The great wall of Duke eventually came tumbling down as the pressure came to bite the Blue Devils as they eventually succumbed, thanks to Kwaku Agyabeng’s first collegiate goal.
Goals came flying in. Misei Yoshizawa added 2 more to the show and just like that, 3-0, Historic Riggs went ballistic .
This eruption however, did not happen overnight. It took 45 minutes of frustration, tension and relentless pressure to get to this point.
The Formation: Clemson’s formation choice for this game was bold, and I loved it. Lining up in a 3-4-3, the Tigers opted to put Floki Stephenson, Arthur Duquene and Lukas Magnason all on the field together with Nathan Richmond patrolling the left flank and Remi Okunlola on the right creating an aggressive, attacking setup. The 3-4-3 formation wasn’t just a tactical decision, rather a message for Duke that bled “we are not messing around.”
Finally, Arthur Duquene: From the opening whistle Clemson’s shape brought a different dynamic to the game. Arthur Duquene found space on multiple different occasions down the left wing sending low-crosses into the box that made Duke visibly uncomfortable.
Duquene and Richmond on the left side made Clemson look like a totally different team than we’ve seen in recent history. Richmond’s confidence and Duquene’s speed gave Clemson something that it had lacked all season long – identity. For once, every forward movement had a unique approach that we hadn’t seen all season. It was a relief to see Duquene have more of a role in this Clemson offense.
Different Game, Familiar Feelings: Despite coming out in a new formation with a new mindset a familiar knot sat in a Clemson’s fan stomach. No goal. and every shot they missed leading into half time felt like a jab knowing what had happened to us in the second halves of the past.
Dazed Devils: Duke played in unfamiliar territory most of the night, on the counter with Clemson dominating the possession. Lack of possession caught up to them early on with Gyan going down with what appeared to be a penalty in the box being ruled a no call. Clemson did a great job in the first half of keeping Durham’s sides shot opportunities in the first half to a minimum holding them to just 6.
Closing Thoughts: I couldn’t be happier to have been wrong about a game preview than this one. I expected Duke to control and test Clemson, but the roles reversed. It was Clemson doing the testing. From the first whistle, the Tigers dictated every phase of play and looked like the sharper, hungrier side. If this performance is any indication, Clemson’s ceiling might be higher than anyone thought heading into postseason play. Clemson didn’t just look like individuals today, they looked like a team, a team who wants to fight as a unit.
