Virginia Tech battled back with a man down to score a 2-2 draw against Clemson on Sunday at Thompson Field. The Hokies opened the scoring quickly in the fourth minute when Tito Peralta found the net at 3:51. Alex Perez got the assist on Peralta’s goal, giving Virginia Tech an early 1-0 advantage against one of the best teams in the country. Clemson responded in the 28th minute when Ransford Gyan scored to even the match at 1-1. Momentum was quickly shifting toward the Tigers.
Photo Cred: Va Tech
Clemson continued to win the possession game and create chances. The Tigers took the lead when Alessio Andreottola scored in the 41st minute. Jack Basinet assisted on the goal. A minute before halftime, the Hokies lost a man when Peralta received a red card. Virginia Tech continued to compete against the Tigers. The Hokies found their equalizer in the 67th minute. Chase Vazquez scored, with Amir Ariely and Yanis Belatrache assisting on the goal. The game was now tied at 2-2.
Alan Cabo, a fan who watched the match, loved Virginia Tech’s performance against the highly ranked opponent.
“I think they’re playing fantastic,” Cabo said. Cabo also said Clemson had been the more aggressive team and discussed the physical challenge that the third-ranked Tigers brought.
“They are the more aggressive team. They’re a lot bigger than we are,” Cabo added. Despite the pressure Clemson was bringing, Virginia Tech responded after falling behind late in the first half.
Photo Cred: VA Tech
Cabo said he believed the Hokies had played well but felt that some of the incidents that had happened were unlucky. Virginia Tech and Clemson were unable to find another goal after Vazquez’s equalizer. The Hokies scored once in each half, while Clemson found the back of the net twice in the first half. The draw shows the Hokies’ resilience despite being a man down and trailing. Virginia Tech found a way to tie the game and prevent Clemson from winning.
