Week 18 Preview: NCFC Hosts Miami FC

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USL North Carolina FC

Week 18 Preview: NCFC Hosts Miami FC

July 5, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release


CARY, N.C. - North Carolina FC returns to WakeMed Soccer Park for Week 18 of the USL Championship regular season, hosting Miami FC on Saturday, July 6, at 7:30 p.m. The match will stream live on ESPN+.

The match will kick off the team's 'Kids Come Free' campaign, where children 12 and under get free admission to all NCFC and NC Courage home matches through Labor Day Weekend. Get children's tickets here.

Saturday is Fireworks in the Park night, presented by 02 Fitness. Be sure to stick around after the match for a dazzling fireworks display. Tickets are available here.

North Carolina FC enters the weekend in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points from 16 games and a 4-6-6 record following a tough road loss against Southern Derby rival Charleston Battery last Friday. Miami is currently bottom of the Eastern Conference table with just eight points from 17 games, a 2-13-2 record, and a -21 goal differential.

Week 17 saw NCFC fall, 5-2, in Charleston after a second-half red card opened the door for the Battery to erase North Carolina's two-goal halftime lead. Evan Conway, who now leads the team with four goals, and Shaft Brewer Jr. got on the scoresheet for NCFC in the first half.

Two NCFC players are set to hit the century mark for USL appearances with Mikey Maldonado and Jake McGuire entering the weekend with 99 appearances across the USL Championship and League One.

Scouting Miami FC

Miami has struggled at both ends of the park this season, with a league-high 38 goals conceded, 10 more than any other team, and just three teams with fewer goals than Miami's 17. North Carolina earned a 0-4 win in the first meeting of the year over Memorial Day Weekend.

Just four players have scored multiple goals for Miami this season, with Allen Gavilanes the main threat in front of goal. The former Marist Red Fox joined the team from USL League One side Greenville Triumph this offseason and has found the back of the net five times.

USL journeyman Frank López is also a player to watch out for in the final third, with three goals and three assists to his name, as well as a team-leading 14 chances created.

Daniel Gagliardi, Felipe Rodriguez and Khadim Ndiaye have all seen time in the Miami net this season, but Rodriguez has started the last six. This season, Rodriguez has a 54% save percentage, conceding 17 goals on 37 shots on target faced. As a team, Miami have kept just one clean sheet.

Next up

North Carolina FC will head to the West Coast to take on Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday, July 13, at 11 p.m. ET at Heart Health Park in Sacramento. The match will stream live on CBS' Golazo Network.

Check out the North Carolina FC Statistics

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