News

Adding experience and strengthening its defense, North Carolina FC has signed Brazilian midfielder Wellington “Pecka” Paeckart ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season, the club announced on Tuesday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval and receipt of a P1 visa. 

Pecka, 30, comes to NCFC with a vast amount of American soccer experience and most recently spent three seasons with San Antonio FC, where he served as captain in 2019.

The former Brazil U-18 international began his professional career at Brazilian megaclub Flamengo FC in 2009 and also played for CFZ de Rio before joining the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2011, where he played until 2014. Before joining San Antonio FC, Pecka played in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake and also appeared for Real Monarchs and Rayo OKC. 

“We were looking to bring in a veteran who can play in the midfield with a good soccer IQ and the ability to break up plays,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “Pecka has a tremendous background in those categories, and he was also a captain in San Antonio. He’s very familiar with USL and the kind of soccer we want to play.”

In 2019, Pecka played in 22 league matches for SAFC, starting 21 times and seeing the field for 1,790 minutes. Known for his defensive abilities, Pecka logged 27 interceptions and won 28 tackles and 136 aerial duels. The Rio de Janeiro native also proved himself as a threat offensively, chipping in two goals and three assists, both regular-season career highs. Additionally, his 88.8% passing accuracy was the third-highest on SAFC.

Across all competitions, Pecka appeared in 71 matches for SAFC for 5,653 minutes from 2017-19, recording three goals and four assists. 

Familiar with NCFC, Pecka has been a frequent visitor of Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park with Fort Lauderdale and Rayo OKC. In four seasons with Fort Lauderdale, Pecka made 60 appearances, 52 starts and recorded three goals and an assist. 

In 2015, Pecka saw action at both the MLS and USL Championship levels, as he made four appearances for Real Salt Lake and six with Real Monarchs. In 2016, he played 1,046 minutes over the course of 20 matches in his lone season with Rayo OKC. 

Pecka joins Steven Miller, Ben Speas, Nazmi Albadawi, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, Caleb Duvernay, Robert Kristo, Graham Smith and Conor Donovan on the list of those confirmed for the 2020 season, as NCFC continues to negotiate with additional players.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Adding experience and strengthening its defense, North Carolina FC has signed Brazilian midfielder Wellington “Pecka” Paeckart ahead of the 2020 USL Championship season, the club announced on Tuesday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval and receipt of a P1 visa. 

Pecka, 30, comes to NCFC with a vast amount of American soccer experience and most recently spent three seasons with San Antonio FC, where he served as captain in 2019.

The former Brazil U-18 international began his professional career at Brazilian megaclub Flamengo FC in 2009 and also played for CFZ de Rio before joining the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2011, where he played until 2014. Before joining San Antonio FC, Pecka played in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake and also appeared for Real Monarchs and Rayo OKC. 

“We were looking to bring in a veteran who can play in the midfield with a good soccer IQ and the ability to break up plays,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “Pecka has a tremendous background in those categories, and he was also a captain in San Antonio. He’s very familiar with USL and the kind of soccer we want to play.”

In 2019, Pecka played in 22 league matches for SAFC, starting 21 times and seeing the field for 1,790 minutes. Known for his defensive abilities, Pecka logged 27 interceptions and won 28 tackles and 136 aerial duels. The Rio de Janeiro native also proved himself as a threat offensively, chipping in two goals and three assists, both regular-season career highs. Additionally, his 88.8% passing accuracy was the third-highest on SAFC.

Across all competitions, Pecka appeared in 71 matches for SAFC for 5,653 minutes from 2017-19, recording three goals and four assists. 

Familiar with NCFC, Pecka has been a frequent visitor of Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park with Fort Lauderdale and Rayo OKC. In four seasons with Fort Lauderdale, Pecka made 60 appearances, 52 starts and recorded three goals and an assist. 

In 2015, Pecka saw action at both the MLS and USL Championship levels, as he made four appearances for Real Salt Lake and six with Real Monarchs. In 2016, he played 1,046 minutes over the course of 20 matches in his lone season with Rayo OKC. 

Pecka joins Steven Miller, Ben Speas, Nazmi Albadawi, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, Caleb Duvernay, Robert Kristo, Graham Smith and Conor Donovan on the list of those confirmed for the 2020 season, as NCFC continues to negotiate with additional players.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

In a move that brings home one of the most accomplished players from the North Carolina FC Youth Academy, NCFC has signed center back Conor Donovan, the club announced on Friday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Donovan, a 23-year-old Fuquay-Varina native, returns to his local club following stints in both Major League Soccer (Orlando City SC and the Houston Dynamo) and the USL Championship (Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Orlando City B and Rio Grande Valley FC). 

“Conor is another great example of our academy and club and the work that we’ve done to allow players like him to continue at the pro level,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “To bring him back, we’re very excited. From the soccer side of it, he will be a great addition to our backline. He’s played a lot of matches recently and is a leader with USL and MLS experience. We’re so pleased to add him.” 

As a teenager, Donovan starred for both the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U23 before earning a senior team roster spot in October 2013. In 2014, Donovan scored in the then-Carolina RailHawks’ 2-1 exhibition win against Puebla FC of Liga MX as an 18-year-old. 

After one season at the collegiate level with N.C. State, Donovan appeared at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup for the U.S. National Team and was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City SC.

“We’re thrilled to have Conor back with the club,” NCFC President and General Manager Curt Johnson said. “Conor’s talent speaks for itself, and he’s a player we’re obviously familiar with. His path from youth soccer player in the Triangle to established professional represents what we believe is possible for young players throughout our community. Conor is undoubtedly a strong addition to our team ahead of the 2020 season.”

During the 2019 USL Championship season with Rio Grande Valley FC, Donovan’s second with the club, the 6’3” defender appeared in 20 matches, playing 1,764 minutes and scoring once as he captained the Toros 18 times. His 23 blocks were the most on RGV FC, and his 90 clearances ranked second on the team. 

Out of college, Donovan signed a Generation Adidas contract and made his MLS debut in August 2015 with Orlando City. From 2016-17, Donovan made 34 appearances in the USL Championship for Orlando City B, as he recovered from injury. 

After appearing in 10 matches for RGV FC in 2018, Donovan signed with the Houston Dynamo and helped the MLS side win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. 

“It’s special,” Donovan said of his return to NCFC. “I think you start to realize the important stuff that you had when you were growing up, whether it’s the coaches or the people you meet along the line. For me to return home and pay that back and help the team and the club to continue to move forward on the path that they are, I think it’s super special.”

Donovan joins Steven Miller, Ben Speas, Nazmi Albadawi, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, Caleb Duvernay, Robert Kristo and Graham Smith on the list of those confirmed for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional players.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

In a move that brings home one of the most accomplished players from the North Carolina FC Youth Academy, NCFC has signed center back Conor Donovan, the club announced on Friday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Donovan, a 23-year-old Fuquay-Varina native, returns to his local club following stints in both Major League Soccer (Orlando City SC and the Houston Dynamo) and the USL Championship (Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Orlando City B and Rio Grande Valley FC). 

