Comeback falls short for Hartford Athletic against North Carolina

The Hartford Athletic dropped their first match of the season Friday night in a 2-1 loss to North Carolina FC. (Lewis Gettier photo courtesy Hartford Athetlic)

North Carolina FC scored two goals in the span of nine minutes to hand the Hartford Athletic their first loss of the season Friday night with a 2-1 win in USL Championship action before 1,465 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.

North Carolina (1-1-2) had the run of play for much of the early stages and broke through just shy of the half-hour mark.

Oalex Anderson charged past the Hartford back line and forced them into a foul in the box to prevent a clean look at goal. Louis Perez would pinpoint the lower right corner with the ensuing penalty kick to put the home side in front. It was the first goal of the season for Perez.

Anderson would turn into a goal scorer 10 minutes later when Rodrigo Da Costa played a brilliant through ball between the center backs to set the ball on a platter for Anderson to smash into the far side netting for a 2-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half.

North Carolina had a brilliant look for another in first-half stoppage time when Rafa Mentzingen and Da Costa combined up the right wing and Da Costa played a square-in to Collin Martin, who took a one-time strike from just outside the box to stretch the Hartford keeper into his third save of the night.

Hartford (2-1) slashed the deficit in half in the 72nd minute on a free kick goal from their captain, Jay Chapman, from 30 yards out.

Hartford continued to press for an equalizer, hitting a post and piling up shots down the stretch. After back-and-forth possession for ten minutes, Michee Ngalina got upfield on a chance in the 84th, which was knocked out by Armstrong. Triston Hodge lined up for a corner and sent a cross, which floated right into a deflection by the goalie.

The deflection rolled to the feet of Emmanuel Samadia, who shot from outside the top of the box, deflected by a slew of defenders. Ngalina somehow got the ball from defenders again on the left side, crossing it into Mamadou Dieng at full speed, who headed it right off the left post.

Hartford had a final chance to level the match in stoppage time, but North Carolina goalie Jake McGuire dove to his left to haul in a ball off the foot of Hartford’s Enoch Mushagalusa with eyes for corner netting. It was one of three saves for McGuire on the night.

Hartford returns home to Trinity Health Stadium next Saturday at 2 p.m. to take on Miami FC.

Content from Hartford Athletic and North Carolina FC media teams used in this report

North Carolina 2, Hartford 1
At Cary, N.C.
Hartford (2-1)                       0  1  — 1
North Carolina (1-1-2)        2  0  — 2
Goals: NC: L. Perez – 26’ (penalty kick); O. Anderson – 35’ (Da Costa); Hartford — J. Chapman – 72’; Shots: 15-14, North Carolina: Shots on target: 4-4; Corners: Hartford 6-5; Saves 3-3
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
25 (GK) Paul Walters, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele, 6 (DF) Beverly Makangila, 3 (DF) Joey Akpunonu, 8 (MF) Jay Chapman, 12 (MF) Anderson Asiedu (Ian Shaul 67’), 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina, 7 (FW) Marcus Epps (Enoch Mushagalusa 67’), 31 (FW) Deshane Beckford (Emmanuel Samadia 69’), 9 (FW) Romario Williams (Mamadou Dieng 67’)
NORTH CAROLINA FC STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Jake McGuire; 7 (DF) Lamar Batista, 2 (DF) Paco Craig (C), 4 (DF) Justin Malou; 42 (DF) Ezra Armstrong, 17 (MF) Collin Martin (Jacori Hayes 86’), 15 (MF) Michael Maldonaldo, 14 (FW) Rafael Mentzingen (Shaft Brewer Jr. 71’); 8 (MF) Louis Perez (Jaden Servania 79’), 16 (MF) Rodrigo Da Costa (Julian Placias 86’), 9 (FW) Oalex Anderson (Evan Conway 71’)