No. 16 Orange Visit No. 1 Clemson, Watch On ACCN

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse men’s soccer heads to No. 1 and reigning national champion Clemson for a marquee matchup on Friday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. The match will be televised nationally on ACC Network. Fans who are unsure if their cable provider carries ACC Network are strongly encouraged to visit GetACCN.com.

‘CUSE UPDATE:

Syracuse is 5-0-1 heading into Friday night’s match and is No. 16 in the latest United Soccer Coaches’ Poll. The Orange’s +10 goal difference ranks second in the ACC.

The Orange took home three points in a midweek 1-0 win over in-state foe Niagara. Senior forward Levonte Johnson scored the game winner in the 13^th minute. Nathan Opoku assisted Johnson on the goal.

Buster Sjoberg, Christian Curti and Olu Oyegunle followed up their dominant showing against defending ACC champion Notre Dame with another clean sheet against Niagara. The defense only allowed five shots and did not concede a single corner. The last time Syracuse prevented an opponent from taking a corner was in 2019 against SUNY-Morrisville.

Opoku has recorded a point in each match so far this season. He leads the team in points with eight.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Clemson enters Friday’s match as the No. 1 team in the nation with a perfect record of 6-0-0. The Tigers have won 11 straight matches dating back to the 2021 season. The last defeat was on Nov. 10, 2021, against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinal.

Head coach Mike Noonan is in his 13th season as head coach. He has a record of 146-72-34 and led the Tigers to the 2021 NCAA National Championship.

Clemson won its midweek nonconference match against UAB. After a scoreless first half, Ousmane Sylla snatched the lead with a 63rd minute goal, while Tyler Trimmnal scored his first goal of the season in the 81st minute to ensure the three points.

Sylla leads Clemson in goals and assists with four and five, respectively. The Tigers are third in the ACC in goal difference with a margin of +9.

SERIES HISTORY

Friday’s match will be the 14th meeting between Syracuse and Clemson. The Tigers hold a narrow lead in the series, 5-4-4.

The last meeting between the two was in 2021, as the Orange took down the eventual national champion #6 Tigers on Senior Night. Graduate striker Manel Busquets grabbed the lead in the 32nd…