UNC Men’s Soccer Season Ends on NCAA Tournament Penalty Shootout

Carolina played to a penalty shootout for the second straight match Sunday, but the Tar Heels came up short this time on the road against No. 4 Maryland. UNC fell 4-3 in the shootout after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Carolina’s season is over.

The Tar Heels hung tough after Maryland controlled much of the play in the first half and took a 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute. But Carolina answered early in the second half, as Nacho Abeal corralled a loose ball in front of the Terrapin goal and scored the equalizer in the 54th minute. UNC continued to earn chances throughout the half, including a potential game-winning strike by Bertil Rygaard Hansen which was saved in the 87th minute.

Carolina only managed one shot attempt across the two 10-minute overtime periods, and UNC goalkeeper Andrew Cordes had to make a save in the final minute to preserve the 1-1 draw and force the shootout.

The Tar Heels took an early lead in the shootout after Maryland’s first penalty kick banged off the crossbar. But Hansen and Abeal missed the next two penalties for Carolina, and Maryland made all four of its remaining kicks to seal the win.

Carolina ends the season with a 9-5-6 overall record.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Nate Skvoretz

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