Syracuse advances to program’s first NCAA College Cup final

By: The Associated Press Posted: 8:11 PM CST Friday, Dec. 9, 2022

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Levonte Johnson tapped in a cross from Nathan Opoku in the 86th minute and No. 3 seed Syracuse beat Creighton 3-2 on Friday night to advance to the NCAA College Cup final.

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CARY, N.C. (AP) — Levonte Johnson tapped in a cross from Nathan Opoku in the 86th minute and No. 3 seed Syracuse beat Creighton 3-2 on Friday night to advance to the NCAA College Cup final.

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This article was published 09/12/2022 (1338 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Levonte Johnson tapped in a cross from Nathan Opoku in the 86th minute and No. 3 seed Syracuse beat Creighton 3-2 on Friday night to advance to the NCAA College Cup final.

Syracuse (18-2-4) secured its first national championship appearance in men’s soccer after extending its unbeaten streak to 13 games.

Syracuse led 1-0 and 2-1 but it was familiar territory for Creighton, which trailed 1-0 in four of its five tournament games.

Creighton's Duncan McGuire walks off the pitch as Syracuse celebrates the win in an NCAA men's soccer tournament semifinal in Cary, N.C., Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Christian Curti, a Marist transfer, knocked in a loose ball in front of the net to open the scoring in the 37th minute with his first goal of the season. Creighton goalkeeper Paul Kruse appeared to control a corner kick but it slipped through his hands and Curti touched it home.

Duncan McGuire, the NCAA scoring leader, tied it at 1-all for Creighton in the 50th minute with his 23rd goal of the season — breaking a 42-year-old school record. But Syracuse retook the lead less than two minutes later when Opoku scored his 10th goal.

Alfie Pope tied it at 2-all in the 64th minute with his fourth goal of the season. Callum Watson heaved a throw-in into the box and Luke Mitchell’s glancing header fell to the feet of Pope for a one-touch finish.

Creighton (13-5-6) won seven straight games to reach in its first College Cup semifinal match since 2012. The Bluejays were the top attacking side in Division I, leading the nation in goals scored with 65.