GREENSBORO — Sometimes, you have to build the plane while you fly it.
North Carolina men's soccer head coach Carlos Somoano emphasized a similar notion to his team at the halftime break of a 2-1 win over UNC-Greensboro (0-3-1).
“Obviously, we talked about being more assertive and trying to bring some more positive energy to the game,” Somoano said. “Solve some of the things on the field when they’re going wrong in the moment as opposed to waiting until we get to halftime or after a game and talk about them later. That's what good teams do.”
UNC (3-1) never lost its 1-0 halftime lead, and Somoano let his players figure it out on the pitch for themselves. Fans close to the field heard the Tar Heel players barking instructions at one another and making on-field adjustments.
When asked whether UNC’s audible change in energy was at all a result of frustration with their first-half play, senior Alan Winn harped on the learning opportunity that Monday night’s game presented.
“I wouldn't call it frustration,” Winn said. “It's just not connection. It’s just a thing as a team we've talked about. So yeah, actually, you can call it frustration. But we are getting past that, and those are things we have to learn throughout the season.”
Winn’s presence turned out to be one of those on-field adjustments that made a difference for the Tar Heels. The forward missed the first three games of the season with an injury, but he made his season debut count.
In the 13th minute, Winn danced away from a defender, created just enough separation and ripped a low-rolling ball to the far corner of the goal. His first shot of the season found its way into the back of the net untouched.
“It feels good,” Winn said of opening his senior campaign with a goal. “And hopefully it is going to be consistent throughout the season.”
