No. 17 Men’s Soccer Outlast No. 3 Clemson, 3-2, In Two OTs - University of North Carolina Athletics

Sunday, November 8

Clemson, SC

Noon

North Carolina

9-2-6, 3-1-4

Clemson

13-3-2, 6-1-1

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
North Carolina	2	0	0	1	3
Clemson	0	2	0	0	2

Bracket Highlights

November 8, 2026 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 17 North Carolina used a 106th-minute penalty by Luca Nikolai to outlast No. 3 Clemson in two overtimes, 3-2, and advance to the ACC Championship semifinals. Both sides battled in the back and forth affair, but Nikolai stepped in front of a Clemson defender and was brought down just four minutes before full time. He calmly stepped to the spot and converted his fifth penalty of the season to send the Tar Heels through.

UNC extended its unbeaten streak to 10, including seven victories, while Clemson saw its 11-match unbeaten streak come to an end. The Tar Heels sit at 9-2-6 with the Tigers falling to 13-3-2.

Nico Loebus got the Heels on the board when a low, hard cross on UNC's third consecutive corner was cleared by a Clemson defender. But, the clearance attempt was met by Loebus' head and he was able to beat the keeper. About nine minutes later, Joschi Schelb looped a ball over the Clemson defense that Rygaard Hansen claimed with a deft touch before firing between the keeper's legs to make it 2-0.

The second half tilted Clemson's way and the Tigers cut the lead in half in the 52nd minute through Martin Bakken. Then, Ransford Gyan leveled in the 70th minute with neither team being able to find the winner in normal time.

Each team had a few chances in the overtime periods, but ultimately, Nikolai's penalty was the difference.

How It Happened

4' – Bertil Rygaard Hansen cleaned up a corner and delivered a floater into the box that forced Clemson's keeper to tip it away.
14' – Clemson's Ransford Gyan took a chance from distance that stung the post.
20' – After three consecutive corners, Nico Loebus headed home a Clemson clearance for a 1-0 advantage.
26' – Gyan delivered a teasing cross but Alan Rutkowski beat the Clemson attacker to the ball and got a nice punch on it before being fouled.
29' – Joschi Schelb played in Rygaard Hansen, who used a deft touch to fire one through the keeper's legs to make it two.
52' – A Carolina defender slipped and Clemson took advantage with a low cross that made it through traffic to be tapped home by Martin Bakken to make it 2-1.
64' – Ryan Zellefrow slipped in Schelb and he tested the keeper with his left foot, resulting in a corner.
70' – Ransford Gyan headed home a cross to level the match at two.
82' – Gyan crossed and put it on a platter for Duncan Wilson, but he chested it over the bar.
100' – Schelb got loose in the box but his left-footed attempt went wide.
106' – Luca Nikolai won a penalty and converted to send the Tar Heels to the semifinals.

Tar Heel Tidbits

Nico Loebus' goal was his second of the season and the third of his career.
Bertil Rygaard Hansen's goal was his second of the season and eighth of his career.
Luca Nikolai's goal was his fifth of the season and 13th of his career.
Joschi Schelb's assist was his third of the season and the 22nd of his career.

Up Next
Carolina will meet the winner of Wake Forest and NC State on Thursday at Cary's WakeMed Soccer Park. That match will either be played at 5:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. and will air on ACC Network.

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