Duke Plays to 3-3 Draw at Clemson, Falls in Penalties

Sunday, November 5

Clemson, S.C.

6 p.m.

Duke University

11-3-3, 4-3-1

Clemson

9-3-4, 4-2-2

Duke

Clemson

Duke Plays to 3-3 Draw at Clemson, Falls in Penalties

11/5/2023 9:26:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CLEMSON, S.C. – In a high-tempo, back-and-forth, ACC Tournament quarterfinal, the fifth-seeded Duke men's soccer team fell in penalty kicks at fourth-seed Clemson on Sunday night. The Blue Devils (11-3-3) and Tigers (9-3-4) played to a 3-3 draw in 110 minutes of play, with Duke getting goals from their striker duo of Forster Ajago and Ulfur Bjornsson, but eventually failed to advance in penalties.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams earned corner kicks within the first three minutes of the match, but nothing came of the set pieces.
Clemson scored first in the 11th minute, taking the early 1-0 lead.
A back-and-forth game was established through the middle portion of the first half as neither team could muster a shot attempt in a high-tempo affair.
The Blue Devils equalized with less than 10 minutes remaining in the first half, as Forster Ajago slotted home a goal in the 36th minute.
The physicality picked up out of halftime, with five combined fouls called inside the first five minutes of the second half.
Duke took the lead, 2-1, in the 54th minute via a Clemson own goal off a Duke corner kick.
The Blue Devils nearly took a 3-1 lead in the 72nd minute, but two diving stops by the Clemson goalkeeper kept Nick Pariano and Ulfur Bjornsson off the scoresheet.
Clemson equalized in the 75th minute off a re-directed header, leveling the score at 2-2.
Both teams earned corner kicks in the waning minutes of regulation, but both defensive units held strong and Clemson turned away a last-second shot by Pariano to force extra time.
The Tigers took the lead, 3-2, on a penalty kick in the 94th minute.
Bjornsson brought the Blue Devils right back into it, blasting home a bouncing ball in the six-yard box in the 98th minute.
Pariano, Ajago and Kamran Acito were all denied in a flurry of opportunities in the 105th minute and neither team could find a winner across the final five minutes, moving the match to penalty kicks.
The Tigers converted all four of their kicks from the spot in the shootout to advance.

NOTES

Duke and Clemson required extra time for the third time over their last six meetings.
Duke has scored three or more goals in each of its last four matches, scoring 20 total goals over that span.
The Blue Devils out-shot the Tigers, 16-9, including a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Forster Ajago scored his 14th goal of the season, the most in a single season by a Blue Devil since Mike Grella also had 14 goals during the 2008 campaign.
Ulfur Bjornsson reached double-digits in goals scored with his tally on Sunday night and now has 10 in his freshman season.

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