Tigers battle Blue Devils, advance to ACC semis in penalty kicks

Tyler Trimnal scored both of Clemson's goals in regulation. (Clemson athletics photo)

by Brooks Thomason - Correspondent - Sun Nov 05 23:24:01 GMT-04:00 2023

Fifth-seeded Duke traveled to Historic Riggs Stadium Sunday night, where the fourth-seeded Clemson Tigers were victorious against the Blue Devils in penalty kicks to move on to the semi-finals of the ACC tournament.

The game was tied 3-3 going into penalty kicks. Clemson scored all their attempts to win the shootout, 4-1. Joseph Andema saved Duke’s Ulfur Bjornsson, and Forster Ajago missed the third penalty kick for The Blue Devils. Jackson Wrobel scored the fourth penalty for Clemson to seal their spot in the semi-finals of the ACC tournament.

Clemson, the highest remaining seed in the tournament, hosts 9-seed Louisville on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

At the end of the game, head coach Mike Noonan credited the Clemson fans and players for helping the Tigers to a victory, “Hats off to Tiger faithful, you have no idea, their presence might've made them miss, or mishit a penalty and good for them, but all credit goes to the players.”

The Tigers (9-3-4) pressed up front early on against the Blue Devils. In the third minute, Tyler Trimnal received a good cross from Arthur Duquenne, but Trimnal’s header wasn’t strong enough to beat Duke keeper Julian Eyestone.

There was a lot of shoving and forearms by both teams and through all the shirt-pulling came the complaints from both sides.

In the 11th minute, Ousmane Sylla became the maestro for the Tigers. He played a beautiful pass to Trimnal, who slotted it past the sliding defender and left the keeper watching the ball roll into the bottom corner. A fantastic start for Clemson.

In the 22nd minute, the Tigers look to threaten to add a second. A slide pass to Sylla looked like a first-time shot for the Senior, but a great tackle from behind from two Duke players sighed relief for The Blue Devils.

In the 36th minute, Duke (11-3-3) had their first shot on target from Ajago. A half-volley from Ajago slipped past Joseph Andema, and the Devils knotted the game up. A beautiful slip pass gave Ajago the space he needed.

Clemson’s Elton Chifamba blazed a curler just over the bar a minute later. There was a huge gasp from the Clemson crowd, and the Tigers tried to answer quickly but just missed.

The second half started with physicality on both sides. Five fouls within the first three minutes riled up the Historic Riggs crowd.

In the 53rd minute, Duke took a corner which hit the head of a Clemson defender and into the back of the net for a Blue Devils lead.

In the 60th minute, Clemson made a quick counterattack, giving Trimnal a curler shot at the top of the box. Trimnal’s shot went wide from the bottom right corner and missed wide.

In the 71st minute, Andema made his best Superman impression. Duke’s Nick Pariano’s shot was saved onto the bar by a diving Andema, and then a header down by Bjornsson looked like an easy goal, but Andema flew across and made the second diving save. The crowd erupted as Andema pumped up his team to go and find the equalizer.

A whipped cross into Ousmane Sylla later gave him a header, which he passed to Trimnal, who headed it into the top left corner. The colossal goal gave the equalizer to the Tigers with 15 minutes left to go in regulation.

Duke’s Nick Pariano had a one-on-one to end regulation time, but Andema made an incredible save to send the game to extra time.

The first half of extra time started hot. Adam Lundegard blocked a shot from Duke's close range, and then Sylla received a cross and headed it back post but was saved by Eyestone.

A ball by Remi Okunlola across the box went to Alex Meinhard, who was brought down from behind, and the referee gave a penalty. After a VAR review, it stands. Meinhard stood over it, and Eyestone got his hands to it, but it still went in for Clemson to take the lead in extra time.

With three minutes left in the first extra time, A corner for Duke gave a header for Wayne Frederick, and Andema made a beautiful save, but the rebound fell straight to Bjornsson, who hammered it in to tie it back to three goals apiece.

In the 105th minute, all chaos ensued. Clemson headed away a free kick whipped into the box, then headed back into Andema, who saved it, and then a Duke shot was deflected, and another shot was missed for the last big chances of the extra time periods.