Victoria Harper
Clemson centerback Olafur Floki Stephensen clears the ball in the team's win over No. 10 Pitt at Historic Riggs Field.
No. 3 Clemson United continued its strong start to the 2025 season with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers on Friday night at Historic Riggs Field.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 3-0-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, securing an early statement victory against an ACC rival.
This victory underscored Clemson’s depth and patience, highlighted by a balanced attack that was the deciding factor.
The night began with adversity for Clemson, as Pittsburgh opened the scoring and briefly silenced the home crowd.
However, the Tigers responded with composure and resilience. In the 22nd minute, forward Ransford Gyan equalized with a blistering cross-field strike that whistled past the Panthers’ goalkeeper, swinging momentum back in Clemson’s favor.
From there, the match turned into a fast-paced battle, with both sides trading chances and counterattacks.
Clemson broke through again in the 37th minute. Midfielder Remi Okunlola sent a perfectly timed ball over the Panther back line, finding Gyan in stride. With a quick touch and clinical finish, Gyan tallied his second goal of the night, sending the Tigers into halftime with a 2-1 advantage.
The Panthers, however, refused to back down. Just minutes into the second half, Lasse Dahl whipped in a dangerous cross that found Grayson Carter, leveling the score with his strike. Suddenly, the Tigers found themselves in another dogfight.
The next 20 minutes were defined by grit and intensity. Fouls piled up, possessions were short-lived and both defenses stood tall. Yet Clemson remained patient, trusting their attacking quality would eventually break through, and it did.
That moment came in the 81st minute. Lucas Magnason lofted a pass over the Pittsburgh defense, and right at the feet of Gyan, who showcased not only his scoring ability but also his vision.
He slipped a precise pass to Nathan Richmond streaking toward the goal, and slotted a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Jack Moxom. The crowd erupted as the Tigers reclaimed the lead for good.
The Tigers will look to carry their momentum into next Tuesday when they host VCU at 6 p.m. at Historic Riggs Field.