— During the Eemian stage of the Ice Age, beginning about 130,000 years ago, rising sea levels submerged Miami, Fla. along with the lower third of The Sunshine State.

Even with present-day climate change threatening to again raise ocean levels, Miami FC is liable to go underwater before its home city, judging by recent reports of skyrocketing transfer fees and player salaries.

But Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park, the Carolina RailHawks were the ones left feeling all wet, as the first-place RailHawks and last-place Miami FC slogged to a 0-0 draw before 7,107 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The RailHawks sported a starting lineup that saw Akira Fitzgerald back at goalkeeper, but regulars Austin da Luz and James Marcelin out of the XI. RailHawks manager Colin Clarke said da Luz’s absence was a coach’s decision; Billy Schuler got his first RailHawks start in da Luz’s stead. Clarke said Marcelin is experiencing knee swelling that will require an MRI next week.

Meanwhile, midfielder Richie Ryan made his Miami FC debut, fresh off his eye-opening transfer from the Jacksonville Armada this week.

A lively, but ultimately frustrating, first half saw the RailHawks control the run of play without finding the net. The closest chance came in the 15th minute, when a Miami mishandle gave Schuler a slide poke that harmlessly caromed off the right pipe.

The scoreless play continued in the second stanza, as neither side mustered promising attacks. The teams combined for 23 shots, but Miami didn’t put a single attempt on frame and didn’t complete any of their 17 crosses. But Miami kept their back line deeper than previous matches, choking out the middle of the pitch.

The RailHawks now have just one goal in their last three games. Miami had surrendered 12 goals in their previous six matches entering tonight’s match. Not surprisingly, this is Miami FC’s first clean sheet in club history.

After the match, Miami FC manager Alessandro Nesta refused to speak with the assembled media despite multiple requests. Perhaps he didn’t want to be quizzed about his tactics and formation, even though his team snapped a four-game losing skid. Perhaps he didn’t want to pontificate on soccernomics, especially American soccer transfer fees. Perhaps he didn’t want to share his thoughts on climate change. Or maybe he was just big-timing. Regardless, it was disgraceful, petulant behavior by the Miami FC head coach.

Clarke thought Carolina deserved three points, but couldn’t finish the job.

“We’re creating chances and opportunities,” Clarke said. “If we continue to do that we’re doing, then goals will come. I look at tonight and the amount of balls we got across the front of their goal in their box, and it’s as many as we’ve had all season. We just weren’t able to get on the end of them.”

The RailHawks (4-1-2, 13 pts.) cling to a first-place tie atop the NASL table with Minnesota United, who has a game in hand on Carolina. Moreover, the New York Cosmos can grab the league lead Sunday when they visit FC Edmonton, who the RailHawks next face in Alberta on Sunday, May 22. The RailHawks return to Cary for NASL play on Saturday, June 4 against the Jacksonville Armada.

“People think you’re on top of the league, you must be better than everybody else,” Clarke observed. “It’s a hard, hard league ... I still think we’re in a good spot. We still have three games to go, and we’ll go to win them all and see where that leaves us.”

BOX SCORE

LINEUPS

CAR: Fitzgerald, Black, Tobin, Mensing, Moses (Beckie, 65’), Perez, Watson (Ceballos, 65’), Shipalane, Albadawi, Shriver, Schuler (Hassan, 87’)

MIA: Vega, Bernstein, Trafford, Adailton, Borrajo, Rezende, B. Smith (Richards, 82’), Ryan, Martinez (Kcira, 90’ + 1), Chavez (Campos, 88’), Cvitanich

GOALS

CAR: ---

MIA: ---

CAUTIONS

CAR: ---

MIA: Adailton, 31’, Trafford 72’

EJECTIONS

CAR: ---

MIA: ---

ATTENDANCE: 7,107