“Conor is another great example of our academy and club and the work that we’ve done to allow players like him to continue at the pro level,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “To bring him back, we’re very excited. From the soccer side of it, he will be a great addition to our backline. He’s played a lot of matches recently and is a leader with USL and MLS experience. We’re so pleased to add him.” 

As a teenager, Donovan starred for both the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U23 before earning a senior team roster spot in October 2013. In 2014, Donovan scored in the then-Carolina RailHawks’ 2-1 exhibition win against Puebla FC of Liga MX as an 18-year-old. 

After one season at the collegiate level with N.C. State, Donovan appeared at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup for the U.S. National Team and was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City SC.

“We’re thrilled to have Conor back with the club,” NCFC President and General Manager Curt Johnson said. “Conor’s talent speaks for itself, and he’s a player we’re obviously familiar with. His path from youth soccer player in the Triangle to established professional represents what we believe is possible for young players throughout our community. Conor is undoubtedly a strong addition to our team ahead of the 2020 season.”

During the 2019 USL Championship season with Rio Grande Valley FC, Donovan’s second with the club, the 6’3” defender appeared in 20 matches, playing 1,764 minutes and scoring once as he captained the Toros 18 times. His 23 blocks were the most on RGV FC, and his 90 clearances ranked second on the team. 

Out of college, Donovan signed a Generation Adidas contract and made his MLS debut in August 2015 with Orlando City. From 2016-17, Donovan made 34 appearances in the USL Championship for Orlando City B, as he recovered from injury. 

After appearing in 10 matches for RGV FC in 2018, Donovan signed with the Houston Dynamo and helped the MLS side win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. 

“It’s special,” Donovan said of his return to NCFC. “I think you start to realize the important stuff that you had when you were growing up, whether it’s the coaches or the people you meet along the line. For me to return home and pay that back and help the team and the club to continue to move forward on the path that they are, I think it’s super special.”

Donovan joins Steven Miller, Ben Speas, Nazmi Albadawi, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, Caleb Duvernay, Robert Kristo and Graham Smith on the list of those confirmed for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional players.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

CARY, N.C. (Dec. 13, 2019) – Adding stability and experience to its midfield, North Carolina FC announced on Friday that midfielder Graham Smith has signed a new contract and will return for the 2020 season, his third with the team. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Smith, 25, has appeared in 66 career matches with NCFC across all competitions, starting 56 times and playing 5,128 minutes. In 2019, the New Hope, Penn., native saw action in 28 USL Championship regular-season matches, 19 of which came as starts, and recorded two assists. 

“We’re pleased to have Graham back,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “He’s a tireless worker, and he comes to training every day with great intent to improve and has a real winning attitude, which is really important for the group. As the season went on and as he gained more experience, he established himself as an important link between our backline and our midfield.”
After playing collegiately at Pittsburgh and South Florida, Smith signed with NCFC ahead of the 2018 season following an impressive preseason as a trialist and went on to appear in 32 matches during his rookie campaign. 

In his second season as a pro, Smith developed a niche as a holding midfielder, often helping NCFC build from the back while serving as a reliable defender. In 2019, Smith’s pass completion percentage (86.1%) was the second-highest on the team, and he made the second-most tackles (49). 

Smith joins Steven Miller, Nazmi Albadawi, Ben Speas, Alex Comsia, Sam Brotherton, Caleb Duvernay and Robert Kristo on the list of those confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional players. 

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.
 

CARY, N.C. (Dec. 13, 2019) – Adding stability and experience to its midfield, North Carolina FC announced on Friday that midfielder Graham Smith has signed a new contract and will return for the 2020 season, his third with the team. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Smith, 25, has appeared in 66 career matches with NCFC across all competitions, starting 56 times and playing 5,128 minutes. In 2019, the New Hope, Penn., native saw action in 28 USL Championship regular-season matches, 19 of which came as starts, and recorded two assists. 

“We’re pleased to have Graham back,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “He’s a tireless worker, and he comes to training every day with great intent to improve and has a real winning attitude, which is really important for the group. As the season went on and as he gained more experience, he established himself as an important link between our backline and our midfield.”
After playing collegiately at Pittsburgh and South Florida, Smith signed with NCFC ahead of the 2018 season following an impressive preseason as a trialist and went on to appear in 32 matches during his rookie campaign. 

In his second season as a pro, Smith developed a niche as a holding midfielder, often helping NCFC build from the back while serving as a reliable defender. In 2019, Smith’s pass completion percentage (86.1%) was the second-highest on the team, and he made the second-most tackles (49). 

Smith joins Steven Miller, Nazmi Albadawi, Ben Speas, Alex Comsia, Sam Brotherton, Caleb Duvernay and Robert Kristo on the list of those confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional players. 

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.
 

In a move that secures the return of four players who impressed in their debut seasons with North Carolina FC, NCFC on Tuesday exercised contract options on joint leading scorer Robert Kristo and defenders Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia and Caleb Duvernay. The transactions are pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Collectively, Kristo, Brotherton, Comsia and Duvernay played 6,856 minutes during the USL Championship regular season, scoring 12 goals and recording four assists as NCFC reached the postseason under first-year head coach Dave Sarachan. 

Kristo, who came to NCFC following stints in Germany (VFL Osnabrück) and Italy (Tuttocuoio and Fideles Andria), made an impact in his first year in Cary by appearing in 25 matches and scoring nine goals, tied with midfielder Steven Miller for the team lead. One of the most clinical finishers in the league, the 26-year-old Kristo averaged 0.95 goals per 90 minutes, the highest average in the USL Championship among players who logged a minimum of 800 minutes in 2019. 

Often prolific off the bench for Sarachan, Kristo scored six of his goals in 19 appearances as a substitute, and he became a fan favorite by scoring in each of the team’s final four home matches in the regular season, finding the back of the net five times. 

Both aged 22 when the season began, center backs Sam Brotherton and Alex Comsia formed a successful partnership in the middle of NCFC’s backline in 2019. Both players factored heavily in NCFC’s best defensive season since 2011, as the team allowed only 1.09 goals per match and recorded 10 clean sheets. 

Brotherton, of Auckland, New Zealand, played 2,784 minutes in 2019, the second-most on the team. In his first season of professional soccer in the U.S. after arriving from Sunderland in England, Brotherton recorded three goals, the most by a defender on the team. In 31 appearances, the New Zealand international logged team highs in clearances (142), blocks (21) and aerial duels won (104). 

Comsia, a former NCFC U23 standout who played collegiately at UNC, started every match he played in. Despite missing six matches due to a jaw injury, the Vancouver, British Columbia, native saw the field for 2,389 minutes, as the former ACC Defensive Player of the Year recorded 81 clearances, 20 blocks, 32 interceptions and one assist. 

Duvernay, a Cary native who previously starred for both the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U23, played an important role for Sarachan at left back in his first season at the professional level. The former N.C. State defender played in 14 matches, including six straight from June 15-July 17. In total, Duvernay logged 829 minutes, making nine starts, and he notched an assist in NCFC’s 2-2 draw at Saint Louis FC on June 22. In March, Duvernay scored in a friendly against Necaxa FC, as NCFC earned a 2-1 win against the first-division Mexican club. 

