Hume's Golden Goal Lifts Carolina Past FGCU

Sunday, November 20

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

7:00 PM

North Carolina

12-3-3

Florida Gulf Coast

14-4-3

OT 1

OT 2

FGCU

North Carolina

November 21, 2016 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL --- Tucker Hume's driving header in the 105th minute of play lifted ninth-seeded North Carolina past FGCU, 3-2, Sunday night at Fetzer Field. Hume's goal, his second of the game, sent the Tar Heels into the final 16 of the NCAA Championship for the 16th time in program history. Nils Bruening's short-range finish in the 86th minute forced overtime for UNC, which will face ACC rival Syracuse for a spot in the national quarterfinals next Sunday at 2 p.m.

FGCU (14-4-3), the nation's highest-scoring team entering Sunday, wasted no time in taking a 1-0 advantage. Robert Ferrer took a feed from Arion Sobers-Assue and poked a low finish past James Pyle to give the visitors a stunning lead just 11 minutes into the game.

The goal seemed to invigorate the Tar Heels, however, as they enjoyed a majority of the possession for the rest of the opening 45 minutes. That possession paid off in the 30th minute, as Hume scored at the doorstep, tapping past FGCU keeper Jared Brown. Nico Melo played a lofted ball into the box, which Zach Wright nodded straight to Hume for the goal.

Hume had the ball in the net for a second time just after halftime, but the senior striker was flagged for offside. Then came a flashpoint, as Hume was dragged down from behind by Kamar Marriott in the 53rd minute. Marriott was ruled to have denied a clear scoring opportunity and was issued a straight red card, reducing the Eagles to 10 men.

Playing shorthanded, FGCU incredibly found itself in front again in the 72nd minute. Albert Ruiz, the nation's leading scorer, was fouled in the box and converted from the spot for his NCAA-best 22nd goal of the season.

From there the Tar Heels (12-3-3) pressed for an equalizer, with Wright's sizzling near-post strike well saved by Brown in the 83rd minute. Alan Winn then fired just wide after the resulting corner kick.

Carolina finally broke through less than three minutes later thanks to Bruening's eighth goal of the year. Winn and Melo combined for a slick give-and-go on the left side of the field, and Winn beat his man to the end line before feeding Bruening at close range.

Cam Lindley almost won it in regulation with a thumping strike off the crossbar in the 88th minute, but UNC would head to overtime for the second time in the last three postseasons.

Neither team threatened in the first 10-minute period of overtime, but the Tar Heels were able to avoid a penalty shootout thanks to a moment of magic from Melo. The senior collected a loose ball off of a corner and beat his man at the top of the box before serving Hume for the game-winning goal. It was his third assist of the night and Hume's seventh goal of the year, and it set off a wild celebration in front of the Fetzer Field crowd.

Carolina now heads to Syracuse next Sunday at 2 p.m. to face the eighth-seeded Orange. The two teams played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer there on Sept. 30. Full details will be available later this week on GoHeels.com.