RailHawks get NASL fall season off to winning start, down Minnesota 3-1

For as often as Carolina RailHawks coach Colin Clarke implores his team to show mental toughness, Saturday’s opener of the North American Soccer League’s fall season was evidence that this year’s team, when healthy, can do just that.

The RailHawks, who finished third in the spring season standings, downed visiting Minnesota United, which was fourth, 3-1 Saturday in WakeMed Soccer Park despite being a man down for the game’s final 30 minutes.

RailHawks defensive midfielder Wells Thompson picked up his second yellow card in the 60th minute, but Carolina held on to a two-goal lead thanks in part to two early goals scored two minutes apart in the first half.

“I don’t think (Minnesota) had any good chances after they went a man up,” midfielder Austin Da Luz said. “I’m really proud of that.”

Two of Carolina’s three goal scorers – Da Luz and Simone Bracallelo – played just three matches combined in the spring season because of injuries. As close to full strength as they’ve been all year long, the RailHawks are 1-0 in the new season.

“We got some people fit and healthy and I think we’re seeing the result of that today ... This is right now as close as we’ve been to having everybody available for selection. (I’m) just delighted with the way they showed character … and the mental toughness,” Carolina coach Colin Clarke said.

“I look at it, and I don’t think Akira (Fitzgerald) had too many big saves to make when we were up 3-1 and down a man. I thought we defended very, very well as a unit and as a group. They weren’t able to break us down, and in some ways we looked more likely to score a fourth than they did to score a second.”

Three who mattered

Simone Bracallelo: The RailHawks forward, making his first start of the season with Nacho Novo serving a red card suspension from the end of the spring season, scored a golazo in the 15th minute against his old club.

Bracallelo was unmarked from 25 feet away, took his time and curved in a shot to the upper 90.

“When I have the ball and time, I just want to destroy the keeper,” Bracallelo said. “When you give me that kind of space, I don’t think about it twice. I just hit it. And this time it went well.”

Kupono Low: The defender who has been with the RailHawks since the franchise’s beginning had a hand in both first-half goals despite not getting an assist. Low found Bracallelo unmarked, and minutes later had a throw-in to Albadawi that set up Shipalane’s goal.

Austin Da Luz: Da Luz, who went 90 minutes in his first game of the year, scored in the 57th. On a breakaway, Da Luz juked one defender in the box, had his first shot saved by the goalkeeper but got the rebound, stepped around the goalie and slotted in the goal.

“Austin in a wonderful player. You always want to have a player like him on your side,” Bracallelo said. “It’s not just what he can do on the ball, it’s his mentality, his leadership. I would have Austin on any team that I play.”

They said it

Da Luz spent the first half of the season sidelined by injury and doing color commentary for the team on broadcasts.

“I figured that when I turned the ball over, in the back of my mind I’m going ‘(Darn), Dean (Linke, play-by-play broadcaster,) is probably talking crap about me up there,’” Da Luz said.

Observations

▪ Minnesota’s only goal came in the 26th minute with a breakdown on the left-hand side of the RailHawks defense. Kevin Venegas broke down the defense before crossing to Daniel Mendes for a tap-in to make it 2-1.

▪ Fireworks matter. Only 3,075 were on hand for this match, which started at 5 p.m. and did not have any postgame fireworks. The last time the RailHawks hosted a match this time of year, it was with Independence Day fireworks and they drew 5,304 on June 29, 2013.

▪ The WakeMed Soccer Park pitch is in better shape than it was in the spring season. The facility agreed to not re-sod it this season, hoping to avoid a conflict should the RailHawks advance in the U.S. Open Cup. The field was worn out by the end of the spring but now only has a few noticeable patches.

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 12:37 PM with the headline "RailHawks get NASL fall season off to winning start, down Minnesota 3-1."