Carolina handed NC State its first loss of the 2024 season and stayed unbeaten itself with a 2-0 win against the visiting Wolfpack at a raucous Dorrance Field on Friday night.

UNC’s Luke Hille – who transferred to Chapel Hill from NC State during the offseason – burned his former team in the 11th minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box and sending it fizzing into the back of the net. It was Hille’s fourth goal of the season, all of which have come in his last four matches.

The lead stayed 1-0 until the 74th minute, when Ahmad Al-Qaq glided through the Wolfpack defense and sent a screamer into the roof of the net.

The goal effectively slammed the door on NC State, which managed only one shot on goal for the entire night and none in the second half. UNC goalkeeper Andrew Cordes saved that lone shot on his way to keeping his fourth clean sheet of the season.

The No. 6 Tar Heels are now 5-0-2 on the season and 2-0-0 in ACC play with early wins against both Triangle rivals in Duke and NC State. Up next, Carolina will return to non-conference action when it hosts Mercer at Dorrance Field on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Men’s Soccer on Twitter


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