Akron Hosts Labor Day Showdown with No. 3 Pittsburgh

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No. 19 Akron (3-0-0) vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh (2-1-0)
Monday, Sept. 6
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 18-8-2
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The 19th-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team continues its three-game homestand as the Zips welcome No. 3 Pittsburgh to FirstEnergy Stadium on Monday, Sept. 6. The 7 p.m. showdown with the Panthers will be broadcast on ESPN+ with David Bacon calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Pittsburgh: Jay Vidovich (Ohio Wesleyan, 1982), Overall Record: 318-167-56 (27th Season)/Pittsburgh Record: 46-46-6 (Sixth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 154-65-25 (15th Season)/Akron Record: 107-44-17 (Ninth Season)

SCOUTING PITTSBURGH
Akron is battling Pittsburgh for the fourth consecutive season, as the Zips host a Panthers' squad that is off to a 2-1 mark this season after a 2-1 home triumph past Lehigh on Friday, Sept. 3. Pittsburgh went 16-4-0 (9-1-0 ACC) during the 2020-21 campaign, a mark that included victories over nationally-ranked Notre Dame, UCF, Virginia and Washington en route to advancing to the College Cup for the first time in program history. Pittsburgh earned a 1-0 home victory over Akron on Sept. 16, 2019.

Pittsburgh is led offensively from junior Veljko Petkovic and senior Rodrigo Almeida, who own three and two goals, respectively. Senior goalkeeper Nico Campuzano has registered five saves en route to posting a 1.00 goals against average this season.

As a team, Pittsburgh is third in the NCAA points per game (10.0) and total points (30), fourth in goals (10) and scoring offense (3.33), sixth in goal differential (7), eighth in assists per contest (3.33), 10th in corner kicks (8.0), 16th in shots on goal (7.33) and 17th in shutout percentage (.333).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Pittsburgh are meeting for the 29th time in program history with the Zips owning a 18-8-2 series advantage. In 2019, Akron suffered a 1-0 road setback versus the Panthers on Sept. 16, 2019.

AKRON VERSUS THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time this season and 73rd time overall.
• Akron owns a 40-26-6 (.6597) all-time record versus the current 12 members of the ACC.
• In their last encounter with a school from the ACC, the Zips dropped a 1-0 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 16, 2019.

FITZGERALD'S FIRST CAREER GOAL LIFTS NO. 19 AKRON PAST ROBERT MORRIS
A trio of second-half goals, including the first career tally for sophomore Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) propelled the No.19 University of Akron men's soccer to a 3-0 triumph over Robert Morris on Friday, Sept. 3 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Zips finished the evening recording a 24-0 advantage in shots, including an 8-0 edge in shots on goal, en route to collecting the first shutout of the season for senior goalkeeper Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio).

Freshman Ryan Kingsford (Herne Bay, England) led Akron's offensive efforts with a game-high five shots, while freshmen Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) and Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) added four and three shots, respectively.

The Zips dominated the pace of play in the opening stanza, but Akron was unable to plant a strike in the back of the net despite outshooting Robert Morris by a count of 10-0.

The Zips came out of the intermission with a renewed focus on maximizing their scoring opportunities and it paid off in the 52nd minute (51:39) when Fitzgerald scored what proved to be the game-winning goal off an assists from Kingsford and senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal).

Akron continued to pepper the Colonials' defensive third with shot after shot before the Zips extended their lead to 2-0 at the 73:32 mark on a score from sophomore Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio). Freshman Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) continued his torrid scoring streak to begin his Akron career delivering a corner kick that was flicked in the box and off of Pacheco to the foot of Jackson for the goal.

Freshman Nick Scott (Fairview, Pa.) capped the scoring with his first career tally at the 88:01 mark off an assist from senior Hazem Sobhy (Cairo, Egypt). He struck a high bender from the corner of the box that floated over the shoulder of the Robert Morris goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

ZIPS EARN 2-1 WIN AT MICHIGAN STATE
Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal capped a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Michigan State on Monday, Aug. 30, scoring the game-winning goal for the Zips with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

The tally was the second in as many games for Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, who fired a laser to the back of the net from 15 yards out off an assist from Diogo Pacheco, his second assist of the night.

The triumph was the Akron's second consecutive 2-1 victory on the Spartans' home pitch at DeMartin Stadium and served as the fifth straight win overall past Michigan State.

After not securing a shot in the opening 45 minutes of play, the Zips came out on the attack in the second half and registered a 10-7 edge in shots, including a 3-1 margin in shots on goal. Akron and Michigan State concluded the evening with 10 shots apiece.

The opening half proved to be a defensive battle as Michigan State edged the Zips in first-half shots, 3-0, including posting the only shot on goal in the opening stanza.

