sowe (Dantouma Toure, 73’)
Subs Not Used: Alex Bobocea, Edgardo Rito
NC: (4-5-1): Alex Tambakis; DJ Taylor, Alex Comsia, Conor Donovan, Akeem Ward; Graham Smith, Pecka (Daniele Proch, 55’), Manny Perez (Hadji Barry, 55’), Dre Fortune (Nazmi Albadawi, 46’), Ben Speas © (Robert Kristo, 71’); Marios Lomis
Subs Not Used: Sam Brotherton, Malick Mbaye, Paulo Pita
Score:
NY: 0
NC: 3
Goals:
NY: —
NC: Dre Fortune (penalty, 12’), Ben Speas (Pecka, 26’), John Tolkin (own goal, 45’)
Cautions:
NY: Boima Cummins (44’), Kenan Hot (88’), Dantouma Toure (90’)
NC: Dre Fortune (28’)
Ejections:
NY: —
NC: —
