Week 22 Preview: NCFC Visits Orange County SC
August 2, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
North Carolina FC News Release
IRVINE, Calif. - North Carolina FC is headed to the West Coast for a first-ever meeting with Orange County SC on Saturday, Aug. 3, at 10 p.m. ET. The match at Championship Soccer Stadium will stream live on ESPN+.
North Carolina FC enters the weekend in ninth place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference with a 5-7-8 record and 23 points from 20 games, while Orange County is ranked seventh in the Western Conference with an 8-10-3 record and 27 points from 21 games.
Week 21 saw NCFC fall, 2-1, at Rhode Island FC, with Mikey Maldonado opening the scoring in the 30' with a well-hit volley form the edge of the box after Evan Conway headed the ball down for the midfielder to run onto.
Conway has been one of the most in-form players in the USL Championship over the last two months, with the forward's seven goals and two assists being the most goal contributions by any player since May 18, when he found the back of the net for the first time this season. Only Oakland Roots SC's Johnny Rodriguez has equaled Conway's haul in that time.
SCOUTING ORANGE COUNTY SC
Orange County has conceded the fifth-most goals (31) in the USL Championship this season but are middle of the pack on the offensive end, ranking tied for 13th in scoring (25). The team's -6 goal differential is tied for the seventh worst in the league.
Thomas Amang, a former teammate of Conway and Collin Martin at San Deigo Loyal, leads the way for the Orange County attack with five goals and one assist in 850 minutes, but Bryce Jamison and Ethan Zubak have also been dangerous in front of goal with four goals each.
The goalkeeping duties for Orange County have been split between Colin Shutler, Duran Ferree and Tomás Gómez. Shutler was the starter for much of the season, but Gómez has started the team's last two games since joining the ream on loan from MLS club Real Salt Lake on July 19. Across his two starts, Gómez has made 10 saves and conceded three goals.
Orange County are led by Paul Hardyman, who was named the head coach for the remainder of the season after Morten Karlsen departed the club in June to take over Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish SuperLiga. Hardyman has been a member of the club's technical staff since 2021.
NEXT UP
North Carolina FC returns to WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, Aug. 10, to host Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC for the second of the team's Summer in N.C. Series games, presented by Bombshell Brewing. The game is also part of the club's Kids Come Free summer promotion, where kids 12 and under can come to games throughout the summer for free.
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