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NORTH CAROLINA FC FALLS 1-0 TO NEW YORK COSMOS

CARY, N.C. (June 4, 2017) – North Carolina FC dropped a 1-0 result to the New York Cosmos Sunday afternoon at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. NCFC moves to fourth place with the result, standing at 14 points in the NASL Spring Season standings.

“I think the Cosmos, if you look back over the game, deserved the result. They were the better team on the day, which is disappointing” said head coach Colin Clarke. “I think it was three games in eight days, including mid-week games and afternoon games. We had an Open Cup game, which was a big game emotionally and physically, but those are excuses. We didn’t start well. We talked long and hard all week that we needed to set the tempo. We didn’t connect enough passes early on or keep the ball. We were the ones doing the chasing and that’s hard under tough conditions. I think that caught up with us and we looked tired and sluggish."

The match started at a quick pace with the Cosmos controlling most of the attacking play. NCFC’s high press and the Cosmos wide play created chances on goal for both teams throughout the match.

Neither team could find the elusive goal in the opening 45 minutes and for the second time this season and the first time at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, NCFC entered halftime with a goalless draw.

The visitors would quickly resume their attacking play following the break, forcing Brian Sylvestre to make three strong saves within the first five minutes of the half.

New York took the lead in the 52nd minute with a goal from Juan Guerra. Walter Restrepo’s cross found Guerra in the box, who chested down the ball and sent a strike past Sylvestre.

Following the goal, NCFC’s attack sparked to life and created chances in the 62nd and the 63rd minutes. NYC goalkeeper Brian Holt saved a strong shot from Matt Fondy and the Cosmos’ defense cleared a threat from Tiyi Shipalane just a minute later.

The hosts’ offense continued to make a push towards the NYC goal after the addition of Billy Schuler in the 61st minute. Schuler’s presence nearly paid off immediately, as the forward had a shot blocked inside the box in the 68th minute.

The team continued to push for a goal late in the match, as Nazmi Albadawi ripped a shot just wide of the target in the 78th minute and Fondy nearly found the end of several chances in the final 15 minutes of play.

However, NCFC couldn’t find the goal, and New York held on for the win to extend its unbeaten NASL streak to seven matches.

Up Next:
NCFC will travel to New York to play the Cosmos on Friday, June 9 at MCU Park. NCFC will return home Wednesday June 14 to face the Houston Dynamo of the MLS in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can purchase tickets at NCFCTIX.com or by calling our box office at 919-459-8144.

Notes:
The Cosmos, who play extremely well on the road, extended their unbeaten away streak to nine matches dating back to last season.
Brian Shriver made his 150th NASL appearance, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute.

Box Score

Lineups
NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Christian Ibeagha, James Marcelin, Steven Miller (Brian Shriver 88'), Connor Tobin (Kareem Moses 56'); Bolu Akinyode (Billy Schuler 61'), Nazmi Albadawi ©, Austin da Luz, Lance Laing, Tiyi Shipalane; Matt Fondy

Subs not used: Macklin Robinson, Brad Ruhaak, Dre Fortune

NYC: Brian Holt, Jimmy Mulligan, Carols Mendes, Dejan Jakovic, Ryan Richter, Ayoze, Javi Marquez (Danny Szetela 28'), Juan Guerra, Andres Flores, Walter Restrepo (Richard Menjivar 79'), Irvin Herrera (Eugene Starikov 67')

Subs not used: Jimmy Maurer, David Ochieng, Darrius Barnes, Eric Cavillo

Score:
NCFC: 0
NYC: 1

Goals:
NCFC: —
NYC: Guerra (Restrepo 52')

Cautions:
NCFC:
NYC: Szetela (75'), Holt (80') Flores (90+')

Ejections:
NCFC: —
NYC: —

Attendance: 4,027

CARY, N.C. (June 4, 2017) – North Carolina FC dropped a 1-0 result to the New York Cosmos Sunday afternoon at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. NCFC moves to fourth place with the result, standing at 14 points in the NASL Spring Season standings.

“I think the Cosmos, if you look back over the game, deserved the result. They were the better team on the day, which is disappointing” said head coach Colin Clarke. “I think it was three games in eight days, including mid-week games and afternoon games. We had an Open Cup game, which was a big game emotionally and physically, but those are excuses. We didn’t start well. We talked long and hard all week that we needed to set the tempo. We didn’t connect enough passes early on or keep the ball. We were the ones doing the chasing and that’s hard under tough conditions. I think that caught up with us and we looked tired and sluggish.”

The match started at a quick pace with the Cosmos controlling most of the attacking play. NCFC’s high press and the Cosmos wide play created chances on goal for both teams throughout the match.

Neither team could find the elusive goal in the opening 45 minutes and for the second time this season and the first time at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, NCFC entered halftime with a goalless draw.

The visitors would quickly resume their attacking play following the break, forcing Brian Sylvestre to make three strong saves within the first five minutes of the half.

New York took the lead in the 52nd minute with a goal from Juan Guerra. Walter Restrepo’s cross found Guerra in the box, who chested down the ball and sent a strike past Sylvestre.

Following the goal, NCFC’s attack sparked to life and created chances in the 62nd and the 63rd minutes. NYC goalkeeper Brian Holt saved a strong shot from Matt Fondy and the Cosmos’ defense cleared a threat from Tiyi Shipalane just a minute later.

The hosts’ offense continued to make a push towards the NYC goal after the addition of Billy Schuler in the 61st minute. Schuler’s presence nearly paid off immediately, as the forward had a shot blocked inside the box in the 68th minute.

The team continued to push for a goal late in the match, as Nazmi Albadawi ripped a shot just wide of the target in the 78th minute and Fondy nearly found the end of several chances in the final 15 minutes of play.

However, NCFC couldn’t find the goal, and New York held on for the win to extend its unbeaten NASL streak to seven matches.

Up Next:
NCFC will travel to New York to play the Cosmos on Friday, June 9 at MCU Park. NCFC will return home Wednesday June 14 to face the Houston Dynamo of the MLS in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can purchase tickets at NCFCTIX.com or by calling our box office at 919-459-8144.

Notes:
The Cosmos, who play extremely well on the road, extended their unbeaten away streak to nine matches dating back to last season.
Brian Shriver made his 150th NASL appearance, coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute.

Box Score

Lineups
NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Christian Ibeagha, James Marcelin, Steven Miller (Brian Shriver 88′), Connor Tobin (Kareem Moses 56′); Bolu Akinyode (Billy Schuler 61′), Nazmi Albadawi ©, Austin da Luz, Lance Laing, Tiyi Shipalane; Matt Fondy

Subs not used: Macklin Robinson, Brad Ruhaak, Dre Fortune

NYC: Brian Holt, Jimmy Mulligan, Carols Mendes, Dejan Jakovic, Ryan Richter, Ayoze, Javi Marquez (Danny Szetela 28′), Juan Guerra, Andres Flores, Walter Restrepo (Richard Menjivar 79′), Irvin Herrera (Eugene Starikov 67′)

Subs not used: Jimmy Maurer, David Ochieng, Darrius Barnes, Eric Cavillo

Score:
NCFC: 0
NYC: 1

Goals:
NCFC: —
NYC: Guerra (Restrepo 52′)

Cautions:
NCFC:
NYC: Szetela (75′), Holt (80′) Flores (90+’)

Ejections:
NCFC: —
NYC: —

Attendance: 4,027

MATCH PREVIEW: NORTH CAROLINA FC TO HOST THE NEW YORK COSMOS

MATCHDAY INFO:
NORTH CAROLINA FC VS. NEW YORK COSMOS
KICKOFF: SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2017 – 4:00 P.M. ET
SAHLEN’S STADIUM AT WAKEMED SOCCER PARK

BROADCAST INFO
TV: FOX 50
DIGITAL: WRAL.COM
RADIO: 95.7 THE TICKET (95.7 FM and 1550 AM)
LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC #NCFCVNYC

CARY, N.C. (June 2, 2017) – North Carolina FC (4W-2D-3L, 14 pts, 3rd place) returns home from its two-game NASL road trip to face the New York Cosmos (3W-4D-1L, 13 pts, 4th place) at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. on Sunday, June 4 at 4 p.m. in a match presented by North Carolina Football Club Starting Eleven partner CII.

NCFC has won two of its last three NASL matches and looks to continue its strong run of form. Goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre remains the league leader in saves with 40, 13 more than the next closest keeper.

North Carolina will attempt to return to its strong offensive form at home against a Cosmos defense that has struggled with consistency. NCFC is currently second in the league with 14 goals scored and tied for the league lead with a 17% goal conversion rate. The team has options on the offensive end, as 10 players have scored for the club this season.

The Cosmos have historically caused problems for NCFC, winning five of the last six matches in the series over the last two years. New York’s offense is paced by a collective effort with nine goals from eight goal scorers. Jimmy Maurer leads the Cosmos in goal and is ranked second in the league in saves with 27 and third in shutouts with three.

Last Time Out:
NCFC defeated the Charlotte Independence in dominating fashion with a 4-1 victory in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Albadawi led the way with two goals, while James Marcelin and Connor Tobin each tallied a goal in the contest. In league play, NCFC fell 2-1 to the Jacksonville Armada last weekend.

Players to Watch:
#6 Austin da Luz
da Luz tallied his first two assists of the season in a 4-1 Open Cup victory over Charlotte Independence on Wednesday. He’s been a key distributor in the midfield and leads the team with 489 passes completed, which is the eighth highest total in the NASL this season.

#6 Javi Marquez
Marquez leads the Cosmos with two goals and 17 shots. The Spaniard has been one Cosmos’ main attacking threats and has created seven chances and logged one assist this season.

Coming Up Next:
NCFC will continue its NASL regular season campaign as it travels to MCU Park in Brooklyn to face the New York Cosmos on Saturday, June 10th. The team will then return home on Wednesday, June 14th for the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Houston Dynamo of the MLS. Fans can purchase their tickets at NCFCTix.com or by calling our box office at 919-459-8144.

MATCH RECAP: NORTH CAROLINA FC ENDS CHARLOTTES OPEN CUP RUN FOR SECOND-STRAIGHT YEAR

CARY, N.C. (May 31, 2017) – North Carolina FC emerged victorious in the North Carolina Derby on Wednesday night, bouncing the Charlotte Independence from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 4-1 win at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The win guarantees a fourth-round match up against MLS side Houston Dynamo at home on Wednesday, June 14th.

“It was a great result,” said head coach Colin Clarke. “To start with, I thought we dominated from the first whistle. We came out, started very well, possessed the ball, moved the ball, created opportunities, got the first goal and it was a very pleasing performance all around. To win the game 4-1 was nice.

“I think there has been a good rivalry here for quite a few years.,” added Clarke. “There are a few players that have gone both ways and I think part of our buildup, was that we wanted to be the best team in North Carolina.”

James Marcelin scored in the first half, Nazmi Albadawi added two goals in the second half and Connor Tobin recorded the final goal to round out the scoring for NCFC.

North Carolina FC continued its trend of scoring early at home with a goal from Marcelin in the 23rd minute. The center defender won a header off of Lance Laing’s corner kick and nodded it past the Independence keeper for the early goal and his second of the year. The goal marked NCFC’s fifth tally in the first 25 minutes of action at home this season.

NCFC continued to have the lion’s share of possession and chances created throughout the first half, nearly extending its lead with a low strike from Austin da Luz in the 24th minute and a free header from da Luz in the box in the 44th minute.

Charlotte’s best chances of the half came in the 35th and 36th minutes, as Brian Sylvestre parried initial shots away from goal, and got help from NCFC defenders to end the threat.

NCFC extended its high pressure into the second half and scored again in the 51st minute. Albadawi found space in the box and tucked away a perfectly placed shot into the far corner for his second goal this season and four Open Cup goal of his career.

The visitors' attacking style played into the hands of NCFC’s strategy, as the host sat back and waited for its chance to counter.

The clinical counter attacks produced a pair of quick goals in the 82nd and 83rd minutes to give NCFC a 4-0 lead. Albadawi completed his brace after chipping the keeper inside the box and Tobin ventured into the attack to score with a rocket into the top corner. da Luz provided a pair of long-range passes to earn assists on both late goals.

Charlotte prevented the shutout after earning a penalty kick in stoppage time, which was converted by Alex Martinez to bring the match to its final score of 4-1.

Up Next:
NCFC continues its NASL season on Sunday, June 4 as they face the New York Cosmos at 4 p.m. at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Visit NCFCTIX.com for tickets.

Notes:

Former college teammates met as rivals on the field tonight. In 2009, Billy Schuler and Enzo Martinez both played for UNC-Chapel Hill and in 2012-13 Nazmi Albadawi and Alex Martiniez starred for NC State.
For the first time this season, Connor Tobin started at left back
James Marcelin scored a header on a Lance Laing assist for his second goal of the year
Connor Tobin scored his first goal of the year on Austin da Luz’s second assist of the night
Nazmi Albadawi scored a brace for the fourth and fifth Open Cup goals of his career on assists from Saeed Robinson and Austin da Luz
North Carolina FC knocked the Charlotte Independence out of the Open Cup for the second straight year, outscoring them 9-1 in the two matches
NCFC improves to a 3-2 record against USL clubs in the Open Cup with a goal differential of +9
With the victory, NCFC has won four of its last five matches.

Box Score

Lineups
NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Christian Ibeagha, James Marcelin, Steven Miller (Brad Ruhaak, 72’), Connor Tobin; Bolu Akinyode, Nazmi Albadawi ©, Austin Da Luz, Lance Laing (Tiyi Shipalane, 77’), Saeed Robinson; Matt Fondy (Dre Fortune, 85’)

Subs not used: Kareem Moses, Macklin Robinson, Billy Schuler, Brian Shriver

CLT: Cody Mizell; Joel Johnson, Henry Kalungi (Yann Ekra, 71’), Luke Waechter, Austin Yearwood (David Spies, 61’); Jun Davidson, David Estrada, Alex Martinez, Callum Ross; Jorge Herrera © (Casey Townsend, 71’), Enzo Martinez

Subs not used: Lewis Hilton, Jared Odenbeck, Kyle Renfro, Jaime Siaj,

Score:
NCFC: 4
CLT: 1

Goals:
NCFC: James Marcelin (Lance Laing, 17’), Nazmi Albadawi (Saeed Robinson, 51’), Nazmi Albadawi (Austin Da Luz, 81’), Connor Tobin (Austin Da Luz, 83’)
CLT: Alex Martinez (PK, 90+’)

Cautions:
NCFC: Lance Laing 45+’, Brian Sylvestre 63’
CLT: Enzo Martinez 23’, Henry Kalungi 43’, Alex Martinez 90+’

Ejections:
NCFC: —
CLT: —

Attendance: 2,052

CARY, N.C. (May 31, 2017) – North Carolina FC emerged victorious in the North Carolina Derby on Wednesday night, bouncing the Charlotte Independence from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 4-1 win at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The win guarantees a fourth-round match up against MLS side Houston Dynamo at home on Wednesday, June 14th.

“It was a great result,” said head coach Colin Clarke. “To start with, I thought we dominated from the first whistle. We came out, started very well, possessed the ball, moved the ball, created opportunities, got the first goal and it was a very pleasing performance all around. To win the game 4-1 was nice.

“I think there has been a good rivalry here for quite a few years.,” added Clarke. “There are a few players that have gone both ways and I think part of our buildup, was that we wanted to be the best team in North Carolina.”

James Marcelin scored in the first half, Nazmi Albadawi added two goals in the second half and Connor Tobin recorded the final goal to round out the scoring for NCFC.

North Carolina FC continued its trend of scoring early at home with a goal from Marcelin in the 23rd minute. The center defender won a header off of Lance Laing’s corner kick and nodded it past the Independence keeper for the early goal and his second of the year. The goal marked NCFC’s fifth tally in the first 25 minutes of action at home this season.

NCFC continued to have the lion’s share of possession and chances created throughout the first half, nearly extending its lead with a low strike from Austin da Luz in the 24th minute and a free header from da Luz in the box in the 44th minute.

Charlotte’s best chances of the half came in the 35th and 36th minutes, as Brian Sylvestre parried initial shots away from goal, and got help from NCFC defenders to end the threat.

NCFC extended its high pressure into the second half and scored again in the 51st minute. Albadawi found space in the box and tucked away a perfectly placed shot into the far corner for his second goal this season and four Open Cup goal of his career.

The visitors’ attacking style played into the hands of NCFC’s strategy, as the host sat back and waited for its chance to counter.

The clinical counter attacks produced a pair of quick goals in the 82nd and 83rd minutes to give NCFC a 4-0 lead. Albadawi completed his brace after chipping the keeper inside the box and Tobin ventured into the attack to score with a rocket into the top corner. da Luz provided a pair of long-range passes to earn assists on both late goals.

Charlotte prevented the shutout after earning a penalty kick in stoppage time, which was converted by Alex Martinez to bring the match to its final score of 4-1.

Up Next:
NCFC continues its NASL season on Sunday, June 4 as they face the New York Cosmos at 4 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Visit NCFCTIX.com for tickets.

Notes:

Former college teammates met as rivals on the field tonight. In 2009, Billy Schuler and Enzo Martinez both played for UNC-Chapel Hill and in 2012-13 Nazmi Albadawi and Alex Martiniez starred for NC State.
For the first time this season, Connor Tobin started at left back
James Marcelin scored a header on a Lance Laing assist for his second goal of the year
Connor Tobin scored his first goal of the year on Austin da Luz’s second assist of the night
Nazmi Albadawi scored a brace for the fourth and fifth Open Cup goals of his career on assists from Saeed Robinson and Austin da Luz
North Carolina FC knocked the Charlotte Independence out of the Open Cup for the second straight year, outscoring them 9-1 in the two matches
NCFC improves to a 3-2 record against USL clubs in the Open Cup with a goal differential of +9
With the victory, NCFC has won four of its last five matches.

NORTH CAROLINA FC UNABLE TO FIND EQUALIZER IN JACKSONVILLE

Cary, NC (May 28, 2017)- North Carolina FC dropped a tough result on the road in Jacksonville today against the Armada in a Sunday afternoon matchup. An improved second half effort was not enough to overcome the early 2-0 deficit that Jacksonville's Zach Steinberger inflicted in the first half. NCFC goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre shutout the Armada in the second half in a hot and hard-fought battle at Hodges Stadium.

