MIAMI - Sophomore Levi Coleman (Broken Arrow, Okla.) scored the equalizer in the 87th minute to give Florida International a 2-2 overtime tie against Binghamton in men's soccer action Friday evening at University Park.
The Golden Panthers (0-2-2) enjoyed the majority of the play, yet it was the Bearcats (1-2-2) who got on the board first thanks to their first of two penalty kicks in the match. After senior defender Sheldon Jardine (Diamond Vale, Trinidad) handled the ball in the box, Barry Neville successfully converted the spot kick in the 14th minute with a low shot toward the right post.
Junior midfielder Dadi Kristjansson (Akureyri, Iceland) leveled the match shortly after the break with his first career goal as he found himself in prime position following a deflection about 10 yards from goal and slotted the ball in with a low shot to the far left post in the 48th minute.
The tie score did not last long as another FIU defender was judged to have handled the ball in the penalty area, and Peter Squeglia converted the penalty kick with a hard shot past the left of FIU goalkeeper Shawn Crowe (Aurora, Colo.) in the 50th minute.
The Golden Panthers pressed for an equalizer against a 10-man Bearcat squad after Neville was sent off on a straight red card after a foul on freshman Kyle Emerson (Hawthorne, Calif.) in the 58th minute. FIU was rewarded with just under four minutes left to play when freshman defender Sina Ebrahimi (Parkland, Fla.) sent a cross off of a throw in from the left of the penalty area which was met by the head of Coleman. Coleman's header bounced off the bottom of the crossbar at the near post and went in for his first goal of the season, and fifth of his career.
The teams battled without a goal during two 10-minute overtime periods. FIU nearly won the game in the final minute (110th) when a low cross from the right side went through a crowd of players in the middle of the penalty area, straight to an unmarked Krisjansson, whose shot from 15 yards to the left of goal went straight to Binghamton goalkeeper Jason Stenta.
The Golden Panthers out-shot the Bearcats 19-6 for the match, including a 3-1 advantage in overtime. Corner kicks were even at three apiece.
FIU returns to action on Sunday when they host Mercer at 1 p.m.
