Nyambi Jabang powers UNC men's soccer past Pitt

Friday was a night of many firsts for the No. 3 North Carolina men’s soccer team.

It was the first ACC victory of the season, as the Tar Heels took down Pittsburgh 3-0.

It was the first career goal for freshman forward Alan Winn, playing in his first conference matchup.

And maybe most importantly, it meant the first points — a first assist and first goal — for redshirt sophomore midfielder Nyambi Jabang, who’s been waiting for this moment for years.

Everything started in the first half with his assist to Winn for the first goal of the game.

“I saw Allen at the top of the box,” Jabang said. “And he made a good finish. He came to me, he said, ‘You assisted me on my first career goal.’

“And I’m like, ‘I gotta get me one too.’”

He did exactly that in the 69th minute after receiving a pass from sophomore defender Colton Storm. With one touch, he played the ball ahead of Storm and then followed the play down the wing.

Storm took his defender to the end line and stopped the ball right in front of Jabang — he didn’t hesitate.

“I’m a one-v-one player,” Jabang said. “I love dribbling, love going against defenses.”

Jabang took the ball between two Pitt defenders and dashed into the box, another defender moving to help. Jabang faked toward the end line and made a quick touch to the right, crossing his third defender.

He settled the ball with another touch. A fourth defender shuffled in front of him. Jabang put his head down and fired. The shot grazed the final defender, carried over Pitt keeper Dan Lynd’s head and settled into the back of the net.

It was three years late, but Jabang finally had his first goal with UNC.

“His is an amazing story,” Coach Carlos Somoano said. “Tore his ACL in high school, came in, three weeks in here he tore his meniscus. Three weeks later, broke his leg ... six months later tore his other ACL again.

“We know he was an unbelievable talent in high school, and that’s why we brought him here. And we hoped that he would come in to play right away as a freshman, but it didn’t happen for those reasons.”

Now, Jabang is healthy and fighting for the field, along with Winn.

“You always want to be on the field, but at the end of the day it’s about the team,” Winn said.

With veterans Andy Craven, Rob Lovejoy and Tyler Engel in the fold, getting on the field can be difficult.

“It’s challenging for me,” Jabang said. “They’re good players; they are scoring goals. I have to make sure I get in there too, and it’s a fight every practice.

“When you have a chance to get in ... you have to make an impact on the game.”

And Friday night, after years of injury and disappointment, Jabang made his.

sports@dailytarheel.com