SOUTH BEND, Ind. – In a thrilling Sunday night showdown, the University of Louisville men’s soccer team pulled off a stunning upset with a 4-3 victory over the No. 2 and top-seeded Notre Dame in the quarterfinal round of the ACC Championship. This victory propels Louisville into the semifinal round of the ACC Championship for the first time since 2018, setting up a clash with fourth-seeded Clemson on Wednesday.
Louisville got off to a blazing start, taking a commanding 3-0 lead thanks to the heroics of Sander Roed. The junior midfielder came off the bench in the 23rd minute and wasted no time making an impact. After Quinton Elliot’s cross was deflected, Roed pounced on the loose ball and fired a shot into the back of the net on his first touch of the match.
Heading into the second half with a 1-0 lead, Roed continued his spectacular performance by scoring two more goals in a three-minute span. In the 49th minute, Roed collected a deep pass from Bryce LeBel, dribbled past defenders, and calmly slotted the ball inside the far post. Just three minutes later, Brandon McManus delivered a perfect cross from the right wing, and Roed completed his hat trick with a powerful header, becoming the first Louisville player to achieve the feat since Mohamed Thiaw in 2017.
Despite their comfortable advantage, Louisville had to weather a storm as Notre Dame mounted a comeback. The Irish scored their first goal in the 66th minute and narrowed the deficit further in the 69th minute. With the score at 3-2, the Cardinals held on for the next 19 minutes. However, Notre Dame managed to find an equalizer in the 88th minute, setting up a tense finale.
Just as it looked like Louisville had let their 3-0 lead slip away, they immediately responded. In the 89th minute, the Cardinals earned a free kick just outside the box on the right side. Roed delivered a pinpoint cross to the far post, and Josh Jones rose highest to head the ball into the net, giving Louisville the lead once again.
But the drama wasn’t over yet. In the final minute of the match, Notre Dame launched one last desperate attack. The Irish put the ball in front of the goal, causing chaos inside the six-yard box. Alex Svetanoff made a crucial deflection, and Jones cleared the ball off the line to preserve the lead. Svetanoff then made one final save in the closing seconds to secure the victory, finishing the night with five saves, including two in the final minute.
Roed had a sensational performance, ending the night with a total of seven points. This is the highest point tally by a Louisville player since George Zabaneh’s 10-point game against Belmont on October 16, 1999. Roed also achieved a rare feat, recording just the third postseason hat trick in program history, joining the likes of Colin Rolfe and Dylan Mares.
Louisville’s triumph over Notre Dame is a testament to their resilience and determination. They now turn their attention to their upcoming semifinal clash against Clemson, as they aim to continue their impressive run in the ACC Championship.
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