Match Day Information
Location: WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC
Reported attendance: 1,423
Weather: 72F, windy
Match Notes – North Carolina FC
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Absent from the roster: Luke Croll, Cole Frame, David Garcia, Marvin Mariche, Pecka
Coach John Bradford made a couple of offensive adjustments from the week one loss against Tormenta FC. Garrett McLaughlin got the start at striker, while Shak Adams started at right midfield/wing. Rafa Mentzingen shifted to the left wing.
Christian Lue Young made his season debut in the starting 11.
Louis Perez made his NCFC debut, subbing in for Shak Adams in the 60th minute. The French midfielder was a key part of the game-winning goal, feeding the ball to Oalex Anderson who crossed to Rafa Mentzingen. Anderson had also come off the bench in the 60th minute, replacing Garrett McLaughlin.
Notable on the bench: Nelson Flores got a break after international duties last week. Preston Popp also did not appear. Raheem Somersall and Max Flick made their season debuts late in the match.
Yellow cards: Mentzingen (40′), Navarro (47′), Young (53′), Holliday (89′)
North Carolina FC Substitutions
IN: FW Oalex Anderson 60’
OUT: FW Garrett McLaughlin
IN: MF Louis Perez 60’
OUT: FW Shak Adams
IN: FW Rafa Mentzingen 81′
OUT: MF Raheem Somersall
IN: DF Max Flick 90+1′
OUT: MF Jaden Servania
Match Notes – Lexington SC
Formation: 4-4-2
Absent from the roster: Ceja-Gonzalez, Pierre Mané, Will Patterson, Don Smart (suspension)
Coach Sam Stockley was forced to mix up the offensive roster a bit with the red card suspension of Don Smart. Charlie Machell shifted to center midfield, while Will Baynham got the start as a striker alongside Khalid Balogun. Nico Brown got the start at left wing/midfield.
Notable on the bench: Jalen Jackson subbed in for Tate Robertson late in the match after having started in week one. Ceasar Murillo made his bench debut but did not feature in the match. The right-back signed with the club just before the season began, after playing in Forward Madison in 2022. Amal Knight backed up Austin Causey, who made his club debut as the goalkeeper. Midfielder Kim Seo-In made his club debut in the 80th minute.
Balogun struck first for Lexington, sliding in an assist from Tate Robertson who commanded a long ball sent from the backfield by Franky Martinez.
Minutes later, a Jaden Servania cross took an unlucky bounce off of Owen Green for an own goal, equalizing the score.
Yellow cards: Brown (18′), Martinez (29′)
Lexington SC Substitutions
IN: MF Ates Diouf 70′
OUT: FW Nico Brown
IN: DF Diallo Irakoze 80′
OUT: FW Will Baynahm
IN: MF Kim Seo-In 80′
OUT: MF Phila Dlamini Mfanafikile
IN: FW Jalen James 85′
OUT: FW Tate Robertson
Media Coverage
Match Recap – LSC v NCFC 4/1/23 (Crane Kicks Lex)
Correction: an earlier version of this story mistook Franky Martinez for Terique Mohammed in the description of Lexington SC’s goal. Thanks to Tyler Crane for pointing that out.