The Carolina Railhawks are having the best week ever

It is a good week to be a Carolina RailHawks supporter. 

On a week where many people and teams can claim to be having a great week in the world of soccer, there is perhaps no greater feel-good story than that of the Carolina RailHawks. After a difficult year which saw the club face a public relations nightmare the club has survived and rebuilt. This week’s signing of Mexican international Omar Bravo, coupled with their draw against West Ham United, shows how far this team has come and what might be possible for them.

This time last year RailHawks supporters likely weren’t thinking about beating Premier League sides or signing Mexican internationals. They were thinking of survival. The club, which had been in existence since 2006, and the North American Soccer League became embroiled in the FIFA bribery scandal.

The RailHawks were owned by marketing company called Traffic Sports USA which had pled guilty in federal court to wire-fraud conspiracy. Although Traffic’s illegal actions had little to do with the RailHawks and despite the company having ties to the greater North American Soccer League (the company was a Class B stakeholder in the league) it was the RailHawks that were hit the hardest. The lower divisions of U.S. Soccer is filled with stories of owners leaving under spurious circumstances and folding teams with little to no notice.

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But the team was saved thanks to the efforts of their supporters, who rallied behind the team during uncertain times, and new owner Stephen Malik. Malik, a local businessman whose previous work was mostly in the healthcare sector, purchased the team from Traffic in October of 2015. Getting away from Traffic helped provide the club some level of stability.

Although the club did begin their 2016 Spring season campaign on a high (going 4-0-0 in their first four matches), they stumbled late going 1-2-2 in their final five matches. Two tough draws against the Jacksonville Armada and Miami FC, the bottom two teams in the NASL, knocked the RailHawks from a playoff spot and into sixth place.

That lack of scoring seemed to have propelled management into procuring the services of Bravo. Bravo is Chivas Guadalajara’s all-time leading goal-scorer having knocked home 132 goals across the part of 13 seasons for The Goats. Although he is 36 he is still a very productive player having just helped Chivas capture the 2016 Supercopa MX two days prior to signing.

Although Bravo would make his first appearance for the RailHawks against West Ham, the club did not need his services to earn a draw with the Hammers. Defender Drew Beckie would notch home the game’s first goal to give the RailHawks the advantage. But the Hammers would score twice thanks to goals by Winston Reid and Andy Carroll would put two past Akira Fitzgerald.

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Being down two goals and looking at thunderstorms it appeared that the 10,000 RailHawks supporters would go home empty-handed. But things have an interesting way of working out for teams with good luck. Despite a forty minute delay, play did resume and the RailHawks would have the chance to equalize in the 67th minute when the team would earn a penalty kick.

Forward Marvin Ceballos, a Guatemalan international who came to the club under much less fanfare than Bravo, would steal the show hammering home his chance past West Ham goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel.

Rarely do friendlies create such a ruckus, but the RailHawks supporters at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina seemed up for the occasion:

So the question is now: can the RailHawks continue their lucky streak? The Hawks were dropped in their first match of their 2016 Fall Season campaign to the tune of 5-1 against Minnesota United FC. But they rebounded last Saturday, easily putting away the Tampa Bay Rowdies in their home opener. Facing a Fort Lauderdale Strikers side whose attention may be more fixed towards their U.S. Open Cup match next week against the Chicago Fire, the RailHawks have a chance to build a winning streak.

Although nothing is certain and soccer and luck can go away in an instant the Carolina RailHawks and their supporters have proven themselves to be survivors. If they can work Bravo into their lineup and get him scoring then the RailHawks will have to be in the discussion for a Soccer Bowl appearance at year’s end.