Sports stats



North Carolina FC

Southern Derby Cup, Playoff Chances on the Line in North Carolina Derby

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


CARY, N.C. - North Carolina FC is set for a thrilling conclusion to the regular season, facing the Charlotte Independence in a North Carolina Derby match on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Sportsplex at Matthews. The match could help push North Carolina FC to the playoffs and will decide who claims the Southern Derby Cup.

While NCFC needs help to make the 2018 USL playoffs, there is still a chance for the team to qualify. First, North Carolina FC needs to win against Charlotte. Three points will boost NCFC to 47 points and keep the team's postseason hopes alive.

Additionally, Ottawa Fury FC must tie or lose against Charleston Battery on Saturday and Bethlehem Steel FC must lose to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Sunday. From there, the tiebreakers would come down to goal differential or goals scored. NCFC needs to make up a six-goal margin to surpass Bethlehem.

Winning big will be no easy task, as Charlotte presents a tough challenge. With this match guaranteed to be the final game of the 2018 campaign for the Independence, the side will look to end on a strong note.

The two teams also enjoy a storied rivalry that started in the 1990s between the Raleigh Flyers and Charlotte Eagles. The series was revived in 2015 with the arrival of the Independence. The sides have played in heated matches over the last few years with NCFC having the better of the results. Overall, NCFC is 4W-1L in official contests with its rival and is outscoring Charlotte 17-4 across those five matches.

For added motivation, a win will also clinch the Southern Derby Cup for North Carolina FC and its supporters. Charleston currently has six points to lead the trio, but North Carolina could surpass the defending champions and claim the trophy with a victory. Any other result will see Charleston hold on for another year.

Last Time Out:

North Carolina dropped a tightly contested match against Louisville City FC, as the hosts scored late to win 2-1. Daniel Rios scored his team high 18th goal of the season in the result.

Players To Watch

North Carolina FC - No. 7 Donovan Ewolo

Head Coach Colin Clarke has called the Cameroonian striker's number plenty in the last several months of the season. Ewolo has started up top for Coach Clarke four out of the past five games, including a four-goal match against Atlanta United 2 that earned the striker USL Player of the Week honors. Ewolo currently ranks second on the team in goals (7). He comes into the match in fine form and will look to continue that momentum.

Charlotte Independence - No. 23 Alex Martinez

Martinez has been a staple in the Independence starting XI this season, amassing over 2,500 minutes and earning 29 starts. While the midfielder leads his team in assists (5), he also contributes heavily on the defensive end, winning a team-high 48 tackles. Fans of NCFC may recognize Martinez from his playing days as a member of the Carolina Railhawks, where he suited up for the team twice in his 2014 campaign.

Up Next:

NCFC will await results around the league to determine the remaining playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 12, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent North Carolina FC Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central