Friday, September 27
Syracuse, N.Y.
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
3-3-3, 1-1-1
2
at
1
Syracuse
3-4-3, 0-2-2
1
2
F
Wake Forest
0
2
2
Syracuse
0
1
1
Two Late Goals Fuel Wake Forest To First ACC Victory of the 2024 Season
9/27/2024 10:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Goals from Dylan Borso and Basit Umar in the 78th and 80th minutes completed the Wake Forest comeback.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Goals from freshman Dylan Borso in the 78th minute and junior Basit Umar in the 80th minute led Wake Forest men's soccer (3-3-3, 1-1-1 ACC) to a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Syracuse (3-4-3, 0-2-2 ACC) on Friday evening at SU Soccer Stadium.
Despite a clear advantage in attacking play through halftime, Syracuse would take a 1-0 lead shortly after its only corner kick of the evening in the 66th minute.
However, Borso and Umar would each log their first goals as Demon Deacons just 121 seconds apart to give Wake Forest a 2-1 lead it would hold onto until the final whistle.
The result marks the first time either program has won on the road in the all-time series, as Wake Forest was previously 0-3-1 at SU Soccer Stadium while the Deacs are 5-0-2 against the Orange at Spry Stadium.
Additionally, it is the 150th ACC regular season victory in program history.
The Demon Deacons will return to Spry to begin a three-match homestand with a Tuesday night showdown with ETSU in the first meeting between the two programs since Aug. 26, 2018.
Kick-off for the match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
ACC Regular Season Win No. 53 Since 2015
Since the start of the 2015 season, Wake Forest has won an ACC-best 53 conference regular season matches. The 53 victories are 10 more than any other conference program during that span.
How It Happened
"That was a great team win for this group. They worked so hard this week in preparation and I thought they played their hearts out for 90 minutes at one of the toughest places to play in the ACC. The way they supported each other and followed the gameplan was incredible. Couldn't be more proud of the group."
Up Next
Wake Forest will return to Winston-Salem to begin a three-match homestand, as the Deacs will next face ETSU on Tuesday before Boston College and Wofford also come to North Carolina.
Kick-off for the ETSU match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Despite a clear advantage in attacking play through halftime, Syracuse would take a 1-0 lead shortly after its only corner kick of the evening in the 66th minute.
However, Borso and Umar would each log their first goals as Demon Deacons just 121 seconds apart to give Wake Forest a 2-1 lead it would hold onto until the final whistle.
The result marks the first time either program has won on the road in the all-time series, as Wake Forest was previously 0-3-1 at SU Soccer Stadium while the Deacs are 5-0-2 against the Orange at Spry Stadium.
Additionally, it is the 150th ACC regular season victory in program history.
The Demon Deacons will return to Spry to begin a three-match homestand with a Tuesday night showdown with ETSU in the first meeting between the two programs since Aug. 26, 2018.
Kick-off for the match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
ACC Regular Season Win No. 53 Since 2015
Since the start of the 2015 season, Wake Forest has won an ACC-best 53 conference regular season matches. The 53 victories are 10 more than any other conference program during that span.
| 1. Wake Forest | 53 |
| 2. North Carolina | 43 |
| 2. Clemson | 43 |
| 4. Duke | 36 |
| 5. Virginia | 35 |
- Senior Babacar Niang registered the first shot of the evening in the eighth minute, a low-level attempt that went wide of the frame.
- Three minutes later, junior Cooper Flax had a beautiful set up pass to senior Sidney Paris who's powerful attempt skied over the crossbar.
- Senior goalkeeper Trace Alphin's number was called in the 11th minute, stopping a one-on-one from Syracuse's Nicholas Kaloukian.
- Niang had a pair of attempts blocked in the middle stages of the first half, with his second shot narrowly missing the goal before going out for Wake Forest's third corner of the frame.
- Wake Forest finished the first half with advantages in shots (nine to four), corner kicks (six to zero) and saves (three to two).
- 35 seconds into the second half, the referees checked for a foul by Wake Forest inside its own 18, but the original call on the field of no foul was upheld.
- It was the second Wake Forest foul inside its box that was reviewed and upheld by VAR as no Demon Deacon foul.
- Sophomore Jeffrey White logged a trio of attempts in the 49th, 50th and 51st minutes, but none were able to break the scoreless affair.
- Alphin's fourth save of the night came in the 55th minute, as the Raleigh, N.C., native dove to his left to once again stop Kaloukian.
- Syracuse would take a 1-0 lead in the 66th minute.
- Despite the deficit, Wake Forest would ultimately score a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory thanks to goals from freshman Dylan Borso in the 78th minute and junior Basit Umar in the 80th minute.
- Borso registered the assist on Umar's game-winner, as the freshman had a three-point outing.
- Graduate Prince Amponsah earned his 70th career start.
- The Bronx, N.Y., native becomes the 32nd Demon Deacon to start 70 career matches, joining former teammate Garrison Tubbs (2020-23), Jamie Franks (2005-08) and Jared Watts (2010-13) for the 29th-most starts in program history.
- Junior Cooper Flax earned his 35th career start.
- Senior Babacar Niang earned his 25th career start.
- Graduate Sidney Paris earned his fifth career start at Wake Forest.
- Junior Basit Umar earned his first career start at Wake Forest.
- Freshman Amoni Thomas became the fifth first-year Deacon to earn a spot in the Starting XI in 2024, joining Daniel Krueger, Dylan Borso, Pariss Mitchell and Will Jackson.
- Senior Bo Cummins made his 50th career appearance.
- Sophomore Jose Perez made his 20th career appearance.
- Sophomore Travis Smith Jr. made his 20th career appearance.
- With the result, Wake Forest now leads the all-time series 6-3-3 with four of those wins coming under 10th-year head coach Bobby Muuss.
- This marked the first road win for Wake Forest at Syracuse, as the Deacs were previously 0-3-1 on the road against the Orange.
"That was a great team win for this group. They worked so hard this week in preparation and I thought they played their hearts out for 90 minutes at one of the toughest places to play in the ACC. The way they supported each other and followed the gameplan was incredible. Couldn't be more proud of the group."
Up Next
Wake Forest will return to Winston-Salem to begin a three-match homestand, as the Deacs will next face ETSU on Tuesday before Boston College and Wofford also come to North Carolina.
Kick-off for the ETSU match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Team Stats
WFU
SYR
Goals
2
1
Shots
24
15
Shots on Goal
9
5
Saves
4
6
Corners
8
1
Fouls
16
16
Scoring Plays
Sam Layton (1)
Assisted By: Braedon Smith
GOAL by SYR Layton, Sam Assist by Smith, Braedon.
65:57
Dylan Borso (1)
Assisted By: Jeffrey White
GOAL by WFU Borso, Dylan Assist by White, Jeffrey.
77:27
Basit Umar (1)
Assisted By: Dylan Borso
GOAL by WFU Umar, Basit Assist by Borso, Dylan.
79:28
Game Leaders
Players
mid
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
mid
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
5
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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