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FINAL: Wake Forest 3, Pitt 1

Photo courtesy Wake Forest University
ACC Men’s Soccer 

FINAL: Wake Forest 3, Pitt 1

GAME STATS 

Match Summary

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons came out charging and never looked back in beating No. 5 Pitt, 3-1, at W. Dennie Spry Stadium on Friday.

Wake Forest came out with a high press, leading to numerous Pitt giveaways.

In the 16th minute, Nico Campuzao made a great save on initlal shot from Wake Forest’s Omar Hernandez after one of those Pitt turnovers.

Campuzano couldn’t corral the ball, and Kyle Holcomb gets to it for the goal in the box.

Pitt had a chance to tie, as sophomore Bertin Jacquesson sent a cross from left to right inside the box to Rodrigo Almeida, but the senior from Salvador Brazil’s shot was saved by Trace Alphin.

On the Demon Deacons next corner kick attempt, Garrison Tubbs rose above the crowd at the far post to give the home side a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers matched the Deacons in the first half shot total (6-6), but couldn’t convert on its chances, as their efforts in the final third fizzled with shot attempts from distance.

Trailing by two goals, Pitt started the second half trying to methodically build up possession and keep the ball in the attacking side of the field to offset Wake’s pressure.  The home side defended well, then eventually caught the Panthers on the counter in the 70th minute.

Pitt’s defenders couldn’t recover as Chase Oliver’s shot was deflected but caught goalkeeper Nico Campuzano out of position, as the ball trickled past the goal line to give Wake a commanding 3-0 lead.

The Panthers pushed hard in the final 15 minutes, eventually getting one back, when Veljko Petkovic scored his fifth goal of the season, as Pitt finally broke down Wake Forest in the box. Rodrigo Almeida had the assist.

With the loss, the Panthers drop to 1-1 in the ACC.  It was Pitt’s third loss in four road matches this season.

The Panthers will stay on the road when they return to action next Saturday, September 25 against No. 2 Clemson.

Gameday Updates

Look for starting line-ups and updates from the game to be posted here.

FINAL:  WAKE FOREST 3, PITT 1

Late push in last 15 minutes results in a goal for Panthers, but clearly not enough. Pitt is now 1-3 on road this season and now 1-1 in

85′ — RED CARD

Wake’s Leo Guarino gets the Red Card!
Playing up a man, Pitt has five minutes to try to get two back.
Anything’s possible.

80′ — GOAL — PITT cuts the Wake Forest lead to 3-1

Veljko Petkovic — the assist from Rodrigo Almeida — and the Panthers finally break down the Deacons for a nice goal.
Might be too little, too late.

76′ — The Panthers have been lacking patience once they get the ball near the 18. Settling for too many low percentage shots from distance. Credit to Wake’s back line though. They’ve been well positioned all night.

74′ — Closest Pitt has been tonight — Valentin Noel bangs one off the right post after clever pass from Matt Bailey.

 

70′ — GOAL – WAKE FOREST 3, PITT 0

this time on the counter,
Chase Oliver’s shot is blocked but deflection gets into goal past Pitt GK Nico Campuzano who couldn’t recover.
Panthers road woes continue.

65′ — The pace has slowed in the second half but Pitt can’t create anything dangerous in the box. Both shot attempts in half from Mirkovic and Sena have been from distance.

60′ | Sito Sena volley shot high of the bar.

HALF — WF 2, PITT 0

Shots are even (6-6), but Wake with 5 on target (Pitt with 3).

Deacons press has bothered Pitt throughout the first half.

27′ | Substitution for Pitt

Guilherme Feitosa (In) Veljko Petkovic (Out)

22′ — WAKE FOREST 2, PITT 0

Garrison Tubbs with the header in a crowded box. The big fella outjumps everyone by the far post.

Pitt now in a hole, traling 2-0 early on the road. 

