North Carolina FC travelled to Alabama on Saturday needing a win against Birmingham Legion FC to keep the rapidly closing door to the playoffs open. NCFC left Birmingham with that door still open, if only slightly, after a 2-1 win over the Group G leaders.
The starting XI for NCFC looked very different than it did in the 1-0 loss to the Charlotte Independence with starting keeper Alex Tambakis, center back Sam Brotheron, midfielders Hadji Barry and Nazmi Albadawi (serving a one-game suspension) all dropping out of the XI. In their places, Paulo Pita got his first professional start in net, Alex Comsia partnered Connor Donovan at the back, and Graham Smith and Ben Speas rounded out the midfield.
Former NC State midfielder and current Celtic-loanee Manny Perez and NCFC Youth Academy product Dre Fortune got the goals for NCFC. Perez scored his first goal of the season in the seventh minute to put NCFC up early and Fortune doubled the lead in the 26th minute, converting from 12 yards out after Pecka went down just inside the box to earn NCFC a penalty.
Birmingham made things interesting with a goal in the 67th minute from substitute Jaden Servania who redirected a cross on goal from the middle of the box, giving Pita no chance. Late in the game, Birmingham came close to a second with an onslaught of chances in added time but a mix of same Pita saves and last-ditch defending from NCFC’s backline was able to secure the 2-1 win.
With the Charlotte Independence falling to Memphis 901 FC on Saturday evening, NCFC now controls its own destiny, to a point. Charlotte’s final game of the season will be at WakeMed Soccer Park on Sept. 30 and if NCFC wins, Charlotte will end the season on 25 points, the same total NCFC can achieve by winning its remaining games. NCFC would also hold the first tiebreaker, total wins, if it wins out to reach that 25 point mark.
It isn’t as simple as it seems however. NCFC’s final game of the season, a road match against Loudoun FC, was canceled this week (there is also a postponed game against Memphis from this week yet to be rescheduled) and according to the release announcing the Loudoun match’s cancelation, “The league will continue to work with the Competition Strategy Committee on any situations that directly impact playoff qualification and is looking for the opportunity for NCFC to play a 15th and 16th game.”
Should the 15th and 16th games not be scheduled for NCFC, the release states, “the points per game model voted on by the USL Championship Board of Governors will be applied to the remaining matches unable to be played.” Given that NCFC needs three points from both the 15th and 16th games, points per game would likely not cut it.
If this ending couldn’t get even stranger, NCFC could still top the group. If Birmingham loses its final game of the season to Memphis, it would also end the season on 25 points and seven wins, the same totals as Charlotte.
NCFC’s next game will be the crucial showdown with Charlotte on Wednesday and beyond that NCFC could have an additional two games left to play.
