USL North Carolina FC

North Carolina Hits the Road for Match at Memphis 901 FC on Saturday

Published on August 9, 2019 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release


Cary, N.C. - North Carolina FC hits the road to close out its regular-season series with Memphis 901 FC Saturday night at AutoZone Park at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Head coach Dave Sarachan's team is hoping to bounce back from a 1-0 loss against Indy Eleven, and climb the table in the USL Championship Eastern Conference, where NCFC (10W-5L-7D, 37 points) currently holds fifth place.

In early April, the two teams met for the first time ever at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, with NCFC earning a 1-1 draw through a 78th-minute goal by forward Marios Lomis.

A well-balanced squad, NCFC ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference in goals scored (36) and fifth in goals conceded (20). Offensively, the NCFC attack features five players with four-plus goals on the season, including midfielder Steven Miller, who has a team-high seven tallies in 2019. Miller also leads NCFC in assists (five) and is one of just two players in the Eastern Conference with at least seven goals and five assists.

Defensively, NCFC has found success thanks to a team-wide commitment to making it hard for opponents to play, one of Sarachan's main directives ahead of his first season in charge. Between goalkeepers Alex Tambakis and Darrin MacLeod, NCFC has recorded seven clean sheets. Tambakis, who has the second-highest save percentage in the Eastern Conference (.772), was voted USL Championship Fans' Choice Midseason Goalkeeper of the Year.

Coached by Tim Mulqueen, Memphis (4W-10L-7D, 19 points) finds itself in 15th place in the Eastern Conference in its first-ever season. Memphis is coming off a 0-0 draw at Saint Louis FC on Tuesday, earning a point away from home despite playing with 10 players for 60-plus minutes after an early red card was shown to midfielder Cam Lindley in the 27th minute. Goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell made two saves in the match.

Memphis is led in scoring by 24-year-old forward Elliot Collier, who has five goals in 16 matches.

Last Time Out

Despite a strong second-half performance, NCFC was narrowly defeated 2-1 by Indy Eleven last weekend at home. The loss was NCFC's first at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park this season, having gone unbeaten in the first 10 league matches at its home ground.

Indy led at the break thanks to a 15th-minute strike by Matt Watson, but NCFC made adjustments in the second half and controlled much of the action as the game progressed. In the 69th minute, a beautifully curled shot by midfielder Dre Fortune found the back of the net to put NCFC on even terms, and the home side continued to be the aggressors from that point on. However, Indy snatched a late winner against the run of play in the 87th minute, as Ilija Ilic scored from close range, giving the visitors the lead.

Players to Watch

North Carolina FC - #8 Dre Fortune

Now a regular in head coach Dave Sarachan's starting lineup, the 23-year-old Fortune is blossoming into a real offensive weapon in his fourth professional season. A Raleigh native and NCFC Academy alumnus, Fortune has a career-high four goals this season, the latest coming in NCFC's narrow loss to Indy Eleven. Confident in his ability to take defenders on one-on-one, Fortune is a threat to score anytime he has the ball at his feet in the final third.

Memphis 901 FC - #30 Marcus Epps

Epps made his Memphis debut just one week ago, but he's certainly one to keep an eye on Saturday. The midfielder recently arrived on loan from New York Red Bulls of Major League Socer and has played in Memphis' last two matches, but he's certainly no stranger to the USL Championship. While Epps has played 30-plus MLS matches with the Red Bulls and the Philadelphia Union since 2017, he's appeared in 21 USL Championship matches this season between New York Red Bulls II and Memphis and has four assists while creating 26 chances.

Looking Ahead

NCFC returns home to host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 7:00 p.m. The first 1,800 fans to enter the stadium will receive a free NCFC T-shirt courtesy of Circle K, a proud corporate sponsor of North Carolina Football Club. Teen Cancer America ambassadors and former Atlantic Coast Conference basketball stars Brice Johnson and Nolan Smith will also attend the match to promote their upcoming Hoop-a-Thons on Aug. 24 and 25 in Chapel Hill and Durham, respectively. For tickets and information please visit www.NorthCarolinaFC.com or call the Coastal Credit Union Box Office at 919-459-8144.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 9, 2019


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