Down a score after just six minutes of play, it looked like the men's soccer team's final match of the year would go the same way the rest of the season had gone. However, the Golden Panthers showed their pride and their fight, closing the match, and the season, out strong with a 2-1 victory over the SMU Mustangs, Saturday night in Dallas.
After giving up a goal at the 5:17 mark, FIU keeper Shane Lopez bore down and shutout the Mustangs the rest of the way, making eight saves on his way to his first victory of the year.
In the 31st minute, freshman Sebastian Frings showed why Golden Panthers fans have much to look forward to in the coming years, netting his ninth goal of the year. The score came after Will Thompson found Frings inside the six-yard box before the German forward tapped it in to tie the score.
The match remained tied until the 69th minute when Diego Tamburus took a free kick from 18-yards out and found the back of the net for his second score of the season and a 2-1 FIU lead that the Golden Panthers wouldn't relinquish.
SMU outshot FIU 26-11, but the Lopez was up to the task as he preserved the lead. With the season-ending win, FIU closes out the year at 6-10-1 and 1-6-1 in the conference.