16′ — WAKE FOREST 1, PITT 0

Another early road goal surrendered by Pitt. Nico Campuzao with a great save on initlal shot from Wake Forest’s Omar Hernandez. But Campuzano couldn’t corral the ball, and Kyle Holcomb gets to it for the goal in the box.

4′ — Great chance early for Petkovic — but nice tip diving save by WF keeper.

 

 

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Pitt Game Notes

THE SERIES – WAKE FOREST

–        The Demon Deacons have met the Panthers four times prior to Friday night, winning all four matches dating back to 2013.

–        These two teams last met Sept. 13, 2019 in Pittsburgh. Wake Forest, who was the No. 1 team in the country at the time, won 2-0.

–        Head Coach Jay Vidovich 0-2-0 all-time against Wake Forest.

SCOUTING THE DEMON DEACONS

–        Wake Forest enters the contest with a 2-2 overall record and 0-1 ACC mark.

–        Senior Kyle Holcomb leads the team in points with six, scoring two goals and tallying two assists.

–        Both Omar Hernandez and Chase Oliver have one goal and one assist each.

–        The Demon Deacons are sixth in the country in corner kicks per game, averaging 8.00 per match.

–        Wake Forest’s wins include Bucknell (2-0) and Cornell (2-1 [2OT]), both of which were at home.

PITT EARNS ROAD VICTORY AT PENN STATE

–        Three days after defeating No. 4 North Carolina at home, Pitt traveled to University Park and defeated Penn State, 1-0, Monday, Sept. 13.

–        Rodrigo Almeida scored his fifth goal of the season and third in his last two games.

–        Jasper Löeffelsend and Arturo Ordoñez each tallied an assist on Almeida’s goal. Löeffelsend left Penn State as the nation’s leader in assists with five.

–        The victory in University Park was the first for the Panthers since 1966.

VIDOVICH RETURNS TO WINSTON-SALEM

–        Head Coach Jay Vidovich has totaled 320 career wins, which currently ranks 16th in the nation among active head coaches.

–        Prior to his arrival at Pitt in the winter of 2015, Vidovich was the head coach for Wake Forest for 21 seasons from 1994 to 2015. He totaled a 272-121-50 (.670) record while in Winston-Salem.

–        Among his accomplishments at Wake Forest was a national championship in 2007, guiding the Demon Deacons to a 22-2-2 record. Wake Forest made four consecutive College Cup appearances from 2006-09.

–        The trip to Spry Stadium is his second while at Pitt, the first being Sept. 16, 2017.

RODRIGOAL

–        Senior Rodrigo Almeida is having a career year so far in 2021, totaling five goals and a .636 shot percentage (7-for-11).

–        The midfielder scored a goal in Pitt’s first two home matches (Duquesne, Lehigh) before recording the first multi-goal game of his career at home vs. North Carolina.

–        The Salvador, Brazil, native scored Pitt’s lone goal against Penn State, proving to be the game-winner in a 1-0 shutout victory.

–        Almeida enters Wake Forest sixth in the nation – and first in the ACC – in total goals (five) and seventh in goals per game (1.00).

LAW-FULL-ZEND’S IT IN

–        Graduate student Jasper Löeffelsend (yas-pur Law-full-zend) finished the 2020-21 season as one of the best passers in the country and is keeping that status early on this season.

–        The Cologne, Germany, product leads the nation in assists (five) and is 11th in assists per game (.83).

–        The defender recorded his first assist of the year at West Virginia and followed that match up with two at home vs. Lehigh.

–        Löeffelsend has tallied an assist in each of his last two matches, including North Carolina at home and Penn State on the road.

–        In just 25 career games, he is tied for third all-time in career assists with 14.

UP NEXT

–        Pitt closes out its three-match road trip at Clemson Saturday, Sept. 25 at nationally ranked Clemson.

–        It is a rematch of last year’s ACC Tournament Championship.

–        Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. on ACCNX.

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John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

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