skip navigation

GAMEDAY REPORT: Kelly’s Hat Trick Leads Independence Past NCFC

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 09/05/20, 9:31PM EDT

Share

Jamaican’s fourth hat trick in the Championship adds distance to in-state rival in Group G standings

MATTHEWS, N.C. – Dane Kelly scored the fourth hat trick of his Championship career as the Charlotte Independence solidified their place in the playoff positions in Group G with a 3-1 victory against North Carolina FC on Saturday night at the Sportsplex at Matthews.

The Independence opened the game on the front foot and almost connected in the seventh minute when Jake Areman’s cross from the left was just out of the reach of Kelly as it ran through the six-yard area. Three minutes later, however, Kelly broke the deadlock thanks to some excellent work by Joel Johnson, who stole possession off a throw-in by NCFC in its own defensive third and quickly drove into the penalty area to center for the Jamaican forward to finish from close range.

Kelly struck again in the 20th minute as an angled ball forward by Duke Lacroix found Luke Haakenson, whose first touch directed the ball into the path of Kelly as he broke toward the top-left side of the penalty area. Kelly took a pair of touches into the penalty area and then squeezed his finish from the left side of the area in off the right post.

After a quiet first half for the visitors, North Carolina had a chance to pull a goal back 10 minutes after the break when a cross from the right by Alex Comsia found Robbie Kristo, but his header went high over the crossbar.

Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller then denied Kristo another chance just before the hour-mark after a searching through-ball from his own half by Nazmi Albadawi found the forward just outside the penalty area. Miller was able to touch the ball way for a corner as he went to ground after driving Kristo toward the goal line in the right side of the penalty area.

There would be no way back for NCFC with 11 minutes to go, however, as Kelly completed his hat trick. After turning possession over just inside the North Carolina half, Derek Gebhard raced down the right side and centered for Kelly, whose first-time finish caromed off the turf and high into the net to take the Jamaican to 85 regular-season goals for his career.

North Carolina pulled a consolation goal back in the first minute of stoppage time as Dre Fortune fired home a good finish to the left corner after Manny Perez got in on the right side before cutting a low ball back to the penalty spot. That would be all for the visitors, however, as they fell eight points behind Charlotte in the group standings.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Dane Kelly, Charlotte Independence – Kelly’s hat trick continued his strong first season in Charlotte, and he also completed 18 of 22 passes overall including 4 of 4 on long passes.

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos