Sometimes a team creates superior tactics to win a game. Sometimes a few individual players shine and put the result over the top for their squad. Sometimes the more technically proficient team prevails. Sometimes the more athletic team prevails.
On Friday night at Pitt’s Ambrose Urbanic Field, Wake Forest was all of those things rolled into one, and the NCAA’s top-ranked team went ahead and dismantled the Pitt Panthers, 2-0.
The Pitt Panthers played hard and played well, but nothing was going to stop Wake Forest from winning this game. The Demon Deacons dominated the match from wire to wire – controlling possession, making sharp, perfect passes, opening space with clever dribbles, and closing down their opponents relentlessly in defense. Pitt was effective and found ways of getting off shots, but never looked like the stronger team.
The various weapons at Wake’s disposal made it hard for the Panthers to contain them. They couldn’t take the ball off senior attacking midfielder Bruno Lapa. They couldn’t keep pace with wingers Justin McMaster or Machop Chol. They struggled to step in front of the incisive passing of Isaiah Parente or halt the clever dribbles of Aristotle Zarris.
Pitt’s defense can be commended for stepping up to make stops under duress and keeping the game close, as centerbacks Arturo Ordonez and Sito Sena were often asked to make the block or the tackle to prevent disaster for Pitt.
The Panthers in the first half struggled in possession – making a lot of turnovers under pressure, and ultimately electing to boot the ball long in hopes that striker Edward Kizza would latch onto a ball and get a goal against the run of play. After relentless pressure, Wake Forest got their first goal in the 34th minute. Defender Michael DeShields headed in a ball on a pass from Parente on a second-chance play from a corner kick. Wake continued that after up to the halftime break.
Rather than adjust or slow the pace out of the locker room, Wake Forest put their foot on the gas and played faster, more physical, and more pressing to start the second half. It resulted in the Deacs finding a second goal in the 53rd minute, as left winger Machop Chol drove into the box, cut in on his defender, and tucked the ball away in the right corner of the net to make it 2-0.
For the final 30 minutes of the match, Wake stopped pressing and dropped into a defensive 4-4-2 shell that sat deeper and let Pitt have the ball, as long as they didn’t bring it too close to Wake’s net. Just as they thoroughly dominated Pitt when they pressed and attacked, they also dominated them when they sat deep and chose to defend. The tactical shift resulted in a few good looks for Pitt, but Wake would ultimately see those final minutes of the game out for the win. Wake Forest departs Pittsburgh with a 5-0-0 record, while the loss dropped Pitt to 1-3-1 on the season.
Sometimes you lose due to bad luck or moment of brilliance from your opponent, or sometimes things go awry because you had an off night. Pitt can hold their heads up high after this game. They played well. But sometimes, when you face an opponent that is better in so many ways, trying to defeat them is like trying to hold back the waves of the ocean. Whatever you do, however hard you try, they will eventually and inevitably overwhelm you.
