The No. 6 North Carolina men’s soccer team (1-0) defeated Alabama Birmingham (0-1) 1-0 in a close away game to open the season.

The Tar Heels had no answer for sophomore forward Humphrey Doh during the game.

At the beginning of the game, UAB lined up with five players in the midfield. The midfield narrowed the space and prevented the Tar Heel players from creating attacking opportunities.

The Blazers slowly moved forward, while the Tar Heels were forced to either sit back and defend as UAB gradually advanced or apply pressure.

Throughout the game, Doh showcased his quick start and challenged the Tar Heels to maintain the lead whenever he had open space on the sideline.

To compound this, Doh’s forward partner, sophomore forward Tony Kim, pushed deep into Tar Heels territory and stood one step ahead of the defensive line.

When Doh moved to the sideline, UNC had to share its defensive duties. Kim jumped through the gaps in the back line and had a clear chance to score.

Experienced defender Andrew Czech was often isolated with Doh on the wing. In the 19th minute, Czech had to intervene hard to prevent Doh from exploiting the space and committed a foul in the process.

Frustration grew for the Tar Heels when first-year defenseman Tate Johnson received a yellow card in the 36th minute for complaining.