ANN ARBOR, MI – No. 14 Maryland earned a big 3-2 road win over Michigan in Friday night’s conference clash. The Terps scored twice in the final 16 minutes to outlast the Wolverines to improve to 8-3-1 (3-3-1 Big Ten) on the season.

DOMINIC AYELLA PUTS US AHEAD!!! https://t.co/IaT436hEZV


— Maryland Men’s Soccer 🐢 (@MarylandMSoccer) October 17, 2026
Tied 1-1 in the 74th minute, Ljubomir Popovic scored on a corner kick to give Maryland a late advantage. Michigan tied the match in the 85th minute, but the Wolverines put the ball in their own net 40 seconds later to give the Terps their final lead of the night. The goal was initially ruled as Dominic Ayella’s third of the year, but was changed after the result went final. 

Ljubo scores his first goal as a Terp! 🐢 📺 @BigTenNetwork https://t.co/o6YZtpR0zU


— Maryland Men’s Soccer 🐢 (@MarylandMSoccer) October 17, 2026
Over an hour before the wild sequence, Henry Bernstein opened the scoring in the eighth minute with his second goal of the season, finishing off a play assisted by Franklin Affanyi and Maxwell Sekyi, who recorded the first assist of his career.

Henry notches his second goal of the season early in this one! 📺 @BigTenNetwork https://t.co/MVTy2WCIwN


— Maryland Men’s Soccer 🐢 (@MarylandMSoccer) October 16, 2026
Laurin Mack made four saves to keep the Wolverines at bay as they fell to 3-5-4 (0-3-3 Big Ten) on the season. The Terps improved to 8-5-3 all-time against Michigan, including 4-2-1 in Ann Arbor. Maryland will return to College Park to face St. John’s on Tuesday. 

What a save by Mack 😤 📺 @BigTenNetwork https://t.co/wt6mCPyjTD


— Maryland Men’s Soccer 🐢 (@MarylandMSoccer) October 17, 2026


How it Happened:

1st Half:


Michigan took the match’s first corner and recorded the first shots in the second minute.
Bernstein’s goal (2) in the eighth minute opened the scoring and gave Maryland a 1-0 lead. Affanyi (3) and Sekyi (1) assisted on the goal.
Mack made his first save in the eighth minute and his second in the 11th.
The Wolverines made a save on a shot from Kenny Quist-Therson in the 24th minute.
Michigan’s Grayson Elmquist tied the match with a goal in the 33rd minute. 
The two teams took the 1-1 score into the halftime break.

2nd Half:


Michigan made a save on a good look from Said El Eyssami in the 51st minute.
Mack came up with a big save in the 63rd minute.
Popovic and El Eyssami both put shots on goal in the 69th minute. 
Mack made his fourth save in the 71st minute.
Ayella put a shot on goal in the 73rd minute.
Popovic scored (1) in the 74th minute to give the Terps a 2-1 lead.
Michigan was assessed a yellow card in the 80th minute.
Albi Ndrenika applied late pressure with a shot on goal. 
Michigan’s Guy Michaeli tied the match with a goal in the 85th minute.
The Wolverines put the Terps back in front 40 seconds later with an own goal. 
Maryland held on for its wild 3-2 win.


Numbers to Know:


1: Sekyi recorded his first career assist on Friday. 
1: Popovic scored his first goal as a Terp in the win.
8: Maryland improved to 8-5-3 all-time against Michigan.
16: Friday marked the 16th all-time meeting between Maryland and Michigan. 
17: The Terps outshot the Wolverines 17-14 on the road. 
30: Mack earned the 30th win of his career. 
40: Ayella’s goal came 40 seconds after Michigan tied the match in the 85th minute.

Up Next:


Maryland returns to College Park to face St. John’s on Oct. 20. The match is set for 7 PM on B1G+.