The Spartans broke the stalemate in the 63rd minute (62:29) when Michael Miller floated a ball over goalkeeper Will Meyer's shoulder to give Michigan State a 1-0 lead.

Pacheco narrowly missed leveling the game at one at the 70:17 mark as his strike from the center of the box was inches off finding the corner of the net off passes from Dyson Clapier and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal.

Akron continued to attack the offensive third before finally breaking through with when Jason Shokalook netted the equalizer in the 79th minute (78:26) courtesy of an assist from Pacheco.

Meyer was stout in net for Akron in the match recording one save, while Hunter Morse collected a pair of stops for Michigan State.

Pacheco directed the Zips' offensive efforts recording a team-high three shots, while Shokalook and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal garnered two shots each. Miller led the Spartans with a game-high five shots.

CLAPIER NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dyson Clapier was recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its Men's Soccer Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday, Aug. 30.

Clapier turned in a dominating performance in the Zips' season-opening 7-1 victory over Wright State on Aug. 26. He opened the scoring in the contest connecting on his first goal of the season at the 15:23 mark.

Clapier then assisted on junior Renato Kauzlaric's (Zagreb, Croatia) goal in the 52nd minute (51:28) as well as the second goal of the evening for Ryan Kingsford at the 64:58 mark. He finished the game with a game-high five shots, including two on goal.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (as of games on Sept. 5) (.761), with an overall record of 217-57-33. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 197-61-37 (.731), Maryland, 202-63-42 (.726), North Carolina, 194-65-45 (.712) and Creighton, 191-75-28 (.697). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of the last 13 years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 33 times, including 17 of the past 20 seasons.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Seventeen of the 28 matches between Akron and Pittsburgh, including the last six meetings, have resulted in a shutout with the Zips owning a 18-8-2 mark in those contests.
• Akron maintains a 9-4-0 mark in its 13 home encounters with the Panthers. The Zips have outscored Pittsburgh, 38-13, all-time away at home, including earning shutout victories in three of the last five encounters.
• After dropping decisions in four of the first five home games with the Panthers dating back to 1957, Akron has won eight straight on its home pitch since posting a 2-0 victory on Nov. 4, 1967.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 17 all-time meetings with Pittsburgh.
• The Zips set season-high marks in goals (7), assists (8), points (22) and shots on goal in a 7-1 win over Wright State on Aug. 26, while establishing top marks in shots (24) and corner kicks (18) in a 3-0 triumph past Robert Morris on Sept. 3.
• With tallies against Wright State and Michigan State Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal became the first Zip to score goals in back-to-back games since Diogo Pacheco did so last season at Kentucky and versus Marshall.
• Diogo Pacheco's has recorded a pair of assists in each of Akron's last two contests. He along with Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald have registered multiple assists in a game for Akron this season.
• Led by a two-goal effort from Ryan Kingsford, three Akron newcomers scored goals in the Zips' 7-1 win over Wright State on Aug. 26. Joining Kingsford was Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Renato Kauzlaric.
• Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald each registered a pair of assists for Akron against Wright State.
• Garnering their first collegiate points in the Zips' 7-1 victory over Wright State on Aug. 26 was Renato Kauzlaric (one goal and two assists), Ryan Kingsford (two goals), redshirt sophomore Ivan Nikolic (Toronto, Ontario) (one goal) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (one goal and one assist).
• Daniel Strachan is the active leader among all players in men's Division I in games played having appeared in 78 games.
• Sixteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Akron leads the NCAA in assists (15), goals (12), points (39), assists per game (5.00) and winning percentage (1.000), while rating second in points per contest (13.00), scoring offense (4.00) and goal differential (+10).
• Diogo Pacheco is ranked eighth in the NCAA in assists (4) and assists per game (1.3), while Ryan Kingsford and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal are rated eighth in game-winning goals (0.7), 12th in goals (2) and 16th in goals per tilt (0.7).
• Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Diogo Pacheco are ranked 16th in the NCAA in total points (6), while Ryan Kingsford is rated 38th (5).
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (11), points (30), shots (75) and shots on goal (33). Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while Daniel Strachan has appeared in a team-high 78 games.
• The Zips own a 107-44-17 mark over the last nine seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 107 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 75 of the squad's last 131 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 25 of its last 49 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 63-11-6 record in its last 80 home matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 60-31-13 record.

UP NEXT
Akron closes out a three-game homestand as No. 1 Indiana visits FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt on Friday, Sept. 10.

Akron Hosts Labor Day Showdown with No. 3 Pittsburgh

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Players Mentioned

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Will Jackson

Renato Kauzlaric

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Ivan Nikolic

Diogo Pacheco

Nick Scott

Jason Shokalook

Hazem Sobhy

Daniel Strachan

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics