By james art CAREY, NC (October 26, 2024) — North Carolina FC clinched the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs with a 2-1 victory over Las Vegas Lights FC on Judgment Day Saturday night in front of 6,083 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The decisive goal came, fittingly, from Oalex Anderson as he set a new club record for goals in all competitions with his 36th goal in an NCFC shirt. The historic goal broke a 1-1 tie just before half-time that would prove the winner.
With the win, NCFC secured the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and will travel to top seed Louisville City FC for the first round. The game will be Saturday, November 2nd at 7:30 PM ET.
Las Vegas struck first, scoring in the 9th minute to temporarily quiet the raucous home crowd. But the lead was short lived as NCFC captain Paco Craig leveled the game just three minutes later. A corner from 12′ was headed back to Luis Perez out wide and the Frenchman laid the ball on a tray for Craig to head home.
Jake McGuire made several big saves to secure the win, including an impressive save in the 75th minute, flying off his line to deny the only real dangerous chance of the second half. There were several half-times in the second half, but the half-time score held until full-time to spark celebrations.
Boxing result:
NCFC (3-4-3): Jake McGuire; Paco Craig ©, Bryce Washington, Lamar Batista; Rafa Menzingen, Colin Martin, Luis Perez (Jacory Hayes – 86′), Ezra Armstrong (Shaft Brewer Jr. – 88′); Rodrigo Da Costa (Jaden Servania – 86′), Evan Conway, Oalex Anderson (Rahim Somersall – 90′ + 6′).
Unused Subs: Akira Fitzgerald, Daniel Navarro, Finn Sundström, Justin Malu, Raul Avalos
LV (4-3-3): Rayko Arozarena; Gennaro Nigro (Solomon Asante – 88′), Sean Smart (Joseph-Claude Giau – 56′), Grayson Doody, Joe Hafferty; Charlie Adams © (Dre Fortune – 69′), Jean-Claude Ngando, Ousmane Jabang; Coleman Gannon (Christian Pinzon – 69′), Valentine Noel, Horry Bennett
Unused subtitles: Nicholas Ammeter, Elias Gartig, Vaughn Covil
result:
NCFC: 2
LV: 1
Objectives:
NCFC: P. Craig – 12′ (Perez); O. Anderson – 45′ (Conway)
LV: K. Bennett – 9′ (Ngando)
Attention:
NCFC: K. Martin – 32′; O. Anderson – 45′, L. Perez – 68′, J. McGuire – 76′, L. Batista – 90′ + 7′
LV: S. Smart – 37′
Discharges:
NCFC: –
LV: –
Viewers: 6,083