Late equalizer by McCabe earns North Carolina FC a 1-1 tie

North Carolina FC left it late, but the team remains unbeaten three games into the season after rookie midfielder Tommy McCabe one-timed a shot into the back of the net three minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw against the Charleston Battery Saturday night.

If not for McCabe’s late heroics, head coach Dave Sarachan’s side would have suffered defeat for the first time this season. McCabe, the FC Cincinnati loanee in his first pro season after playing collegiately at Notre Dame, had other plans.

Positioned on the edge of the 18-yard box, McCabe watched a partial Charleston clearance off of a NCFC free kick come his way. With the final seconds of stoppage time ticking away, McCabe wound up and sent in a left-footed effort that flew into the back of the net, leaving Charleston goalkeeper Joe Kuzminsky helpless.

McCabe’s equalizer was essentially the last meaningful kick of the game, as the final whistle blew almost immediately following the Charleston restart.

“It popped out perfectly, and (I) just concentrated and just made good contact, which doesn’t always happen” McCabe said. “But today it did.”

The goal was McCabe’s second in three pro games, and the 20-year-old said he’d never scored a goal in a scenario like that one. In fact, the defensive midfielder never scored once in three college seasons.

“In practice,” he said with a chuckle. “But no, not in that scenario. Definitely a good goal.”

For much of the night, it looked like Charleston would be taking all three points. The visitors took the lead in the 69th minute through forward Ian Svantesson, who slotted his effort past NCFC GK Alex Tambakis after being played in by Zeiko Lewis’ through ball. Left exposed by his back line, there was little Tambakis could do left alone with Svantesson.

But even before Svantesson’s tally, the Battery appeared to be the more likely side to score. In the 27th minute, Charleston’s Lewis hit the left post with an open net to aim at after an ill-advised quick free kick by NCFC in front of its own box.

“Wasn’t our best night of soccer for sure,” Sarachan said. “I thought this was the first game we didn’t start the game with enough urgency, in my opinion.”

Yet, NCFC’s unbeaten record remains intact and will be tested against Memphis 901 FC on April 6.

This story was originally published March 30, 2019 at 10:57 PM with the headline "Late equalizer by McCabe earns North Carolina FC a 1-1 tie."