The four players join Miller, Ben Speas and Nazmi Albadawi on the list of NCFC players confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional members of the 2019 squad. 

The club has also declined contract options on Austin Panchot, Timmy Mehl, Victor Igbekoyi and Darrin MacLeod. NCFC thanks these players for their contributions to the club and wishes them well in their future endeavors. 

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

In a move that secures the return of four players who impressed in their debut seasons with North Carolina FC, NCFC on Tuesday exercised contract options on joint leading scorer Robert Kristo and defenders Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia and Caleb Duvernay. The transactions are pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Collectively, Kristo, Brotherton, Comsia and Duvernay played 6,856 minutes during the USL Championship regular season, scoring 12 goals and recording four assists as NCFC reached the postseason under first-year head coach Dave Sarachan. 

Kristo, who came to NCFC following stints in Germany (VFL Osnabrück) and Italy (Tuttocuoio and Fideles Andria), made an impact in his first year in Cary by appearing in 25 matches and scoring nine goals, tied with midfielder Steven Miller for the team lead. One of the most clinical finishers in the league, the 26-year-old Kristo averaged 0.95 goals per 90 minutes, the highest average in the USL Championship among players who logged a minimum of 800 minutes in 2019. 

Often prolific off the bench for Sarachan, Kristo scored six of his goals in 19 appearances as a substitute, and he became a fan favorite by scoring in each of the team’s final four home matches in the regular season, finding the back of the net five times. 

Both aged 22 when the season began, center backs Sam Brotherton and Alex Comsia formed a successful partnership in the middle of NCFC’s backline in 2019. Both players factored heavily in NCFC’s best defensive season since 2011, as the team allowed only 1.09 goals per match and recorded 10 clean sheets. 

Brotherton, of Auckland, New Zealand, played 2,784 minutes in 2019, the second-most on the team. In his first season of professional soccer in the U.S. after arriving from Sunderland in England, Brotherton recorded three goals, the most by a defender on the team. In 31 appearances, the New Zealand international logged team highs in clearances (142), blocks (21) and aerial duels won (104). 

Comsia, a former NCFC U23 standout who played collegiately at UNC, started every match he played in. Despite missing six matches due to a jaw injury, the Vancouver, British Columbia, native saw the field for 2,389 minutes, as the former ACC Defensive Player of the Year recorded 81 clearances, 20 blocks, 32 interceptions and one assist. 

Duvernay, a Cary native who previously starred for both the NCFC Youth Academy and NCFC U23, played an important role for Sarachan at left back in his first season at the professional level. The former N.C. State defender played in 14 matches, including six straight from June 15-July 17. In total, Duvernay logged 829 minutes, making nine starts, and he notched an assist in NCFC’s 2-2 draw at Saint Louis FC on June 22. In March, Duvernay scored in a friendly against Necaxa FC, as NCFC earned a 2-1 win against the first-division Mexican club. 

The four players join Miller, Ben Speas and Nazmi Albadawi on the list of NCFC players confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season, as the club continues to negotiate with additional members of the 2019 squad. 

The club has also declined contract options on Austin Panchot, Timmy Mehl, Victor Igbekoyi and Darrin MacLeod. NCFC thanks these players for their contributions to the club and wishes them well in their future endeavors. 

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

CARY, N.C. (Nov. 21, 2019) – North Carolina FC has finalized a contract with midfielder Nazmi Albadawi that will see the club’s all-time assists leader return for the 2020 season, NCFC announced on Thursday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Albadawi, a Raleigh native, is among the most accomplished players in club history. The 28-year-old Athens Drive High School and N.C. State product has more assists (24) than anyone else in an NCFC career, and he ranks near the top of the club’s all-time leaderboard in games (141, 5th), minutes (11,739, 5th) and goals (25, 4th). 

"Everything that I was told about Nazmi in terms of his character, on-field talent, his connection to the community and his leadership … every box was checked this year," NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. "It was a challenging year for Nazmi when he had to come in kind of late and get up to speed with us and then a few moments where he went on international duty. But given all that, he was an important attacking piece to our team. I'm thrilled that he's going to be a part of our roster from the very beginning of next season."

Albadawi made his professional debut with the club in April 2014, the beginning of a career that has endeared himself to soccer fans in the Triangle. In both 2016 and 2017, Albadawi earned NASL Best XI honors, scoring seven goals and recording 14 assists between the two seasons while also serving as club captain. His 10 assists in 2016 were the most in a single season in NASL history. 

In 2018, Albadawi joined FC Cincinnati in its final season in the USL Championship, scoring a career-high 11 goals. After appearing in one match in FC Cincinnati’s debut season in Major League Soccer, Albadawi returned to NCFC on loan this past May through the end of the 2019 season. 

Upon his return to Cary, Albadawi impressed, as he immediately made an impact for head coach Dave Sarachan’s squad, which returned to the postseason for the second time in three years. In 19 matches against USL Championship opponents, Albadawi scored four goals and recorded five assists. Albadawi’s last assist of the season, which came on Oct. 23 in NCFC’s postseason match against Birmingham Legion FC, moved him into sole possession of the club’s all-time lead, pushing him past Tiyi Shipalane (23). 

Albadawi, who represents Palestine internationally through ancestral ties, has 10 career appearances and one goal with the Palestine National Team. 

Albadawi joins midfielders Ben Speas and Steven Miller as key contributors from 2019 confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season. More information on the status of NCFC's remaining players from the 2019 season will be available in the coming weeks. 

CARY, N.C. (Nov. 21, 2019) – North Carolina FC has finalized a contract with midfielder Nazmi Albadawi that will see the club’s all-time assists leader return for the 2020 season, NCFC announced on Thursday. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. 

Albadawi, a Raleigh native, is among the most accomplished players in club history. The 28-year-old Athens Drive High School and N.C. State product has more assists (24) than anyone else in an NCFC career, and he ranks near the top of the club’s all-time leaderboard in games (141, 5th), minutes (11,739, 5th) and goals (25, 4th). 

“Everything that I was told about Nazmi in terms of his character, on-field talent, his connection to the community and his leadership … every box was checked this year,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “It was a challenging year for Nazmi when he had to come in kind of late and get up to speed with us and then a few moments where he went on international duty. But given all that, he was an important attacking piece to our team. I’m thrilled that he’s going to be a part of our roster from the very beginning of next season.”

Albadawi made his professional debut with the club in April 2014, the beginning of a career that has endeared himself to soccer fans in the Triangle. In both 2016 and 2017, Albadawi earned NASL Best XI honors, scoring seven goals and recording 14 assists between the two seasons while also serving as club captain. His 10 assists in 2016 were the most in a single season in NASL history. 

In 2018, Albadawi joined FC Cincinnati in its final season in the USL Championship, scoring a career-high 11 goals. After appearing in one match in FC Cincinnati’s debut season in Major League Soccer, Albadawi returned to NCFC on loan this past May through the end of the 2019 season. 

