2018 North Carolina FC season

North Carolina
2018 season
OwnerStephen Malik
Head coachColin Clarke
StadiumSahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Cary, North Carolina
(Capacity: 10,000)
USL9th
Southern DerbyChampions
U.S. Open Cup4th Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Daniel Ríos (20)
All: Daniel Ríos (20)
Highest home attendance9,505
(September 8 vs. Nashville)
Lowest home attendance3,169
(Apr 7 vs. Indy)
Average home league attendance4,730
Biggest win6–1
(September 21 vs. Atlanta United 2)
Biggest defeat1–4
(May 19 vs. Cincinnati)
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 North Carolina FC season was the club's 12th season of existence. Until the 2017 season, the club was previously known as the Carolina RailHawks. The 2018 season was the clubs first in the USL, having left the NASL at the end of the 2017 season. For the first time since 2009 and its fourth in club history, North Carolina won the Southern Derby, a fan-based U.S. professional soccer cup competition between North Carolina, Charleston Battery, and Charlotte Independence. North Carolina finished the regular season in 9th place with 47 points, missing out on the playoffs by 2 points to Nashville.

Club

Coaching staff

As of March 15, 2018
Position Staff
Head coach Colin Clarke
Assistant coach Dewan Bader
Assistant coach Greg Shields
Assistant coach Nic Platter
Assistant coach Michael Milazzo
Head Athletic Trainer Shawn Wilson

Roster

As of October 13, 2018
No. Position Player Nation
1 GK Alex Tabakis  Greece
3 DF Peabo Doue  United States
4 MF Victor Igbekoyi  Nigeria
5 DF Michael Harrington  United States
6 MF Austin da Luz  United States
7 FW Donovan Ewolo  Cameroon
8 MF Dre Fortune  Trinidad and Tobago
9 FW Marios Lomis  Netherlands
10 MF Kyle Bekker  Canada
11 DF Wuilito Fernandes  Cape Verde
13 DF Connor Tobin  United States
14 FW Daniel Ríos (on loan from Guadalajara)  Mexico
15 MF Cameron Steele  United States
16 MF Graham Smith  United States
17 MF Bernhard Luxbacher  Austria
18 MF Marcel Kandziora  Germany
22 MF Ty Shipalane  South Africa
23 MF Zach Steinberger (on loan from Indy Eleven)  United States
27 DF D.J. Taylor  United States
30 GK Austin Guerrero  United States
31 DF Steven Miller  United States
33 DF Aaron Guillen  Mexico
99 MF Nelson Blanco  El Salvador

Transfers

Winter

Summer

Competitions

  Win   Draw   Loss

Friendlies

February 14 Atlanta United FC – North Carolina FC Marietta, Georgia
Stadium: Atlanta United FC Training Ground
Attendance: Closed-door
Note: Match result not publicized.
February 18 North Carolina FC – UNC Wilmington Cary, North Carolina
Report Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Note: Cancelled due to inclement weather.
February 25 Charlotte Independence 0–1 North Carolina FC Matthews, North Carolina
13:00 EST Miller Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews
March 3 NC State University 0–2 North Carolina FC Raleigh, North Carolina
10:00 EST Miller
Doue 		Stadium: Dail Soccer Stadium
March 10 Charleston Battery 0–1 (a.e.t.) North Carolina FC Charleston, South Carolina
11:00 EST Report Ríos Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium
Note: 45 minutes of extra time played.

USL

Main article: 2018 USL season

Standings

Main article: Eastern Conference (USL)
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
7 Indy Eleven 34 13 10 11 45 42 +3 49 Conference Playoffs
8 Nashville SC 34 12 13 9 42 31 +11 49
9 North Carolina FC 34 13 8 13 60 50 +10 47
10 Ottawa Fury 34 13 6 15 31 43 −12 45
11 Charlotte Independence 34 10 12 12 44 57 −13 42
Source: 2018 USL standings
Rules for classification: 1) total wins; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 5) disciplinary points; 6) coin toss or drawing of lots

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
StadiumHAHAAAHAHHHHAHAAHAHHHAAAHHHAAAHHAA
ResultLLLWDDWLWLLWLDWLDDWWDWLDWLDWWLWLLW
Position1314141311119151212141313121213131313101110101010101010810810109
Updated to match(es) played on October 6, 2018. Source: Match reports
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

