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2019: By the Numbers

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.

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

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

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.

Daunting Defense and Great Goalkeeping

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

Keeping it Close to Home

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.

Albadawi’s Always Assisting

Miller’s Milestones

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

Clinical Kristo

Potent Perez

Go DJ

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.

North Carolina Youth Academy to Compete in U-14 Boys Tournament at ICC Futures

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.

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.

“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.

More information on the ICC Futures can be found here.

Q&A: Dave Sarachan Reflects On First Season at North Carolina FC

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Midfielders Steven Miller and Ben Speas to Return to North Carolina FC for 2020 Season

CARY, N.C. (Nov. 6, 2019) – North Carolina FC midfielders Steven Miller and Ben Speas are set to return for the 2020 season after signing new contracts with the club, as announced on Wednesday. Both transactions are pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. More information on the status of NCFC's remaining players from the 2019 season will be available in the coming weeks.

Both fixtures in NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan’s lineup, Miller and Speas combined to record 11 goals and 11 assists in 2019, as NCFC went 16W-10L-8D and reached the postseason for the second time in three years.

The 2020 season will be Miller’s sixth with the club, having made his debut in 2015 while on loan from the Tulsa Roughnecks. Known for his versatility, the 30-year-old Miller has played all over the pitch for NCFC but had a career year in 2019 as a midfielder, leading the team in both goals (9) and assists (6) in 31 matches while also wearing the captain's armband 22 times. The goal tally was a career-high for Miller, who was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week three times, including once as the league’s Player of the Week.

One of the most experienced players in club history, Miller ranks in the top 10 on NCFC’s all-time leaderboard in games played (116, 7th), minutes (9,444, 7th), goals (19, 8th) and assists (19, 3rd).

"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," Sarachan said. "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."

While on loan from Indy Eleven, Speas, 28, impressed in his first season with NCFC, recording two goals and five assists as he twice earned USL Championship Team of the Week honors. The UNC product started 27 matches, played 2,310 minutes and led NCFC with 66 chances created, the seventh-most in the Eastern Conference.

"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," Sarachan said. "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."

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. 6, 2019) – North Carolina FC midfielders Steven Miller and Ben Speas are set to return for the 2020 season after signing new contracts with the club, as announced on Wednesday. Both transactions are pending league and federation approval, and no further details were disclosed, per club policy. More information on the status of NCFC’s remaining players from the 2019 season will be available in the coming weeks.

Both fixtures in NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan’s lineup, Miller and Speas combined to record 11 goals and 11 assists in 2019, as NCFC went 16W-10L-8D and reached the postseason for the second time in three years.

The 2020 season will be Miller’s sixth with the club, having made his debut in 2015 while on loan from the Tulsa Roughnecks. Known for his versatility, the 30-year-old Miller has played all over the pitch for NCFC but had a career year in 2019 as a midfielder, leading the team in both goals (9) and assists (6) in 31 matches while also wearing the captain’s armband 22 times. The goal tally was a career-high for Miller, who was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week three times, including once as the league’s Player of the Week.

One of the most experienced players in club history, Miller ranks in the top 10 on NCFC’s all-time leaderboard in games played (116, 7th), minutes (9,444, 7th), goals (19, 8th) and assists (19, 3rd).

“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,” Sarachan said. “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.”

While on loan from Indy Eleven, Speas, 28, impressed in his first season with NCFC, recording two goals and five assists as he twice earned USL Championship Team of the Week honors. The UNC product started 27 matches, played 2,310 minutes and led NCFC with 66 chances created, the seventh-most in the Eastern Conference.

“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,” Sarachan said. “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.”

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.

North Carolina Football Club Pop-Up Store Heading to Park West From November-December

The North Carolina Football Club Pop-Up Store is back again this year at Park West in Morrisville from Nov. 22-Dec. 13! Located right next to Fantastic Sams, you can purchase NCFC and NC Courage merchandise for up to 60% off regular price.