Upon his return to Cary, Albadawi impressed, as he immediately made an impact for head coach Dave Sarachan’s squad, which returned to the postseason for the second time in three years. In 19 matches against USL Championship opponents, Albadawi scored four goals and recorded five assists. Albadawi’s last assist of the season, which came on Oct. 23 in NCFC’s postseason match against Birmingham Legion FC, moved him into sole possession of the club’s all-time lead, pushing him past Tiyi Shipalane (23). 

Albadawi, who represents Palestine internationally through ancestral ties, has 10 career appearances and one goal with the Palestine National Team. 

Albadawi joins midfielders Ben Speas and Steven Miller as key contributors from 2019 confirmed to be returning for the 2020 season. More information on the status of NCFC’s remaining players from the 2019 season will be available in the coming weeks. 

---

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

A trio of North Carolina FC standouts went on international duty this past week, as Nazmi Albadawi (Palestine), Dre Fortune (Trinidad & Tobago) and Yamikani Chester (Malawi) each linked up with their respective national teams. 

Here’s a recap of how each player and their sides fared. 

Palestine National Team (caps/goals)

Nazmi Albadawi (10/1) 

Games: 

Yemen 1-0 Palestine, 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier  – November 14, 2019 – Muharraq, Bahrain 

Albadawi started and played the full 90 for Palestine, which dropped a one-goal affair to Yemen. Palestine went down a man in the 35th minute when Mahmoud Abu Warda picked up a second yellow card, and Yemen made Palestine pay when Omar Al Dahi scored the match’s only goal in the 54th minute. 

Uzbekistan 2-0 Palestine, 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – November 19, 2019 – Tashkent, Uzbekistan 

Albadawi once again started and played the entirety of the match for a second straight game as Palestine was defeated thanks to a brace by Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov, who scored in the 18th and 58th minutes. Albadawi helped create a scoring chance in the 36th minute with a precise through ball, but Palestine never could find the back of the net. After its two most-recent games, Palestine finds itself in fourth place in Group D in the second round of the Asian Football Confederation’s World Cup qualifying process. 

A trio of North Carolina FC standouts went on international duty this past week, as Nazmi Albadawi (Palestine), Dre Fortune (Trinidad & Tobago) and Yamikani Chester (Malawi) each linked up with their respective national teams. 

Here’s a recap of how each player and their sides fared. 

Palestine National Team (caps/goals)

Nazmi Albadawi (10/1) 

Games: 

Yemen 1-0 Palestine, 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier  – November 14, 2019 – Muharraq, Bahrain 

Albadawi started and played the full 90 for Palestine, which dropped a one-goal affair to Yemen. Palestine went down a man in the 35th minute when Mahmoud Abu Warda picked up a second yellow card, and Yemen made Palestine pay when Omar Al Dahi scored the match’s only goal in the 54th minute. 

Uzbekistan 2-0 Palestine, 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – November 19, 2019 – Tashkent, Uzbekistan 

Albadawi once again started and played the entirety of the match for a second straight game as Palestine was defeated thanks to a brace by Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov, who scored in the 18th and 58th minutes. Albadawi helped create a scoring chance in the 36th minute with a precise through ball, but Palestine never could find the back of the net. After its two most-recent games, Palestine finds itself in fourth place in Group D in the second round of the Asian Football Confederation’s World Cup qualifying process. 

Trinidad & Tobago National Team 

Dre Fortune (2/0) 

Games: 

Ecuador 3-0 Trinidad & Tobago, International Friendly – November 14, 2019 – Portoviejo, Ecuador 

Fortune, a Raleigh native and NCFC Youth Academy product, earned his first start with the Trinidad & Tobago senior team as he was named in head coach Dennis Lawrence’s lineup for the Soca Warriors’ away friendly against Ecuador. Fortune, who scored eight goals against USL Championship opponents in 2019, played 80 minutes in the match. 

Honduras 4-0 Trinidad & Tobago, Concacaf Nations League – November 17, 2019 – San Pedro Sula, Honduras 

Fortune was an unused substitute in Trinidad & Tobago’s loss at Honduras.

Trinidad & Tobago National Team 

Dre Fortune (2/0) 

Games: 

Ecuador 3-0 Trinidad & Tobago, International Friendly – November 14, 2019 – Portoviejo, Ecuador 

Fortune, a Raleigh native and NCFC Youth Academy product, earned his first start with the Trinidad & Tobago senior team as he was named in head coach Dennis Lawrence’s lineup for the Soca Warriors’ away friendly against Ecuador. Fortune, who scored eight goals against USL Championship opponents in 2019, played 80 minutes in the match. 

Honduras 4-0 Trinidad & Tobago, Concacaf Nations League – November 17, 2019 – San Pedro Sula, Honduras 

Fortune was an unused substitute in Trinidad & Tobago’s loss at Honduras.

Malawi National Team 

Yamikani Chester (9/0)

Games: 

Malawi 1-0 South Sudan, 2021 African Cup of Nations Qualifier – November 13, 2019 – Blantyre, Malawi 

Chester, who found the back of the net five times in his first season with NCFC in 2019, started and was active in Malawi’s attack as the Flames captured a crucial victory over South Sudan in 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifying. 

Uganda 2-0 Malawi, 2021 African Cup of Nations Qualifier – November 17, 2019 – Kira, Uganda 

Chester once again started for Malawi, but the Flames were unable to perform well on the road, as the hosts took all three points with goals in the 29th and 68th minutes. Malawi holds third place in Group B in the third round of the 2021 AFCON qualification tournament. 
 

Malawi National Team 

Yamikani Chester (9/0)

Games: 

Malawi 1-0 South Sudan, 2021 African Cup of Nations Qualifier – November 13, 2019 – Blantyre, Malawi 

Chester, who found the back of the net five times in his first season with NCFC in 2019, started and was active in Malawi’s attack as the Flames captured a crucial victory over South Sudan in 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifying. 

Uganda 2-0 Malawi, 2021 African Cup of Nations Qualifier – November 17, 2019 – Kira, Uganda 

Chester once again started for Malawi, but the Flames were unable to perform well on the road, as the hosts took all three points with goals in the 29th and 68th minutes. Malawi holds third place in Group B in the third round of the 2021 AFCON qualification tournament. 
 

---

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

2019 was certainly a year to remember for North Carolina FC. Under the guidance of new head coach Dave Sarachan, formerly of the U.S. Men’s National Team, NCFC finished in seventh place in the USL Championship’s strong Eastern Conference as it returned to the postseason for the second time in three years.  

Here’s a numerical breakdown of an action-packed season: 

Sweet 16 

16 wins in the regular season, tied for the most in club history.

Home Sweet Home 

11 regular-season wins at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, matching the club record. The team’s home point percentage of 74.5% (38 out of 51) was the highest since 2013, when it took 35 out of a possible 39 points (89.7%). 

38 points earned at home, the third-highest figure in the USL Championship. NCFC’s +25  goal differential was also the third-highest in the league.

Successful under Sarachan 

54.9% point percentage for NCFC (56 out of a possible 102) under first-year head coach Dave Sarachan, the second-highest percentage by a first-year head coach (Martin Rennie posted a 61.1% in 2009). Sarachan also joined Rennie as the second head coach in team history to go unbeaten in his first four competitive matches. 

