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USL-1 North Carolina FC

Two big fixtures in Montreal loom for RailHawks

August 28, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
North Carolina FC News Release


The RailHawks are unbeaten over their last eight matches (5-0-3), won 9-0 on Wednesday and clinched a berth in the USL First Division playoffs.

As the RailHawks continue to roll along, you might think they're getting comfortable. But with two games looming at Montreal on Sunday and Wednesday, Carolina has no intention of slowing down.

"I wondered how it would be in training after winning 9-0, and I thought maybe it would be a little bit lax," said Carolina coach Martin Rennie. "So I decided not to say anything before training and just watch it. And it was just as intense. Guys were all desperate to be in the team and desperate to do well."

Carolina will face Montreal twice in four days at Saputo Stadium. The first game will be Sunday afternoon at 3:45 and the second game is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.

The RailHawks (14-5-6, 48 points) enter the weekend in sole possession of second place, three points behind Portland. Montreal (9-10-5) is in sixth place, one point ahead of Vancouver.

The RailHawks head to Montreal riding a big wave of momentum after their historic 9-0 win over Miami at WakeMed Soccer Park. The nine goals scored were the most in the USL-1/A-League since 1998, and the nine-goal margin of victory is the largest since 1998.

During their eight-match unbeaten streak, the RailHawks have outscored their opponents 20-1, with seven shutouts. They lead the league in clean sheets, with 16.

This weekend kicks off a harsh five-game stretch close the season. After these two games with Montreal, the RailHawks will play Puerto Rico twice (one home, one away) before closing the season against the Impact on Sept. 18 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

"We're focused for the homestretch," Rennie said. "Our run is really good in terms of preparing for playoffs because it's all really good teams were playing."

Jockeying for the highest possible playoff position is surely incentive enough as the RailHawks head to Montreal, but if they need an extra boost, they can remember this: Carolina has never defeated the Impact (0-5-1).

SCOUTING MONTREAL

After some early season upheaval, the Impact seem to have straightened out and appear on track for the USL-1 postseason. They sit in sixth place in the USL-1 table, one point ahead of Vancouver for the seventh and final playoff spot. Six points separate Vancouver and eighth-place Miami with six games to play.

The Impact routinely play before crowds for more than 10,000 at Saputo Stadium, creating a distinct home-field advantage. They are 6-3-2 at home this year have outscored their opponents 18-10. On the road, they are 3-6-4 and have been outscored 19-11.

Rochester, Vancouver and Portland are the only teams to win in Montreal this year, and each of those games was decided by a single goal.

Over their last five matches, Montreal is 3-2-0, and they've won their last two (at Cleveland, vs Austin).

For the season, Montreal has scored 26 goals (tied for sixth most in the USL-1) and allowed 26 goals (fifth fewest) this season. They've taken slightly fewer shots (283) than they've allowed (287), and they've been shut out 10 times, tied for third most in the league.

Forward Roberto Brown leads the team in scoring, with five goals and two assists. Forward Eduardo Sebrango has four goals and two assists, and forward Rocco Placentino has two goals and five assists.

Srdjan Djekanovic and Matthew Jordan have shared goalkeeping responsibilities this season. Jordan has appeared in 16 matches, going 6-8-2 with a 1.25 goals against average and five shutouts. Djekanovic has appeared in eight matches, going 3-2-3, with a 0.75 goals against average and three shutouts.

SERIES HISTORY

Sunday's match will be the first meeting between Carolina and Montreal this season, and the seventh all-time. Carolina is 0-5-1 in the first six meetings. In the teams' first-ever match, the RailHawks took a 2-0 first-half lead in Montreal, but the Impact came back with two goals in the second half to force a 2-2 tie. Montreal has won the last five meetings and outscored the RailHawks 12-1. Carolina has been shut out in each of the last three meetings with the Impact.

LAST TIME OUT

The RailHawks rolled to a 9-0 win over Miami on Wednesday night, extending their unbeaten streak to a club record eight games (5-0-3). The RailHawks scored five goals in the final 14 minutes of the first half then scored four more over an 11-minute stretch late in the second half. Six different players scored for Carolina, including Joseph Kabwe's hat trick and Sallieu Bundu's double, and a total of 24 points were earned by eight different players. The RailHawks took a season-high 20 shots, 16 of which were on frame.

