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NCFC Ready to Renew Rowdies Rivalry

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 03/16/18, 1:36PM EDT

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Opening-weekend matchup brings together familiar foes once again


Photo courtesy North Carolina FC

CARY, N.C. – North Carolina FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies haven’t squared off in more than a year, but the USL regular season debut for NCFC at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed SportsPark on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) is likely to quickly reignite the rivalry between the two clubs.

“It’ll be good to see those guys back here again,” said NCFC captain Austin da Luz. “Those games were never dull, so we expect a lot of the same here on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully we can pack the house and we’ve got a little green beer promotion for anybody who wants to partake. It’s super-exciting to get it going.”

North Carolina’s arrival to the league this offseason brings back a club which originally called the USL First Division its home when it first took the field in 2007 as the Carolina RailHawks. The club may have changed a lot in the past decade, but its future has never appeared brighter under the leadership of Owner Stephen Malik, and the guidance of Head Coach Colin Clarke on the sidelines.

Clarke has plenty of new pieces in the fold for this season, including veteran center back Futty Danso, whose return to the club was announced on Thursday. But while pulling the pieces together this preseason has been the biggest challenge, the goal of a win in the home opener is clear.

“We’re looking for three points from our game on Saturday,” said Clarke. “We have a group that is still learning and trying to get on the same page, but we are working on that every day. It’s a young hungry group with some older veterans that are very good professionals that know what it’s all about. I’m looking forward to the match and to get into the season.”

READ MORE: Danso Leads Four Signings for NCFC

Victory could be a tough proposition against the Rowdies, who excelled in their first season in the USL last year as they reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs. Bolstered by some good offseason additions, including a permanent deal for ex-Jacksonville Armada FC midfielder Jack Blake on Thursday, Tampa Bay will enter familiar surroundings hopeful of picking up a road victory.

As much build-up as there is to Saturday’s game for North Carolina, the early rush of adrenaline that comes with the start of a new season should make for a compelling contest between two familiar foes.

“By the end of the preseason, we’re just chomping at the bit to play against somebody other than our own teammates in a competitive setting,” said da Luz. “There’s nobody better to do it against than the Tampa Bay Rowdies who we’ve had a rivalry going with here for the past six or seven years.”

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