Sylvestre was a bright spot from the beginning, starting off the match with a solid save in the 5th minute when Jacksonville's J.C. Banks fired at close range.

Steinberger was too much to handle as he put the home team up quickly, scoring two goals in a matter of minutes. A Sylvestre rebound in the 30th minute fell at Steinberger's feet and the midfielder capitalized. Then two minutes later, a cross from Drew Beckie found Steinberger yet again, and he buried the ball making the score 2-0.

Midfielder Tiyi Shipalane worked the left sideline in the first half, as he looked for a teammate inside the box several times, but could not connect with any white jerseys up top. North Carolina FC struggled to get an offense going, as they posted one shot against the Armada in the first 45 minutes.

A halftime offensive substitute saw club all-time leading scorer Brian Shriver enter the match. The second half was statistically more successful for NCFC, as they began to connect in the final third. The team improved from just one shot earlier to five in the second half and outcrossed the Armada 13 to eight.

The second half also saw excellent goalkeeping from Sylvestre. He had back-to-back saves in the 78th and 79th minutes as he snuffed a one-v-one situation to keep the Armada at bay, then came up big yet again as Charles Eloundou looked for a goal. Sylvestre denied the Armada one more time when he got a hand on a Jacksonville free kick in the 84th.

Shriver nearly got one back in the 88th minute, but his diving header was snagged by Armada goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell just before crossing the line. North Carolina FC's efforts paid off in the five minutes of added time when Shipalane sent a rocket by Patterson-Sewell, denying the keeper his fifth shutout of the season.

Up Next:
NCFC returns home on Wednesday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. for a US Open Cup match against the Charlotte Independence of the USL followed by NASL action on Sunday, June 4 as they face the New York Cosmos at 4 p.m. at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Notes:

North Carolina FC's second half stats saw great improvement as they went from 42.6 percent possession to 63.4 percent in the second half.
Tiyi Shipalane scored his second goal of the season in added time.
Bolu Akinyode tallied his first assist for 2017
Brad Ruhaak, who was signed on May 23, 2017, made his professional debut tonight for North Carolina FC.
18-year-old Jose Carranza made his second appearance for North Carolina FC as he was subbed in for Jon Orlando in the 68th minute.

Box Score

Lineups:
JAX: Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Drew Beckie, Mechack Jerome, Kalen, Ryden, Aaron Pitchkolan, Jemal Johnson (Bryam Rebellon 90+2'), Kevan George, Zack Steinberger, Jack Blake, JC Banks (Charles Eloundou, 71'), Jonathan Glenn (Derek Gebhard, 71')

Subs not used: Nicklas Maripuu, Devon Fisher, Kyle Nasta, Michael O'Sullivan

NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Connor Tobin, Christian Ibeagha, Brad Ruhaak, Kareem Moses (Brian Shriver 46'); Tiyi Shipalane, Bolu Akinyode, Nazmi Albadawi, James Marcelin, Jon Orlando (Jose Carranza, 68'); Billy Schuler (Matt Fondy, 86')

Subs not used: Macklin Robinson, Lance Laing, Saeed Robinson, Austin da Luz

Score:
JAX: 2
NCFC: 1

Goals:
JAX: Steinberger (30'), Steinberger (Beckie, 32')
NCFC: Shipalane (Akinyode, 90+3')

Cautions:
JAX: —
NCFC: Ibeagha (54'), Albadawi (82'), Marcelin (89')

Ejections:
JAX: —
NCFC: —

Cary, NC (May 28, 2017)- North Carolina FC dropped a tough result on the road in Jacksonville today against the Armada in a Sunday afternoon matchup. An improved second half effort was not enough to overcome the early 2-0 deficit that Jacksonville’s Zach Steinberger inflicted in the first half. NCFC goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre shutout the Armada in the second half in a hot and hard-fought battle at Hodges Stadium.

Sylvestre was a bright spot from the beginning, starting off the match with a solid save in the 5th minute when Jacksonville’s J.C. Banks fired at close range.

Steinberger was too much to handle as he put the home team up quickly, scoring two goals in a matter of minutes. A Sylvestre rebound in the 30th minute fell at Steinberger’s feet and the midfielder capitalized. Then two minutes later, a cross from Drew Beckie found Steinberger yet again, and he buried the ball making the score 2-0.

Midfielder Tiyi Shipalane worked the left sideline in the first half, as he looked for a teammate inside the box several times, but could not connect with any white jerseys up top. North Carolina FC struggled to get an offense going, as they posted one shot against the Armada in the first 45 minutes.

A halftime offensive substitute saw club all-time leading scorer Brian Shriver enter the match. The second half was statistically more successful for NCFC, as they began to connect in the final third. The team improved from just one shot earlier to five in the second half and outcrossed the Armada 13 to eight.

The second half also saw excellent goalkeeping from Sylvestre. He had back-to-back saves in the 78th and 79th minutes as he snuffed a one-v-one situation to keep the Armada at bay, then came up big yet again as Charles Eloundou looked for a goal. Sylvestre denied the Armada one more time when he got a hand on a Jacksonville free kick in the 84th.

Shriver nearly got one back in the 88th minute, but his diving header was snagged by Armada goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell just before crossing the line. North Carolina FC’s efforts paid off in the five minutes of added time when Shipalane sent a rocket by Patterson-Sewell, denying the keeper his fifth shutout of the season.

Up Next:
NCFC returns home on Wednesday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. for a US Open Cup match against the Charlotte Independence of the USL followed by NASL action on Sunday, June 4 as they face the New York Cosmos at 4 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Notes:

North Carolina FC’s second half stats saw great improvement as they went from 42.6 percent possession to 63.4 percent in the second half.
Tiyi Shipalane scored his second goal of the season in added time.
Bolu Akinyode tallied his first assist for 2017
Brad Ruhaak, who was signed on May 23, 2017, made his professional debut tonight for North Carolina FC.
18-year-old Jose Carranza made his second appearance for North Carolina FC as he was subbed in for Jon Orlando in the 68th minute.

