Sports stats



USL North Carolina FC

North Carolina FC Begins Road Stretch with Visit to Tampa Bay Rowdies

August 10, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. - North Carolina FC impressively collected seven points during a three-game homestand, and now turns its attention to an equally crucial three-game road swing that begins with a match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday, August 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

NCFC (7W-8L-6D, 27 points), winners of two of its past three matches, carries a five-match unbeaten streak into its second game of the season against Tampa (7W-9L-6D, 27 points), the first between the two clubs since the USL's opening day on March 17.

In addition to being even on points, both NCFC and the Rowdies share another similarity: Both teams played to scoreless draws against the Charleston Battery in their most recent matches.

Last time out, NCFC's strong defense helped the team earn a hard-fought 0-0 draw against the Battery in a Southern Derby showdown, its second draw against Charleston in a month's time.

Likewise, Tampa earned a point Wednesday in a scoreless contest against Charleston. Coach Neill Collins' side will be glad to remain at its home ground, though, having avoided defeat in 10 of its 12 games at Al Lang Stadium in 2018.

In its five latest matches, Tampa is 1W-2L-2D, but NCFC coach Colin Clarke's group will nonetheless encounter a Rowdies team capable of playing at a high level.

In Stefano Bonomo and Georgi Hristov, Tampa has two attacking options with six goals apiece, and the Rowdies' still rank fifth in goals scored in the Eastern Conference despite the mid-June departure of danger man Marcel Schaefer, a 2017 All-USL selection who left to become sporting director at VfL Wolfsburg (Germany).

Last Time Out:

The way Clarke saw it, both "defenses were pretty much on top the whole way through" in NCFC's 0-0 draw against Charleston this past Saturday, but the NCFC gaffer did think his side had "the better of the chances."

Indeed, Charleston failed to generate any clear-cut opportunities apart from a powerful but inaccurate strike by Ataulla Guerra, the league's leading scorer, in the 26th minute, and NCFC goalkeeper Alex Tambakis had little to worry about as he earned his fifth shutout of 2018.

On the other end of the pitch, NCFC came tantalizingly close to taking a lead when midfielder Steven Miller was unlucky to see his deflected effort hit the crossbar in the 55th minute. In the game's dying minutes, substitute Marios Lomis nearly made an immediate impact, but his header from a Kyle Bekker service in the 93rd minute went wide, and the match ended with both teams forced to accept one point apiece.

Players to Watch:

North Carolina FC - #10 Kyle Bekker

In his first season with NCFC, Bekker has made an immediate impact. The Canadian midfielder has a propensity for setting up his teammates in attacking positions, and has also proved that he is unafraid to have a go at goal himself. The team's only outfield player to appear in each match this season, Bekker has the second-most assists in the USL (9) and has scored two goals himself. In NCFC's previous match against Tampa, Bekker was a nuisance to the Tampa defense, as he nearly marked his club debut with a goal but his 12th-minute strike hit the right post. With better luck, a similarly impressive performance from Bekker could lead to a goal for himself or one of his teammates.

Tampa Bay Rowdies - #10 Georgi Hristov

Hristov is no stranger to anyone who has followed NCFC throughout the years. In his sixth season with Tampa, Hristov in 2013 was the NASL Golden Ball winner, as he scored 12 goals and recorded eight assists. In July, the Bulgarian forward further etched his name into Rowdies history when he set the club record with his 58th goal for Tampa. Hristov scored against NCFC in March, and the NCFC defense will have a keen eye on the 33-year-old striker.

Coming Up Next:

The next step in NCFC's travels is Indianapolis, where it will take on Indy Eleven at Lucas Oil Stadium on Wednesday, August 15 at 7 p.m. ET.; it's NCFC's first midweek match since the Fourth of July, at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Both former members of the NASL, NCFC and Indy have played each other multiple teams each season since 2014. NCFC found itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 result at home against Indy in April.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 10, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central