May 12, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – FC Tucson News Release
Rich Strike proved last weekend at Churchill Downs a slow start can be overcome, and FC Tucson looks to start its own charge to the front of the USL League One pack this weekend when it travels to North Carolina to take on Charlotte Independence.
Fans here can watch the match with the official Watch Party at Home Plate Marana, with kickoff slated for 3 pm local time on Sunday.
FC Tucson is 1-3-1 (four points) after a heartbreaking loss to North Carolina FC at home this past weekend. But the last time Tucson traveled, it grabbed three points on a late goal from Chattanooga. And the club had key road win last year against eventual champion Union Omaha and took points from trips to Greenville and Chattanooga.
“We’re very comfortable playing anywhere,” said FC Tucson head coach Jon Pearlman. “We’ve gotten points in some of the hardest environments.
“We believe we can create scoring chances, we believe we can win in places that are difficult, and we can come back when things don’t go our way.”
It will be FC Tucson’s first trip to American Legion Memorial Stadium to play “The Jacks.” Charlotte Independence was founded in 2014 after acquiring the USL Pro rights from southeast soccer mainstays, Charlotte Eagles, which moved back down to the pre-professional ranks. Former FC Dallas head coach Mike Jeffries has primarily coached the team since its inception. He briefly moved to General Manager in 2019 before resuming the reigns in June of that season.
The team made the USL Championship playoffs last season after it had announced it was moving to USL League One in 2022.
Charlotte (2-1-2, eight points) is led by Tresor Mbuyu, who was named the USL League One Player of the Month for April, and Miguel Ibarra. Mbuyu is a 5-10 forward from DR Congo who played collegiately at Liberty University. The 32-year-old Ibarra is a former US National Team player, with two caps, and is a veteran of both the MLS…