Starting Lineups
Pitt-
Arie Amman; Bryce Washington, Arturo Ordonez, Sito Sena, Tim Ekpone; Jackson Walti, Valentin Noel, Braden Kline; Alexander Dexter, Edward Kizza, Josh Hesson
Subs: Nyk Sessock, Rodrigo Almeida, Veljko Petkovic, Matt Bailey
Wake Forest-
Andrew Pannenberg; Alistair Johnson, Michael DeShields, Nico Benalcazar, Holland Rula; Joey DeZart, Isaiah Parente, Bruno Lapa; Justin McMaster, Calvin Harris, Machop Chol
Subs: Aristotle Zarris, Takuma Suzuki, David Wronam Omar Hernandez, Eddie Folds
Box Score
#1 Wake Forest 2, Pitt 0
Goals:
Wake Forest – 34′ Michael DeShields (Isaiah Parente), 53′ Machop Chol
Pitt – None
Cards:
Yellow– 16′ Calvin Harris (WF), 33′ Tim Ekpone (PITT), 71′ Valentin Noel (PITT), 80′ Aristotle Zarris (WF), 87′ Josh Hesson (PITT), 90′ Arturo Ordonez (PITT)
Red– None
Shots/SOG: Pitt 9/4, Wake Forest 12/4
Corners: Pitt 9, Wake Forest 10
Play-by-Play Recap (via twitter)
Do-it-yourself starting lineups. #PITTvWF pic.twitter.com/dcMV9RzfzD
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
5' Wake has Pitt under immediate pressure; they've forced a high press turnover and two corners already. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
15' Calvin Harris with a rough sliding challenge and the striker goes into the book with a yellow. Game has been physical up to now – already 5 or 6 fouls, all guys going 100% for balls – or opponents. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
18' Right back Nyk Sessock turns the ball over in a baaad place and Wake's Justin McMaster gets a great shot on the right side – big save from Pitt GK Arie Amman! Keeps it level at 0-0. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
29' Pitt's Edward Kizza has a nice volley at the goal off a pass from Braden Kline, but he sends it high. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
33' Tim Ekpone gets megged by Machop Chol, and as he goes by, chops him down. Yellow card to the Pitt LB. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
34' Goal Wake Forest! Michael DeShields tucks away a bouncer in the box and its 1-0 to the Demon Deacons. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
That pretty much sums up what's it like for an unranked opponent of no provenance or pedigree to go up against a #1 ranked team. /E
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
HT #PITTvWF and the score is 0-1. Pitt will need to regroup at the half and figure out what it wants to do to change the narrative. Right now Wake has the momentum, penetration into the final third, and the more dangerous threats.
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 13, 2019
53' Machop Chol dribbles into the left side of box, shimmy-fakes and finishes, and its 2-0 to Wake Forest. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
Keep an eye out for the name Bruno Lapa. The Wake Forest CAM, a senior from Brazil, will be playing pro somewhere next year. MLS?
…
For folks in-the-know who read @TopDrawerSoccer this will not be a major revelation. Dude's been on the national radar since he was 16.#PITTvWF— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
59' There's been a lot of 'Launch-it-to-kizza-and-pray' for Pitt. I can't say it's been the prettiest strategy, nor effective. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
61' In a lively moment, Valentin Noel dribbles through the midfield and skins a defender, and slips a pass in the box to Rodrigo Almeida, whose shot deflects high and over. #PITTv
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
67' Bobby Muuss has Wake sitting deep in the classic 4-4 low block. I think he wants to shut up shop and call it a night with a 2-0 road victory to open ACC play. We'll see if that pans out for the Deacs. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
68' Jackson Walti strikes a long boooooomb from maybe 35 yards and Wake GK Andrew Pannenberg tips it wide with his hand, onto the post, and out. Pitt not laying down.#PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
71' Delayed yellow card on Pitt's Valentin Noel.
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
79' Wake's Parente on a run gives to Aristotle Zarris wide right, but he finishes just wide and high. Still 2-0 to Wake Forest at Ambrose Urbanic. #H2P #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
80' Wake's Zarris with a foul and yellow card. Free kick for the Panthers is batted away for a corner. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
85' Pitt's Josh Hesson goes into the book with a yellow. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
Wake's got two wings – Justin McMaster and Machop Chol – with crazy flat-out speed. And they're Juniors.
…
This team might be the odds-on favorite to win the NCAA championship *and* might be *even better* in 2020. #PITTvWF— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
90' For good measure, Pitt's Arturo Ordonez gets himself a yellow for a studs up late challenge on Zarris. #PITTvWF
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019
Full Time: Pitt defeated by #1 Wake Forest, 2-0. They were firmly in control of this one from wire to wire. It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, can give the NCAA's top team a challenge in the ACC this year. #PITTvWF #H2P
— Mark Asher Goodman (@soccer_rabbi) September 14, 2019