160 career wins for Sarachan, who has managed Cornell, Chicago Fire, the U.S. Men’s National Team and now NCFC. 

Offensive Firepower 

1.68 goals per match, NCFC’s third-highest average in club history. 

5 games in which NCFC scored four goals or more, a new single-season high for the club. NCFC recorded a season-high five goals in a shutout victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Aug. 17. 

6 players with five-plus goals, the most ever on an NCFC team. Steven Miller and Robert Kristo each led with nine goals apiece, while Donovan Ewolo (8), Dre Fortune (7) Marios Lomis (6) and Yamikani Chester (5) were also frequent scorers. 

Daunting Defense and Great Goalkeeping 

1.09 goals allowed per match, a vast improvement from 2018, when NCFC conceded 1.47 goals on average. The 1.09 average was the club’s lowest since 2011, when it gave up only 0.93 goals per match. 

10 clean sheets between goalkeepers Alex Tambakis and Darrin MacLeod, NCFC’s most since recording 17 shutouts in 2009. 

15 shutouts by Alex Tambakis in his NCFC career, the third-most in club history. Tambakis became the first NCFC player to have back-to-back seasons with seven-plus shutouts, as he had eight in 2019.  

#ThankyoudaLuz 

13,397 minutes played in an NCFC shirt by captain Austin da Luz, the second-most in team history. Da Luz retired following the season, making his last appearance in NCFC’s 1-0 win against Saint Louis FC on Oct. 19. Da Luz also ranks among the best on the club’s all-time leaderboard in matches played (182, 3rd), assists (18, 4th) and goals (23, 5th). 

Keeping it Close to Home 

5 different North Carolina colleges represented on NCFC in 2019, including UNC (Ben Speas, Alex Comsia and Colton Storm), N.C. State (Nazmi Albadawi, Manny Perez and Caleb Duvernay), Wake Forest (Austin da Luz), Charlotte (Ryan Spaulding) and UNCW (Colton Pleasants).

9 current or former North Carolina FC Youth Academy products on NCFC’s roster in 2019. As a group, those players played 7,504 minutes between all competitions, scoring 10 goals and recording 14 assists. 

• Current NCFC Academy players: Adam Armour, Trace Alphin and Colton Pleasants. 
• Former NCFC Academy Players: Dre Fortune, Manny Perez, Caleb Duvernay, DJ Taylor, Ryan Spaulding and Ryan Cretens. 

Heating Up in the Summer 

8 straight matches unbeaten from May 19-July 5, NCFC’s longest unbeaten run since avoiding defeat in a club-record 13 consecutive games in 2009. 

League-wide Recognition 

5 USL Championship Save of the Month wins by Alex Tambakis (April, May, June, September and October), more than any other player in the league. 

11 times that an NCFC player was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week. Steven Miller made TOTW three times, earning Player of the Week honors once. Dre Fortune was also named POTW both times he made TOTW, while Ben Speas, Alex Tambakis, Manny Perez, Yamikani Chester and Aaron Guillen each earned TOTW nods as well.  

Albadawi’s Always Assisting 

24 assists for Nazmi Albadawi in his NCFC career, more than any other player. Albadawi earned sole possession of first place when he set up a goal in NCFC’s postseason match against Birmingham Legion FC on Oct. 23, putting him ahead of Tiyi Shipalane (23). 

Miller’s Milestones 

116 club appearances for Steven Miller, who this past season became the seventh player in NCFC history to cross the 100-match milestone. Miller also ranks among the club’s best in career assists (19, 3rd), minutes played (9,444, 7th) and goals (19, 8th). 

9&6: Miller became NCFC’s first player since Etienne Barbara to record nine-plus goals and six-plus assists in a season. The Malta international went for 20 goals and eight assists in 2011. 

NCFC Worldwide 

5 NCFC players who represented their countries on international duty during the season: Nazmi Albadawi (Palestine), Adam Armour (U.S. U-17), Manny Perez (U.S. U-23), Dre Fortune (Trinidad & Tobago) and Yamikani Chester (Malawi). 

Clinical Kristo 

0.95 goals per 90 minutes scored by Robert Kristo, the highest average in the USL Championship among players who logged a minimum of 800 minutes in 2019. Kristo also endeared himself to NCFC fans by scoring in each of the team’s final four home matches in the regular season, finding the back of the net five times. 

Potent Perez 

4 assists by former NCFC Academy star Manny Perez, who at age 20 became the youngest player in NCFC history to record four helpers in a regular season. The previous record was held by Matt Watson, who was 23 when he had four assists in 2008. 

Go DJ 

2,898 minutes logged by right back DJ Taylor, the most ever by an NCFC player in a regular season. If not for Perez, Taylor would have become the youngest player to have four assists in a regular season, as he spent most of the season aged 21 before turning 22 on Aug. 27. 

 

2019 was certainly a year to remember for North Carolina FC. Under the guidance of new head coach Dave Sarachan, formerly of the U.S. Men’s National Team, NCFC finished in seventh place in the USL Championship’s strong Eastern Conference as it returned to the postseason for the second time in three years.  

Here’s a numerical breakdown of an action-packed season: 

Sweet 16 

16 wins in the regular season, tied for the most in club history.

Home Sweet Home 

11 regular-season wins at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, matching the club record. The team’s home point percentage of 74.5% (38 out of 51) was the highest since 2013, when it took 35 out of a possible 39 points (89.7%). 

38 points earned at home, the third-highest figure in the USL Championship. NCFC’s +25  goal differential was also the third-highest in the league.

Successful under Sarachan 

54.9% point percentage for NCFC (56 out of a possible 102) under first-year head coach Dave Sarachan, the second-highest percentage by a first-year head coach (Martin Rennie posted a 61.1% in 2009). Sarachan also joined Rennie as the second head coach in team history to go unbeaten in his first four competitive matches. 

160 career wins for Sarachan, who has managed Cornell, Chicago Fire, the U.S. Men’s National Team and now NCFC. 

Offensive Firepower 

1.68 goals per match, NCFC’s third-highest average in club history. 

5 games in which NCFC scored four goals or more, a new single-season high for the club. NCFC recorded a season-high five goals in a shutout victory against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Aug. 17. 

6 players with five-plus goals, the most ever on an NCFC team. Steven Miller and Robert Kristo each led with nine goals apiece, while Donovan Ewolo (8), Dre Fortune (7) Marios Lomis (6) and Yamikani Chester (5) were also frequent scorers. 

Daunting Defense and Great Goalkeeping 

1.09 goals allowed per match, a vast improvement from 2018, when NCFC conceded 1.47 goals on average. The 1.09 average was the club’s lowest since 2011, when it gave up only 0.93 goals per match. 

10 clean sheets between goalkeepers Alex Tambakis and Darrin MacLeod, NCFC’s most since recording 17 shutouts in 2009. 

15 shutouts by Alex Tambakis in his NCFC career, the third-most in club history. Tambakis became the first NCFC player to have back-to-back seasons with seven-plus shutouts, as he had eight in 2019.  

