California Men’s Soccer Team Stuns No. 1 Pittsburgh in ACC Upset

In a stunning upset, the California men’s soccer team defeated the top-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers 1-0 on Friday night at Ambrose Urbanic Field. This victory marked the Golden Bears’ first ACC win of the season.

The decisive goal was scored by Nonso Adimabua, a fifth-year senior forward, in the 21st minute. Adimabua capitalized on a defensive miscue by the Panthers, slamming the ball into the net from 14 yards out after a Pitt field player took a bad touch in the box.

California goalkeeper Marco Brougher was instrumental in securing the win, making eight crucial saves throughout the game. His most notable save came in the 80th minute when he dove to stop a penalty kick taken by Pittsburgh’s leading scorer, Luis Sahmkow, preserving the shutout.

The match also saw the return of senior co-captain Wyatt Meyer, who made his 2024 debut after missing action due to injury. Meyer played 28 minutes in the first half, providing a significant boost to the team’s morale.

Pittsburgh, which suffered its first ACC loss and first home loss of the season, outshot California 14-2 but was unable to find the back of the net thanks to Brougher’s outstanding performance. The win improved California’s record to 4-5-2 (1-3-2 ACC), while Pittsburgh dropped to 10-2-0 (4-1-0 ACC).