CARY, N.C. (Interstat) — Oalex Anderson scored just six minutes into the match, and North Carolina FC made the early goal stand in a 1-0 victory over Loudoun United on Saturday night at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The match, part of the USL Championship, was the season opener for both clubs. The decisive play came almost immediately from the opening whistle, with North Carolina FC capitalizing on a swift offensive push.

The lone goal was engineered by midfielder Ahmad Al Qaq, who delivered the assist on Anderson’s clinical finish. Defender Patrick Burner was also credited with an assist on the play, which gave the home side a lead it would not relinquish.

Loudoun United struggled to mount a consistent offensive threat against a disciplined North Carolina FC defense. The visitors’ frustrations were evident as they accumulated multiple yellow cards throughout the contest.

Cole Turner of Loudoun United received the game’s first booking in the 10th minute. The chippy nature of the match continued, with Loudoun’s Finn Sundstrom and North Carolina’s Patrick Burner also seeing yellow cards in the final minutes of regulation and stoppage time.

The most significant disciplinary action involved North Carolina’s playmaker, Ahmad Al Qaq, who was shown a yellow card in the 70th minute. Despite the infraction, his early assist proved to be the most critical offensive contribution of the night.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a higher-scoring affair with a 2-1 final score in favor of North Carolina FC. The firm’s ELO rating system had also given the home team an 83.90 percent probability of victory, a forecast that ultimately proved accurate, albeit with a narrower margin than anticipated.

With the win, North Carolina FC begins its USL Championship campaign with a perfect record of one win and zero losses. The club also holds the same record across all competitions. Conversely, Loudoun United starts its season with a record of zero wins and one loss in both the USL Championship and in all competitions.

The shutout victory provides a strong foundation for North Carolina FC as it looks to build momentum early in the season. For Loudoun United, the match highlighted offensive challenges that will need to be addressed after being held scoreless on the road.