#ThankyoudaLuz 

13,397 minutes played in an NCFC shirt by captain Austin da Luz, the second-most in team history. Da Luz retired following the season, making his last appearance in NCFC’s 1-0 win against Saint Louis FC on Oct. 19. Da Luz also ranks among the best on the club’s all-time leaderboard in matches played (182, 3rd), assists (18, 4th) and goals (23, 5th). 

Keeping it Close to Home 

5 different North Carolina colleges represented on NCFC in 2019, including UNC (Ben Speas, Alex Comsia and Colton Storm), N.C. State (Nazmi Albadawi, Manny Perez and Caleb Duvernay), Wake Forest (Austin da Luz), Charlotte (Ryan Spaulding) and UNCW (Colton Pleasants).

9 current or former North Carolina FC Youth Academy products on NCFC’s roster in 2019. As a group, those players played 7,504 minutes between all competitions, scoring 10 goals and recording 14 assists. 

• Current NCFC Academy players: Adam Armour, Trace Alphin and Colton Pleasants. 
• Former NCFC Academy Players: Dre Fortune, Manny Perez, Caleb Duvernay, DJ Taylor, Ryan Spaulding and Ryan Cretens. 

Heating Up in the Summer 

8 straight matches unbeaten from May 19-July 5, NCFC’s longest unbeaten run since avoiding defeat in a club-record 13 consecutive games in 2009. 

League-wide Recognition 

5 USL Championship Save of the Month wins by Alex Tambakis (April, May, June, September and October), more than any other player in the league. 

11 times that an NCFC player was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week. Steven Miller made TOTW three times, earning Player of the Week honors once. Dre Fortune was also named POTW both times he made TOTW, while Ben Speas, Alex Tambakis, Manny Perez, Yamikani Chester and Aaron Guillen each earned TOTW nods as well.  

Albadawi’s Always Assisting 

24 assists for Nazmi Albadawi in his NCFC career, more than any other player. Albadawi earned sole possession of first place when he set up a goal in NCFC’s postseason match against Birmingham Legion FC on Oct. 23, putting him ahead of Tiyi Shipalane (23). 

Miller’s Milestones 

116 club appearances for Steven Miller, who this past season became the seventh player in NCFC history to cross the 100-match milestone. Miller also ranks among the club’s best in career assists (19, 3rd), minutes played (9,444, 7th) and goals (19, 8th). 

9&6: Miller became NCFC’s first player since Etienne Barbara to record nine-plus goals and six-plus assists in a season. The Malta international went for 20 goals and eight assists in 2011. 

NCFC Worldwide 

5 NCFC players who represented their countries on international duty during the season: Nazmi Albadawi (Palestine), Adam Armour (U.S. U-17), Manny Perez (U.S. U-23), Dre Fortune (Trinidad & Tobago) and Yamikani Chester (Malawi). 

Clinical Kristo 

0.95 goals per 90 minutes scored by Robert Kristo, the highest average in the USL Championship among players who logged a minimum of 800 minutes in 2019. Kristo also endeared himself to NCFC fans by scoring in each of the team’s final four home matches in the regular season, finding the back of the net five times. 

Potent Perez 

4 assists by former NCFC Academy star Manny Perez, who at age 20 became the youngest player in NCFC history to record four helpers in a regular season. The previous record was held by Matt Watson, who was 23 when he had four assists in 2008. 

Go DJ 

2,898 minutes logged by right back DJ Taylor, the most ever by an NCFC player in a regular season. If not for Perez, Taylor would have become the youngest player to have four assists in a regular season, as he spent most of the season aged 21 before turning 22 on Aug. 27. 

 

---

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

CARY, N.C. (Nov. 13, 2019) – The North Carolina FC Youth Academy will have the opportunity to compete against the best clubs in the world when it plays in the U-14 boys tournament at the 2019 ICC Futures, which will be held at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from Dec. 11-15. 

The squad, coached by Dewan Bader and Will Mack, will be comprised of members of the NCFC U-14 North and NCFC U-14 South teams, as well as 2006-born players who currently play with NCFC U-15. 

One of 24 teams invited to be a part of one of the world’s premier youth tournaments, NCFC U-14 is in a field of teams featuring global giants FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. 

"To be selected for such a great event speaks to the club's ambition and the work of our players and staff," NCFC Academy Director and First Team Assistant Coach John Bradford. "I think it's a very good indication of what our club and academy program want to stand for, which is providing the top opportunities to our players and having that be the standard for our youth-to-pro plan from the Academy to the professional environment. Our club has a great relationship with Relevant Sports, especially having had the opportunity to host the Women's ICC this past summer and participate in the first Women's ICC in 2018." 

NCFC U-14 has been placed in Group 3, where it will face off against the likes of CR Vasco da Gama (Brazil), Juventus (Italy) and ICC Midwest (U.S.) in the group stage, which runs from Dec. 11-12. 

NCFC U-14 will kick off the tournament with a doubleheader on Dec. 11, first facing Vasco de Gama at 10:15 a.m. before matching up against Juventus at 2:00 p.m. The team will conclude the group stage with a matchup against ICC Midwest, one of 13 U.S. sides in the competition, on Dec. 12 at 10:30 a.m. NCFC can qualify for the Championship Bracket by finishing atop the group or by being one of the top two second-placed teams. 

More information on the ICC Futures can be found here. 

The largest youth-to-pro club in the country, NCFC has benefitted first-hand from the success of the NCFC Academy. In 2019, NCFC’s roster featured six former and three current NCFC Academy standouts, with those players combining to play 7,504 minutes across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and recording 14 assists. 

 

CARY, N.C. (Nov. 13, 2019) – The North Carolina FC Youth Academy will have the opportunity to compete against the best clubs in the world when it plays in the U-14 boys tournament at the 2019 ICC Futures, which will be held at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from Dec. 11-15. 

The squad, coached by Dewan Bader and Will Mack, will be comprised of members of the NCFC U-14 North and NCFC U-14 South teams, as well as 2006-born players who currently play with NCFC U-15. 

One of 24 teams invited to be a part of one of the world’s premier youth tournaments, NCFC U-14 is in a field of teams featuring global giants FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. 

“To be selected for such a great event speaks to the club’s ambition and the work of our players and staff,” NCFC Academy Director and First Team Assistant Coach John Bradford. “I think it’s a very good indication of what our club and academy program want to stand for, which is providing the top opportunities to our players and having that be the standard for our youth-to-pro plan from the Academy to the professional environment. Our club has a great relationship with Relevant Sports, especially having had the opportunity to host the Women’s ICC this past summer and participate in the first Women’s ICC in 2018.” 

NCFC U-14 has been placed in Group 3, where it will face off against the likes of CR Vasco da Gama (Brazil), Juventus (Italy) and ICC Midwest (U.S.) in the group stage, which runs from Dec. 11-12. 

NCFC U-14 will kick off the tournament with a doubleheader on Dec. 11, first facing Vasco de Gama at 10:15 a.m. before matching up against Juventus at 2:00 p.m. The team will conclude the group stage with a matchup against ICC Midwest, one of 13 U.S. sides in the competition, on Dec. 12 at 10:30 a.m. NCFC can qualify for the Championship Bracket by finishing atop the group or by being one of the top two second-placed teams. 

