2024 North Carolina FC season

North Carolina FC
2024 season
OwnerStephen Malik
Head coachJohn Bradford
StadiumSahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
USL ChampionshipEastern Conference: 8th
USL Championship PlayoffsEastern Conference Quarterfinals
U.S. Open CupRound of 32
Top goalscorerLeague: Oalex Anderson & Evan Conway (12 goals)
All: Oalex Anderson (13 goals)
Highest home attendance3,187 (May 4, against Rhode Island FC)
Lowest home attendance1,359 (May 14, against Loudoun United FC)
Average home league attendance2,094
← 2023
2025 →

The 2024 North Carolina FC season was the 18th season of the club's existence, and their fourth season in the USL Championship, the second division in the American soccer pyramid, after three years in the USL League One, the third division of the American soccer pyramid. North Carolina is coached by John Bradford, his sixth season with the club, and played their home games at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

During the offseason, North Carolina experienced multiple promotions. It was announced on August 7, 2023, that North Carolina will return to the USL Championship for the 2024 season.[1][2] Along with their return to the second division, coach John Bradford was promoted to the position of Sporting Director along with his duties of Head Coach, after five seasons with the club.[3]

Roster

As of July 22, 2024[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Jake McGuire
2 DF England ENG Paco Craig
4 DF Senegal SEN Justin Malou
5 DF United States USA Daniel Navarro
6 MF United States USA Jacori Hayes
7 DF United States USA Lamar Batista
8 FW France FRA Louis Perez
9 FW Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VIN Oalex Anderson
10 FW Puerto Rico PUR Jaden Servania
11 FW United States USA Evan Conway
14 FW Brazil BRA Rafael Mentzingen
15 MF United States USA Michael Maldonado
16 MF Brazil BRA Rodrigo da Costa
17 MF United States USA Collin Martin
No. Pos. Nation Player
25 GK Japan JPN Akira Fitzgerald
27 DF United States USA Bryce Washington
28 DF United States USA Shaft Brewer
42 DF United States USA Ezra Armstrong
44 MF Saint Kitts and Nevis SKN Raheem Sommersall
48 MF United States USA Kyrome Lumsden
60 FW El Salvador SLV Raul Avalos
61 DF United States USA Xavier Holloway
62 FW United States USA Kevin Aguilar
63 DF United States USA Luc Lavielle
64 DF United States USA Benjamin Salter
65 MF United States USA Jaxon Silverman
66 MF United States USA Finn Sundstrom

Competitions

USL Championship

Main article: 2024 USL Championship season

Standings

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
6 Tampa Bay Rowdies 34 14 12 8 55 46 +9 50 Playoffs
7 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 34 12 10 12 41 28 +13 48
8 North Carolina FC 34 13 12 9 54 43 +11 48
9 Birmingham Legion FC 34 13 15 6 44 51 −7 45
10 Hartford Athletic 34 12 14 8 39 52 −13 44
Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots

Match results

On December 18, 2023, the USL Championship released the regular season schedule for all 24 teams.[5]

