With set piece magic, Pitt bounces back in a big way to trounce No. 9 Wake Forest, 3-0 in ACC opener

FINAL:  Pitt 3, Wake Forest 0

Match Stats

Thanks to two set piece goals and another penalty kick, Pitt men’s soccer team (2-2-1, 1-0-0 ACC) opened up ACC play Saturday night with a dominant, bounce-back 3-0 victory over No. 9 Wake Forest at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

The win marked Pitt’s first win over Wake Forest in program history, as Eben McIntyre, Jackson Gilman and Luis Sahmkow each scored while senior midfielder Filip Mirkovic had a pair of assists.

It was Pitt’s third straight match facing a Top 10 ranked opponent, as the Panthers responded in a big way following previous losses to No. 2 Marshall and No. 5 Georgetown.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Pitt had the first chance of the match in the 10^th minute as Michael Sullivan headed a ball to Luis Sahmkow who headed the ball towards the right corner but dribbled just wide

After a chance by Wake, Abdoulaye Toure ripped a hard shot from the left side of the box but it sailed over the cross bar

Cabral Carter came up big for Pitt in the 29^th minute to keep it scoreless as he made a diving stop to his left on a hard low shot by Babacar Niang

In the 42^nd minute, Felipe Mercado made a defender fall and created some space at the top of the box but his hard shot just missed the upper right corner

Pitt broke through with the first goal of the match in the 43^rd minute off the corner kick. Filip Mirkovic sent a great ball into the box and Eben McIntyre got his head on it and beat the keeper to the right corner.

It marked the former Charleroi High School standout’s first career goal as Pitt took the 1-0 lead into the locker room

Let’s gooooooooo! ❤️❤️ https://t.co/M5kic9MygU

— kasey mcintyre (@kaseymcintyre) September 10, 2023

Pitt doubled their lead in the 53^rd minute off of another corner kick as Mirkovic sent a great ball into the box where Jackson Gilman headed home his first career goal.

ANOTHER SET PIECE GOALL‼️‼️

Jackson Gilman heads home another perfect corner from Filip Mirkovic to double our lead.

Pitt 2, No. 9 Wake 0 | 53'#H2P pic.twitter.com/0sH0skasHd

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) September 10, 2023

Wake Forest had a great chance in the 58^th minute as Niang ripped a shot that beat Carter but rang off the left post

In the 71^st minute, Luis Sahmkow was dragged down in the box and was awarded a penalty kick.

The junior converted on the ensuing PK with a low hard shot into the left corner to make it 3-0 in favor of Pitt

PK GOALLLLL!!!

Luis Sahmkow beats the Wake keeper to the left corner to give Pitt the 3-0 lead in the 71st minute.

Pitt 3, No. 9 Wake 0#H2P pic.twitter.com/1tEJlynVpV

— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) September 10, 2023

MATCH NOTES

• The win marks the first for Pitt in the all-time series against Wake Forest. Pitt is now 1-5-0 against the Demon Deacons including a 1-3-0 mark at Ambrose Urbanic Field
• With the win, Pitt improves to 34-5-6 in the past five seasons at Ambrose Urbanic Field. The .822 win percentage at home over the past five seasons is the best in the ACC and seventh best in the NCAA
• The goal for McIntyre in the first half marked his first career collegiate goal
• The goal for Gilman in the second half marked his first career collegiate goal
• Filip Mirkovic notched a pair of assists, giving him 21 for his career. He ranks fourth in program history in assists, just five shy of Erix Prex’s program record of 26 helpers

UP NEXT

• Pitt returns to action on Friday, September 15 as they hit the road to take on Boston College at 7:00 pm.