Match Info:
North Carolina FC vs. Greenville Triumph SC
Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. ET
WakeMed Soccer Park
Cary, NC
CARY, NC (May 19, 2022) – North Carolina FC will return to WakeMed Soccer Park for their second consecutive home match in two weeks, facing off against regional rival Greenville Triumph SC for the second time this season. Kickoff is set for Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets to the match are available here, and the match will air live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
North Carolina FC fell to South Georgia Tormenta FC last Saturday, the match result decided by a late goal from Tormenta’s Arthur Bosua in the 83rd minute of play. Garrett McLaughlin added his fourth goal of the season during the match, and Oalex Anderson recorded his second consecutive game with a goal and an assist. Tormenta’s Kazaiah Sterling and Barry Sharifi each scored goals in the first half to contribute to the Georgia side’s victory.
“Oalex is playing the way that we felt he was going to be able to play, especially in this system with [Garrett] up top that can take some of the pressure away from him,” said Head Coach John Bradford following the match. “[Moving forward], I think we have to get better at what we do well, and continue to find things that we’re still falling short on and be able to improve on those. I think the opportunity to play Greenville and play Richmond over the next few weeks at home should encourage the guys to be able to quickly turn this around and get things going back in the right direction.”
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Players to Watch
North Carolina FC – #1 Nicholas Holliday
Making his second appearance in net in Saturday’s contest, 16-year-old Nick Holliday made his season debut in goal against the Triumph earlier this season, only conceding one goal and recording two saves as the North Carolina side drew with Greenville, 1-1. As NCFC looks to add to the win column against one of their regional rivals this weekend, Holliday will aim to collect his first clean sheet of the season behind a solid NCFC backline, denying the Triumph offense the opportunity to get on the board.
Greenville Triumph SC – #8 Aaron Walker
Earning USL League One Player of the Week honors in Week Seven of the regular season, Walker recorded a goal and an assist in the Triumph’s most recent 2-0 victory over Forward Madison. The midfielder also completed 91% of his passes during the match and won nine of twelve attempted aerial and ground duels. Greenville currently holds a three-game unbeaten streak, a pattern they will look to continue as they face NCFC on Saturday, and will rely on a strong performance from Walker to ensure three points on the road.
Up Next: North Carolina FC will play their third consecutive home match against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday, May 28 at WakeMed Soccer Park at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available here, and the match will be available to stream on ESPN+.