Carolina Core FC Fight Back to Defeat Huntsville City FC in Gripping Penalty Shootout

June 28, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Carolina Core FC News Release

Huntsville, Alabama – Carolina Core FC drew Huntsville City FC 1-1 before winning the penalty kick shootout 6-5 in Matchweek 16 of the MLS NEXT Pro Season.

Goal-Scoring Plays

HNT – Jordan Knight, 78th minute: Adem Sipic played a ball to Jordan Knight who hit the ball into the net from close range.

CCFC – Josuha Rodriguez, 85th minute: A deflected shot from midfielder Facundo Canete fell to forward Josuha Rodriguez who finished the ball underneath the Huntsville goalkeeper.

Postgame Notes

CCFC earns two points on the road

Josuha Rodriguez scores in second consecutive game

Super Sutton saves extra point

CCFC vs. HNT | MLSNP Box Score

Carolina Core FC Earns Two Points on the Road

Carolina Core FC scored late to take the match into a penalty kick shootout, which they won 6-5. After falling behind late, forward Josuha Rodriguez scored in the 85th minute to bring the game level at the death. Following regulation, the teams went into a penalty kick shootout, highlighted by three saves made by goalkeeper Alex Sutton. The winning kick was scored by defender Jathan Juarez, who was awarded Man of the Match.

Josuha Rodriguez Scores for Second Consecutive Game

Forward Josuha Rodriguez scored for the second game in a row in Friday night’s match against Huntsville City FC, pulling back an 85th-minute equalizer to make the score 1-1. A sweeping team move would end in a goal as midfielder Facundo Canete struck the ball from outside the box, and his deflected effort would fall to Rodriguez’s feet, who slid the ball past the goalkeeper into the net to score his third goal of the season. Rodriguez registered three shots during the match with 91% pass completion. The native Honduran also scored his penalty in the shootout.

Super Sutton Saves Extra Point

Goalkeeper Alex Sutton would be the hero yet again for Carolina Core FC, as he saved three penalties in this match’s penalty kick shootout to earn an extra point. Sutton would save the first kick of the shootout from HCFC defender Tomas Ritondale and then step up to take a penalty of his own, which he placed into the right corner of the net. Sutton would go on to save penalties from Will Perkins and Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez to close out the shootout.

Lineups

Carolina Core FC – Alex Sutton; Christian Diaz, Ibrahim Covi (Yekeson Subah – 83′), Kai Thomas; Carlos Mario Diaz, Alenga Charles, Santiago Cambindo, Jathan Juarez; Jacob Evans (Papa Ndoye – 83′),…