Box Score

Lineups:
JAX: Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Drew Beckie, Mechack Jerome, Kalen, Ryden, Aaron Pitchkolan, Jemal Johnson (Bryam Rebellon 90+2′), Kevan George, Zack Steinberger, Jack Blake, JC Banks (Charles Eloundou, 71′), Jonathan Glenn (Derek Gebhard, 71′)

Subs not used: Nicklas Maripuu, Devon Fisher, Kyle Nasta, Michael O’Sullivan

NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Connor Tobin, Christian Ibeagha, Brad Ruhaak, Kareem Moses (Brian Shriver 46′); Tiyi Shipalane, Bolu Akinyode, Nazmi Albadawi, James Marcelin, Jon Orlando (Jose Carranza, 68′); Billy Schuler (Matt Fondy, 86′)

Subs not used: Macklin Robinson, Lance Laing, Saeed Robinson, Austin da Luz

Score:
JAX: 2
NCFC: 1

Goals:
JAX: Steinberger (30′), Steinberger (Beckie, 32′)
NCFC: Shipalane (Akinyode, 90+3′)

Cautions:
JAX: —
NCFC: Ibeagha (54′), Albadawi (82′), Marcelin (89′)

Ejections:
JAX: —
NCFC: —

NORTH CAROLINA FC U23 STAYS UNDEFEATED WITH 2-0 WIN OVER CAROLINA DYNAMO

CARY, N.C. (May 25, 2017) – North Carolina FC U23 rolled to another three points and stayed undefeated with a 2-0 victory over the Carolina Dynamo Thursday night at WakeMed Soccer Park. Dean Rutherford scored both goals off assists from Alex Moztarzadeh and Ignacio Blanco earned the shutout in goal.

“We’ve been working very hard on lots of different things, but the most important thing early in the season is the defensive shape and the commitment to defend,” said head coach Dewan Bader. “Tonight, we saw a good Dynamo team that I think we defended well against. They didn’t get many good chances. We had two good goals, but we aren’t possessing the ball as much as we would like or imposing our style of play. We feel like that will come and we’re very happy with the production overall.”

The victory is the second-straight win and moves NCFC U23 to 2W-0L-1D on the season with seven points in the PDL South Atlantic standings.

NCFC U23 opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a goal on one of its first attacking chances of the game. Moztarzadeh crossed the ball into the box and found Rutherford who added a collected finish past the keeper.

Just 14 minutes later, NCFC U23 took command of the match, as Moztarzadeh and Rutherford connected on their second goal of the night. Rutherford found Moztarzadeh’s cross from the right flank and glanced a header into the far corner of the net to double NCFC U23’s lead.

In the second half, NCFC U23’s defensive line stood strong. The hosts denied the Dynamo’s best attempt in the 67th minute with a goal-line clearance. The Dynamo would come no closer, as NCFC U23 dominated down the stretch to clinch the victory.

Notes:

NCFC U23’s lineup featured six former Capital Area RailHawks Academy members, including Caleb Duvernay, Ryan Spaulding, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Cody Brinkman and Josh Coan.
Carolina Dynamo also featured a former Capital Area RailHawks Academy member in starting goalkeeper, Ryan Cretens.
NCFC U23 earned its first shutout of the season.
Dean Rutherford became NCFC U23’s leading goal scorer this season with a first-half brace to move him to three goals this season.
In his first minutes of the PDL season, Alex Moztarzadeh started and played a crucial part in the NCFC U23 attack with a pair of first-half assists.

Box Score:

NCFCU23: Ignacio Blanco, Caleb Duvernay (Steffan Pilinix, 65’) Matt Arnone, Jamil Garcia, Alex Comsia, Fernando Castellanos (Dom Jensen, 77’), Cody Brinkman © (Drew Murphy, 59’), Ryan Spaulding (Arty Kouzine, 59’), Cameron Steele, Alex Moztarzadeh (Josh Coan, 65’), Dean Rutherford (Damien Thomas, 66’)

Subs not used: Vinne Durand

CD: Ryan Cretens, Logan Gdula (Sam Orisatoki,84’), Steven James ©, Jonny Fenwick (Eddie Fulwood, 45’), David October, Rashad Tetteh, Pascal Derweritsch (Justen Shear, 77’), Ebe Kudoio (Shane Mecham, 45’), Nick Adamcyzk (Luis Arguda, 45’), Danny Elliott, Jon Bakero

Subs not used: Alec Smir, Brian White

Score:
NCFCU23: 2
CD: 0

Goals:
NCFCU23: Rutherford (Moztarzadeh, 9’) Rutherford (Moztarzadeh, 23’)
CD: —

Cautions:
NCFC: —
CD: Derweritsch, 50’

Ejections:
NCFCU23: —
CD: —

NCFC U23’s lineup featured six former Capital Area RailHawks Academy members, including Caleb Duvernay, Ryan Spaulding, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Cody Brinkman and Josh Coan.
Carolina Dynamo also featured a former Capital Area RailHawks Academy member in starting goalkeeper, Ryan Cretens.
NCFC U23 earned its first shutout of the season.
Dean Rutherford became NCFC U23’s leading goal scorer this season with a first-half brace to move him to three goals this season.
In his first minutes of the PDL season, Alex Moztarzadeh started and played a crucial part in the NCFC U23 attack with a pair of first-half assists.

NORTH CAROLINA FC WINS 2-1 WITH LATE GOAL AT PUERTO RICO FC

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (May 20, 2017) – North Carolina FC clinched a vital result on the road with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Puerto Rico FC on Saturday night at Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel. After NCFC trailed most of the match, Billy Schuler scored the game winner off an assist from Matt Fondy in stoppage time to clinch all three points. Fondy scored NCFC’s first goal of the night off an assist from Lance Laing in the 73rd minute.

The three points move NCFC to second in the NASL table with 14 points. The team has only dropped one result in its last seven matches.

Puerto Rico opened the match with momentum and struck first with a goal in the 27th minute. Rudy Dawson won a contested header off a corner from Jordi Quintilla, which fell into the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead early in the match.

Brian Sylvestre was called into action and came up with a pair of big saves late in the opening half to deny the dangerous PRFC attacking unit from extending its lead. NCFC entered halftime trailing for only the second time this season.

In the second half, PRFC’s attackers continued to cause problems. However, the hosts couldn’t add to their lead and NCFC began to get forward and create chances.

