Tigers dominate Louisville to clinch ACC Championship berth |
The top team remaining in the ACC men’s soccer tournament is headed to the final after fourth-seeded Clemson put the pressure on ninth-seeded Louisville early and often to a 5-1 win at Riggs Field Wednesday.
The Tigers, ranked No. 14 nationally, improved to 10-3-4 on the season, while Louisville fell to 11-5-3. It is a second ACC final in a row for Mike Noonan’s team, which fell to Syracuse last year, 2-0, after making a run as an 8-seed. Seven-seed North Carolina (10-3-5) kept a road-upset theme for the tournament going by winning at Syracuse, 3-1, Wednesday. The final is set for noon on Sunday at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, NC), airing on ESPNU. The teams have not met this season. Remi Okunlola got Clemson on the board in the seventh minute by sending a Louisville defender the wrong way with a cut-back inside the box and quick shot across the face of goal that froze the Cardinals’ keeper. Knotting things up 1-all in the 19th minute, the Cardinals took advantage of a deflected ball turned over by the Tigers around the box and Gage Guerra knocked in a header from the quick ball sent to him by a teammate. Clemson kept the pressure on Louisville goalkeeper Alex Svetanoff, who tallied seven saves in the period before Tigers star Ousmane Sylla sent a rebounded shot past him to take back the lead in the 32nd minute, 2-1. Clemson’s tenth shot on goal of the half was Sylla’s second goal in the 36th minute, where he knocked the ball out of the air and into the ground to bounce it over Louisville defenders for the score. A Louisville handball gave Clemson a penalty shot in the 44th minute, but Mohamed Seye’s penalty kick was saved to keep the advantage at two goals into the break. Clemson finished the half with 12 shots on goal and 17 total. Isaiah Easley clinched the victory by sending a delivery from Arthur Duquenne off of Svetanoff and into the net in the 68th minute. Gael Gilbert's header in the 71st minute went off the post and then a Louisville defender and in to make it 5-1. The Tigers finished with 18 shots on goal and 28 total. Clemson won the first meeting between the teams this season, 4-0. Clemson improved to 109-36-17 since 2010 and 9-1-2 in games this season at Riggs Field under Noonan. Remi starts us off tonight 😤💪 19' | And. We're. LEVEL!! ON 🔥 tonight at Riggs Make that TWO for Ousmane Sylla tonight...🫡 H1 frames from Riggs 🐅#ClemsonUnited pic.twitter.com/HZel0YfOsP Isaiah extends the lead to 4-1! #ClemsonUnited pic.twitter.com/GnOeTHUvOY Gael Gibert drills one in to extend the lead to 5-1!#ClemsonUnited pic.twitter.com/TePV7203rd Good day to be a Tiger!!🥳‼️ pic.twitter.com/kuAL50lVHA
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Gage with the answer 🙌
No. 20 Cards 1, No. 14 Clemson 1
📺 @accnetwork#GoCards pic.twitter.com/yhxjvkINFe
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