NASL North Carolina FC

Match Preview: Carolina RailHawks at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Published on April 22, 2016 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, NC - The Carolina RailHawks (3W-0D-0L, 9 pts) are putting their winning streak on the line as they travel to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1W-2D-0L, 5pts) on Saturday, April 23rd at 7:30 pm. Fans can watch it live locally in the Triangle on WRAL2 and regionally in North and South Carolina on TWC SportsChannel. Saturday's match will also be broadcast nationally on BeIN Sports.

"We've had a great start to the season," said RailHawks Head Coach Colin Clarke. "Now, we go back to play on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. They are a team that is also unbeaten this season, and I feel that they should've collected more points than what they've got. It will be a difficult game. They are a team that has changed their mentality and style of play from last year. Nevertheless, we go there full of confidence and expecting to get a good result."

Coming off a 1-0 victory over Ottawa Fury FC, the RailHawks are looking to extend their undefeated season. South African Tiyi Shipalane scored the only goal of the game in the 47th minute with a highlight-reel strike. After a loose ball scramble, RailHawks captain Nazmi Albadawi was able to play a pass in the path of Shipalane. Shipalane took a touch, found some space, and then bent a spectacular left footed ball past Ottawa goalkeeper Romuald Peiser that hit the bottom of the cross bar and fell into the goal. It was Shipalane's second goal of the season and Albadawi's third assist. Last Saturday's game featured RailHawks goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald's first shutout of the 2016 season.

Like the RailHawks, the Rowdies also picked up three points in the standings last weekend with a 1-0 win over FC Edmonton.

With a history of close games between the teams, last season the RailHawks and Rowdies played each other three times. In their first Spring Season match, the teams walked away with a 1-1 draw. In the Fall Season, the teams met two more times, with the RailHawks earning another 1-1 draw at WakeMed Soccer Park and the Rowdies securing a victory at Al Lang Stadium.

Following Saturday's match, the RailHawks will travel to New York to take on the New York Cosmos at James M. Shuart Stadium at 6:00 pm ET on May 1st. Fans can watch the game live on WRAL2 and TWC SportsChannel.

The RailHawks will return to WakeMed Soccer on Saturday, May 7, 2016 to take on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Tickets to the match against the Strikers are on-sale now and can be purchased by calling the RailHawks Box Office at 919-459-8144 or online at CarolinaRailHawks.com.

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