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North Carolina Wary of ATL UTD 2 Threat to Playoff Push

By JOHN ARLIA - john.arlia@uslsoccer.com, 09/20/18, 12:52PM EDT

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NCFC aims to continue climb up East standings with three points at Coolray Field


North Carolina FC and ATL UTD 2 square off for the second time this season in a crucial game for the visitors' playoff hopes. | Photo courtesy Rob Kinnan / North Carolina FC

CARY, N.C.  North Carolina FC Head Coach Colin Clarke hopes to guide his side into the Eastern Conference playoff places when it takes on ATL UTD 2 on Friday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center | ESPN+), but says that getting three points at Coolray Field will be “tough” given the opponents ever-changing lineup and form.

Atlanta has rotated players in and out from its MLS squad and Academy on its way to collecting 23 points this season (5-14-8) but the side has been steady on its home turf losing just twice (3-2-5) and already played the role of spoiler this month by claiming a 2-1 road victory against playoff contender Penn FC.

“It’s always tough when you play a team affiliated with an MLS team,” Clarke said. “There’s a little bit of unknown, but it’s an important game. We’re back on the road and it’s important for us to get three points. This time of the season, games are starting to run out. We’re still not where we want to be, but a positive result on Friday will put us in a good spot.”

With six games remaining on the schedule, NCFC currently sits just three points out of the Eastern Conference playoff places and can move level on points with Ottawa Fury FC and the New York Red Bulls II – passing the latter for eighth-place on the total wins tiebreaker – with a win.

NCFC improved its chances of qualifying for the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs with its 1-0 victory over Penn FC last Sunday at FNB Field. Daniel Rios scored the game’s only goal in the 11th minute to take his tally to 17 goals on the season and move within two of Louisville City FC’s Cameron Lancaster in the race for the USL Golden Boot.

“I was delighted,” Clarke said of his side’s outing against Penn. “I thought the boys, under tough conditions, performed great. You look back on the game and I thought we controlled the flow of the game. There was a great finish by Daniel, and we never looked in trouble from there.”

Rios and NCFC enjoyed similar comfort in their first meeting with ATL UTD 2 this season, a 4-0 home victory back in May in which the striker found himself on the scoresheet alongside fellow forwards Donovan Ewolo and Marios Lomis.

North Carolina will hope to pick up another three points this time around as it closes out its regular season with four of six matches away from Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The side has picked up at least a point from three of its last four road matches and earned seven points from its last four games overall as it tries reach the postseason in its inaugural USL campaign.

“We’re on a decent run here,” NCFC midfielder Zach Steinberger said. “We’re going to try and keep that momentum going. Every game is a cup final from here to the end and we’re going to treat it as such.”

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