North Carolina Football Club Pop-Up Store Dates and Hours

Location: 3061 Market Center Drive, Morrisville, N.C. 27560

Friday, Nov. 22: 5:00 PM-9:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 23: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday, Nov. 24: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

Black Friday, Nov. 29: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 30: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday, Dec. 1: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

Friday, Dec. 6: 5:00 PM-9:00 PM
Saturday, Dec. 7: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday, Dec. 8: 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

Thursday, Dec. 12: 5:00 PM-9:00 PM
Friday, Dec. 13: 11:00 AM-7:00 PM

North Carolina FC Falls to Birmingham Legion FC 3-2 in USL Championship Playoffs

CARY, N.C. (Oct. 23, 2019) – Despite goals from midfielders Nazmi Albadawi and Dre Fortune, North Carolina FC saw its season come to an end with a 3-2 loss to Birmingham Legion FC Wednesday night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in the Play-In Round of the USL Championship Playoffs.

In the first season under head coach Dave Sarachan, NCFC went 16W-10L-8D in the regular season and finished in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, returning for the postseason for the second time in three years.

“We are gutted,” Sarachan said. “It was a good year. It could have been a better year. That is how it ends.”

On Wednesday, NCFC got off to a positive start offensively, one that was punctuated by Albadawi’s smooth, one-timed finish into the bottom left corner of the net in the 19th minute to give NCFC a 1-0 lead. Providing the assist on the goal was right back DJ Taylor, who made one of his several runs into the box from the right flank and set up Albadawi for the finish.

Taking advantage of a partially cleared set piece, Birmingham equalized in the 35th minute on a redirected shot by Femi Hollinger-Janzen. With Hollinger-Janzen’s goal, nothing separated the two teams as halftime approached.

Out of the break, NCFC started the second half similarly to how it did in the first and earned the better of the chances. A good stretch of play from the home team led to Fortune firing NCFC into the lead again in the 59th minute. Having received a pass from Albadawi, Fortune blasted his right-footed shot from beyond the 18-yard box past Birmingham goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel. With his assist on the goal, Albadawi is now NCFC’s all-time assists leader with 24 in his career with the club.

Birmingham once again brought the match even in the 66th minute, as Zachary Herivaux collected a rebound from a save by NCFC goalkeeper Alex Tambakis and was able to find the back of the net.

With a 2-2 scoreline, NCFC came tantalizingly close to grabbing a late lead in the 84th minute. Played in down the right flank by Fortune, second-half substitute Manny Perez centered a ball for fellow substitute Robert Kristo, who saw his shot roll just wide right as he collided with Van Oekel.

As the second half approached its ending, Birmingham snatched the game’s decisive goal three minutes into stoppage time, as JJ Williams broke the deadlock with a powerful strike.

Despite a fight to the finish, NCFC couldn’t find an equalizer before the referee blew his whistle for the final time.

Notes

– Nazmi Albadawi finished the season with four goals and five assists in 19 matches since returning to the club from FC Cincinnati in May.

– With his goal on Wednesday, midfielder Dre Fortune finished with eight goals against USL Championship opponents, the third-highest mark on NCFC.

– NCFC’s youth-to-pro pipeline was clearly evident on Wednesday as NCFC Academy products DJ Taylor and Dre Fortune were named in the starting lineup, as were former NCFC U23 standouts Nazmi Albadawi and Alex Comsia. Caleb Duvernay, who played for both the Academy and NCFC U-23, was named to the bench, as was former Academy star Manny Perez.

– Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis made five saves.

– Manny Perez, Robert Kristo and Donovan Ewolo appeared as second-half substitutes for NCFC.

Box Score:

NCFC (4-1-4-1): Alex Tambakis; Aaron Guillen, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, DJ Taylor; Graham Smith (Donovan Ewolo, 90’); Ben Speas (Manny Perez, 66’), Nazmi Albadawi, Dre Fortune, Steven Miller ©; Marios Lomis (Robbie Kristo, 76’)

Subs not used: Victor Igbekoyi, Austin da Luz, Caleb Duvernay, Trace Alphin

BHM (4-5-1): Matt VanOekel; Kyle Fisher, Mikey Lopez ©, Akeem Ward, Femi Hollinger-Janzen; Anderson Asiedu, Prosper Kasim (Eric Avila, 90’), Daniel Johnson, JJ Williams, Zach Herivaux; Brian Wright

Subs not used: Trever Spangenberg, Ben Kucera, Kyle Culbertson, Marcos Ugarte, Daigo Kobayashi, Gael Mabiala

Score:
NCFC: 2
BHM: 3

Goals:
NCFC: Nazmi Albadawi 19’ (DJ Taylor), Dre Fortune 59’ (Nazmi Albadawi)
BHM: Femi Hollinger-Janzen 35’ (Prosper Kasim), Zach Herivaux 66’, JJ Williams 90’ (Zach Herivaux)

Cautions:
NCFC: Nazmi Albadawi 40’, Dre Fortune 61’
BHM: —

Ejections:
NCFC: —
BHM: —

Attendance: 3,675

Match Zone: North Carolina FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship Playoffs)

Game: North Carolina FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship Playoffs)

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kickoff time: 7:00 p.m.