PLAYER NOTES

*Midfielder Joseph Kabwe had three goals and an assist against Miami, the fifth hat trick in club history. The 10 points earned were the most ever by a RailHawk in one game.

*Forward Sallieu Bundu had two goals and an assist against Miami, the ninth multi-goal performance in club history. He now leads the team in goals scored (seven).

*Midfielder Gregory Richardson had a goal and two assists against Miami, the fourth multi-assist game in club history. Richardson now has five goals and four assists in nine appearances with Carolina.

*Midfielder Daniel Paladini scored his sixth goal of the season against Miami.

*Midfielder John Cunliffe scored his second goal of the season against Miami.

*Forward Andriy Budnyy scored his fourth goal of the season against Miami. In his last six games, Budnyy has two goals and one assist.

*Midfielder Matt Watson registered his first assist of the season against Miami, setting up Bundu's second goal.

*Defender Devon McKenney registered his first assist of the season against Miami, setting up Cunliffe's goal.

*Goalkeeper Eric Reed had no saves against Miami while picking up his sixth shutout in USL-1 play. It was his second saveless clean sheet of the season.

STAT LEADERS*

Goals: Sallieu Bundu (7)

Assists: Daniel Paladini (5)

Minutes: Mark Schulte (2,531)

Shots: Daniel Paladini (53)

Fouls: Amir Lowery (40)

*includes USL-1 matches, U.S. Open Cup matches and five friendlies in 2009

CAROLINA VS USL-1*

The following are the RailHawks' team statistics for the year and in parentheses is where they rank in each category compared to the rest of the USL First Division.

Shots: 288 (3rd)

Shots allowed: 261 (3rd)

Goals scored: 38 (2nd)

Goals allowed: 14 (10th)

Saves: 80 (9th)

Shutouts: 16 (1st)

Times shut out: 6 (9th)

*based only on USL-1 matches

2008 VS 2009 SEASON COMPARISON

Through 24 games in 2008:

6-10-9, 27 points, 26 GF, 35 GA, 5 SO

Through 25 games in 2009:

14-5-6, 48 points, 38 GF, 14 GA, 16 SO

USL-1 HONORS

Team of the Week

Week 2: Jack Stewart, Josh Gardner

Week 3: John Gilkerson, Brian Plotkin

Week 4: John Gilkerson

Week 6: Devon McKenney, Luke Kreamalmeyer

Week 7: Daniel Paladini, Kupono Low, Andriy Budnyy

Week 8: Kupono Low, Daniel Paladini

Week 11: Matt Watson

Week 14: Caleb Norkus, Sallieu Bundu

Week 15: Gregory Richardson

Week 16: Gregory Richardson

Week 17: Joseph Kabwe, Kupono Low, Gregory Richardson

Week 18: Caleb Patterson

Week 19: Caleb Patterson, Jeremy Tolleson

Week 20: Jeremy Tolleson

Player of the Week

Week 1: Mark Schulte

Week 16: Gregory Richardson

USL-1 SCHEDULE - WEEK 21

Wednesday, Aug. 26

Miami 0, Carolina 9

Thursday, Aug. 27

Cleveland 0, Minnesota 3

Friday, Aug. 28

Portland at Charleston, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 29

Minnesota at Puerto Rico, 8 p.m.

Miami at Austin, 8:30 p.m.

Rochester at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 30

Carolina at Montreal, 3:45 p.m.

USL-1 STANDINGS

Portland 14-1-9, 51 points

Carolina 14-5-6, 48 points

Charleston 12-4-9, 45 points

Puerto Rico 11-5-8, 41 points

Rochester 9-8-7, 34 points

Montreal 9-10-5, 32 points

Vancouver 8-9-7, 31 points

Miami 7-13-4, 25 points

Minnesota 5-11-8, 23 points

Cleveland 3-16-7, 16 points

Austin (-2) 3-13-8, 15 points

NEXT UP

After playing the Impact again on Wednesday night, the RailHawks will go back on the road to face the Puerto Rico Islanders in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 8. The teams' will meet again four days later at WakeMed Soccer Park. Puerto Rico won the teams' first meeting of the season 2-1 on June 27 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics



USL First Division Stories from August 28, 2009


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