Better Late Than Never: No. 17 Pitt stuns Boston College 2-0 with two goals in final 90 seconds

In a match where patience was tested to the limit, No. 17 Pitt men’s soccer delivered in the nick of time on the road Friday night at Newton Campus Field.

Stymied for nearly 89 minutes by a stubborn Boston College low block, the Panthers broke through in jaw-dropping fashion—scoring twice in the final 90 seconds of regulation to secure a massive 2-0 victory over the Golden Eagles and claim three crucial ACC road points.

With the victory, Pitt improves to 9-4-2 overall and 4-2-1 in ACC play, snapping a two-match skid in dramatic fashion while jumping into fourth place in the ACC standings with one more match to go in the regular season.

How It Happened

For almost the entire match, Pitt dominated possession and territorial advantage, but clear-cut chances remained hard to come by. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 89th minute when Boston College was whistled for a handball inside the penalty box.

Making his return to the pitch after missing three matches due to injury, senior midfielder Caden Grabfelder stepped up to the spot under immense pressure. Grabfelder buried a clinical strike into the upper right corner to put Pitt ahead 1-1 with under two minutes remaining—his second goal of the season, both coming from penalty kicks.

Just 84 seconds later, with Boston College pushing forward out of desperation, Pitt struck the knockout blow. Carter Kopay played a sharp pass behind the Eagles’ keeper, finding Miguel Bertran, who slotted it home to put the match completely out of reach at 2-0 with just six seconds showing on the clock.

John K’s Match Takeaways

While the late goals captured the headlines, Pitt’s performance out of the back was equally vital. Rebounding from heavy defensive outings against North Carolina and Georgetown, the Panthers completely suffocated Boston College.

Commanded by captain Logan Oliver and Gavin Wetzel at central defense, along with steady contributions from outside backs Cannon Scretchen and Ethan Pendleton (and another brief relief appearance from Niklas Sørensen), Pitt held BC without a single shot on goal. Redshirt freshman netminder Jack Moxom did not need to make a save to notch his sixth clean sheet and ninth win of the season as Pitt outshot the hosts 10-5.

Although local product Anders Bordoy remained sidelined with an injury, Grabfelder’s return provided an immediate spark in midfield alongside Kareem Ahmed (who earned another start) and Mamadou Tall, who along with Grabfelder, registered a team high three shot attempts at the top of the attack.

This match was nothing short of a must-win for Jay Vidovich’s squad if they harbored ambitions of securing a top-four finish in the expanded 15-team ACC table—and the Panthers delivered.

ACC Men’s Soccer Top-5 Standings

What It Means for the Postseason

• Top-8 Guaranteed Home Match: By reaching 13 points, Pitt has virtually locked up a top-8 seed, guaranteeing a home match at Ambrose Urbanic Field in the ACC Tournament First Round on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

• The Top-4 Target: A top-four finish guarantees hosting both the First Round and the Quarterfinals (Sunday, Nov. 8) before the neutral-site Semifinals (Nov. 12) and Final (Nov. 15).

• Scenario in the Finale: Sitting in sole possession of 4th place, a victory in their regular-season finale on Friday, Oct. 30 against Virginia will guarantee the Panthers a top-four seed and two home postseason matches.

Up Next

Pitt closes out the 2026 regular season on Friday, Oct. 30, traveling to Charlottesville to face Virginia at Klöckner Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on ACCNX.

Match Lineups & Summary

Pitt Starters: Jack Moxom (GK), Ethan Pendleton, Logan Oliver, Kareem Ahmed, Albert Thorsen, Miguel Bertran, Caden Grabfelder, Mamadou Tall, Pablo Portero, Cannon Scretchen, Gavin Wetzel.

Subs Used: Niklas Sørensen, Cristian LoGrasso, Carter Kopay, Grayson Carter, Santiago Ferreira.

Pittsburgh Soccer Now