All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

March
March 9 1 North Carolina FC 0–0 Charleston Battery Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM Somersall Yellow card 39'
Placias Yellow card 87'		 Report LaCava Yellow card 20'
Conway Yellow card 84'
Torres Yellow card 90+4'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,576
Referee: Jeremy Scheer
March 16 2 Loudoun United FC 3–1 North Carolina FC Leesburg, Virginia
9:30 PM ElMedkhar 23'
Leggett Yellow card 37'
Ryan 61', Yellow card 71'
Aboukoura 85'		 Report da Costa Yellow card 36'
Maldonado 38'		 Stadium: Segra Field
Attendance: 3,810
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
March 23 3 North Carolina FC 1–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM Mentzingen 75' Report Maldonado 63' (o.g.)
Dezart Yellow card 90+3'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,796
Referee: John Griggs
March 29 4 North Carolina FC 2–0 Hartford Athletic Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,465
Referee: Thomas Snyder
April
April 6 5 Detroit City FC 1–0 North Carolina FC Hamtramck, Michigan
2:00 PM
Report
Stadium: Keyworth Stadium
Attendance: 5,155
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
April 14 6 North Carolina FC 1–1 Birmingham Legion FC Cary, North Carolina
5:00 PM da Costa 2' (pen.) Report Martinez 23' Yellow card 58'
Paterson Yellow card 31'
Perez Yellow card 90+5'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,807
Referee: Velimir Stefanovic
April 20 7 North Carolina FC 2–3 New Mexico United Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM Placias 16'
Armstrong 28'
Craig Yellow card 87'		 Report Hurst 19' 29' (pen.)
Bailey Yellow card 33'
Rivas 90+1'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,916
Referee: Matthew Corrigan
April 27 8 Indy Eleven 2–1 North Carolina FC Indianapolis, IN
7:00 PM
Report
Stadium: Carroll Stadium
Attendance: 10,071
Referee: Eric Tattersall
May
May 4 9 North Carolina FC 0–0 Rhode Island FC Cary, NC
7:00 PM
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 3,187
Referee: Jeremy Flores
May 14 10 North Carolina FC 2–0 Loudoun United FC Cary, North Carolina
7:26 PM Mentzingen Yellow card 1'
Craig 24'
Somersall Yellow card 41'
Armstrong Yellow card 67' 90+7'
Batista Yellow card 74' Yellow-red card 90+12'		 Report Erlandson Yellow card 13'
Skundrich Yellow card 26'
Fauroux Yellow card 32'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,359
Referee: Jonathan Bilinski
May 18 11 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 1–1 North Carolina FC Pittsburgh, PA
7:00 PM
Report
Stadium: Highmark Stadium
Attendance: 5,113
Referee: Natalie Simon
May 25 12 Miami FC 0–4 North Carolina FC Miami, Florida
7:00 PM
Report
Stadium: FIU Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 1,039
Referee: United States Trevor Wiseman
June
June 8 13 Louisville City FC 2–1 North Carolina FC Louisville, Kentucky
8:00 PM Gleadle 31'
Ordoñez Yellow card 62'
Totsh 70' (pen.)
Wynder Yellow card 83'		 Report Washington Yellow card 25'
Conway 90+2'
Batista Yellow card 90+5'		 Stadium: Lynn Family Stadium
Attendance: 9,733
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
Assistant referees: Matt Trotter
Assistant referees: Eric Burton
Fourth official: Matthew Fotia
June 16 14 North Carolina FC 2–0 Monterey Bay FC Cary, North Carolina
6:00 PM Anderson 28'
Mentzingen 34' (pen.)
Perez Yellow card 85'		 Report Martinez Yellow card 26'
Guzmán Red card 32'
Rebollar Yellow card 45+3'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,047
Referee: Esad Omanovic
June 22 15 North Carolina FC 0–0 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM da Costa Yellow card 32'
Maldonado Yellow card 44'
Armstrong Yellow card 44'
Malou Yellow card 58'		 Report Walti Yellow card 44'
Griffin Yellow card 52'
Suber Yellow card 64'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,996
Referee: Muhammad Hassan
June 28 16 Charleston Battery 5–2 North Carolina FC Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
7:30 PM Markanich Yellow card 45+5' 80'
Myers 58' 90+2' 90+8' (pen.)
Dossantos Yellow card 84'
Rodriguez Yellow card 88'
Conway 90+4'		 Report Conway 27' Yellow card 37'
Batista Yellow card 42'
Armstrong Yellow card 45+3' Yellow-red card 50'
Brewer 45+6'
McGuire Yellow card 90+1'		 Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex
Attendance: 3,876
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
July
July 6 17 North Carolina FC 4–1 Miami FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 Craig Yellow card 11'
Mentzingen 50'
Conway 63' 64'
Anderson 77' (pen.)
da Costa Yellow card 90+3'		 Report Knutson Yellow card 7'
Balogun 18'
Cardona Yellow card 45+2'
Mitrano Yellow card 57'
Biek Yellow card 66'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,161
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
July 13 18 Sacramento Republic FC 0–0 North Carolina FC Sacramento, California
11:00 PM Portillo Yellow card 62'
Fernandes Yellow card 90+1'		 Report Mentzingen Yellow card 66'
Maldonado Yellow card 74'
Craig Yellow card 87'		 Stadium: Heart Health Park
Attendance: 9,388
