No. 14-ranked Clemson United bounced back from a rocky stretch with a decisive 3-1 win over the California Golden Bears on Friday evening at Historic Riggs Field.
The Tigers, 4-2-2, 2-0-1 ACC, entered the match looking to regain momentum following a surprising loss to Queens and a draw against SMU. They responded with a strong, composed performance to reclaim their spot near the top of the ACC standings.
Clemson wasted no time setting the tone. In just the fourth minute, Wahabu Musah opened the scoring off a crisp assist from Ransford Gyan. The Tigers controlled the tempo throughout the match with poise and balance, particularly on the offensive end.
Gyan, who continues to be a key playmaker, added to his standout season with his fourth assist and seventh goal — finding the net in the 49th minute to give Clemson a 2-0 lead. The sophomore midfielder has been a consistent threat, contributing both in setup and finish.
Defensively, the Tigers showed improvement from the woes of the prior two games, holding Cal scoreless for over an hour. The Golden Bears finally broke through in the 64th minute, narrowing the deficit to 2-1.
But Clemson responded quickly. Nathan Richmond capitalized on a counterattack just nine minutes later, defeating the California back line and slotting home the third goal to seal the win.
Next up, Clemson United travels to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to face top-ranked Wake Forest on Friday at 6 p.m. in a pivotal ACC clash with major conference implications.
