Syracuse men’s soccer upsets nation’s No. 1 team
SU men's soccer upsets No. 1 Wake Forest
After dominating for most of the first half, the Orange took advantage of their second half opportunities and won their first ACC game of the season, defeating No. 1 Wake Forest 2-0 at SU Soccer Stadium on Friday night.
The Demon Deacons had scored at least two goals in every game this season and entered the game leading the country with 34 goals through 11 games. The Orange defense, though, came to play, limiting the Demon Deacons to one shot during the entire first half.
Syracuse Head Coach Ian McIntyre said his team has had good defense throughout the entire season, and this game proves to everyone what he knew all along: the defense can be great.
“It wasn’t just individual defending, it was collective defending,” McIntyre said. “When someone was beaten we were able to get that second body across.”
Even though Syracuse had control throughout most of the first 45 minutes, it was Wake Forest who took command at the start of the second half. During the 56th minute. Demon Deacons midfielder Bruno Lapa ripped a shot from outside the box, but Syracuse goalie Hendrik Hilpert made the save, diving and deflecting the shot to keep the game scoreless.
“That was a big save to keep them off the score sheet,” McIntyre said.
Less than 10 minutes after that, the Orange created a counterattack. Freshman Ryan Raposo connected with fellow freshman Hilli Goldhar, who chipped the ball over the goalie to open up the scoring for the Orange at the 64th minute. It was Goldhar’s second goal of the season.
“Ryan (Raposo) made an unbelievable play,” Goldhar said. “I knew he was going to find me. I started breaking away and saw the goalie out of his line. I looked to get it over him. Initially I thought it went over, but it ended up going in.”
In the 67th minute, Syracuse forward Tajon Buchanan was booked with a red card after a late foul on Wake Forest defender Logan Gdula. Playing with a man down, SU was forced to defend with more players in the back, giving the possession to the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest attacked for the next 15 minutes, but Syracuse defenders blocked a few dangerous shots.
In the 83rd minute, Syracuse midfielder John-Austin Ricks pressed the Wake Forest defense and stole the ball. Ricks raced ahead and sealed the game with a goal for the Orange.
Goldhar, Friday night’s Man of the Match, was thrilled he contributed in such a big way against the top team in the country. But he knows Syracuse cannot be satisfied with the win.
“I really can’t think of a bigger goal that I have scored in my entire life,” Goldhar said. “We feel unreal, but we know the job is not even close to being done.”
That job continues on Monday at SU Stadium against Ohio State at 7 p.m.
is a contributor at The NewsHouse.