March 17 1 North Carolina FC 1–3 Tampa Bay Rowdies Cary, North Carolina
15:30 EDT Danso  17'
Miller 38'		 Report Fernandes 23'
Hristov 41' (pen.)
Blake 90'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,197
Referee: Guido Gonzalez
March 31 2 Richmond Kickers 2–1 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
17:00 EDT Umar  41'
Imura 76' (pen.)
Gonzalez 83'		 Report Ríos 43'
Guillen  76'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,032
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
April 7 3 North Carolina FC 0–1 Indy Eleven Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Kandziora  36'
Smith  54'
Bekker  78'
Guillen  90+5'		 Report Pasher 15'
Mitchell  37'
Williams  71'
Ouimette  90+5'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,169
Referee: Kevin Broadley
April 14 4 Charlotte Independence 0–2 North Carolina FC Matthews, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Martínez  7'
Smith  85'		 Report Ríos 50'
Doue  59'
Fortune  61'
Lomis 86'		 Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews
Attendance: 2,264
Referee: Matthew Franz
April 18 5 Toronto FC II 0–0 North Carolina FC Toronto, Ontario
20:00 EDT Bjornethun  5' Report Kandziora  78' Stadium: BMO Field
Attendance: 50
Referee: Yusri Rudolph
April 21 6 Ottawa Fury 1–1 North Carolina FC Ottawa, Ontario
14:00 EDT Bruna  70'
Tabakis 86' (o.g.)		 Report Ríos 35' Stadium: TD Place Stadium
Attendance: 6,137
Referee: Pierre Lauziere
April 28 7 North Carolina FC 3–0 Penn FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT da Luz 29'
Bekker 35'
Ríos 37'
Kandziora  66'
Miller  75'		 Report Eustáquio  40'
Bond  49'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,970
Referee: Jonathan Bilinski
May 19 8 FC Cincinnati 4–1 North Carolina FC Cincinnati, Ohio
19:30 EDT Albadawi 11', 45'
Smith  30'
Ledesma 62' (pen.)
König 69'  75'		 Report Bekker  65'
Lomis 86'		 Stadium: Nippert Stadium
Attendance: 22,884
Referee: Victor Rivas
May 25 9 North Carolina FC 4–0 Atlanta United 2 Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Ewolo 7'
Crain 26' (o.g.)
Bekker  45+1'
Ríos 52'
Lomis 89'		 Report Wheeler-Omiunu  72'
Kendall-Moullin  73'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,710
Referee: Lorant Varga
June 2 10 North Carolina FC 1–2 Bethlehem Steel FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Doue 16'
Tobin  57'
Harrington  67'
da Luz  89'		 Report Najen  25'
Ofeimu 83'
Ngalina 85'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,526
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
June 9 11 North Carolina FC 0–2 FC Cincinnati Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Report Ledesma  26'
König 37'  52'
Hoyte  72'
McLaughlin 87'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,039
Referee: Mark Allatin
June 13 12 North Carolina FC 4–2 Ottawa Fury FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Tobin 3'  76'
Ríos 30'
Lomis 43'
Miller 57'
Smith  69'
Bekker  87'		 Report Oliveira 45+2'
Attakora  53'
D.J. Taylor 74' (o.g.)
Obasi  79'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,452
Referee: Guido Gonzalez
June 16 13 Nashville SC 1–0 North Carolina FC Nashville, Tennessee
19:30 CDT Allen  16'
Mensah 90+4'		 Report da Luz  37'
Miller  90+4'		 Stadium: First Tennessee Park
Attendance: 9,047
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
June 23 14 North Carolina FC 2–2 Louisville City FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Ríos 30' 87'  46'
Kandziora  90+2'		 Report Craig 39'
Ilić 59'
McCabe  72'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,554
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
June 30 15 Richmond Kickers 1–3 North Carolina FC Richmond, Virginia
19:00 EDT Cordovés 4'
Worra  90+5'		 Report Lee 59' (o.g.)
da Luz 62'
Ewolo 90+5' (pen.)		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 5,137
Referee: Eric Tattersall
July 4 16 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2–0 North Carolina FC Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
19:00 EDT Fortune  75'
Blanco  89'		 Report François 71'
Kerr 71'
Lubahn  84'		 Stadium: Highmark Stadium
Referee: Jon Freemon
July 7 17 North Carolina FC 1–1 Charleston Battery Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Ríos 81'
Guillen  90+5'		 Report Guerra 63'
Woodbine  69'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,623
Referee: Javier Santos
July 14 18 Bethlehem Steel FC 1–1 North Carolina FC Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
17:00 EDT Kandziora 22'  90+4'
Smith  40'
Fortune  70'		 Report Najem 56'
Chiluya  65'
Holness  83'
