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USL North Carolina FC

North Carolina FC Readies for Home Test against Ottawa Fury FC

June 12, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. -North Carolina FC is set for another important match with a midweek test against Ottawa Fury FC on Wednesday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, providing the team the opportunity to gain ground in the playoff race in front of its home fans.

NCFC battled Ottawa Fury FC to a 1-1 draw away from home in the first meeting of the season between the two teams. Daniel Rios scored in the first half, but Ottawa found the net near the end of the match to take a point from the contest.

Ottawa has been in strong form, only dropping one result in its last seven matches. The visitors went undefeated in the month of May and have picked up key victories over Penn FC, Atlanta United 2, Bethlehem Steel FC and Toronto FC II in its recent run of form. During its hot streak, Ottawa's defense has been a catalyst to the team's success and has only allowed one goal.

NCFC will look to test the stout Ottawa defense with a team that is playing well, but still searching for results. Despite strong play against Bethlehem Steel FC and FC Cincinnati, the club has found itself on the wrong side of the last two results and will aim to bounce back with a victory tonight.

Last Time Out:

NCFC fell to a tough FC Cincinnati squad by a 2-0 score last Saturday night. A back-and-forth first half saw FC Cincinnati take a 1-0 lead into the break. NCFC pushed for an equalizer throughout the second half before Cincinnati eventually secured the win in the 87th minute with a second goal.

Players to Watch:

#8 Steevan Dos Santos

Dos Santos, the club's leading scorer last season, is off to a productive start in 2018. The forward once again leads Ottawa Fury in goals, having scored three goals in 10 appearances this season. Dos Santos has been a consistent threat in front of goal for Ottawa since joining the team for its first season in the USL in 2017 when he broke the club's single season goal-scoring record with 10 goals.

#16 Graham Smith

The rookie midfielder has started in all 11 USL matches for NCFC in 2018. Smith's 984 minutes played rank him near the top of the squad. Smith has been calm on the ball with an 87.3-percent passing accuracy, while also leading the team with 30 tackles. His steadiness in front of the NCFC back line has been a welcomed addition to the midfield in his first season with the club.

Coming Up Next:

NCFC will hit the road to face Nashville SC on Saturday, June 16 at 8:30 p.m. The team will return to Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park for Pride Night when Louisville City FC comes to town on Saturday, June 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online, over the phone at 919-459-8144 or in person at the Coastal Credit Union Box Office.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 12, 2018


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