— The North Carolina FC has had only three managers in its 12-season history, and two of them were on the touchline at WakeMed Soccer Park Saturday evening as Colin Clarke’s NCFC hosted Indy Eleven, now coached by Martin Rennie, who helmed the Carolina RailHawks from 2009 through 2011.

The rain fell hard and horizontal, rolling through Sahlen’s Stadium like crashing waves. The visitors ended up raining on North Carolina FC’s parade, as Indy Eleven capitalized on a first-half NCFC miscue on their way to 1-0 victory in Cary.

“We gave up a poor goal, a really poor play at the back,” said NCFC manager Colin Clarke. “That made it tough, but I think our response from there once we settled down … was very, very good. We deserved at least one point from the game, if not three.”

Indy Eleven clipped their game-winning goal in the 15th minute. Not since the Louisiana Purchase has there been such a lopsided giveaway as when NCFC center back Futty Danso inexplicably lost possession in his backfield. Indy’s Justin Braun lept on Danso’s lax pass, drove, and then laid it across to an open Tyler Pasher. Pasher took a touch, maneuvered to his right, then shot across the face of NCFC goalkeeper Alex Tambakis for the 1-0 advantage.

After a meandering second stanza, North Carolina FC finally pressed the issue in the throes of the match. A Dre Fortune cross in the 85th minute found Steven Miller in the goalmouth, but his header proved high. Business really picked up during the four minutes of added time. Indy Eleven was whistled for a penalty after Karl Ouimette tripped up Daniel Rios atop the area. Kyle Bekker stepped to the spot, but Indy goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams correctly lept high and to his right, swatting away Bekker’s shot to preserve the 1-0 win.

“[The penalty] looked fairly soft,” Rennie asserted, “so I’m glad we were able to get the save.”

As a parting gift for the frigid fans, Aaron Guillen of North Carolina FC and Karl Ouimette decided to reenact the bear-brawl scene from “The Revenant.” Before they could establish who would assume the role of Leo DiCaprio, the center referee—who had already regaled the crowd with five yellow cards—jumped in and sent both players off.

“My player tells me he got landed on and the guy wouldn’t get off of him,” Rennie said, although video replay also shows Ouimette grasping Guillen’s arm. “Then when they got separated, [Guillen] kicked him in the ribs. I don’t know what Ouellette could have done.”

With that, the North Carolina FC-Indy Eleven match assumed the air of a Carolina RailHawks-Montreal Impact kerfuffle of yesteryear, back when Rennie was managing in Cary.

“We knew it would be a hard game,” Rennie said, “because with NCFC not having a win yet but actually playing quite well, certainly between both boxes, we knew it would be tough today. So we’re glad we got the win.”

Indeed, it was a homecoming not only for Rennie, but also former RailHawks Brad Rusin and Matt Watson. Watson departed NCFC at the outset of the 2017 season, reportedly under acrimonious circumstances. Rennie admitted he used their return as motivation for his entire team.

“We’re a new team, and we’re working hard to get wins and develop a winning culture,” Rennie said. “That takes time and wins. A couple of returning players, Brad Rusin and Matt Watson, were really up for [the game]. I think we used the motivation of a player coming back. We talked to the players about what does it feel like when you’re coming back to a situation, and everybody fought like they were doing that. So that builds a good team.”

Notwithstanding his motivational tool, Rennie retains fonds feelings for Cary and competing at WakeMed Soccer Park.

“I’ve got great memories of being here,” Rennie said. “I’ve always enjoyed it … It was fun to be back at one of the best stadiums in the country for soccer at this level, and one of the best fields in the world.”

As for North Carolina FC (0-0-3, 0 pts.), it now takes its winless record on the road for three consecutive matches away for home in a week’s time, beginning next Saturday at the Charlotte Independence. North Carolina doesn’t play again at WakeMed Soccer Park until Saturday, April 28 against Penn FC.

Clarke hopes that defender Connor Tobin will resume full training this week, although no date is yet set for his return to the field. Like the Tampa Bay loss to open this season, Clarke still insists that the positives he sees in his team’s play outweigh the negatives.

“It’s tough, because I’m standing here and we have no points after three games and people are thinking, ‘What’s he talking about?” Clarke said. “[Against Tampa Bay] we were still finding our way, still coming together. I still believe that a little bit, but I saw group in there tonight that’s obviously very disappointed, but have come together a little more. That could be a good thing, and we have to use that as a positive as we move forward.

“I’d be more [concerned] if we hadn’t been in games and dominated the way we have. We have to turn that possession into goals, and that’s what needs to happen pretty soon.”

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

NC: Tambakis, Guillen, Harrington (Lomis, 88’), Danso, da Luz, Miller, Fortune (Luxbacher, 86’), Smith, Kandziora (Ewolo, 69’), Bekker, Rios

IND: F. Williams, Ouimette, Pasher, Mitchell (Rusin, 90’), Ayoze, Matern, Lewis (Steinberger, 27’), Watson, Ring, Saad, Braun (Speas 67’)

GOALS

NC: ---

IND: Pasher, 15’ (Braun)

CAUTIONS

NC: Kandziora, 36’; G. Smith, 54’; Bekker, 77’

IND: Mitchell, 37’; Fon Williams, 72’

EJECTIONS

NC: Guillen, 90+2’

IND: Ouimette, 90+2’

ATTENDANCE: 3,169