The No. 6-ranked Clemson United faced off against the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers, coming off their 4-1 thumping against archrivals South Carolina. Goals from Misei Yoshizawa in the 17’, Floki Stephensen in the 39’ and Ransford Gyan in the 45’ steered Clemson towards a dominant 3-0 first half lead over the Blazers. The Tigers didn’t let up there as Nathan Richmond’s 52’ goal, Ransford Gyan’s 76’ goal, and Wahabu Musah’s 79’ goal gave Clemson a 6-0 win. Clemson improved to 2-0-1 on the season, while UAB fell to 0-2-0.
Strong Start for Clemson
The Tigers once again got off to a hot start against the Blazers, dominating the possession, taking four corner kicks and three shots within the first few minutes of the game. Clemson was unable to take advantage of their quick start, as all three of their shots were off target. The closest Clemson came to lighting up the scoreboard was a shot by Nathan Richmond in the 3’ that went just wide of the goalpost.
Yoshizawa Capitalizes
After a strong start with multiple chances to score, Clemson was still searching for their first goal of the night after 15 minutes. A strong solo move on the right wing by Remi Okunlola got him past two UAB defenders and through on goal with the keeper still to beat. Okunlola fired his chance right at goal, with an initial save coming from goalkeeper, Tom Mabon. But Clemson’s Senior midfielder Misei Yoshizawa was in the perfect position to head home the rebound into the center of the goal and give Clemson a much deserved 1-0 lead in the 17’.
Clemson Strikes Before Halftime
Just a few minutes before the half the Tigers went on the attack once again. A strong build up play by Ransford Gyan saw him tripped up just outside the penalty box, which gave Clemson a dangerous opportunity to find their second goal of the night. Gyan went for goal off the free kick and struck the crossbar, but once again someone was there for Clemson to clean up the mess. This time, it was Floki Stephensen in the 39’. The transfer from Virginia Tech steered his header into the bottom left corner of the net for his first goal in a Clemson uniform.
14 seconds before halftime, Clemson added to their 2-0 lead to take full control of this game heading into the second half. A beatiful solo run from Ransford Gyan (who’s surprised) got him past two UAB defenders, with a chance to take a shot on goal. The left footed attempt by Gyan slid perfectly into the bottom right corner of the goal to put the Tigers up 3-0 in the 45’. The strong first half against South Carolina continued against UAB, as Clemson outshot the Blazers 12-3, while taking five more corners.
Richmond Makes it Four
The Tigers continued to dominate the Blazers to start the second half, as the Tigers extended their lead up to four. Nathan Richmond was the sole creator of Clemson’s fourth goal of the night, as he found himself with the ball at the edge of the penalty area in a dangerous spot. The Tigers Senior midfielder made the Blazers defense look silly, dropping them to the floor, before slotting his right footed attempt into the bottom left corner of the goal to give Clemson a 4-0 in the 52’.
Gyan and Musah Add to the Tally
The Tigers never let their foot off the gas pedal in tonight’s match, as they scored a season-high six goals against the Blazers. The fifth goal of the night for Clemson was scored by Ransford Gyan, as his strong move down the left wing gave him an opening to chip the ball over the keeper’s head and find the back of the net.
But the Tigers weren’t done there as just three minutes later, Wahabu Musah received a terrific pass from Remi Okunlola in the center of the box with only the keeper to beat. Musah’s right footed one-timer slipped past the keeper and found the back of the net to put the Tigers up 6-0. Musah’s goal would be the nail in the coffin as Clemson United dominated their way to a 6-0 victory.
Takeaways
- Nathan Richmond was sorely missed last season. The Tigers midfielder dealt with back problems all of last season which restricted him to just three games played. But now Richmond is back and he’s better than ever. The Atlanta, Georgia native, has been Clemson’s best player so far during the young season, scoring three goals in three games played. Clemson needs Richmond to stay healthy if they want to continue their strong start to the season.
- Another strong showing from Clemson’s attack. The Tigers look like one of the toughest teams in the country to stop from scoring goals. Clemson now has 12 goals in three games played, including two against the seventh-best team in the country, Indiana. If Misei Yoshizawa, Ransford Gyan, and Nathan Richmond continue to play at their best, Clemson’s opponents should be very scared.
Up Next
Clemson United will take on conference foe Pittsburgh at 6:00 PM on Friday, September 5 at Historic Riggs Field.
Stay tuned and updated with Tiger View Media, as we bring you news, recaps, and stories for Clemson Men’s Soccer this season.
Featured Image Credit: Clemson Athletics
