Inside The Panthers

Pitt Men's Soccer Defeats Kansas City in Sweet 16

Pitt Panthers men's soccer defeated Kansas City in the Sweet 16.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Men's Soccer midfielder Guilherme Feitosa
Pitt Men's Soccer midfielder Guilherme Feitosa / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers men's soccer will continue their season, as they defeated Kansas City in extra time in the Sweet 16 at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

This marks the fourth time in the past five seasons that the Panthers made the Elite Eight, as they've dominated under head coach Jay Vidovich.

Kansas City struck first in the 6th minute, stunning the hosts to take an early lead.

Roos senior midfielder Julien Le Bourdoulous crossed in a ball to junior forward Elie Kisoka, who chested it down to freshman midfielder Gabriele Galluccio, who took a shot, that deflected off of a Panthers defender and just sneaked by junior goalkeeper Cabral Carter for the goal.

Pitt would respond in the 15th minute, as sophomore forward Albert Thorsen sent a cross in that Kansas City senior goalkeeper Brandon McGaugh dove on to, but failed to grab in the box. Pitt senior midfielder Casper Grening ran onto the ball and smashed it into the top of the net, leveling the match.

The Panthers threatened the rest of the period, but still went into halftime level at 1-1. They had six shots to the Roos' two in the first half.

Pitt continued to put pressure on Kansas City throughout the second half, but the road team stayed firm throughout the early stages.

Panthers senior midfielder Guilherme Feitosa took a shot from outside the box, that McGaugh stretched out and made a great save on.

Graduate student midfielder Arnau Vilamitjana headed the ball down and half volleyed it with some power, as it hit the underside of the cross bar and in to give the home team a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute.

Kansas City responded in the 74th minute, as Le Bourdoulous put in a great ball of the corner that found sophomore defender/midfielder Guille Munoz, who put in a fantastic glancing header to level it at 2-2.

Pitt almost took the lead in the 82nd minute, as Feitosa found Thorsen at the back post with a cross, but Thorsen's header hit off the cross bar. Junior defender Casper Svendby then took a shot on the rebound, but Kansas City defenders blocked his shot.

The Panthers then looked to have won it in the final seconds, as graduate student midfielder Felipe Mercado found Thorsen, who then headed it to Svendby.

Svendby then took a shot, which found senior forward Luis Sahmkow and he put it away, but the referee called offside and confirmed it after video review.

This sent the match into extra time, the first for Pitt this season, as there aren't any overtimes in the regular season any more.

The Panthers would win the match in the 98th minute on a golden goal. Vilamitjana put a beautiful through ball to Thorsen, who slotted it past McGaugh for the winning goal.

Pitt will face the winner of Vermont vs. San Diego in the Elite Eight, or quarterfinals, at Ambrose Urbanic Field on Dec. 7.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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