North Carolina FC nets top play on SportsCenter

The kick was so good it not only found the back of the net, but also the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.

North Carolina F.C.’s Billy Schuler’s impressive goal against the New York Cosmos on Saturday received quite a bit of attention and deservedly so.

Schuler, a former North Carolina Tar Heel, was positioned several yards outside of the 18-yard box when Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer punched away an NCFC corner kick.

Unfortunately for New York, Maurer’s clearance went straight to the NCFC forward, who caught the ball in the air with his right foot and promptly sent a pacey one-timer into the right corner of the net.

The goal was Schuler’s third of the NASL season and it evened the match at 1-1.

NCFC went on to draw with the Cosmos 2-2.

Another goal resulting from a set piece, this one coming from midfielder Lance Laing, put NCFC ahead by a goal, but head coach Colin Clarke’s team dropped points from a winning or drawing position after the 80th minute for the third time this season when New York equalized in the 84th minute on a Kalif Alhassan goal.

NCFC (4-3-4) is in fifth place in the NASL spring season standings and hosts Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo Wednesday night in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup.

This story was originally published June 11, 2017 at 9:45 PM with the headline "North Carolina FC nets top play on SportsCenter."