NCFC capitalized in the 73rd minute to level the score. Fondy scored his third goal of the NASL season with a header off Laing’s corner kick.

As the match wore into its final stages, the visitors pushed numbers forward in search of a match winner. The tally came in the first minute of stoppage time. Fondy sent a looping ball over the PRFC defense and found the foot of Schuler, whose volley flew past the keeper and into the back of the net.

Up Next:
NCFC will be back in action next weekend, as it travels to Jacksonville to face the Armada on Saturday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. NCFC returns home on Wednesday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. for an Open Cup match against the Charlotte Independence.

Notes:

NCFC has only lost once in its last seven matches and has scored 11 goals in eight days and three matches.
NCFC scored twice, bringing the club to 13 goals this NASL season, which is ranked second in the league.
Billy Schuler scored for the fourth time this season and the third time this week across all competitions with the game-winning goal in stoppage time.
Matt Fondy scored his third NASL goal of the season from Lance Laing’s assist.
Fondy recorded his first assist of the NASL season and third between all competitions and Laing added his third NASL assist of the season.

Box Score

Lineups:
PRFC: Austin Pack; Cristiano Dias, Kyle Culbertson, Rudy Dawson (Phanuel Kavita, 67’), Ramon Soria; Jordi Quintilla, Walter Ramirez (Jairo Puerto, 61’), Michael Kafari; Conor Doyle, Giuseppe Gentile, Emery Welshman (Hector Ramos, 75’)

Subs not used: Trevor Spangenberg, Michael Ramos Jorge Rivera, Sidney Rivera,

NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Kareem Moses (Marcel Kandziora, 60’) (Bolu Akinyode, 85’) , Connor Tobin, Christian Ibeagha, Steven Miller; Lance Laing, James Marcelin, Austin da Luz, Saeed Robinson (Billy Schuler, 70’); Nazmi Albadawi ©; Matt Fondy

Subs not used: Mack Robinson, Tiyi Shipalane, Jonathon Orlando, Brian Shriver,

Score:
PRFC: 1
NCFC: 2

Goals:
PRFC: Rudy Dawson (Jordi Quintilla, 27’)
NCFC: Matt Fondy (Lance Laing, 73’), Billy Schuler (Matt Fondy 90+1)

Cautions:
PRFC: Ramon Soria 55’,
NCFC: Kareem Moses 51’, Steven Miller 89’

Ejections:
PRFC: —
NCFC: —

NCFC has only lost once in its last seven matches and has scored 11 goals in eight days and three matches.
NCFC scored twice, bringing the club to 13 goals this NASL season, which is ranked second in the league.
Billy Schuler scored for the fourth time this season and the third time this week across all competitions with the game-winning goal in stoppage time.
Matt Fondy scored his third NASL goal of the season from Lance Laing’s assist.
Fondy recorded his first assist of the NASL season and third between all competitions and Laing added his third NASL assist of the season.

NORTH CAROLINA FC HEADS TO PUERTO RICO FOR AWAY MATCH

North Carolina FC Heads to
Puerto Rico for Away Match

MATCHDAY INFO:
PUERTO RICO FC vs NORTH CAROLINA FC
KICKOFF: SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017 – 7:30 P.M. ET
ESATDIO JUAN RAMON LOUBRIEL

BROADCAST INFO:
DIGITAL: ESPN3
LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC #NCFCVJAX

CARY, N.C. (May 19, 2017) – After a win over the previously undefeated Jacksonville Armada, North Carolina FC (3W-2D-2L, 11 pts, 4th place) looks to carry over a strong start to the NASL Spring Season with its second trip to Puerto Rico FC (0W-3D-4L; 3 pts, 8th place) on Saturday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel.

The two clubs continue to prove their abilities on the offensive side of the ball, as NCFC’s 11 scores and Puerto Rico’s nine goals put them both in the upper-half of the NASL for goals scored this spring. NCFC has its eye on the top of the table as one of four teams separated by just three points. PRFC is still searching for its first win of the season, recording just three points in the first seven games.

NCFC won the first meeting between the two teams 1-0 earlier in the season. Steven Miller scored a first-half goal off an assist from Lance Laing to ensure the victory. Brian Sylvestre was spectacular in goal with five saves as he earned his first clean sheet of the year.

The NCFC offense has scored nine times in its last two matches, including six goals in a win against the Carolina Dynamo in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. Laing is tied at the top of the NASL goal-scoring lists with four goals this season, while Matt Fondy has struck twice during the NASL season so far.

Brian Sylvestre looks to continue his good form between the posts. The goalkeeper is alone at the top of the league with 29 saves. Connor Tobin and Christian Ibeagha, who have started every match as the team’s center back duo, will anchor NCFC’s backline.

Last Time Out:
North Carolina FC recorded a 3-1 win against previously undefeated Jacksonville Armada last weekend. Laing’s brace propelled NCFC to the victory along with James Marcelin’s first goal of the season. In Open Cup action, NCFC routed the Carolina Dynamo with a 6-1 win to advance to third round.

Players to Watch:
#7 Lance Laing
Laing is coming off his first multi-goal game since 2015 and is currently tied for most goals scored in the NASL with four. His play earned him NASL Player of the Week honors as well as a spot on NASL’s Week 8 Team of the Week. NCFC looks to Laing to be a scoring threat to help neutralize a dangerous PRFC attack, whose nine goals are fourth best in the NASL.

#12 Emery Welshman
Welshman is currently on a scoring streak, with goals in each of his last two appearances. He is one of 12 players in the NASL tied for third in goals scored with two. The 25-year-old is coming off of his first two starts of the season and will be an added threat to an already strong PRFC offensive unit.

Coming Up Next:
Following the match with PRFC, North Carolina continues its two-game road trip with a visit to the Jacksonville Armada on Sunday, May 28 at 4:00 p.m. at Hodges Stadium. NCFC will return to Sahlen’s Stadium on Wednesday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. as it hosts the Charlotte Independence in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. The two teams are playing for a chance to host the Houston Dynamo of the MLS. NCFC’s home NASL schedule resumes on Sunday, June 4 at 4:00 p.m. to take on the New York Cosmos. For tickets and other information regarding home matches, visit NCFCTix.com.

