Tale of two football clubs for NCFC and Courage

Jake Caccavaro, Staff Writer • June 24, 2018

Nazmi Albadawi, a former NC State Soccer player and current midfielder for North Carolina FC, evades an opponent during a game in June 2017.

Through 14 matches, the North Carolina Football Club sits in 12th place in Group A of the United Soccer League (USL) while the North Carolina Courage sits atop the entire National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

After a 2-2 tie to Louisville City on June 23, NCFC is now 1-3-1 in its last five USL matches and sits at 4-7-3 overall.

Despite a brace from striker Daniel Armando Rios (11’, 87’), NCFC couldn’t get anything going from anyone else, and wasn’t able to take advantage of a prime opportunity to take two points from the second-place Louisville City.

Rios got the scoring going in the match Saturday, scoring in the 11^th minute off of an assist from Kyle Bekker.

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NCFC almost got through the first half unscathed, but a 39^th minute goal from Louisville City defender Paco Craig evened the score up going into halftime.

City scored first in the second half off a goal from Ilija Ilic to go up 2-1. With FC’s chances winding down towards the end of the game, Rios played a ball from Tiyi Shipalane and scored in the 87^th minute to net FC one point from the game.

The NC Courage has taken control of the NWSL through the first half of the season, racing off to a 10-1-3 start and an 11-point lead in the standings. With a goal differential of 15, the Courage has three times the GD of the next-highest club, the second-place Orlando Pride.

The Courage continued its NWSL dominance on Saturday, pounding the Seattle Reign 4-1 to get back on track after suffering its first loss of the season on June 16.

After an early 18^th minute goal from Megan Oyster gave the Reign a 1-0 lead, Courage striker Lynn Williams netted a 27^th minute answer to even the game up at 1-1. The first of two goals from midfielder and US Women’s National Team member Crystal Dunn gave the Courage a 2-1 lead at half time.

Courage defender and USWNT member Merritt Mathias opened the scoring in the second half with a 48^th minute goal before Dunn scored her second goal of the game, off an assist from Williams (1G, 2A) in the 70^th minute to put the Courage up 4-1, where the score would remain for the rest of the game.

NCFC continues its USL league schedule at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30, at City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia.

The Courage returns to action at 3:30 p.m. on June 30 at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando against the Pride.