More information on the ICC Futures can be found here. 

The largest youth-to-pro club in the country, NCFC has benefitted first-hand from the success of the NCFC Academy. In 2019, NCFC’s roster featured six former and three current NCFC Academy standouts, with those players combining to play 7,504 minutes across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and recording 14 assists. 

 

---

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Last December, a new era at North Carolina Football Club began when Dave Sarachan was named the fourth head coach in North Carolina FC history. A seasoned veteran in the coaching world, Sarachan had most recently served as the U.S. Men’s National Team head coach and entered his new role at NCFC with a reputation as a great developer of young talent at his previous stops, including the LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire. 

In his first season with the club, NCFC posted the second-highest regular-season win total in team history, going 16W-10L-8D to finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and qualify for the USL Championship Playoffs. In doing so, Sarachan’s group lost only once at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park during the regular season and reached the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. 

We caught up with Sarachan to get his feelings on how his first year with the club went. 

Going into the season, what sort of expectations did you have for your team and what are your thoughts on how things ultimately played out? 

DS: It started, for me, with a clean slate on many levels – like all new positions. It didn't take me long to understand the DNA of this group, and by that I mean this was a group that from day one was very open to improvement. We had a vision to accomplish some things as a group, as a soccer-playing team, in terms of being hard to play against and being a collective team defensively, to have freedom in the attacking third and several other components. I think from the very beginning this was a group that was very open to being better individually and collectively. As I got to know them from the very beginning and as weeks and months and days went by, it was an enjoyable group to work with from that aspect. I didn't know what to expect as far as how we would look when we had the ball and how dangerous we would be going forward – and the same on the defending end. But I think as we built this roster and we got through the year, they showed their character.

I think we did hit a stretch – like most teams do – where we had a little bit of a tough September. But overall, I thought this team was a little bit deeper than I expected it would be. When guys were injured, other guys stepped up. I thought we maintained a good level for our young team. I think our average age was 23. The learning curve was steep, and yet we came through it pretty well with a young team. There were a lot of pleasant surprises for me, personally, with the group. All in all, as I look back on it, we accomplished a lot with the group that we had. Still disappointed that we couldn't go further because we had the ability to do that, but a lot of learning will come from that as well.
 

Last December, a new era at North Carolina Football Club began when Dave Sarachan was named the fourth head coach in North Carolina FC history. A seasoned veteran in the coaching world, Sarachan had most recently served as the U.S. Men’s National Team head coach and entered his new role at NCFC with a reputation as a great developer of young talent at his previous stops, including the LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire. 

In his first season with the club, NCFC posted the second-highest regular-season win total in team history, going 16W-10L-8D to finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and qualify for the USL Championship Playoffs. In doing so, Sarachan’s group lost only once at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park during the regular season and reached the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. 

We caught up with Sarachan to get his feelings on how his first year with the club went. 

Going into the season, what sort of expectations did you have for your team and what are your thoughts on how things ultimately played out? 

DS: It started, for me, with a clean slate on many levels – like all new positions. It didn’t take me long to understand the DNA of this group, and by that I mean this was a group that from day one was very open to improvement. We had a vision to accomplish some things as a group, as a soccer-playing team, in terms of being hard to play against and being a collective team defensively, to have freedom in the attacking third and several other components. I think from the very beginning this was a group that was very open to being better individually and collectively. As I got to know them from the very beginning and as weeks and months and days went by, it was an enjoyable group to work with from that aspect. I didn’t know what to expect as far as how we would look when we had the ball and how dangerous we would be going forward – and the same on the defending end. But I think as we built this roster and we got through the year, they showed their character.

I think we did hit a stretch – like most teams do – where we had a little bit of a tough September. But overall, I thought this team was a little bit deeper than I expected it would be. When guys were injured, other guys stepped up. I thought we maintained a good level for our young team. I think our average age was 23. The learning curve was steep, and yet we came through it pretty well with a young team. There were a lot of pleasant surprises for me, personally, with the group. All in all, as I look back on it, we accomplished a lot with the group that we had. Still disappointed that we couldn’t go further because we had the ability to do that, but a lot of learning will come from that as well.
 

One of the biggest highlights of the season was your team’s home form. NCFC posted the third-highest home point total (38) in the USL Championship this season. What do you attribute that to? 

DS: Having only lost to Indy in the regular season, one game at home, we took pride in that. I think coming into the season, just by odds, I wouldn't have expected that we would be quite that dominant. You ask any coach around the world, you expect three points at home. That's just sort of established in our sport. To be able to be consistent and do it is a different story. I think our guys truly embraced that element, which is important. Playing at WakeMed is still as good as any surface in the country in terms of trying to play the kind of soccer we want to play. It was always enjoyable for our guys to be able to get on the field and play on a surface like that. You know, the Oak City Supporters, we had their support, and I think it was all of that. Just being able to take it to another level at home … it was very pleasing.

You had a very young team in terms of the makeup of the squad, with players who started the season aged 25 or younger combining to play 23,281 minutes. Was it enjoyable for you to see such a young group make the sort of progress it did? 

DS: It was fun because people forget – I forget – that as a young pro, a guy like Alex Comsia coming from a college environment or even Sam (Brotherton) … when you step on the field in February and finish in November, it's a long season. It's the most soccer that a lot of these young guys have played consistently in terms of weeks and months. So, there's always a time during the year usually where they hit a wall. All of them did to a certain extent, but the dropoff wasn't dramatic. It was fun for me. I enjoyed the teaching element and the way they absorbed information and just wanted to get better each and every day and each and every game. As a coach, you manage personalities, but you have to coach, too. For me, I did enjoy that part, and I was a little surprised in a good way with a young group like that where they found a way in certain games to hang in there, because we played a lot of challenging teams and guys with good experience. But it's a credit to them, because they had an individual mindset but also a collective mindset.

One of the biggest highlights of the season was your team’s home form. NCFC posted the third-highest home point total (38) in the USL Championship this season. What do you attribute that to? 

DS: Having only lost to Indy in the regular season, one game at home, we took pride in that. I think coming into the season, just by odds, I wouldn’t have expected that we would be quite that dominant. You ask any coach around the world, you expect three points at home. That’s just sort of established in our sport. To be able to be consistent and do it is a different story. I think our guys truly embraced that element, which is important. Playing at WakeMed is still as good as any surface in the country in terms of trying to play the kind of soccer we want to play. It was always enjoyable for our guys to be able to get on the field and play on a surface like that. You know, the Oak City Supporters, we had their support, and I think it was all of that. Just being able to take it to another level at home … it was very pleasing.

You had a very young team in terms of the makeup of the squad, with players who started the season aged 25 or younger combining to play 23,281 minutes. Was it enjoyable for you to see such a young group make the sort of progress it did? 

