Nathan Opoku just seemed to know where Levonte Johnson was. There were three Creighton defenders between the two when Opoku picked up the ball on the byline. But Johnson silently floated off the back shoulder of the third defender, before darting towards the goal.

And that was the moment.

Opoku’s cross wasn’t hit hard, it was more of a threaded thing, weighted delicately onto the right foot of his strike partner — who finished into an open net from less than a yard out.

That combination has been a familiar sight for Syracuse all year, with the duo forming a deadly striking tangent. And Friday night, their connection sent Syracuse to its first ever national championship game, with a 3-2 win over a resilient Creighton side.

Johnson and Opoku both scored, while also being involved in the passage of play that led to Syracuse’s third. And although the Orange needed a sturdy defensive performance at the other end, their strikers’ ability to combine in the final third proved to be the difference on the night.

But their link up is hardly a novel concept. The two have buzzed around and created chances all season. The numbers are admittedly impressive. Johnson has scored 11 goals, including eight game winners. Opoku has been equally effective, with 10 to his name. Both were named All-Americans and both were featured on ACC All-Conference teams. Opposing coaches have noted all season how difficult they are to stop.

But watch a Syracuse game, and their impact stretches beyond the numbers. It's in the movements, in the moments. The two, quite simply, understand each other. It happened for the Orange’s second goal. Johnson dispossessed a Creighton midfielder 30 yards from goal, and by the time he had nicked the ball away, Opoku was already running. Jeorgio Kocevski delivered the final ball, slipping a pass between two Creighton defenders — which Opoku dutifully tucked away. But it was Johnson’s effort, and Opoku’s response to it, that truly generated the chance.

In truth, the two probably could’ve had another goal each on the night. Creighton goalkeeper Paul Kruse pulled off a flurry of smart stops in the first half, notably denying Opoku of an opening goal by tipping a shot over the bar from close range. Opoku perhaps should have completed a brace late in the second half but fired wide after a spell of Syracuse pressure. And then there were the constant combinations, the one-twos, the dangerous runs. Creighton, with its three defender system, theoretically always had an extra man for cover at the back. But for long stretches, Johnson and Opoku's movement made them look outnumbered. 

There was work to be done at the other end of Syracuse, too. Creighton was as aggressive as expected, with the nation’s leading goalscorer Duncan McGuire a series of nudges, bumps and runs in behind. And although Syracuse stopped him early — largely due to the impressive defensive work of Abdi Salim — there remained a prevailing sense that McGuire just needed one moment.

And inevitably, it came. Early in the second half, McGuire appeared to bounce off two defenders before hooking a shot past Russell Shealy with his weaker foot. That strike knotted the game at 1-1 shortly after half time. And it could have been worse. McGuire missed twice more, before being forced off with a shoulder injury. He did eventually return but appeared languid, a step slower, lacking in that relentless bite that had tormented teams over the course of the season. Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre speculated Monday afternoon that this contest would be open, and stressed that his team needed to limit — not stop — the Creighton attack.

For the most part, the Orange did. And at the other end, their crucial tandem created just enough to send them through.

After the goal, Opoku and Johnson danced wildly by the corner flag, their teammates celebrating around them. It was a moment emblematic of the Orange’s season. Here is a squad with very few obvious flaws. They don’t concede many. They win games by minute margins. They take few risks. Goal kicks are often smashed long. Passes are direct. Counterattacks are encouraged, while defensive solidity is demanded. Everything, ultimately, filters through their striking tandem. Those dynamic threats — that symbiotic combination of talent — was enough Friday night. The Orange will hope it's enough on Monday.