Aubrey  90+5'		 Stadium: Goodman Stadium
Attendance: 2,749
Referee: Jonathan Bilinski
July 21 19 North Carolina FC 3–1 Toronto FC II Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT da Luz 28'
Harrington  54'
Ríos 55' (pen.)
Bekker 61'  74'
Guillen  70'		 Report Hundal 20'
Romeo  54'
Campbell  60'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,626
Referee: Gustavo Solorio
July 28 20 North Carolina FC 2–1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Ríos 24'
Guillen  42'
Fernandes 90+1'		 Report François 57' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,896
Referee: Lorant Varga
August 4 21 Southern Derby North Carolina FC 0–0 Charleston Battery Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Report Guerra  43' Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,026
Referee: Bardhyl Pashaj
August 11 22 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–2 North Carolina FC St. Petersburg, Florida
19:30 EDT Diakité  13' Report Tobin  6'
da Luz  51'
Kandziora 65' (Miller)
Ríos 78' (Bekker)		 Stadium: Al Lang Stadium
Attendance: 4,876
Referee: Luis Guardia
August 15 23 Indy Eleven 3–2 North Carolina FC Indianapolis, Indiana
19:00 EDT Starikov 7'
Speas 31'
Mitchell  45'
Guerra 90'		 Report Bekker 45+1'
Lomis 77'		 Stadium: Lucas Oil Stadium
Attendance: 9,023
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
August 21 24 New York Red Bulls II 2–2 North Carolina FC Montclair, New Jersey
19:00 EDT Aguinaga 39'
Stroud  47'
Stauffer 53'  88'
Mines  69'
Cásseres  81'		 Report da Luz  43'
Ríos 46'
Bekker  61'
Tobin  68'
Smith  76'
Ewolo 90'		 Stadium: MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field
Attendance: 781
Referee: Jose Lara
August 25 25 Southern Derby North Carolina FC 6–2 Charlotte Independence Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Steinberger 26', 51'  52'
Fernandes  36'
Miller  36' 49'
da Luz 69'
Ríos 72', 78'		 Report George 24'  32'
Owundi  72'
Areman 85'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,195
Referee: Daniel Gutierrez
September 1 26 North Carolina FC 0–3 Tampa Bay Rowdies Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Guillen  61'
Lomis  76'
Tobin  81'
da Luz  90+2'		 Report Guenzatti 23', 43', 56'
Oduro  48'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 4,102
Referee: Matthew Franz
September 8 27 North Carolina FC 3–3 Nashville SC Cary, North Carolina
17:00 EDT Shipalane 18'
Ríos 39'
Steinberger 63'		 Report Allen 51' (pen.), 80' (pen.)
Kimura  67'
Moloto 82'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 9,505
Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
September 16 28 Penn FC 0–1 North Carolina FC Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
19:00 EDT Shaibu  84' Report Ríos 11'
Ewolo  90+2'		 Stadium: FNB Field
Attendance: 2,205
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
September 21 29 Atlanta United 2 1–6 North Carolina FC Lawrenceville, Georgia
19:00 EDT Castro 8' Report Ewolo 3', 16', 33', 89'
Bekker 29'
Steinberger 42'
Smith  61'
Igbekoyi  71'		 Stadium: Coolray Field
Attendance: 1,923
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
September 26 30 Southern Derby Charleston Battery 2–0 North Carolina FC Charleston, South Carolina
19:00 EDT Mansaray 90+1'
Svantesson 90+4'		 Report Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium
Attendance: 1,748
Referee: Marcos DeOliveira
September 29 31 North Carolina FC 3–2 Richmond Kickers Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Bekker 39', 73'
da Luz 61'
Ríos  90+1'		 Report Cordovés  11', 44',  79' 
Agyemang 30'
Boehme  45+1'
Eaton  50'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 8,004
Referee: Kevin Broadley
October 6 32 North Carolina FC 1–2 New York Red Bulls II Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Guillen  45+3'
Bekker 52'		 Report Abang 24',  45+6'
Barlow 79'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 8,820
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
October 9 33 Louisville City FC 2–1 North Carolina FC Louisville, Kentucky
19:00 EDT Craig  25'
Lancaster 47', 84'
Jimenez  72'		 Report Ríos  29', 38'
Bekker  61'		 Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field
Attendance: 6,693
Referee: Tim Ford
Note: Match originally scheduled to be played on March 24 but was postponed due to poor pitch conditions
October 13 34 Southern Derby Charlotte Independence 1–3 North Carolina FC Matthews, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Herrera 6',  7' Report Ríos 5', 87'
Smith  30'
Igbekoyi  73'
Miller 90+3'		 Stadium: Sportsplex at Matthews
Attendance: 1,486
Referee: Ramy Touchan

