Johnson Propels #4 Syracuse to ACC Semifinal

Sunday, November 6

Syracuse, N.Y.

6 PM

Syracuse University

13-2-3, 5-1-2

North Carolina

8-5-5, 2-2-4

North Carolina

Syracuse

11/6/2022 10:09:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 2 seed Syracuse men's soccer advances to the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Semifinal for the first time since 2015 as Levonte Johnson's goal in the 86^th minute lifted 'Cuse past No. 7 seed North Carolina in the Quarterfinals. The 1-0 victory marks Syracuse's first ACC Championship win since 2019.

The 90 minutes was a defensive battle, as both backlines limited opportunities in the final third. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Russell Shealy and center backs Abdi Salim, Buster Sjoberg and Christian Curti combined to keep Syracuse's first clean sheet since a 2-0 win over Wake Forest on Oct. 7.

The Orange took five shots, their lowest single-game total this season. North Carolina took four shots, as all of them were saved by Shealy.

"That was postseason, dramatic ACC action," head coach Ian McIntyre said after the match. "To move onto the semifinal and to be able to play in front of our home fans again on Wednesday night is special. I'm very proud of this group. It's a real privilege and honor to play in this league."

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Neither side could find an attacking rhythm in the first half, as Syracuse's (13-2-3, 5-1-2 ACC) midfield of Amferny Sinclair and Jeorgio Kocevski battled North Carolina's (8-5-5, 2-2-4 ACC) Tim Schels for possession.

Syracuse's best attacking chances in the first half came from set pieces. In the 40^th minute, a corner kick from Curt Calov found Salim in the box. The Buffalo, New York native got his head on the ball, but the shot drifted wide of the net.
After the first 45 minutes, Syracuse recorded three shots compared to North Carolina's one.

Once play resumed for the second half, both defenses continued to tighten up. The Tar Heels had the first opportunity of the second period of action, as Daniel Kutcsch fired a shot towards goal, but Shealy reached up to deny North Carolina the go-ahead strike.

The breakthrough came in the 86^th minute of play. North Carolina won the ball and pushed forward toward goal. Cameron Fisher controlled the ball on the byline and shot across goal, but Shealy stepped in to block the ball out of play for a corner.

North Carolina's corner was corralled by Shealy, who looked up-field and saw Johnson making a run towards goal. The Cartersville, Georgia native launched the ball towards Johnson, who picked up the ball just past the halfway line. Johnson took a touch, dribbled past one defender, then spun past the last North Carolina defender for a one-on-one with Tar Heels keeper Marco Saborio-Perez. Johnson slipped the ball past Saborio-Perez for the game winning goal.

"I just sprinted as soon as he [Shealy} played the ball," Johnson said about his game-winning goal. "From there on I was just trying to fight my way toward goal."

The Orange finished with five shots, as Johnson's goal was Syracuse's only shot on target. Shealy recorded four saves and kept his eighth clean sheet of the season.

OF NOTE:

The Orange won their first ACC Championship match since 2019.

Syracuse advances to the ACC Championship Semifinal for the first time since 2015.

Johnson has eight goals on the season, tied with Nathan Opoku for the team lead.

Syracuse kept its ninth clean sheet of the season, the most since 2014. It marks the first shutout since a 2-0 win over Wake Forest on Oct. 7.

Graduate midfielder Julio Fulcar returned from injury to make his first appearance of the 2022 season.

UP NEXT:

Syracuse hosts Virginia in the ACC Championship Semifinal on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. It marks the first time since 2014 that an ACC Semifinal will be played at the SU Soccer Stadium. Tickets for the ACC Semifinal are $10 for the general public, $5 for seniors and youth ages under 18 and free for Syracuse students with a valid SUID. The match will be televised nationally on ACC Network.

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