Box Office Opens: 2:00 p.m.

Parking Lot Opens: 3:00 p.m.

Gates Open: 6:00 p.m.

Parking: $10 general admission (cash/electronic)/$15 VIP (in advance)

Tickets: bit.ly/NCFCOct23tix

Location: Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park

Watch: ESPN+ bit.ly/WatchNCvBHM

Game: North Carolina FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship Playoffs)

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kickoff time: 7:00 p.m.

Box Office Opens: 2:00 p.m.

Parking Lot Opens: 3:00 p.m.

Gates Open: 6:00 p.m.

Parking: $10 general admission (cash/electronic)/$15 VIP (in advance)

Tickets: bit.ly/NCFCOct23tix

Location: Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park

Watch: ESPN+ bit.ly/WatchNCvBHM

North Carolina FC Begins Postseason Play at Home on Wednesday Against Birmingham Legion FC

MATCHDAY INFO:
NORTH CAROLINA FC VS. BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC
SAHLEN’S STADIUM AT WAKEMED SOCCER PARK
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23 – 7:00 PM ET

WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE UPDATES: @NORTHCAROLINAFC, #NCvBHM

Cary, N.C. (Oct. 21, 2019) – Back in the postseason for the second time in three years, No. 7 seed North Carolina FC opens up USL Championship Playoffs play against No. 10 seed Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Head coach Dave Sarachan’s team most recently closed out the regular season with a 1-0 win over Saint Louis FC last weekend to finish with a 16W-10L-8D record (56 points), good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. NCFC’s win over Saint Louis also clinched a spot in the Championship Playoffs for Birmingham, which is playing in the postseason in its inaugural season.

With a win on Wednesday, NCFC would move on to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, where it would face No. 2 seed Nashville SC on the road on Saturday.

NCFC closed out the regular season by winning three of its final four matches, with each victory coming at home. During the regular season, NCFC went 11W-1L-5D at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, as the team collected the third-most home points (38) in the USL Championship.

Birmingham is coming off a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Sunday, as Pittsburgh snatched a game-winning goal in the 90th minute. The loss confirmed Birmingham as NCFC’s opponent on Wednesday, as the two teams will meet for a third time in 2019. In May, NCFC settled for a scoreless home draw against Birmingham despite recording 17 shots. In the reverse fixture at Birmingham in July, NCFC was defeated 1-0.

NCFC finished the regular season with the fifth-highest goal differential in the Eastern Conference (+20) thanks to a solid defense led by goalkeeper Alex Tambakis and a well-balanced attack featuring numerous scoring threats. Tambakis, who earned team MVP honors, has a .752 save percentage, the third-highest among USL Championship goalkeepers to have faced 100-plus shots on target.

Offensively, five NCFC players have six-plus goals, including midfielder Steven Miller and forward Robbie Kristo, who both have nine tallies apiece. Miller also leads the team with six assists, but it’s Kristo who has been the in-form goal-scorer as of late. The 6’4” target man has scored five goals in NCFC’s last four home matches, and all nine of his goals have come at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Like NCFC, Birmingham has two joint leading scorers, as midfielder JJ Williams and forward Prosper Kasim both have seven goals. Birmingham goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel has 11 clean sheets on the season.

Last Time Out

On a night where club captain Austin da Luz was honored for his outstanding 10-year professional career, postseason-bound North Carolina FC closed out the regular season in grand fashion with a 1-0 win over Saint Louis FC Saturday evening at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Forward Robert Kristo’s 90th-minute goal gave head coach Dave Sarachan’s team all three points, as NCFC finished the 34-game regular season with a 16W-10L-8D (56 points) record and seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

“Clean sheet, no injuries, good performance, and obviously a special night for a guy like Austin da Luz,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “To win the game was great for the group.”

Players to Watch

North Carolina FC – #8 Dre Fortune
The 23-year-old homegrown product is enjoying his best season with NCFC yet and could make a big impact on Wednesday. Fortune, a Raleigh native and NCFC Academy product, has seven goals and a pair of assists in his third year with the team, and assisted on forward Robert Kristo’s game-winning goal in the 90th minute last weekend against Saint Louis FC.

