No. 18 Virginia Rallies to Earn 2-2 Draw With North Carolina

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – After trailing by a score of 2-0 in the second half, No. 18 Virginia (9-4-3, 5-1-2 ACC) played a dominant second half that included a pair of goals from Michael Tsicoulias and Daniel Mangarov scored in the span of just three minutes. However, it wasn’t enough to earn the victory as Virginia battled to a 2-2 draw with North Carolina (7-4-5, 2-2-4 ACC) on Friday night (Oct. 28) at Dorrance Field.

Goals (Assists)
11’ – North Carolina: Akeim Clarke (Tim Schels, Sam Williams)
46’ – North Carolina: Cameron Fisher (Tim Schels)
55’ – Virginia: Michael Tsicoulias (Paul Wiese, Daniel Mangarov)
58’ – Virginia: Daniel Mangarov (Penalty)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Early on, North Carolina dictated the play as Virginia struggled to get out of its own end. Just as Virginia began to grow into the game, and the teams settled into a lull, it was Carolina that broke on a counter-attack that seemingly materialized out of thin air to put the Cavaliers down early.

With 19 minutes played Paul Wiese found himself in behind the Carolina back line. Dribbling into the penalty area, Wiese fizzed a low cross into a dangerous area looking for Phil Horton. Though the cross missed the feet of Horton, the ball drifted just wide of the far post, narrowly missing the net.

In the 28^th minute of play, Carolina earned a free kick just outside the Virginia penalty area. A hard-hit strike deflected off the Virginia wall and floated awkwardly in front of the Virginia goal, but Holden brown forced it high over the crossbar to keep the Tar Heel lead at one.

Virginia put pressure on the Tar Heels up to the final seconds of the first half and took a bit of momentum into the break after a pair of corner kicks. However, any momentum was swung back in the direction of Heels when Cameron Fisher doubled the Carolina lead with less than a minute played in the second half.

In the 55^th minute the game shifted on a dime. Daniel Mangarov won a challenge in the middle of the field and quickly played it out to Paul Wiese on the wing. Wiese sent a high-arching cross cross perfectly into the feet of Michael Tsicoulias behind the Carolina defense. With a calmly taken chance Tsicoulias slipped the ball past the goalkeeper to half the Carolina lead.

Just three minutes later Mangarov again made his mark as he was taken down inside the penalty area before he was able to get off his shot. Mangarov quickly picked up the ball with confidence walking straight to the penalty spot where he fired the ball into the left corner to put Virginia back on level terms.

With less than a minute remaining in the second half Clarke had a chance to win the match for UNC late, but Holden Brown sprinted off his line to deflect the ball out of play to preserve the draw for his team.

FROM HEAD COACH GEORGE GELNOVATCH

“Tonight was a bit of a wake-up call. I think we came out a little bit flat and it had been a really long time since that had been the case. As a coach, one of your biggest fears is to come out flat in a tournament game so in a way, this will serve a reminder of the intensity we need to bring every night.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Virginia allowed more than one goal in a single match for the first time in nine matches
• The last time Virginia allowed more than one goal was on Sept. 16 in a 2-1 loss to Notre Dame
• Michael Tsicoulias scored his first goal of the season and third of his career
• Daniel Mangarov matched a career-high with his second three-point performance of the season (one goal, one assist)
• Wiese recorded his third assist of the season
• After Duke’s 1-0 victory over Virginia Tech, Virginia will end the regular season as the No. 3 overall seed in the ACC
• Syracuse earns the conference’s No. 2 seed as a result of its Atlantic Division title despite Virginia’s head-to-head victory over the Orange
• Virginia was ranked No. 11 by the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Selection Committee at halftime of the game between Duke and Virginia Tech on ACC Network
• The Cavaliers snapped a two-game losing streak against UNC
• Virginia was outshot by a margin of 7-0 in the first half of action and 14-4 overall
• The Cavaliers’ total of four shots was its smallest of the season
• Virginia placed three shots on target and scored on a pair

Up Next:

Virginia will end the regular season as the third seed in the ACC Tournament and host the winner NC State and Pitt on Sunday, at Nov. 6 at Klöckner Stadium.