Every team in every sport has one opponent that for reasons difficult to pinpoint simply has their number.

Minnesota might just be that team for the RailHawks.

Over the last two seasons, the teams have met six times (including the postseason), and the RailHawks are 1-2-3 in those six games.

Outside of the second leg of last fall’s quarterfinal playoff series – when the RailHawks scored four goals in the final 30 minutes to clinch the series 4-0 on aggregate – the RailHawks have not produced a goal from the run of play. The only other goal they’ve scored against the Stars was on Etienne Barbara’s penalty kick in their 1-1 tie earlier this season. In the four regular-season matches, Minnesota has won three times by a score of 1-0.

Last season, Minnesota was the only team Carolina did not defeat. This season, Minnesota is the only team the RailHawks have not defeated. However, they’ll get two more cracks at it. Minnesota comes to WakeMed Soccer Park on Aug. 17 and again on Sept. 24.

Shut out

Saturday night marked the first time this season that the RailHawks had been shut out, and it was the first time they failed to score a goal in the regular season since Sept. 15, 2010 – a stretch of 17 matches.

The last team to shut them out?

Minnesota.

But it wasn’t for a lack of chances on Saturday. The RailHawks  took 13 shots and six were on target. Minnesota goalkeeper Joe Warren stopped five shots, including Barbara’s 66th-minute penalty kick, and Pablo Campos had a try smash off the crossbar.

Back on the horse

Fortunately, the RailHawks won’t have to wait long before getting back on the field. They meet Edmonton on Wednesday at Foote Field, where the RailHawks earned a 1-0 win on June 10. The RailHawks also defeated Edmonton 2-0 on April 20 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Since 2009, when Martin Rennie became head coach, the RailHawks have played 75 league matches and lost only 18. Only twice, have losses come in consecutive matches.

Similar losses

Saturday’s loss was eerily similar to the RailHawks’ only other loss this season.

On April 9, Puerto Rico’s Jay Needham headed in a corner kick in added time to swipe three points when it looked like both teams would leave with one.

On Saturday, Minnesota’s Amani Walker redirected a pass from Geison Moura into the goal in added to time, swiping three points when it looked like both teams would leave with one. That play started with a ball sent in from out wide.

Puerto Rico struck for the game winner when the RailHawks were playing down a man. On Saturday, the RailHawks were again down a man late, and Minnesota capitalized with the man advantage.

Both losses occurred on the 9th day of the month.

Both losses occurred with attendance figures concluding with 16.

Worth retweeting

This was posted @RailHawksFC moments after the final whistle Saturday night, but it’s worth repeating and considering: “the RailHawks opened the first half of the season with a loss, then went unbeaten over their next 13 matches. They started the second half of the season with a loss, so what can we deduce might happen in their 13 remaining matches?”

Watch Online

Watch the RailHawks take on Edmonton on Wednesday, July 13th, at CarolinaRailHawks.com.  The natch will kick off at 9:30 p.m. EDT. This will be the first of two meetings in a two-week period pitting the NASL-leading RailHawks against second-place Edmonton. The two teams will conclude their regular-season series on Saturday, July 23, at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tickets for the match are available and can be purchased at CarolinaRailHawks.com or by calling 919-459-8144.