WINDSOR, Colo. — It was deja vu all over again for Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC on Saturday, and not in a good way.
In July, they took 13 points from their first five matches and then lost 2-0 to North Carolina FC, and on Saturday they again lost 2-0 to NCFC after earning 13 points in their first five matches in September.
“We got beat by a better team tonight,” Hailstorm head coach Éamon Zayed said. “They keep it tight at the back and have dangerous players going forward.”
The loss ended an eight-match unbeaten run and dropped Hailstorm to third in the USL League One table.
Hailstorm fell behind late in the first half when NCFC forward Garrett McLaughlin scored direct from a free kick in the 40th minute, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at the break. It was the second time this season NCFC scored from a direct free kick against Northern Colorado, as midfielder Louis Perez also converted in the teams’ first matchup in July.
“They got another set piece goal, another fast start which we talked about,” Zayed said.
North Carolina doubled their lead in the 58th minute as Raheem Somersault found Oalex Anderson who scored from a wide angle to make it 2-0.
Hailstorm will look to bounce back this Friday when they travel to South Carolina to face Greenville Triumph SC. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Mountain time and the match can be viewed live on ESPN+.
“We’ll be hurting tonight and tomorrow, but it’s back to work in training on Monday,” Hailstorm midfielder Nortei Nortey said.
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The home of Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, 118-acre Future Legends Complex, will feature 6,500-seat TicketSmarter Stadium, 2,500-seat Future Legends Field, multiple baseball diamonds, multi-purpose fields, an indoor sports arena, lodging, and retail; and will host guests for major sports leagues, tournaments, events and more.
More information is available at HailstormFC.com and FutureLegendsComplex.com.