Birmingham Legion FC– #7 Brian Wright
The 24-year-old Canadian forward has made the most of his loan spell at Birmingham this season, impressing with six goals and four assists. On loan from the New England Revolution, Wright has Major League Soccer experience, and he’ll certainly capture the attention of NCFC’s defense on Wednesday. Wright scored the game-winning goal in Birmingham’s 1-0 win against NCFC on July 13.

Looking Ahead

If NCFC is victorious against Birmingham on Wednesday, Sarachan’s team will travel to face No. 2 seed Nashville SC at First Tennessee Park on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. NCFC split the regular-season series with Nashville, winning 1-0 at home on June 29 and falling 2-0 on the road on Oct. 12.

Marios Lomis Named Select PT Comeback Player of the Year

CARY, N.C. (Oct. 21, 2019) – Following his return to action from a broken ankle suffered in late May, North Carolina FC forward Marios Lomis has been named as the team’s Select PT Comeback Player of the Year.

Lomis, in his second year with NCFC, has six goals and one assist and has played 13 matches for 889 minutes in 2019. After getting off to a phenomenal start at the beginning of the year, Lomis broke his left ankle in training at the end of May, an injury that threatened to end his 2019 campaign. However, Lomis attacked the rehabilitation process and returned to action on Oct. 12 as a substitute at Nashville SC before making his first start since the injury on Oct. 19 in NCFC’s 1-0 win against Saint Louis FC in the regular-season finale.

“Marios was set to have an excellent season until he was sidelined with a devastating ankle fracture that occurred in the last few minutes of a typical practice. Once the initial shock of the injury was over, Marios’ mentality quickly and sharply focused on recovery,” said Kenny Lynnes of Select PT. “Surgery was performed and rehabilitation started immediately. Marios pushed himself through the entire process even though it was unlikely he would see the field the rest of the season. For this reason, We are proud to present Marios Lomis with the Select Physical Therapy Comeback Player of the Year.”

Lomis did return to the field, however, when he entered NCFC’s match at Nashville SC as a second-half substitute over four and a half months after suffering his injury. A week later, Lomis played 63 minutes and recorded a shot on target in the regular-season finale.

“It’s a very satisfying feeling that you worked many months to get back and that I made it in time for the playoffs,” Lomis said.

When Lomis broke his ankle in May, the Dutchman told NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan, “I’ll be back, don’t count me out.”

Sarachan didn’t count Lomis out, and the way his forward returned to action so quickly left a good impression on the NCFC boss.

“You’re dealing with a really serious professional that takes his craft and his on-field and off-field work very seriously, and it’s great to have him back,” Sarachan said.

NCFC begins its USL Championship Playoffs journey at home on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. against Birmingham Legion FC. For tickets and information, please visit www.www.northcarolinafc.com or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144.

“It’s a very satisfying feeling that you worked many months to get back and that I made it in time for the playoffs,” Lomis said.

When Lomis broke his ankle in May, the Dutchman told NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan, “I’ll be back, don’t count me out.”

Sarachan didn’t count Lomis out, and the way his forward returned to action so quickly left a good impression on the NCFC boss.

“You’re dealing with a really serious professional that takes his craft and his on-field and off-field work very seriously, and it’s great to have him back,” Sarachan said.

North Carolina FC Closes Out Regular Season with Thrilling 1-0 Win as Captain Austin da Luz is Honored

CARY, N.C. (Oct. 19, 2019) – On a night where club captain Austin da Luz was honored for his outstanding 10-year professional career, postseason-bound North Carolina FC closed out the regular season in grand fashion with a 1-0 win over Saint Louis FC Saturday evening at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Forward Robert Kristo’s 90th-minute goal gave head coach Dave Sarachan’s team all three points, as NCFC finished the 34-game regular season with a 16W-10L-8D (56 points) record and seventh place in the Eastern Conference. NCFC will host either the Charleston Battery or Birmingham Legion FC in its opening USL Championship Playoffs match at home on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

“Clean sheet, no injuries, good performance, and obviously a special night for a guy like Austin da Luz,” NCFC head coach Dave Sarachan said. “To win the game was great for the group.”

In what was a wide-open match from start to finish, NCFC recorded 13 shots and showed its intent early on with a handful of good chances for forward Marios Lomis, making his first start since suffering a broken ankle in May. After just missing out on a quality service from da Luz in the 24th minute, Lomis had a shot denied from point-blank range by Saint Louis goalkeeper Tomas Gomez in the 29th minute following a good ball from right back DJ Taylor.

Later on, midfielder Dre Fortune was set up by da Luz and nearly gave NCFC the lead on the final kick of the first half in stoppage time, but Gomez once again stepped up for Saint Louis, as nothing separated the two teams at the halftime break.

In the 49th minute, midfielder Steven Miller was pulled from beyond in the 18-yard box, but no whistle was blown, and Miller got back up before nearly opening the scoring from close range.

On a night where set pieces played a massive role for both teams, NCFC was eventually rewarded for its persistence in the 90th minute. Fortune played in a threatening ball from the left flank, which Kristo tracked down and headed across goal into the back of the net for the match-winner. The goal was Kristo’s ninth of the season, moving him into a tie with Miller for the highest total on NCFC.

From that point on, NCFC saw out the result, as Alex Tambakis earned his eighth clean sheet of 2019.

They Said It

“It’s really difficult to put into words. Just, the amount of people that have been a part of the story over the years … to have them here and share this moment with them is something I’ll never forget. So, I’m just incredibly grateful to everybody here at the club and in the stands and everybody who made the trip in, and especially my family and my wife. It was amazing.” – Austin da Luz on Saturday’s match and his postgame ceremony.

Fact to Know

NCFC forward Robbie Kristo has found the back of the net in four consecutive home matches, scoring a total of five goals.

Looking Ahead

NCFC begins its USL Championship Playoffs journey at home on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. While the opponent is yet to be determined, head coach Dave Sarachan’s group will host either Birmingham Legion FC or Charleston Battery. For tickets and information please visit www.www.northcarolinafc.com or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144.

Notes

– Midfielder Austin Da Luz is the longest-tenured active NCFC player, having first appeared for the club in 2012 following stints with Major League Soccer’s DC United and New York Red Bulls. The Wake Forest University product ranks near the top in the NCFC record book in several categories, including second in minutes played (13,397), third in matches played (182), fourth in assists (18) and fifth in goals (23). Da Luz will retire following the end of the 2019 season.

– Forward Robert Kristo has scored six of his nine goals in league play as a substitute.

– NCFC’s youth-to-pro pipeline was on full display Saturday as NCFC Academy products DJ Taylor, Dre Fortune and Manny Perez were named in the starting lineup, as was former NCFC U23 standout Alex Comsia. Caleb Duvernay, who played for both the Academy and NCFC U-23, was named to the bench, as was NCFC U23 product Nazmi Albadawi.

– NCFC ended the regular season with an 11W-1L-5D record at home.

– Forward Marios Lomis made his first start since May 24 at New York Red Bulls II.

– Forwards Yamikani Chester, Robert Kristo and midfielder Nazmi Albadawi appeared as substitutes for NCFC.

– Saint Louis FC was eliminated from playoff contention with its loss.

Box Score:

NCFC (4-1-4-1): Alex Tambakis; Aaron Guillen, Sam Brotherton, Alex Comsia, DJ Taylor; Graham Smith; Steven Miller, Austin da Luz © (Nazmi Albadawi, 87’) , Dre Fortune, Manny Perez (Yamikani Chester, 71’); Marios Lomis (Robert Kristo, 63’)

Subs not used: Victor Igbekoyi, Ben Speas, Caleb Duvernay, Trace Alphin

STL (4-4-2): Tomas Gomez; Matt Bahner, Sean Reynolds, Phanuel Kavita ©, Bradley Kamdem Fewo; Lewis Hilton, Oscar Umar, Kadeem Dacres (Masta Kacher, 46’), Russell Cicerone; Tyler Blackwood, Caleb Calvert (Albert Dikwa, 69’)

Subs not used: Jake Fenlason, Sam Fink, Paris Gee, Collin Fernandez, Nichi Vlastos

Score:
NCFC: 1
STL: 0

Goals:
NCFC: Robert Kristo 90’ (Dre Fortune)
STL: —

Cautions:
NCFC: Austin da Luz, 60’
STL: Sean Reynolds, 89’

Ejections:
NCFC: —
STL: —

Attendance: 5,982