North Carolina FC’s first two home games of the 2024 USL Championship season will see two historic rivals return to WakeMed Soccer Park for the first time since the abbreviated 2020 season.
When the Charleston Battery come to town for the season opener on March 9, it will reignite a new era of the Southern Derby and start back up a series that was first played in the then-RailHawks’ inaugural season in 2007, while the March 26 showdown with the Tampa Bay Rowdies will be the 32nd meeting between two clubs that have competed against each other in three different leagues over the years.
Southern Derby: Old rivalry, new life
The Southern Derby has seen many teams come and go since its inception in 2000, where Raleigh Capital Express claimed victory over the Charleston Battery and Atlanta Silverbacks while the trio competed in the USL A-League.
The RailHawks claimed the title or co-title in the first of their three seasons, including an undefeated season against Charleston and Atlanta in the team’s inaugural 2007 season.
During that inaugural season, the Carolina RailHawks picked up their first-ever regular season home win on May 19. The opponent? The Charleston Battery.
Kupono Low scored the lone goal in that game, kicking off a six-game win streak for the RailHawks to start off the series.
While Charleston had the upper hand in the series during North Carolina FC’s last stint in the USL Championship, going 3-3-0 in that span, North Carolina FC holds the all-time series lead with a record of 7-5-3 with a narrow +1 goal differential across those 15 games.
If North Carolina FC claims all three points in the season opener, it would mark the team’s first win over Charleston since the 2009 season.
The two teams did not play in league competition from 2010-2017 while North Carolina FC was in the NASL, but the pair did face off in the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with Charleston claiming a 2-1 win.
Tampa Bay Rowdies: 31 games, 90 goals and counting
Whether it is U.S. D2 Pro, NASL or different USL divisions, the rivalry between Tampa Bay and North Carolina FC has stood the test of time.
The pair have faced off 31 times over the years, with North Carolina holding a 14-7-10 lead in the series with a +14 goal differential, dating back to Tampa Bay’s inaugural season in U.S. D2 Pro before both became inaugural members of the newly formed NASL the following year.
Tampa Bay claimed the win in that first meeting, but the then-RailHawks went unbeaten in the next nine, rattling off five consecutive wins followed by four straight draws.
The series has truly had it all over the years: playoff drama, high scoring games and narrow decisions.
Of the 21 games that did not end in a draw, 10 have been decided by just one goal and only twice has a team won by three goals.
Thirteen games in the series have seen four or more goals scored, while six or seven goal totals are far from uncommon. A meeting between the two has only ended in a 0-0 draw twice, while both teams have scored in all but nine games.
The two teams met for a two-leg playoff series in 2012, with Tampa Bay’s 2-1 win in the first leg proving decisive after a 3-3 draw in the second leg.
With 90 goals scored in the series so far, the winner of the March 26th showdown might not be decided yet, but one thing is for certain: There will be goals.
Tickets for both games are available for purchase now. Season tickets, mini plans and individual match tickets for the full slate of home games in 2024 are available now.
