The No. 6 North Carolina men’s soccer team and the Duke Blue Devils, both looking for their first ACC win, are tied 0-0 after 45 minutes of play here at Fetzer Field.
In the first half, the Tar Heels have controlled possession of the game, putting together some solid sequences on offense.
UNC, which is second to last in the ACC in shots, out-struck the Blue Devils with nine shots. The Tar Heels’ nine shots are just shy of their average of 13 per game in eight games this season.
The most promising look at the net for the Tar Heels came in the 20th minute from Verneri Valimaa. The junior midfielder caught a Duke defender sleeping, stealing the ball before he could clear the ball. Valimaa then made his way into the 18-yard box with only the goalkeeper to beat, and after attempting to curl the ball in far post Blue Devil goalie Alex Long deflected it away.
In only his second career start, freshman defender Colton Storm has been a vital addition to the veteran Tar Heel defense, which has held Duke to just three shots. Storm has also taken two shots of his own.
With six of its eight games having gone into overtime this season, UNC will look to continue to find opportunities on offense by controlling possession while limiting Duke’s looks at the net.
The Tar Heels are 6-0-1 against Duke in the last seven meetings dating back to 2007. The last time the two teams matched up in the regular season at Fetzer Field, the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
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