USL1 North Carolina FC

North Carolina FC Travel to Face FC Tucson for Second Time this Season

July 28, 2022 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
North Carolina FC News Release


Match Info:

North Carolina FC vs. FC Tucson

Saturday, July 30 at 10 p.m. ET

Kino North Stadium

Tucson, AZ

CARY, NC - On the heels of a mid-week match against the Richmond Kickers, North Carolina FC will hit the road to take on FC Tucson on Saturday, July 30 at 10 p.m. ET at Kino North Stadium in Tucson, AZ. The match will be available to stream live on ESPN+.

Last Time Out

North Carolina FC were bested by the Richmond Kickers on Wednesday night, the Kickers relying on two stoppage time goals to secure the result as the final minutes ticked away. Shak Adams scored his first goal with the club and Max Flick recorded his first goal of the season in tonight's match, as Emiliano Terzaghi and Dakota Barnathan picked up a goal apiece to propel the Kickers toward claiming three points.

North Carolina FC tallied their first of the night in the 26th minute, the scoring play being catalyzed with a free kick taken well outside the eighteen. Showkat Tahir stepped up to send in the service, curving in a ball into a scrum of players in the box and ultimately finding the head of Jordan Skelton. Sending a header back across the face of the net, the captain collected his first assist of the season as Adams buried his first goal of the season with a bicycle kick past Richmond goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald. Adams' goal would be the sole score through the first half, concluding with the home side on top.

Richmond tallied an equalizer in the 59th minute, but NCFC was able to re-gain the upper hand in the 78th minute as Max Flick likewise scored his first goal of the season to put the North Carolina side up 2-1, capitalizing on a missed clearance by the Richmond defense and finishing a one-time shot with his left.

As the match entered stoppage time, the Kickers transitioned quickly to the offensive, finding the back of the net twice in the final minutes of the game. An early cross into the box and a diving header from Terzaghi leveled the game for Richmond in the opening minute of stoppage time, and their third goal of the night was the result of an initial save from Will Pulisic that was later deflected off of the chest of Dakota Barnathan.

Where to Watch: ESPN+

Players to Watch

North Carolina FC - #17 Showkat Tahir

Emerging as a consistent and versatile player in the NCFC midfield, Showkat Tahir pieced together a standout performance in Wednesday night's matchup against the Richmond Kickers. The English footballer recorded several impressive recoveries to spur a counterattack for the North Carolina side, and through 14 games played has recorded six shots on target, five key passes, and maintained 54.5% shooting accuracy. As NCFC travels to face FC Tucson for the second time this season, Tahir will look to contribute on both sides of the ball, recovering on defense while simultaneously creating scoring chances for himself and his teammates.

FC Tucson - #16 Jacob Crull

Crull has netted two goals for Tucson this season, his most recent coming in the 68th minute in the Arizona side's 2-1 loss to Union Omaha on July 16. The defender has also collected 38 clearances, eight blocks and 15 interceptions while maintaining a 61.9% tackle success rate and completing 671 successful passes. Crull will look to deny NCFC any scoring opportunities in Saturday's match, bolstering the backline alongside teammates Luca Mastrantonio and Kaelon Fox.

Up Next: North Carolina FC will return to WakeMed Soccer Park on Wednesday, August 10 to face Forward Madison FC for the first time this season, with kickoff set to take place at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available here, and the match will be available to watch live on ESPN+.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



United Soccer League One Stories from July 28, 2022


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