Column | Pitt men’s soccer’s painful 1-0 setbacks

No. 4 Pitt men’s soccer (10-3-0, 4-1 ACC) slumped to a 1-0 defeat to No. 22 High Point (8-2-2, 4-0 Big South) 10 years after their first meeting. After a promising start to the season, Pitt surged to the summit of the ACC. But this defeat marked its first back-to-back losses since November of 2023. Originally strong contenders, the Panthers will have to fight to regain winning form.

The first half was back and forth, with only six shots shared between the teams with the same big-cat mascot. Pitt established its characteristic ball control, with 69% in the first period. But High Point snatched an early lead. Just 23 minutes into the game, junior defender Beau Yantz whipped in a dangerous cross, and first-year forward Frankie DeFrancesco rose highest to head the ball home.

The hosts remained scoreless, producing just eight shots and failing to test the High Point keeper. Despite this, High Point didn’t sit back. 

In the 66th minute, graduate forward Kaya Ignacio rattled the Panthers’ crossbar as High Point threatened to extend their lead. Pitt failed to break through after this scare.

Pitt has gone behind in just five games this season and has failed to recover on three occasions, resulting in 1-0 defeats. Pitt maintained an average of 68% possession through these defeats, emphasizing that its ability to control the game is not the issue. But three losses with only three goals against the Panthers implies that they struggle to break down a low block when the opposition defends its lead.

“They get the first goal, then they park the bus a little bit, pick any random photograph and you’ll get 9 to 11 guys [defending the box],” Pitt head coach Jay Vidovich said. “I think the formula is if you can get the first goal on us before we get things going, we’re in trouble.”

Monday’s final whistle marked 378 minutes for senior forward Luis Sahmkow without finding the back of the net in open play. The Texan sharpshooter is Pitt’s top scorer with eight goals but is threatening a dry spell in front of the goal. 

Sahmkow’s penalty miss against Cal is an example of a striker whose confidence is low. Goals are the most crucial stat in soccer, and reinstalling Sahmkow’s goalscoring prowess could prove pivotal for Pitt, who is without a goal in two games.

Many forwards experience goal droughts in their careers, it is one of the most challenging mental hurdles for even the best players around the globe. Some players even stop taking up scoring positions because they believe they will miss, eliminating the chance of scoring altogether.

Junior defender Casper Svendby, usually pushing high on the right-hand side, was absent in the last game due to illness. Svendby has started every game for the Panthers, excluding the defeats to High Point and Penn, highlighting his attacking threat and connection with sophomore forward Albert Thorsen down the right-hand side. The Norwegian fullback plays a crucial role in stretching the opposing defense out, giving his teammates creative freedom that was missed in their defeat.

Senior midfielder Michael Sullivan replaced Svendby at fullback. In the defensive transition, the Allegheny native drops into the Panthers’ back four, similar to his counterpart. Due to Sullivan’s midfield nature, he drifts inside during controlled possession, reinforcing the midfield. 

This contrasts with Svenby’s speed on the flank. This slight tactical tweak impacts Pitt’s ability to quickly counter and catch opposing defenses before they can set up. Pitt may dominate possession due to Sullivan’s added stability to the midfield but will struggle to dissect teams to get those all-important breakthrough goals.

“It impacted a little bit more our right winger who had to drop down a little bit when [Sullivan]came inside,” Vidovich said.

Struggles to break the opposition down may relate to fatigue. Pitt fell to Penn on just two days of rest after facing its in-state rival Penn State. When playing High Point, although both teams played three days before, High Point made 13 changes. But Pitt only made four changes in an attempt to claw back against Cal.

Multiple factors contributed to the Panthers’ mid-season slump. But the most important thing is Pitt’s inability to recover from setbacks when they fall behind. Coming back and winning against all odds is a staple of all the greatest teams in history. If Pittsburgh wants to compete at the top, it needs to develop differing strategies to effectively break down teams by employing a low defensive block when it snatches a lead.

Pitt travels to Chapel Hill to face No. 7 North Carolina (8-1-4, 3-1-1 ACC) in the first of three ACC fixtures tying up the Panthers’ schedule. With the Tar Heels closing in on Pitt in the ACC, it’s the first of three must-win games. Pitt still sits at the top of the ACC and its fate is in its hands as the Panthers fight for a spot at the top of the table during the regular season.