A goal in the 82nd minute was all the UNC men’s soccer team needed to stave off Boston College in the first round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night. Junior Ernest Bawa headed home the game-winner off a corner kick to send Carolina into the second round.

Bawa’s goal was the culmination of a steady offensive effort by the Tar Heels, one which saw them take 16 shots to Boston College’s five. Six of Carolina’s 16 shots were on goal, but BC goalkeeper Brennan Klein had frustrated each and every attempt until Bawa’s breakthrough.

The Eagles very nearly forced extra time in the final minute, as BC’s Diego Ochoa sent a screaming shot toward the Carolina net from distance. UNC senior goalkeeper Marco Saborio-Perez, possibly playing his final home match as a Tar Heel, leapt to his left to make the save, his first of the match after 89 minutes.

The 1-0 result is UNC’s first ACC win since early October. The winless streak since then included a 1-1 tie at Boston College on October 21. Carolina, the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament, will now advance to the second round of play and travel to No. 2 seed Syracuse. It’s a rematch of an ACC Tournament match from last season, when Carolina defeated Syracuse with a penalty kick in extra time. This year’s match will take place on Sunday at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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