Referee: Corbyn May
July 19 19 North Carolina FC 1–1 Detroit City FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM Armstrong Red card 5'
Anderson Yellow card 56'
Conway 67'
Servania Yellow card 86'
Batista Yellow card 90+2'		 Report Bryant Yellow card 10'
Amoo-Mensah Yellow card 26'
Bezerra 90+3'
Matthews Red card 90+4'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,054
Referee: John Matto
July 27 20 Rhode Island FC 2–1 North Carolina FC Smithfield, Rhode Island
7:30 PM
Report
Stadium: Beirne Stadium
Attendance: 4,045
Referee: Eric Tattersall
August
August 3 21 Orange County SC 0–1 North Carolina FC Irvine, California
10:00 PM Sorto Yellow card 84' Report Batista Yellow card 21'
Malou 27'
Servania Yellow card 90+5'		 Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,353
Referee: Benjamin Meyer
August 10 22 North Carolina FC 4–1 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM Batista Yellow card 25'
Anderson 40', 78' Yellow card 79'
Conway 46' Yellow card 65'
Servania Yellow card 87'
Armstrong Yellow card 89'
da Costa 90+5'		 Report Foster 57' Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,387
Referee: Thomas Snyder
August 17 23 San Antonio FC 1–0 North Carolina FC San Antonio, Texas
9:00 PM Hernández Yellow card 50'
Brigido 79'		 Report Craig Yellow card 17'
Anderson Yellow card 51'
Maldonado Yellow card 69'		 Stadium: Toyota Field
Attendance: 6,729
Referee: Adam Kilpatrick
August 24 24 Phoenix Rising FC 0–0 North Carolina FC Phoenix, Arizona
10:00 PM
Report
Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Muhammad Hassan
August 31 25 North Carolina FC 4–6 Louisville City FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM da Costa 11'
Anderson 29', 56'
Adams 45+3' (o.g.)
Craig Yellow card 58'		 Report Adams Yellow card 10'
Wilson 18', 29'
Craig 32' (o.g.)
Malou 36' (o.g.)
Harris 60' (pen.), 69'
Serrano Yellow card 67'
McFadden Yellow card 70'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,219
Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez
Assistant referees: Eric Del Rosario Gandara
Assistant referees: Aaron Riley
Fourth official: Josiah Parke
September
September 7 26 North Carolina FC 5–0 Oakland Roots SC Cary, North Carolina
10:00 PM da Costa 6'
Mentzingen 8'
Craig 32' Yellow card 88'
Conway 44'
Washington Yellow card 54'
Martin Yellow card 59'
Armstrong 63'		 Report Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,946
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
September 14 27 Memphis 901 FC 3-0 North Carolina FC Memphis, Tennessee
8:00 PM Lopes 10', 22'
Fernando 70'
Cissoko Yellow card 77'		 Report Malou Red card 3'
Martin Yellow card 64'
Anderson Yellow card 71'		 Stadium: AutoZone Park
Attendance: 2,610
Referee: Calin Radosav
September 21 28 North Carolina FC 2-0 Indy Eleven Cary, NC
7:30 PM
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 2,478
Referee: Jeremy Scheer
September 29 29 El Paso Locomotive FC 1-0 North Carolina FC El Paso, Texas
4:00 PM Calvillo Yellow card 29'
Ortiz Yellow card 88'
Rivas 90'+2' (pen.)		 Report Martin Yellow card 19'
Maldonado Yellow card 45'+1'
Malou Yellow card 88'
Craig Yellow card 90'+1'		 Stadium: Southwest University Park
Attendance: 4,014
Referee: Muhammad Hassan
October
October 6 30 Birmingham Legion 2-3 North Carolina FC Birmingham, Alabama
6:00 PM Martínez 32'
Rufe Yellow card 45'+3'
Hernandez-Foster Yellow card 46'
Zouhir Yellow card 80' 89'		 Report Armstrong 8', 65'
Anderson 59'		 Stadium: Protective Stadium
Referee: Alejo Calume
October 9 31 North Carolina FC 2-0 FC Tulsa Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM EDT da Costa 19'
Perez Yellow card 30'
Armstrong Yellow card 36'
Conway 81' (pen.)		 Report Seagrist Yellow card 22'
Bibout Yellow card 33'
Booth Yellow card 45'+3'
Sanchez Yellow card 84'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,959
Referee: John Matto
October 12 32 Hartford Athletic 4-3 North Carolina FC Hartford, Connecticut
7:30 PM
Report
Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Adam Kilpatrick
October 19 33 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0-2 North Carolina FC Cary, North Carolina
7:30 PM Bodily Yellow card 35'
Niyongabire Yellow card 81'		 Report Conway Yellow card 41' 70'
Anderson 49'
Craig Yellow card 60'
Niyongabire Yellow card 81'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Referee: Greg Dopka
Note: Match was to be played in St. Petersburg, but due to the effects of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, the match was moved to North Carolina, with Tampa retaining the "Home" side label
October 26 34 North Carolina FC 2-1 Las Vegas Lights FC Cary, North Carolina
4:00 PM Craig 12'
Martin Yellow card 32'
Anderson 45' Yellow card 45'+1'
Perez Yellow card 63'
McGuire Yellow card 76'
Mentzingen Yellow card 78'
Batista Yellow card 90'+8'		 Report Bennett 9'
Smart Yellow card 37'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Referee: Matthew Thompson
Playoffs
November 2 Conference Quarterfinals Louisville City FC 3–2North Carolina FCLouisville, Kentucky
7:30 PM EDT
Report
Stadium: Lynn Family Stadium
Attendance: 8,875
Referee: Matthew Corrigan

