CARY, N.C. (Aug. 31, 2024) — North Carolina FC fell to league-leading Louisville City FC, 4-6, Saturday night at WakeMed Soccer Park. The back-and-forth affair saw the home side take three leads throughout the night, but the high-flying visitors pulled away late to drop North Carolina FC to 7-9-9 on the season.
The home side jumped in front early off a set piece goal. A great ball over the top from Paco Craig played Rafa Mentzingen in behind, which forced Kyle Allen to foul him just outside the penalty area to prevent a free look at goal.
Rodrigo Da Costa capitalized on the free kick, blistering the upper-right corner with a brilliant take that left Louisville’s keeper frozen. It was Da Costa’s fourth goal of the season and second straight home fixture with a goal.
Louisville answered just a few minutes later when a corner insert snuck over the top of the clear attempt and found Jansen Wilson alone at the back post to tap home.
North Carolina regained the lead just shy of the half-hour mark when an interception by Collin Martin in the defensive third led to a transitional pass ahead to Da Costa, who flicked a brilliant through ball for Ezra Armstrong to fly up the left side and leave a picturesque roller across frame where Oalex Anderson was waiting for a clinical one-time finish.
An own-goal by NCFC allowed Louisville to again quickly equalize. Then, just four minutes later another own goal off a bounding corner insert gave Louisville the lead with 10 minutes to play in the half. In stoppage time, the tides turned and North Carolina scored off an own-goal by the Louisville defense to tie things up once again, 3-3, as the teams went to the locker room.
Anderson put a beautiful strike into the far-side netting from the top corner of the box in the 57’ to give NCFC a brief lead, but a penalty was awarded on the ensuing action and Louisville converted to level things once more, this time at fours.
Louisville took the lead a few minutes later when Aiden McFadden played Harris in behind the defense and he beat Jake McGuire one-on-one. A corner rebounded to Jansen Wilson and he was able to control and strike home an insurance goal in the 79’ to round out the scoring.
Up Next: North Carolina FC returns to WakeMed Soccer Park next Saturday, September 7, to host Oakland Roots SC at 7:30 p.m. ET. The match will stream live on ESPN+.
Box Score:
NCFC (3-4-3): Jake McGuire, Paco Craig © (Shaft Brewer, Jr. – 81’), Bryce Washington, Justin Malou, Ezra Armstrong, Collin Martin (Evan Conway – 73’), Mikey Maldonado, Rafa Mentzingen (Jaden Servania – 87’), Rodrigo da Costa, Louis Perez (Raheem Somersall – 87’), Oalex Anderson
Subs Not Used: Akira Fitzgerald, Jacori Hayes, Lamar Batista
LOU (4-4-2): Damian Las, Kyle Adams, Arturo Ordóñez, Sean Totsch, Amadou Dia (Jake Morris – 78’), Taylor Davila, Elijah Wynder, Aiden McFadden, Ray Serrano (Dylan Mares – 90+1’), Wilson Harris (Phillip Goodrum – 78’), Jansen Wilson (Niall McCabe – 84’)
Subs Not Used: Manny Perez, Evan Davila, Ryan Troutman
Score:
NCFC: 4
LOU: 6
Goals:
NCFC: R. Da Costa – 16’; O. Anderson – 32’ (Armstrong), 57’ (Armstrong); K. Allen – 45+3’ (OG)
LOU: J. Wilson – 18’, 80’; P. Craig – 34’ (OG); J. Malou – 36’ (OG); W. Harris – 60’ (P), 69’ (McFadden)
Cautions:
NCFC: P. Craig – 58’
LOU: K. Adams – 10’; R. Serrano Lopez – 67’; A. McFadden – 70’
Ejections:
NCFC: –
LOU: –
Venue (Location): WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)
Attendance: 2,219
