Enzo Martinez pressed the issue inside the penalty area twice in the first five minutes of the game for Charlotte, but the Oaks were able to stave off the attack.

The NCFC offense took some control after that and started to probe the Independence defense as Lance Laing sent cross-field passes and Steven Miller attempted crosses into the box, but the Oaks were unable to convert.

Connor Tobin came up from his defensive slot with an opportunity to score in the 11th minute, but his shot went wide.

Bolu Akinyode took a shot from distance in the 13th minute for the Oaks, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.

North Carolina FC continued to attack in the front third of the field with Albadawi and Matt Fondy attempting to connect 18 yards out, but Luke Waechter headed the ball out of danger.

It was Marcelin who gave the Oaks the lead in the 17th minute as he went into the box unmarked and headed a corner kick delivery from Laing past Charlotte goalkeeper Cody Mizell for the 1–0 lead.

Both teams got a little more aggressive as Miller was taken down by Enzo Martinez and Waechter was brought down a minute prior.

Austin Da Luz took a hard shot on target in the 25th minute, but Mizell fell on the delivery. Later in the same minute, Brian Sylvestre scooped up his first challenge, a long shot from Alex Martinez.

In the 29th minute, Da Luz took a second shot on goal, this one more on target but off to the right of goal.

The Independence had an attempt on goal, but the delivery from Enzo Martinez was pushed aside from Sylvestre in the 35th minute. From there, Charlotte took another shot after a misplayed ball by the Oaks put Martinez close to Sylvestre with the ball in play. But, NCFC’s defense was able to clear out the ball.

Da Luz had a third shot at goal with a glancing header off a Laing set piece, but the attempt didn’t get down and went out of play in the 45th minute.

The Independence played with a degree of urgency to start the second half, pressing into the Oaks’ third of the field for the first five minutes. It was Albedawi that connected for the Oaks in the 52nd minute taking a shot from a wide angle to that rolled past Mizell to put NCFC up 2–0.

That gave the defense a bit more pep as they fended off a press from the Independence. Joel Johnson attacked from the right, but he was met by Tobin on two different occasions to cut off the threat.

In the 56th minute, Jun Marques Davidson had an opportunity to get a goal back for the Independence, but his strike inside the box went wide left. David Estrada had another opportunity for the Independence in the 65th minute after Enzo Martinez found him at the top of the penalty area. Estrada had a solid look, but put too much on it as it went out of play.

A minute later, Enzo Martinez wound up and took a shot from about 20 yards out that just grazed the crossbar.

The Independence kept up the pressure when Johnson tried to find Herrera sliding in the box, but the cross went over Herrera’s outstretched foot.

On a counter attack, Saeed Robinson and Albadawi had a pair of looks at goal in the 76th minute, but neither connected.

Both teams continued to be aggressive with players from both sides taken down by slide tackles.

Albadawi closed out the game in the 82nd minute after collecting a long ball from Da Luz to drive into the box and lightly chip the ball over Mizell for his second goal of the night to make it 3–0 Oaks.

Just a minute later, Tobin got his second chance at goal and made it count, blasting the ball past Mizell.

Alex Martinez did add one for the Jacks with a penalty kick in the 91st minute, but it was too little, too late for Charlotte.

UP NEXT: The Oaks will now host the Houston Dynamo of the MLS in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. That game will be at Sahlen Stadium tentatively set for 7:30 p.m. on June 14. NCFC returns to NASL play at 4 p.m. Sunday against the New York Cosmos. The Independence will get back to action at 7 p.m. Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. That game will be at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Line-ups

North Carolina FC: Sylvestre (GK), Tobin, Marcelin, Ibeagha, Miller, Laing, Da Luz, Albadawi, Akinyode, Robinson, Fondy.

Charlotte Independence: Mizell (GK), Yearwood, Kalungi, Waechter, Johnson, Davidson, Ross, A. Martinez, Estrada, Herrera, E. Martinez. SUBS: Renfro (GK), Townsend, Ekra, Spies, Siaj, Hilton, Odenbeck.

Cautions

Enzo Martinez (CLT), 23’, Henry Kalungi (CLT) 44’, Lance Laing (NCFC) 45’+1, Brian Sylvestre (NCFC) 63’, Alex Martinez (CLT) 90’+5.