It’s been a long time since an opponent has beaten UNC’s defense for a goal in a meaningful game — 390 minutes, to be exact.
But despite allowing their first goal of the regular season against Boston University Sunday night — Coastal Carolina scored a goal in an exhibition last month — the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels beat the Terriers 2-1 after winning 1-0 against West Virginia Friday night.
In the 84th minute of Sunday’s game with BU, the Tar Heels (3-0), leading by two goals, turned the ball over near midfield. Terrier midfielder Michael Bustamante hit a long cross to the head of Dominique Badji, who finished from eight yards out.
“We gave a bad ball away, and then we jumped at the ball, got impatient, got played in behind,” coach Carlos Somoano said. “It was just careless all the way around.”
But the Terriers’ lone goal wouldn’t be enough to equalize.
The Tar Heels scored first against BU in the 20th minute when junior transfer Andy Craven received a long pass over the top from midfielder Verneri Valimaa near the top of the 18-yard box.
Craven made an excellent first touch, and with BU goalkeeper Nick Thomson bearing down on him, chipped a shot over Thomson’s left shoulder that rolled slowly inside the right post.
“I checked in and checked back out to open up some space and (Valimaa) played in a perfect ball to me,” Craven said.
The Tar Heels scored a much-needed insurance goal in the 68th minute on a penalty kick from Martin Murphy after UNC’s Raby George went down in the box.
