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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wofford
No. 3 Tar Heels Sneak By Wofford
September 21, 2010 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 21, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - On a night of missed opportunities the No. 3 North Carolina men's soccer team was able to notch a goal when it needed to Tuesday night as the Tar Heels claimed a 2-1 overtime win against Wofford at Fetzer Field. Kirk Urso provided the difference maker in the 95th minute when he converted on a free kick from outside the box. The Tar Heels will now turn their focus to No. 5 Maryland who Carolina will host at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24.
Neither team was able to crack the scoresheet in the opening 45 minutes as the teams combined for nine shots apiece with Carolina holding a slim 5-4 margin.
Sophomore Enzo Martinez had the best opportunity for the Tar Heels in the 19th minute when Bruno Castro dropped off a ball for the streaking Martinez who fired it on goal. The ball ricocheted off the right post and back into the field of play.
The Martinez effort would be the last of the half for the Tar Heels despite controlling possession in the midfield once again.
Senior Michael Farfan came out of the locker room looking to put Carolina in front as he fired a pair of balls on net but Wofford's Andrew Drennan was equal to the task saving both attempts.
Wofford finally broke through in the 71st minute when Armin Kinigardner was tripped up in the box forcing the referee to call for a penalty kick. Kinigardner stepped up to the spot and buried the kick into the back of the net putting Wofford in front 1-0.
The final 20 minutes saw the Tar Heels attack the Wofford defense in search of the equalizer.
Josh Rice looked to be up to the task in the 75th minute but his shot hit the woodwork just before Kirk Urso fired the rebound high of the goal.
Eddie Ababio broke through the Terrier defense with a shoulder fake on a defender but was unable to put his shot on frame as the ball rolled wide of the net.
Ababio would make up for the miss less than three minutes later when Bruno Castro played a ball into the box that was knocked down by a Wofford defender and Ababio snatched the carom and fired the ball past the keeper to even the score at 1-1 in the 88th minute.
Neither team would get the ball near the box in the final two minutes forcing the game into overtime.
In the 5th minute of overtime Ababio found the ball at his feet once again and found Kirk Urso near the top of the box with a pass. Urso attempted to get the ball back to Ababio but was tripped up in the process drawing a free kick in a dangerous area.
Urso stepped up to the ball and seeing the Wofford keeper in the middle of the goal fired a low shot into the lower left corner of the goal for the game winner improving Carolina to 4-1-0 in the process.
The Tar Heels are now 2-1 in non-conference action but will look to keep their flawless ACC record intact on Friday when they host No. 5 Maryland at 7 p.m. at Fetzer Field.
A free webcast will be available on TarHeelBlue.com for the battle with the Terps.
