CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The California men’s soccer team held a 1-0, second-half lead over third-ranked North Carolina on Saturday night on the Tar Heels’ home field. But UNC scored the equalizer eight minutes later and netted the deciding goal in the 80th minute to send the Golden Bears to a 2-1 defeat.
Cal’s record fell to 3-5-1 (0-3-1 ACC). North Carolina improved to 6-0-3 (3-0-0).
The teams played a relatively even first half. Cal goalkeeper Marco Brougher and UNC goalie Andrew Cordes made two saves each to keep the game 0-0 at halftime.
Cal forward Nonso Adimabua scored his second goal of the season when he struck a 20-yard shot past Cordes to give the Bears a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute.
In the 67th minute, UNC found Ahmad Al Qaq deep in the Cal box, and the forward fired the ball over Brougher from close range to tie the game 1-1.
Al Qaq scored his second goal in the 80th minute. With Cal defender Giancarlo Mota pressuring him on the flank, the Tar Heel sent a shot towards the Bears’ goal and the ball carried into the upper corner of the far post to make the score 2-1.
Cal took one more shot the rest of the way. In the 86th minute, a long free kick by Cal forward Alfredo Ortiz found Adimabua in the six-yard box, but Adimabua’s header was saved by Cordes.
“I’m concerned with how we can close games out and get a result,” Cal head coach Leonard Griffin said. “Even getting out of here with a tie would be better than a loss. We just have to continue to learn about ourselves and learn how to close out games. It’s disappointing.”
Cal’s third-year head coach lauded Adimabua for his goal,…
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