North Carolina FC Heads to
Puerto Rico for Away Match

NORTH CAROLINA FC U23 EARNS 3-1 WIN AGAINST WILMINGTON HAMMERHEADS FC

CARY, N.C. (May 18, 2017) – North Carolina FC U23 earned its first victory of the 2017 PDL season with a 3-1 win over Wilmington Hammerheads FC on Thursday night at WakeMed Soccer Park. Josh Coan, Damien Thomas and Arty Couzine all scored for NCFC U23.

“Our team was very determined to win tonight, and I respect and appreciate that a lot for only being together a couple of weeks,” said head coach Dewan Bader. “There was a point in the game where Wilmington had the better of the play to be fair, and we buckled down and defended well. That goes a long way. I’m happy with the performance and happy that our team seems to be coming together through chemistry and work rate this early.”

The first 80 minutes of the match only featured one goal, but the offenses came alive down the stretch for three goals in the final 10 minutes of play.

NCFC U23 jumped in front in the 33rd minute with a penalty kick goal from Coan. Dean Rutherford won the penalty after being dragged down in the box.

With time winding down, NCFC U23 doubled its lead in the 84th minute, as Thomas muscled away a defender for possession of the ball and added a strong finish for the goal.

Just two minutes later, Wilmington struck off a quick restart from a free kick. Cameron Findley chipped the ball to David Lozano who scored from inside the box.

Despite allowing the late goal, NCFC U23 responded immediately with its third goal of the night, scoring in the 87th minute. Cameron Steele found Couzine inside the box, who’s shot from close range flew past the keeper and into the net.

Notes:

NCFC U23’s lineup featured eight former Capital Area RailHawks Academy members, including Caleb Duvernay, Ryan Spaulding, Vinnie Durand, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Nick Retzlaff, Cody Brinkman and Josh Coan.
Jeremy Kelly, a member of the 2016 Carolina RailHawks and former Capital Area RailHawks Academy member, started and played the full 90 minutes for Wilmington.
Josh Coan scored his first goal of the season off a penalty kick in the 33rdminute.
Damien Thomas added an unassisted goal in the 84th minute for his first goal of the year.
Arty Couzine scored his first goal of the season with a goal in the 87th minute off an assist from Cameron Steele.

Box Score:

NCFCU23: Vinne Durand (Ignacio Blanco, 45’), Caleb Duvernay, Matt Arnone, Jamil Garcia, Fernando Castellanos (Alex Comsia, 45’), Cody Brinkman, (Ian Bennett, 72’) Nick Retzlaff, Dom Jensen (Arty Kouzine, 45’), Ryan Spaulding (Damien Thomas, 71’), Josh Coan (Cameron Steele, 45’), Dean Rutherford

Subs not used: Steffan Pilinix,

WILM: Drew Romig, Sam Wancowicz, Ben Davidson, Matt Morgan, Nathanael Rennhack, Cameron Findley, David Lozano, Will Heaney (Daniel Escobar, 67’) Tanner Roberts, Jeremy Kelly, Phil Goodrum

Subs not used: Sam Williams, Rafael Fagundo, Wrenn Pallas, Steven Pate, Joel Bylander, Cody Frennea

Score:
NCFCU23: 3
WILM: 1

Goals:
NCFCU23: Josh Coan (PK 33’), Damien Thomas (unassisted, 84’), Arty Couzine (Cameron Steele, 87’)
WILM: David Loanzo (Cameron Findley 86’)

Cautions:
NCFC: —
WILM: —

Ejections:
NCFCU23: —
WILM: —

NCFC U23’s lineup featured eight former Capital Area RailHawks Academy members, including Caleb Duvernay, Ryan Spaulding, Vinnie Durand, Jamil Gracia, Dom Jensen, Nick Retzlaff, Cody Brinkman and Josh Coan.
Jeremy Kelly, a member of the 2016 Carolina RailHawks and former Capital Area RailHawks Academy member, started and played the full 90 minutes for Wilmington.
Josh Coan scored his first goal of the season off a penalty kick in the 33rdminute.
Damien Thomas added an unassisted goal in the 84th minute for his first goal of the year.
Arty Couzine scored his first goal of the season with a goal in the 87th minute off an assist from Cameron Steele.

NORTH CAROLINA FC DOWNS PREVIOUSLY UNDEFEATED JACKSONVILLE ARMADA 3-1

CARY, N.C. (May 13, 2017) – North Carolina FC (3W-2D-2L, 11 pts) posted a dominant 3-1 win over previously undefeated Jacksonville Armada (2W-4D-1L, 10 pts) Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park behind a brace from Lance Laing and James Marcelin’s first goal of the season.

The win gives NCFC two victories in its last three matches and moves the club to second place in the NASL with 11 points.

“It starts with the disappointment of the last week,” said head coach Colin Clarke. “We’d been on the road and picked up four points following our last home game against Edmonton. We came home and felt like we dropped three points against San Francisco. Not taking anything away from [San Francisco], but this is our home and we don’t get beat here too often. It was a bit disappointing last week and that’s been our focus for this week. Even though we fell behind early on, I thought we showed a lot of character and guts to come back and win the game.”

NCFC is undefeated in its last five fixtures against Jacksonville and has never lost a home match to the Armada.

The club nearly opened the scoring immediately, as Lance Laing got through on goal in the sixth minute. However, Jacksonville’s goalkeeper, Caleb Patterson-Sewell did well to rush in and block the shot with his body.

Jacksonville made the most of its first attack and scored in the 12th minute from Jack Blake’s penalty after a foul in the box.

Trailing 1-0, NCFC responded just 15 minutes later. James Marcelin scored the equalizer with a blast from 20 yards out in the 27th minute. Billy Schuler teed up Marcelin to earn the assist. The goal was Marcelin’s first of the season.

After conceding a foul near its own 18-yard box in the 36th minute, NCFC relied on some brilliant goalkeeping from Brian Sylvestre. The shot stopper flew into action and deflected Blake’s free kick, which was bound for the top corner, over the bar.

Laing provided the highlight of the night and pulled NCFC in front with a wonder goal in the 41st minute. His perfectly-placed shot curled over the head of the keeper and dropped into the back corner of the net for his third goal of the season. Nazmi Albadawi provided the assist.

After halftime, NCFC came out strong and continued to attack the Jacksonville goal.

