CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The North Carolina men’s soccer team went into Friday’s game at Virginia ranked fifth in the nine-team ACC in both goals-against average and goals per game.
But after No. 2 UNC continued its undefeated ACC season with the team’s third 1-0 victory this year, the Tar Heels left Charlottesville atop the only rankings anyone in the league cares about — the ACC standings.
Though they have not always done so with style or comfort, the Tar Heels have developed a knack for pulling out close victories in their perfect 4-0 start in conference play.
“I think that there’s not one player who you can point out and say he did not have a good game,” forward Enzo Martinez said. “I think the team won today because we all work hard, we’re all on the same page, we all wanted the same thing and that was to win here.”
Where Michael Farfan’s 35-yard wonder-strike was the difference last week against Maryland, the Tar Heels were this time buoyed by out-working the No. 4 Cavaliers on set pieces and a little bit of magic from the right foot of Kirk Urso.
The junior midfielder scored the game’s decisive goal by curling in a 59th-minute short corner kick less than two weeks after his sudden-death free kick pushed UNC past Wofford.
Urso now has struck all three of the dead balls that have resulted in North Carolina goals this season. He might have had another if either Stephen McCarthy or Martinez had been able to convert on a corner Urso played to McCarthy’s feet in the 82nd minute.
“As dangerous as teams are against us on set pieces, we try to be as dangerous,” center back Jalil Anibaba said.
“I thought our composure was really good, and I think that was key for the result. They throw a lot at us on set pieces.”
Though McCarthy was unable to give the Tar Heels a two-goal cushion, he was pivotal in preventing the Wahoos from finding an equalizer.
