LEESBURG, Va. (Interstat) — In a tightly contested USL Championship match to open the season, a second-half substitute provided the decisive moment as North Carolina FC edged Loudoun United 1-0 on Saturday at Segra Field.

The match, the first of the 2025 campaign for both sides, was largely defined by defensive discipline and midfield battles until Oalex Anderson broke the deadlock in the 58th minute. The visiting North Carolina FC side secured the victory and all three points on the road.

The game’s lone goal originated from a well-executed play down the right flank. Defender Keegan Tingey, who was shown a yellow card earlier in the match, advanced and delivered a low cross into the penalty area. The ball was deftly flicked on by fellow substitute Louis Perez, finding Anderson in space near the penalty spot. The forward made no mistake with his finish, slotting the ball home to give North Carolina FC a lead they would not relinquish.

The goal came against the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a higher-scoring 2-1 victory for North Carolina FC. The same outlet’s ELO rating system had given the visitors a 55.30 percent probability of winning.

The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams showing signs of early-season rust and struggling to create clear-cut chances. The physical nature of the contest was evident as the first half produced three yellow cards. North Carolina FC’s Finn Sundstrom was the first player booked in the 19th minute, followed by his teammate Louis Perez in the 32nd minute. Loudoun United failed to capitalize on any numerical or territorial advantage in the opening period.

The visitors began to grow into the game after halftime, and their persistence was rewarded with Anderson’s goal. Loudoun United attempted to find an equalizer and put the North Carolina FC defense under pressure in the final half-hour, but the backline, marshaled by Tingey, held firm to preserve the clean sheet.

The match grew increasingly fractious as Loudoun United pushed forward, resulting in three more cautions in the latter stages. North Carolina FC’s Pedro Dolabella was shown a yellow card in the 76th minute, and midfielder Thomas McCabe, who was credited with a secondary assist on the winning goal, received one in the 89th minute as his team successfully managed the game to its conclusion.

The victory gives North Carolina FC a positive start to the USL Championship season, while Loudoun United will look to regroup after a home opener where they created opportunities but lacked a finishing touch. Both teams now hold identical records in the competition and across all competitions to begin the year.

The three points on the road will serve as a confidence booster for North Carolina FC, which saw significant contributions from its bench. The substitutes of Anderson, Perez, and Dolabella, the latter of whom also recorded an assist, were instrumental in changing the dynamic of the match and securing the result.

Loudoun United, playing in front of its home supporters, will be disappointed not to have taken at least a point from the contest but showed enough organization to suggest a competitive season lies ahead. The focus for both clubs now shifts to their next fixtures as they continue to build form and rhythm in the early stages of the 2025 campaign.