CARY, N.C. – South Georgia Tormenta FC heads to North Carolina in preparation for an exciting showdown against North Carolina FC, which sits at the top of the USL League One regular season standings heading into the weekend. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. ET from WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, on Saturday, Sept. 16 (ESPN+).
With some of the best attacking talents across the league, Tormenta FC enters Saturday’s contest with a 9-13-5 (W-L-D) overall record and only needing six goals to record the highest-scoring season in league history. Forward Kazaiah Sterling leads the way with 12 goals scored for the team, while Mukwelle Akale and Pedro Fonseca have been exceptional in recent weeks for the club. On the defensive side, though, Tormenta FC has struggled and is only five goals away from recording the most goals allowed in a single season in league history.
North Carolina FC, meanwhile, is looking to win its first regular season title in League One competition and enters the match with an impressive 15-6-5 overall record. With a 7-3-3 home record, North Carolina will look to Oalex Anderson and Rafa Mentzingen to continue their goal-scoring ways.
Saturday’s match will be the third and final meeting between the two sides in the 2023 regular season. Tormenta FC earned a 1-0 win against NCFC from WakeMed Soccer Park on March 17, while North Carolina won the second meeting with a 3-2 result on Aug. 5 from Optim Sports Medicine Field at Tormenta Stadium.
Jake Dengler remains questionable for Tormenta FC; however, Head Coach Ian Cameron and defender Nick Akoto are approved to return to the sideline and squad after serving their suspensions for red cards issued in the team’s Sept. 1 match against One Knoxville SC. Finally, defender Deshawon Nembhard rejoins the squad in North Carolina after completing international duty for the Belize Men’s National Team, which earned an important shutout victory against French Guiana in the Concacaf Nations League on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Fans not able to make it out west to Sunday’s match can stream the match domestically via ESPN+ or on YouTube internationally. For live updates and highlights throughout the match, fans can follow Tormenta FC on X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
