If the LA Galaxy are going to get past the Carolina RailHawks, they’ll need to beat the NASL side in a different venue than past years.
The RailHawks will be unable to host the U.S. Open Cup fifth round match between the two clubs scheduled for June 26 at their home ground of WakeMed Soccer Park due to scheduled field resurfacing. With WakeMed unavailable, the match will be held at Koka Booth Stadium, which is known locally as Field 2, a practice pitch that is adjacent to main stadium. The surface will not be unfamiliar to the Galaxy as the club trained on the pitch during both of their previous trips to Carolina.
The timing of the resurfacing process made by both the RailHawks' and the Town of Cary,which manages and maintains the facilities at WakeMed Soccer Park. According to Indy Week reporter Neil Morris, the club weighed the option of hosting the match at nearby universities like Duke and North Carolina before ultimately settling on the Koka Booth Stadium.
"It'll be a very good field, I'm sure," said Arena during Friday's training session. "Our objective is to go there and play well. We have to worry about ourselves because if we play well then we'll be able to win."
To accommodate the demand that the Galaxy game will bring, the RailHawks are attempting to install temporary stands that should raise capacity to near 3,000 while also expanding press box facilities.
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Thoughts on the RailHawks hosting the game on a practice field?
