They’re entering the match against the Islanders coming off a USL-1 loss.

Carolina (3-1-4) fell 1-0 at Atlanta on May 31, ending its seven-match unbeaten streak to start the season. But then they had 10 days between matches, and the timing of the layoff was perfect.

“I think we needed it,” said Carolina coach Scott Schweitzer, who gave the players three days off after the Atlanta match before returning to practice. “They came back and have been putting in the work ever since. We look a lot sharper, so I think it’s good for us. Now we’ll have to see how we react to the game.”

Beginning with the match in Puerto Rico, the RailHawks will play four matches in 10 days. The trip got even more tiresome when their first-round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was scheduled for Tuesday. Carolina played the Brooklyn Knights of the USL Premier Development League at WakeMed Soccer Park. The result was not available at press time.

Despite the grueling road trip, the RailHawks have another golden opportunity for points. On May 28, they finished a stretch of four straight matches at home, and they grabbed only six of 12 available points.

Though it’s always tough to win on the road, the next four games are against the four teams at the bottom of the USL-1 table. After Puerto Rico (1-3-3, 11th place) on Thursday, they’re at Miami (2-6-5, eighth place) on Saturday, at Rochester (1-4-4, 10th place) on June 20 and at Montreal (2-6-2, ninth place) on June 22. Those four teams are a combined 2-7-11 on their respective home fields.

“They are at bottom of the table, but it’s always hard to play in Puerto Rico,” said Carolina midfielder Kupono Low. “They have a huge fan base and its loud. Sometimes, it can be pouring rain or super hot and dry. Miami, that weather’s going to be crazy. But they’re definitely games where we can pick up points.”

Troubling trend

The RailHawks have developed a knack for not closing games out this season.

In three of their last five matches, they have allowed the winning or tying goal inside of the final six minutes. Atlanta drew even in the 84th minute on May 10, Rochester did the same in the 89th on May 24 and Atlanta scored the game-winner in the 90th on May 31.

If Carolina had demonstrated some late-match toughness, it would 20 have points in the USL-1 table and be tied for second. Instead, they have 13 and are all alone in sixth. However, the five teams ahead of them have all played at least two more games than Carolina.

Schweitzer said they have simulated late-match situations in training for the last week in order to reverse the trend. While that will help, solving the problem boils to down to focus.

“Just concentrate for 90 minutes,” said RailHawks midfielder Matt Watson. “I think it comes to the 80th minute and we’re like, It’s there. In a split second, they can score a goal. We just need to concentrate to the end to make sure we don’t give up any easy goals.”

Low a no-go for Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico national team will play the return leg of its CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Honduras on Saturday in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

Low, who earned three caps last winter with Puerto Rico, figured to be a fixture in the Boricuras’ attempt to qualify for South Africa 2010 this spring. But he will be with the RailHawks in Miami on Saturday.

Earlier this spring, Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol, the island’s soccer governing body, modified its eligibility requirement. All U.S. citizens used to be eligible for Puerto Rico national teams, but now the player pool is restricted to players who have lived on the island for at least two years, Low said.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Low said.

Monterrey match

The RailHawks announced last week they will play an exhibition against the Mexican club Monterrey on July 20 at 4 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Monterrey plays in La Primera División de México and is nicknamed los Ravados (the striped ones) for the striped uniform they wear.

Monterrey had an impressive run in the 2008 Clausura, reaching the semifinal round of the playoffs before falling to eventual champion Santos Laguna in penalty kicks. They are led by league leading scorer and Chilean international forward Humberto Suazo, as well as Mexican international Jared Borgetti. They are coached by Ricardo La Volpe, the former coach of Mexico’s national team.

Last summer, Carolina played another Mexican club giant, Cruz Azul. The RailHawks played well in the 2-0 defeat before their largest crowd of the season. More than 8,500 packed WakeMed Soccer Park, creating a festive, decidedly pro-Cruz Azul environment. And it was one that will no doubt be replicated, if not surpassed, when Monterrey comes to town.

“It’s fun; it’s exciting,” Low said. “In the beginning of the Cruz Azul game, it was pro-Cruz Azul. In the second half, you could here the chants with us involved. They were excited about the way we played. We’re hoping to do that against Monterrey.”