Cary, NC (May 31, 2019) - North Carolina FC (5W-2L-4T, 22 pts.) have a quick turnaround this week, as they face Hartford Athletic (1W-9L-2T, 5 pts.) in Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn. on Saturday, June 1 at 7 p.m. NCFC is coming off a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup 1-0 win over the Florida Soccer Soldiers last Wednesday night.

NCFC enters the game undefeated in the last four matches across all competitions, including last Saturday’s 2-1 win at MSU Soccer Park over the New York Red Bulls II. Sam Brotherton and Steven Miller tallied goals giving the team their first ever win over the New York side.

A win over Hartford could propel NCFC into second place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings.

Hartford Athletic will also be entering the match with little rest on the heels of a US Open Cup match. The side, coached by Jimmy Nielsen, suffered a 4-0 loss at the hands of Memphis 901 Wednesday night.

After a string of road matches to start the season, Hartford opened their homestand season on May 4 with a 1-1 draw against Charlotte Independence. Since then, the team has gone on a 1-1-2 record in USL Championship play, earning their first win of the season 2-1 at Loudoun United on May 19. Most recently, the Athletic drew Ottawa 1-1 last Saturday, May 25.

This will be the second meeting between the clubs with NCFC emerging victorious with a 4-1 win on April 27. On the occasion, defender Sam Brotherton recorded the game-winner scoring his first goal in an NCFC uniform.

Up Next:

North Carolina FC will continue the road swing as they travel to Florida to face current Eastern Conference leaders Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. NCFC returns home on Saturday, June 15 in the first match of the Pride Night doubleheader against Swope Park Rangers at 5 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Players to Watch:

North Carolina FC – No. 21 Nazmi Albadawi

A stalwart for NCFC from 2014-2017, Albadawi recently returned to the club and is available for selection Saturday. Should he appear in the game, look for him to create havoc in the midfield and make life difficult for opposing defenders in the final third.



Hartford Athletic – No. 9 Jose Angulo

The Colombian journeyman leads the Athletic with three goals this season. After starting his professional career in 2008 straight out of high school, he has played on several second division teams. His experience and ball control could create problems for NCFC’s defense as Hartford looks for its second win of 2019.