The pressure paid off and Laing doubled NCFC’s lead with his second goal of the night in the 69th minute. After being pulled down in the box, Laing converted a penalty kick to score his fourth goal of the season.

NCFC held strong on the defensive end and rode out the final 19 minutes to clinch the result.

Notes:

James Marcelin scored his first goal of the 2017 season with a powerful shot in the 27th minute.
Billy Schuler earned his first start of the 2017 season and provided an assist on NCFC’s first goal of the night.
Lance Laing became the team’s leading goal scorer for 2017 after adding his third and fourth goals of the season. His third was a beautiful shot that floated over the keeper and into the back of the net and his fourth was a penalty kick.
Nazmi Albadawi continued to cause problems for Jacksonville as he’s done throughout his career. His assist tonight brings him to two goals and four assists in his career against the Armada.
Jacksonville scored its first away goal in series history with Jack Blake’s converted penalty kick in the 12thminute.
Albadawi, Connor Tobin, Steven Miller, Christian Ibeagha and Brian Sylvestre all started their seventh-consecutive game.
The club is leading the league in home goals with eight scored this season.

Box Score
NCFC: Brian Sylvestre; Paul Black (Kareem Moses 45’), Connor Tobin, Christian Ibeagaha, Steven Miller; Saeed Robinson (Bolu Akinyode 88’), James Marceclin, Nazmi Albadawi ©; Austin da Luz, Lance Laing (Tiyi Shipalane 78’); Billy Schuler

Subs not used: Macklin Robinson, Dre Fortune, Jonathon Orlando, Matt Fondy

JAX: Caleb Patterson-Sewell; Drew Beckie, Mechack Jerome, Kalen Ryden; Aaaron Pitchkolan ©, Jack Blake (Danny Barrow 71’), JC Banks, Kevan George, Zach Steinberger; Derek Gebhard (Jonathan Glenn 71’), Jemal Johnson (Charles Eloundou 60’)

Subs not used: Nicklas Maripuu, Devon Fisher, Kyle Nasta, Michael O’Sullivan

Score:
NCFC: 3
JAX: 1

Goals:
NCFC: Marcelin (Schuler, 27’), Laing (Albadawi, 41’), Laing (PK, 69’)
JAX: Blake (PK, 12’)

Cautions:
NCFC: —
JAX: Beckie (26’)

Ejections:
NCFC: —
JAX: —

Attendance: 4,543

James Marcelin scored his first goal of the 2017 season with a powerful shot in the 27th minute.
Billy Schuler earned his first start of the 2017 season and provided an assist on NCFC’s first goal of the night.
Lance Laing became the team’s leading goal scorer for 2017 after adding his third and fourth goals of the season. His third was a beautiful shot that floated over the keeper and into the back of the net and his fourth was a penalty kick.
Nazmi Albadawi continued to cause problems for Jacksonville as he’s done throughout his career. His assist tonight brings him to two goals and four assists in his career against the Armada.
Jacksonville scored its first away goal in series history with Jack Blake’s converted penalty kick in the 12thminute.
Albadawi, Connor Tobin, Steven Miller, Christian Ibeagha and Brian Sylvestre all started their seventh-consecutive game.
The club is leading the league in home goals with eight scored this season.

MATCH PREVIEW: NCFC VS. JAX

MATCHDAY INFO:

NORTH CAROLINA FC vs JACKSONVILLE ARMADA

KICKOFF: SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 – 7:30 P.M. ET

SAHLEN’S STADIUM AT WAKEMED SOCCER PARK

BROADCAST INFO:

TV: BEIN SPORTS, WRAL2, WILM-TV10

DIGITAL: WRAL.COM, BEIN SPORTS CONNECT,

RADIO: 95.7 THE TICKET (95.7 FM and 1550 AM)

LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC #NCFCVJAX

CARY, N.C. (May 12, 2017) – North Carolina FC (2W-2D-2L, 8 pts, 5th place) welcomes the undefeated Jacksonville Armada (2W-4D-0L, 10 pts, 2nd place) to Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. A positive result in the matchup could vault NCFC back into the top half of the NASL standings, as the two teams are separated by just two points.

NCFC has scored early and often at Sahlen’s Stadium this season. Its five goals at home are the most by any NASL team this year, while three of the five goals have come in the opening 25 minutes of play.

Lance Laing and Matt Fondy both lead the attack with two goals each, while Nazmi Albadawi, Steven Miller, Billy Schuler and Tiyi Shipalane have all scored this season. On the defensive end, Brian Sylvestre will protect the net for NCFC. The goalkeeper leads the NASL with 26 saves.

The match will be the first meeting of the season between the two teams. Jacksonville opened its 2017 campaign with two wins, and has drawn its last four matches. Jacksonville is playing well on the road this season, and has only conceded one goal away from home, but history favors NCFC in the matchup. North Carolina has a 3W-2L-1D record against Jacksonville in NASL play, and is undefeated in its last four meetings with the Armada. North Carolina has also never lost a home matchup against them (2W-1D).

Last Time Out:

NCFC fell 2-1 to the San Francisco Deltas last weekend at home. Billy Schuler scored the first regular-season goal of his NCFC career after stealing the ball from a defender and slotting it past the Deltas’ goalkeeper to provide a late equalizer. However, San Francisco scored via a header off a free kick in the 86th minute to take all three points.

Players to Watch:

#10 Nazmi Albadawi

Albadawi has historically played well against the Armada with two goals and three assists in five career matches against Jacksonville. In his last match against the Armada, he provided the game-winning assist in a 1-0 victory on September 3, 2016. Through six matches this season, Albadawi has played every minute of the season and has scored one goal, while creating 11 chances.

#23 Zack Steinberger

Steinberger was the hero for Jacksonville last weekend, as he scored a stoppage time equalizer against the New York Cosmos. The 2017 season could be Steinberger’s breakout season. He’s already notched two goals in six appearances, which ties him for second in the NASL and first for the Jacksonville Armada.

Coming Up Next:

NCFC hits the road for three-straight matches. NCFC will start the road swing with a U.S. Open Cup match against the Carolina Dynamo on Wednesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. before visits to Puerto Rico and Jacksonville. NCFC will return home to face the New York Cosmos on Sunday, June 4 at 4 p.m.