Duke Falls to North Carolina, 2-0

Friday, October 2

Durham, N.C.

7 P.M.

Duke University

1-2-0, 1-1-0

North Carolina

1-0-0, 1-0-0

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke Falls to North Carolina, 2-0

10/2/2020 10:57:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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DURHAM, N.C.—North Carolina scored a goal in each half to earn a 2-0 victory over Duke in ACC men's soccer action Friday evening at Koskinen Stadium. The Blue Devils held a 9-6 advantage in shots, but were unable to find the back of the net for the first time this season.

The Tar Heels recorded goals in the fourth and 72nd minute to pick up the win in their season opener as Duke falls to 1-2-0 overall and 1-1 in ACC play.

"We got off to a slow start," said Duke head coach John Kerr. "They pressed hard from the beginning and to give an early goal away gave them a lot of confidence. It took us a while to get into our groove."

The Tar Heels went ahead early with a finish from Matthew Constant on a free kick service by Milo Garvanian 30 yards from goal. Garvanian swung the ball towards the back post where Constant somehow got himself wide open, leaving Duke goalkeeper Will Pulisic helpless.

North Carolina continued to dominate possession over the next 20 minutes, but the Blue Devils did well to keep the Tar Heels from any dangerous scoring chances during the run of play.

The Blue Devils settled into their rhythm in the final 20 minutes of the stanza, putting North Carolina on their heels for the first time of the evening. While neither team could find much success on the offensive end in open play, both teams were dangerous on their respective set pieces.

"At times in the first half we looked okay," Kerr said. "And other times we succumbed to their pressure and didn't deal with it very well."

Duke rookie Lewis McGarvey had the best chances off the first half for the Blue Devils. The first came in the ninth minute off a set piece from Kristófer Garðarsson, but McGarvey couldn't put his volley on frame. In the 35th minute, the Northern Ireland native nearly equalized again as his header was tipped over the bar by North Carolina goalie Alec Smir.

Trailing by a single goal and having the better of play at the end of the first half, Duke came out in the second half and did well to get back into the game. The Blue Devils had a couple of quality looks from Scotty Taylor and Nicolas Macri from corner kicks, but Smir was there to make the saves and keep his shutout intact.

Then in the 72nd minute Santiago Herrera's free kick from 25 yards out deflected off Duke's wall and beat a diving Pulisic to the low right corner to solidify the win.

"The second half was a little bit different," Kerr said. "We were getting back into the game and coming close on a couple of occasions to equalize and then that dagger with the second goal with a free kick coming off a defender set us back."

Senior Stephen O'Connell nearly put one on the board late in the game, sending it high from 15 yards away.

Defensively, Duke was excellent during the run of play. Rookies Amir Daley and Antino Lopez were strong at outside back and never let the Tar Heels room to serve the ball in from the flanks.
Pulisic finished the night with two saves, while Smir had three.

Duke hits the road next to take on NC State for a second time. Kickoff is set for Oc. 9 at 8 p.m., on ACC Network.

#GoDuke