NCFC to Face Northern Colorado Hailstorm for Final Time this Season
September 2, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – North Carolina FC News Release
CARY, NC – As the regular season begins to wind to a close, North Carolina FC will hit the road to face Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC for the third and final time this season on Saturday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET at Severance High School in Severance, CO. The match will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
North Carolina FC picked up a point last Saturday night, drawing with the visiting FC Tucson in front of their home crowd. Showkat Tahir tallied the score for the North Carolina side and Louis Perez added a late equalizer for Tucson, the match result decided in the final minutes.
“Another disappointing end to the game,” said Head Coach John Bradford following the match. “The guys left everything they had on the field and in the game, and unfortunately we weren’t able to finish more of our chances. Really proud of the character of our group, we keep going. As the game wore on we were creating chances, and we have to be able to put the game away.”
Breaking the ice in the 18th minute of the match, Tahir collected a layoff from Nico Molina just outside the box, taking two quick touches in succession to place the ball on his left foot. With precision, the midfielder buried a strike past Tucson goalkeeper Carlos Merancio and into the back of the net to give the home side a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Tahir’s second of the season, as Molina was credited with his second assist of the year.
Tucson found the equalizer in the 81st minute, the opportunity arising as Will Pulisic punched a corner kick out of the NCFC box. The initial save fell to Perez, who was in position just outside the eighteen to hammer a one-time volley past Pulisic to draw the Arizona side level. Despite several close scoring chances between Molina, Garrett McLaughlin, and Oalex Anderson as the match drew to a close, NCFC were unable to find a go-ahead goal as the contest expired.
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Players to Watch
North Carolina FC – #8 Pecka
A seasoned veteran amongst a young NCFC side, Pecka has collected 12 appearances across the course of the season. The midfielder has maintained 86.8% passing accuracy, and an impressive 81.4% passing accuracy in the opponent’s half, while also picking up five clearances, five blocks and a 50% tackle success rate. As the North Carolina side travels to face Northern Colorado for the last time this season, capitalizing on opportunities to earn points will be vital, as only eight games remain in the regular season schedule. Pecka will look to distribute the ball through the midfield in Saturday’s match, contributing to the attack while also tracking back defensively.
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC – #14 Arthur Rogers
Following a dominant 2-0 win over the Greenville Triumph on August 27, Rogers earned Team of the Week honors for an all-around stellar defensive performance, in which the 25-year-old created two chances while also logging six clearances, five interceptions and five recoveries. Like NCFC, Northern Colorado needs to earn a result this weekend to remain competitive for a playoff spot, with Rogers looking to limit their opponent’s scoring chances as the Hailstorm aim to pick up three points.
Up Next: North Carolina FC will return to WakeMed Soccer Park on Friday, September 9 to take on Central Valley Fuego FC at 7 p.m. ET for Star Wars Night. Tickets to the match are available here, and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League One message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