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2018 U.S. Open Cup
May 16 Second round North Carolina FC 3–0 Lansdowne Bhoys FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Tobin 1'
Smith  38'
Lomis 44'
Luxbacher 74'
da Luz  78'		 Report Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,754
Referee: Gabriel Rivera
May 22 Third round North Carolina FC 4–1 Ocean City Nor'easters Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT Lomis 8'
da Luz 26'
Fortune 66'  76'
Ewolo 83'		 Report Uros Ilic 17'  53'
Michael Barrow  58'
Jacob Labovitz  84'		 Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,778
Referee: Gustavo Solorio
June 5 Fourth round D.C. United 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)		 North Carolina FC Germantown, Maryland
19:00 EDT Harkes 25'  80' Report Lomis 83'
Kandziora  109'
Smith  115'		 Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex
Attendance: 3,118
Referee: Matthew Franz
Penalties
Asad
Mattocks
Acosta
Harkes
Miranda 		Ríos
Bekker
Lomis
Doue
Tobin

Schedule Source

Squad statistics

As of Match played October 6, 2018

Source: Match reports

Appearances and goals

No. Pos Nat Player Total USL Regular Season U.S. Open Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK  GRE Alex Tabakis 33 0 32 0 1 0
3 DF  USA Peabo Doue 19 1 11+6 1 1+1 0
4 MF  NGA Victor Igbekoyi 6 0 5+1 0 0 0
5 DF  USA Michael Harrington 24 0 22+1 0 1 0
6 MF  USA Austin da Luz 34 5 31 4 3 1
7 MF  CMR Donovan Ewolo 29 8 15+13 7 0+1 1
8 MF  TRI Dre Fortune 18 1 8+7 0 3 1
9 FW  NED Marios Lomis 25 8 7+15 5 3 3
10 MF  CAN Kyle Bekker 34 7 28+3 7 3 0
11 FW  CPV Wuilito Fernandes 15 1 7+7 1 0+1 0
13 DF  USA Connor Tobin 22 2 19 1 3 1
14 FW  MEX Daniel Ríos 28 19 23+4 19 0+1 0
15 MF  USA Cameron Steele 1 0 0 0 0+1 0
16 MF  USA Graham Smith 33 0 31 0 2 0
17 MF  AUT Bernhard Luxbacher 7 1 0+5 0 2 1
18 MF  GER Marcel Kandziora 22 2 13+7 2 1+1 0
22 MF  RSA Ty Shipalane 21 1 5+15 1 1 0
23 MF  USA Zach Steinberger 9 4 9 4 0 0
27 DF  USA D.J. Taylor 34 0 30+1 0 2+1 0
30 GK  USA Austin Guerrero 3 0 1 0 2 0
31 DF  USA Steven Miller 31 4 29+1 4 1 0
33 DF  USA Aaron Guillen 26 0 22+1 0 3 0
98 DF  GAM Futty Danso 11 0 9 0 1+1 0
99 MF  SLV Nelson Blanco 4 0 0+3 0 0+1 0

Goal scorers

Place Position Nation Number Name USL Regular Season U.S. Open Cup Total
1 FW 14 Daniel Ríos 20 0 20
2 FW 8 Donovan Ewolo 7 1 8
FW 9 Marios Lomis 5 3 8
4 MF 10 Kyle Bekker 7 0 7
5 MF 6 Austin da Luz 5 1 6
6 MF 23 Zach Steinberger 4 0 4
DF 31 Steven Miller 4 0 4
8 DF 13 Connor Tobin 1 1 2
MF 18 Marcel Kandziora 2 0 2
10 DF 3 Peabo Doue 1 0 1
MF 7 Dre Fortune 0 1 1
FW 11 Wuilito Fernandes 1 0 1
FW 17 Bernhard Luxbacher 0 1 1
MF 23 Ty Shipalane 1 0 1
TOTALS 58 8 66

Disciplinary record

Number Nation Position Name USL Regular Season U.S. Open Cup Total
3 DF Peabo Doue 1 0 0 0 1 0
4 MF Victor Igbekoyi 2 0 0 0 2 0
5 DF Michael Harrington 2 0 0 0 2 0
6 MF Austin da Luz 5 0 1 0 6 0
7 FW Donovan Ewolo 1 0 0 0 1 0
8 MF Dre Fortune 3 0 1 0 4 0
9 FW Marios Lomis 1 0 0 0 1 0
10 MF Kyle Bekker 6 0 0 0 6 0
11 FW Wuilito Fernandes 1 0 0 0 1 0
13 DF Connor Tobin 5 0 0 0 5 0
14 FW Daniel Ríos 1 0 0 0 1 0
16 MF Graham Smith 6 0 2 0 8 0
18 MF Marcel Kandziora 5 0 1 0 6 0
23 MF Zach Steinberger 1 0 0 0 1 0
31 DF Aaron Guillen 6 1 0 0 6 1
33 DF Steven Miller 3 0 0 0 3 0
98 DF Futty Danso 1 0 0 0 1 0
99 MF Nelson Blanco 1 0 0 0 1 0
TOTALS 51 1 5 0 56 1

References

  1. ^ "Coaching Staff". North Carolina FC. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  2. ^ "Roster | North Carolina FC". www.northcarolinafc.com. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 Season Schedule". North Carolina FC. North Carolina FC. Retrieved February 4, 2018.