April 4, 2023 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – North Carolina FC News Release
CARY, N.C. – Coming off its first victory of the 2023 USL League One season, North Carolina FC will travel to Leesburg, VA to take on Loudoun United in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The match is set to kick off at Segra Field on Wednesday, April 5, at 7:00 p.m. ET. The two clubs met in a friendly match ahead of the 2023 season, with NCFC grabbing a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from forwards Preston Popp and Rafa Mentzingen.
Scouting Loudoun United
Loudoun United got off to a strong start in USL Championship play, handedly defeating Memphis 901 on the road 3-1 in the first match of the season. Since then, they picked up a point when they hosted reigning league champions San Antonio FC, but fell to FC Tulsa and Switchbacks FC in successive matches.
Loudoun United lined up in a 4-4-2 in their first three matches, but switched to a 4-4-1-1 in their most recent match against Switchbacks FC. Loudoun are one of the most possession heavy teams in the USL Championship, averaging 57.07% possession, which is this in the league. They also are third in the league in passes completed and touches in the opposition box.
Players to Watch
North Carolina FC – Forward Rafa Mentzingen
After his first match with North Carolina FC, Rafa Mentzingen was named to the USL League One Team of the Week. He followed that up with a fantastic performance against Lexington SC, scoring the winning goal in the 73rd minute. Mentzingen is a versatile player who can play across the front line in many positions. So far this season Mentzingen has been deployed on the wing, where he excels at running at defenders and cutting inside for a shot.
Loudoun United – Defender Gaoussou Samake
On loan from affiliate club DC United, left back Gaoussou Samake is one of three Loudoun United players to have featured all 90 minutes in all four matches. This is the third consecutive season that Samake has been on loan with Loudoun, having made 29 appearances across 2021 and 2022. This season the Ivorian defender has won 58.33% of his tackles and 61.9% of his duels, and has created three chances.
Next Up
North Carolina FC returns home to face off against Charlotte Independence in the Dogwood Derby. Independence currently sit atop the USL League One table. Kickoff is set for Saturday, April 8, at 7:00 PM ET at WakeMed Soccer Park. You can watch the match, and all 2023 USL League One matches on ESPN+. You can also follow all of the…