USL1 North Carolina FC

NCFC to Face North Texas SC at Home this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET

Published on September 24, 2021 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, NC - North Carolina FC will return home to face off against North Texas SC for the second time this season on Sunday, September 26 at 2 p.m. ET at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The young squad will look to rally for their sixth win of the year and earn three points against a skilled Texas side. The club will also be hosting a "Bark in the Park" at this game where fans are invited to bring their dogs to the match! Tickets are available here, and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Last Time Out

North Carolina FC fell to the Chattanooga Red Wolves 3-1 last Saturday at CHI Memorial Stadium, despite a scoreless first half and largely defensive play from both sides. The match featured a standout performance in goal from recent signee Nicholas Holliday, including a diving save that denied Jonathan Ricketts the brace during the match. Daniel Steedman also made his starting debut with the club during the contest.

After ending the first half deadlocked at 0-0, the Red Wolves found the net in the opening minutes of the second half. Following a scramble in the North Carolina FC box, Mark Hernandez laid off a pass to Jonathan Ricketts. The defender, who had been named to the USL League One Team of the Week for two consecutive weeks prior to last weekend's contest, buried a shot on his first touch to put Chattanooga up 1-0. Juan Galindrez added the Red Wolves' second goal of the night six minutes later, his ninth of the season.

Luis Arriaga cut Chattanooga's lead in half in the 69th minute, scoring his first of the season to get North Carolina FC on the board. Unfortunately for the North Carolina side, their opponent's response was immediate as a long ball from goalkeeper Tim Trilk found Hernandez upfield. The midfielder netted his fourth of the season to provide Chattanooga with a 3-1 cushion in the 70th minute.

Where to Watch: ESPN+

Players to Watch

North Carolina FC - #8 Luis Arriaga

Arriaga bagged his first goal of the season in North Carolina FC's last contest, getting his team on the board after entering the match as a second-half substitute. The midfielder has logged 1,031 minutes of playing time this season, utilizing his field vision, composure on the ball, and passing precision to contribute to North Carolina FC's attacking strategy. As John Bradford's team continues to hunt for points, Arriaga will look to add to his season goal tally and create scoring opportunities for his teammates against North Texas this weekend.

North Texas SC - #17 Kalil ElMedkhar

ElMedkhar was named to the USL League One Team of the Week for his most recent performance against Union Omaha, in which he scored a goal and assisted another as the points were shared between the two sides. North Texas has fallen toward the bottom of the table in recent weeks, however, the parity amongst teams in the league has been to their benefit: three points in this weekend's match could propel the squad into fifth place. ElMedkhar will look to repeat his impressive performance against Union Omaha and prove a challenge to the North Carolina backline.

What's Next: North Carolina FC will hit the road to face Toronto FC II on Friday, October 1 at BMO Training Ground & Academy in Toronto, Ontario at 4 p.m. ET. The match will air on ESPN+.

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United Soccer League One Stories from September 24, 2021


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