North Carolina FC Finishes Jägermeister Cup with Comeback Win
USL North Carolina FC

North Carolina FC Finishes Jägermeister Cup with Comeback Win

by Fran Stuchbury
July 28, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC


North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup
North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup
(North Carolina FC, Credit: Fran Stuchbury)

With the match knotted 1-1 at the end of regulation, North Carolina FC finished Jägermeister Cup play winning 5-3 in penalty kicks over Loudon United FC in front of 1,602 fans at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, Saturday evening. NCFC went 1-2-1 for five points in Group 5. They will not advance to the knockout round. Loudon United FC compiled a 2-0-2 record for nine points and will advances to the quarterfinals, hosting Sacramento Republic FC on August 20th.

The USL Jägermeister Cup is a tournament featuring teams from USL Championship and USL League One. The winner of the USL Jägermeister Cup wins a $100,000 cash prize and a Jägermeister prize pack.

How the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup Works:

I like the completion, it provides a different format," said NCFC Head Coach John Bradford. "That allows you to make sure your roster is all progressing and developing, and guys are getting minutes and being able to play. I think it's a good competition inserted into the regular season."

"I do, I used to play in USL League One," said forward Evan Conway on if he liked Cup play. "I think it's cool; it's a great idea, and I hope we continue to do so."

Conway played with USL League One side Union Omaha in 2020 and 2021. He moved up to USL Championship squad San Diego Loyal SC in 2022 and 2023 and has been with North Carolina since the 2024 season.

Loudon United FC opened scoring in the 36th minute with a goal from forward Riley Bidois.

Loudon goalkeeper Hugo Fauroux after he collided with NCFC forward Oalex Anderson outside the box in the 53rd minute, earning a red card. That resulted in Loudon playing down a man the rest of the game. Ryan Jack replaced him in goal, making his professional debut.

Late in stoppage time North Carolina took advantage, tying the game at 1-1 with a goal from midfielder Louie Perez.

"Ball into the box, the ball comes out, to be honest I try to have good contact," said Perez. "I work on it so I won't say it's all luck. This time it goes in. Really happy about that goal."

"I thought he was good throughout, he was important for us in the midfield and obviously tons of services on set pieces and gets opportunities on those," Bradford said. "He's fully capable of getting that shot and it went in for him."

Perez also converted on the first penalty kick.

"It's very important; it's massive; I take pride in that," said Perez. "That is something I work on. I want to be a leader in that sense and score the first penalty kick and put the team on the right track."

"In the first half, they get a goal that just is too easy defensively for us in how we were trying to deny it," said Bradford. "I thought we responded well in the second half, and obviously the red card changed things a little bit. They were disciplined enough to keep creating chances. It felt like one of them had to go in. Great strike by Louie (Perez) to get to penalty kicks. The first five lined up and did their job. The first five to get the penalty kick win."

Rafa Mentzingen, Mikey Maldonado, Pedro Dolabella, and Evan Conway also converted on penalty kicks.

The one miss by Loudon FC's Ben Mines opened the door for NCFC's Conway, the fifth shooter, to clinch the victory.

"There is always a little pressure, but we practice penalty kicks all the time in training," said Conway. "You just have to stand there before you go and say it's just a training exercise. It should not have come to that to be honest. We should have scored a couple of times in the second half. When they had ten men we should have done better to take advantage of that."

NCFC Academy midfielder Jayson Quintanilla made his first start as a professional in the match.

"It's great, the kid just totally earned it," said Bradford. "Everyone in our team was rooting for him tonight and wanted him to do well. I thought he did. To come into this environment against a really good team like Loudon and perform the way he did just shows the qualities he has."

North Carolina FC's next game is on the road, a regular season matchup at Louisville City FC on Saturday, August 2. Their next home match will be Saturday, August 9th against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7:30 pm est.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics




Images from this story

North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup
North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup
(Fran Stuchbury)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 28, 2025


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