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2024 U.S. Open Cup

As a member of the USL Championship, North Carolina FC entered the U.S. Open Cup in the Third Round, faced against Carolina Core FC, an independent club in the MLS Next Pro league, a team in the third division of U.S. Soccer.[6] After winning 1–0 at home,[7][8] North Carolina was matched up by the U.S. Soccer Federation on April 18, 2024, against fellow USL Championship team Phoenix Rising FC, again at home.[9] They would eventually end up losing 1–2 in added extra time in a match that saw three players shown red cards.[10][11]

April 17 Third Round North Carolina FC (USLC) North Carolina 1–0North Carolina Carolina Core FC (MLSNP)Cary, North Carolina
7:00 PM
Report Ndoye Yellow card 41'
Covi Yellow card 71'
Orejuela Yellow card 78'
Rodriguez Yellow card 88'
Canete Yellow card 90+6'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 1,112
Referee: Josh Parke
May 8 Round of 32 North Carolina FC North Carolina1–2 (a.e.t.) Arizona Phoenix Rising FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 EDT
Report
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 822
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.

References

  1. ^ "North Carolina FC to rejoin USL Championship in 2024". northcarolinafc.com. North Carolina FC. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  2. ^ White, Herbert (August 7, 2023). "NCFC makes the jump to USL Championship in 2024". www.thecharlottepost.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "John Bradford promoted to head coach and sporting director". North Carolina FC. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  4. ^ "Roster". USL Championship. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  5. ^ USLChampionship com Staff (December 18, 2023). "USL Championship Unveils 2024 Regular Season Schedule". USL Championship. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  6. ^ Org, Partner (2024-04-13). "Three NC teams, including High Point's Carolina Core, enter Round Three of the Open Cup". Triad City Beat. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  7. ^ Northam, Mitchell (April 17, 2024). "2024 US Open Cup Round 3: North Carolina FC's youth "mission" pays off, 1-0 over Carolina Core". thecup.us. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  8. ^ Spencer, Sam (April 25, 2024). "Independence, NCFC Advance to U.S. Open Cup Round of 32, Carolina Core falls". Triad City Beat. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Rueter, Jeff. "U.S. Open Cup draw: NYCFC II is only MLS Next Pro team in last 32". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  10. ^ NC Courage Communications (May 8, 2024). "Open Cup Recap: NCFC 1-2 Phoenix Rising". North Carolina FC. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Northam, Mitchell (May 9, 2024). "2024 US Open Cup Round 4: Doratiotto's OT winner sends Phoenix Rising past North Carolina FC, into Round of 16". thecup.us. Retrieved July 23, 2024.