2018 North Carolina FC season

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.

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 →

Club

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Coaching staff

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As of March 15, 2018[1]
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

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As of October 13, 2018[2]
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

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Winter

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Summer

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Competitions

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  Win   Draw   Loss

Friendlies

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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.

Standings

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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

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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

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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 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
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

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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[3]

Squad statistics

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As of Match played October 6, 2018

Source: Match reports

Appearances and goals

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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

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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

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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

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  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.