DS: It was fun because people forget – I forget – that as a young pro, a guy like Alex Comsia coming from a college environment or even Sam (Brotherton) … when you step on the field in February and finish in November, it’s a long season. It’s the most soccer that a lot of these young guys have played consistently in terms of weeks and months. So, there’s always a time during the year usually where they hit a wall. All of them did to a certain extent, but the dropoff wasn’t dramatic. It was fun for me. I enjoyed the teaching element and the way they absorbed information and just wanted to get better each and every day and each and every game. As a coach, you manage personalities, but you have to coach, too. For me, I did enjoy that part, and I was a little surprised in a good way with a young group like that where they found a way in certain games to hang in there, because we played a lot of challenging teams and guys with good experience. But it’s a credit to them, because they had an individual mindset but also a collective mindset.

This past season, NCFC allowed just 1.09 goals per match, a considerable improvement from 2018 (1.47). Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis played a big role in that, as he earned Team MVP honors. What stands out about Alex? 

DS: First and foremost, he loves to work. He's got a real desire every day to put in the work that's required. It's a hard job. Number one, he's got a great work ethic. He's open to teaching and coaching, and he knows that as good as he is, there's room to be better. Right away, that's a good starting point. As far as the technical aspect, the stats kind of bear that out. He faced a lot and stopped a lot of shots. I think his hands are good, his movement is good. His distribution is improving; I think that's an area that will continue to improve. At this stage of his career, he's become more of a leader back there. He's still young as a goalkeeper, but he's still got a little bit of a veteran presence now. I think even from the year prior when I watched tape, this year he seemed a little less antsy, a little more calm. That's good for him but also good for the players in front of him. He really checked a lot of boxes. 

Obviously you have a considerable amount of experience coaching at the international level and in Major League Soccer, but this was your first year coaching in the USL Championship. What stood out to you about the league? 

DS: From the starting point, just the overall level of play. It certainly varied from franchise to franchise: some teams were more experienced, some focused on development and played a lot of young guys. But on the whole, one of the surprising things was the level being a little bit better in a technical sense and a tactical sense than I maybe thought it would be. I think the different challenges of venues where you play … once you experience it, it gives you even more of a sense of the challenge of playing on a smaller field versus a regulation field or a turf field versus a baseball field. Generally, the professionalism and the level of the league was maybe a little bit better than I would have first thought coming in. That's a real positive in my mind.

This past season, NCFC allowed just 1.09 goals per match, a considerable improvement from 2018 (1.47). Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis played a big role in that, as he earned Team MVP honors. What stands out about Alex? 

DS: First and foremost, he loves to work. He’s got a real desire every day to put in the work that’s required. It’s a hard job. Number one, he’s got a great work ethic. He’s open to teaching and coaching, and he knows that as good as he is, there’s room to be better. Right away, that’s a good starting point. As far as the technical aspect, the stats kind of bear that out. He faced a lot and stopped a lot of shots. I think his hands are good, his movement is good. His distribution is improving; I think that’s an area that will continue to improve. At this stage of his career, he’s become more of a leader back there. He’s still young as a goalkeeper, but he’s still got a little bit of a veteran presence now. I think even from the year prior when I watched tape, this year he seemed a little less antsy, a little more calm. That’s good for him but also good for the players in front of him. He really checked a lot of boxes. 

Obviously you have a considerable amount of experience coaching at the international level and in Major League Soccer, but this was your first year coaching in the USL Championship. What stood out to you about the league? 

DS: From the starting point, just the overall level of play. It certainly varied from franchise to franchise: some teams were more experienced, some focused on development and played a lot of young guys. But on the whole, one of the surprising things was the level being a little bit better in a technical sense and a tactical sense than I maybe thought it would be. I think the different challenges of venues where you play … once you experience it, it gives you even more of a sense of the challenge of playing on a smaller field versus a regulation field or a turf field versus a baseball field. Generally, the professionalism and the level of the league was maybe a little bit better than I would have first thought coming in. That’s a real positive in my mind.

The club has announced that midfielders Steven Miller and Ben Speas will be returning for the 2020 season. How important is it to have those two guys back? 

DS: Statistically, Steven had his best year and provided some important goals for us this year, along with being a guy that is really embedded with the club and the community. He’s sort of on a pathway similar to Austin da Luz and some others over the years. He really wears the crest proudly and you can never dispute his work rate over the course of 90 minutes. From start to finish, he's all in. To have a guy who has that competitive DNA is not only important for him and for the first 11, but to the entire group as well, so he's shown a lot of leadership this year and wore the captain's armband on many occasions when Austin (da Luz) wasn't available.

When we acquired Ben in the offseason, I had an idea about what I was getting and it came to fruition: a guy who is a great pro, showed up every day, utilized his experience with our younger guys and showed a lot of versatility positionally, whether we played him as a central midfielder, second forward or a wide guy. Having his soccer IQ and technical ability really helped solidify our attacking core of guys this season. Knowing we're going to have a guy like Ben next year gives us a really good starting point. 

Throughout the year, your team had multiple results that stood out across the league, including a 3-1 win at previously undefeated Tampa Bay and a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh, which would go on to finish atop the Eastern Conference table. What does that tell you about the sort of group you had and how that can be carried over into next season? 

DS: It just shows me as I reflect back, we were capable and as competitive as any team in our division. There were a few teams that had more experience on the field and certainly had quality, so I'm not going to boast that we were by far the best team. But, I think as I review our year, I've come away saying we certainly made a case for being one of the tougher teams in our division. We were capable in the final third and we were hard defensively to play against. Those are great starting points, and we can hopefully keep the core of our group going into next year.

The club has announced that midfielders Steven Miller and Ben Speas will be returning for the 2020 season. How important is it to have those two guys back? 

DS: Statistically, Steven had his best year and provided some important goals for us this year, along with being a guy that is really embedded with the club and the community. He’s sort of on a pathway similar to Austin da Luz and some others over the years. He really wears the crest proudly and you can never dispute his work rate over the course of 90 minutes. From start to finish, he’s all in. To have a guy who has that competitive DNA is not only important for him and for the first 11, but to the entire group as well, so he’s shown a lot of leadership this year and wore the captain’s armband on many occasions when Austin (da Luz) wasn’t available.

When we acquired Ben in the offseason, I had an idea about what I was getting and it came to fruition: a guy who is a great pro, showed up every day, utilized his experience with our younger guys and showed a lot of versatility positionally, whether we played him as a central midfielder, second forward or a wide guy. Having his soccer IQ and technical ability really helped solidify our attacking core of guys this season. Knowing we’re going to have a guy like Ben next year gives us a really good starting point. 

Throughout the year, your team had multiple results that stood out across the league, including a 3-1 win at previously undefeated Tampa Bay and a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh, which would go on to finish atop the Eastern Conference table. What does that tell you about the sort of group you had and how that can be carried over into next season? 

DS: It just shows me as I reflect back, we were capable and as competitive as any team in our division. There were a few teams that had more experience on the field and certainly had quality, so I’m not going to boast that we were by far the best team. But, I think as I review our year, I’ve come away saying we certainly made a case for being one of the tougher teams in our division. We were capable in the final third and we were hard defensively to play against. Those are great starting points, and we can hopefully keep the core of our group going into next year.

---

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.

Season tickets for North Carolina FC’s 2020 season are on sale now. Click here to learn more about season tickets or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144 to speak with a ticket representative.