North Carolina FC To Host Liga MX Side In Preseason Friendly

North Carolina FC will host Atlas Futbol Club of Liga MX of Mexico on Wednesday, March 22 in the 9th Annual Hyatt Place Southpoint Community Shield Match. The game is presented by longtime North Carolina FC partner Summit Hospitality and is scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
“We are thrilled to be hosting yet another marquee event for the organization,” North Carolina Football Club President and GM Curt Johnson said. “The Hyatt Place Southpoint Community Shield Match is an event our fans look forward to every year as it kicks off our season. We expect this to be a high-demand event so we encourage fans to get their tickets early to avoid missing out on this match.”
 
Headquartered in Guadalajara, Mexico, Atlas was founded in 1916 and is coached by longtime Liga MX coach Jose Guadalupe Cruz. The club’s roster is led by Mexico’s national team captain and former New York Red Bulls defender Rafa Marquez. In its 100-year existence, Atlas has won a Liga MX title, four Copa MX, and four Campeón de Campeones titles.
 
The club’s roster is a mix of young and experienced players, including Argentine veteran Matias Alustiza who won the Copa Libertadores Top Goalscorer award in 2012. Alustiza is joined by 2009 CONCACAF Champions League winner Daniel Arreola and young defender Luis Reyes, who recently earned his first cap with the Mexican national team on February 8. Forward Fidel Martinez brings additional experience to Atlas’ roster at just 26 years old. He has scored seven international goals in 29 appearances with the Ecuadorian national team since 2008.