Men’s Soccer Opens 2025 With 3-1 Win Over UCF

Thursday, August 21

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7:30 PM

North Carolina

1-0-0, 0-0-0

UCF

0-1-0, 0-0-0

UCF

North Carolina

Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications

August 21, 2025 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina men's soccer program defeated UCF 3-1 to open the season at Dorrance Field. The Tar Heels were powered by goals from newcomers Dylan Kropp, Nacho Abeal, and Ryan Dugan.

The Tar Heels improved to (1-0, 0-0 ACC), while the Knights moved to 0-1 (0-0 Sun Belt).

How It Happened

Luca Nikolai put the pressure on the Knights in the fifth minute, forcing a save with a shot bending toward the top right corner.
Bertil Rygaard Hansen barely missed the net just minutes later with a screamer that sailed wide.
UCF opened the scoring on a Lilian Ricol goal in the 21st minute.
Three minutes later, Carolina ramped up the pressure with Nacho Abeal putting two hard shots on net that forced great saves from the UCF keeper.
The Tar Heels found the net to equalize in the 25th minute off the head of Dylan Kropp. Andrew Czech assisted just the second goal of Kropp's career and his first in open play.
The teams were knotted at 1 at halftime, but momentum was in Carolina's favor.
In the 56thminute, Abeal was finally able to convert off of a long assist from the right foot of Lucas Ross. This goal turned into the fifth game-winner of Abeal's career and the 12^th total goal of his career. Ross notched his first career assist on the sequence.
The Tar Heels put the nail in the coffin on Ryan Dugan's first career goal. Nikolai again found himself in the action by racing down the right side and crossing the ball to the right foot of Dugan who was planted in the middle of the box.

Inside the Box Score

UNC outshot UCF 17-8, including 12-1 in the first half.
Six different players notched a point for Carolina.
Nacho Abeal led all Tar Heels wiht six shots and three on goal.
Andrew Cordes recorded two saves.
Ryan Dugan opened up his college account with the game-sealing goal.

Tar Heel Tidbits

This was the eighth match-up between UNC and UCF with Carolina holding a 5-3 advantage in the series.
Head Coach Carlos Somoano has produced a stellar record in season openers as a head coach, having gone 13-0-2 over that span.
The total attendance was 3,430. Of that, 2,623 were students setting a new men's soccer student attendance record.

Up Next
North Carolina will host Seattle at Dorrance Field on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Both UNC and Seattle, who have never played before, are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches initial poll.

Stay up to date with UNC men's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.