NASL North Carolina FC

RailHawks Earn Potential Home Draw Against Portland Timbers Or FC Dallas in Semifinals

June 20, 2013 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
North Carolina FC News Release


MIAMI, Fla. - The Carolina RailHawks hope to again call on their loyal fans at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, to create a rousing home field advantage to inspire them in a potential Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semi Final on August 7.

If Colin Clarke's North American Soccer League high-flyers can navigate their way through the Quarter Finals away to Real Salt Lake next Wednesday, their reward will be a final four home clash in the centennial edition of the historic national cup competition against either the Portland Timbers or FC Dallas.

"It's a great opportunity that is in front of us," said Clarke. "Next week is an important week for us and we have to go out and take care of business on the field. The U.S. Open Cup is a very important tournament and we approach it that way.

"A match of this caliber at WakeMed Soccer Park would be great for the team, the organization, and the entire community."

The draw for the U.S. Open Cup pairs the RailHawks with either a Portland team that beat the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-0 in the Fourth Round, or the FC Dallas side that saw off the challenge of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the Third Round. FC Dallas currently tops the MLS Western Conference, a point ahead of both Carolina's Quarter Final opponent Real Salt Lake and Portland.

WakeMed Soccer Park has become a fortress for the RailHawks as they dispatched cross-state rival Carolina Dynamo of the PDL 3-1 at home in the Second Round before upsetting reigning MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1. Then CD Chivas USA were beaten 3-1 after extra time in front of an excited crowd of 5,066 to earn the visit to Real Salt Lake on June 26 (kickoff 9.30pm ET).

In league play, Carolina sits in second place in the NASL largely thanks to a one hundred perfect home record in competitive games, having beaten FC Edmonton, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, San Antonio Scorpions and Tampa Bay Rowdies, scoring 12 goals and conceding five.

Carolina RailHawks 2013 U.S. Open Cup Results & Schedule

Tuesday, May 21

Carolina RailHawks 3 Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 1

Scorers: Ty Shipalane, Austen King, Zack Schilawski

Wednesday, May 29

Carolina RailHawks 2 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 0

Scorers: Austin da Luz, Brian Shriver

Wednesday, June 12

Carolina RailHawks 3 CD Chivas USA (MLS) 1

Scorers: Ty Shipalane, Cesar Elizondo, Brian Ackley

Wednesday, June 26

Real Salt Lake (MLS) vs. Carolina RailHawks

Rio Tinto Stadium, 9.30pm ET

Draw For The U.S. Open Cup Semi Finals

New England Revolution (MLS) / D.C. United (MLS) winner at Chicago Fire (MLS)

Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.

Wednesday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. CT

OR

New England Revolution (MLS) / D.C. United (MLS) winner at Orlando City SC (USL PRO)

Florida Citrus Bowl; Orlando, Fla.

Wednesday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Portland Timbers (MLS) / FC Dallas (MLS) winner at Real Salt Lake (MLS)

Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah

Wednesday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. MT

OR

Portland Timbers (MLS) / FC Dallas (MLS) winner at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)

WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.

Wednesday, August 7 at 7:15 p.m. ET

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



North American Soccer League Stories from June 20, 2013


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