Game Details
FIU 2, UAB 1
FIU (3-0-2), UAB (2-2-2)
Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2017 | 7 p.m. ET
Birmingham, Ala. | BBVA Compass Field
 
The Basics
- After being one of the eight athletics programs relocated to Birmingham, Alabama, due to Hurricane Irma – and being scheduled to face UAB on Sunday, Sept. 17 in Birmingham – the FIU men's soccer team moved its match up three days against the Blazers at BBVA Compass Field. The Panthers took full advantage of the opportunity, handing UAB a 2-1 loss in their Conference USA (C-USA) opener. The victory moves FIU to 3-0-2 on the year and 1-0 in C-USA. The Blazers are now 2-2-2 on the year and 0-2 in C-USA. 
 
- Santiago Patino (Orlando, Fla./Freedom H.S.) got the Panthers on the board first with his fifth goal, in as many games, in the 14th minute. Patino took a pass from Luca Giovine (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) and sprinted up the middle of the pitch with a defender on his hip. He deked the keeper and fired to an open net for the goa-ahead score. Fifty-six seconds later Joris Ahlinvi (Gujan-Mestras, France) netted his first goal of the year beating UAB goalkeeper James Teal on a shot from the top of the box in what proved to be the game winner.
 
- After going into the locker room at the intermission up 2-0, the Blazers finally got on the board 12 minutes into the second stanza when Adam Brooker took a pass from Massimo Ferrin and beat FIU keeper Hugo Fauroux (Cannes, France), cutting the Panthers advantage in half. 
 
- Although the Panthers held a slight 13-10 advantage in shots in the win – and 4-3 in shots on goal – FIU dominated the first half offensively outshooting UAB 11-2 in the first 45 minutes of play.
 
- Fauroux had another quiet evening, despite allowing just one goal, logging just two saves.
 
Stat of the Game
- Patino continues to give the opposition fits defensively. Of the Panthers 13 shots on the night, eight came from Patino, including two of FIU's four shots on goal.

From the Sideline
"What a week is has been. There was more to this game tonight, it was bigger than just soccer. We played for our state, our south Florida community and our FIU family! I am so proud of this team and how they managed to find a result against a difficult opponent in UAB after the adversity we experienced from Hurricane Irma. Now we go home to be with family as we prepare for Charlotte next week." - FIU Head Coach Kevin Nylen

Scoring Summary
FIU – Santiago Patino (Luca Giovine; 13:57)
FIU – Joris Ahlinvi (Unassisted; 14:53)
UAB – Adam Brooker (Massimo Ferrin; 56:56)
 
Up Next
The Panthers are scheduled to return home to the FIU Soccer Stadium on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. for their Conference USA home opener. The match will be the first of two-straight for FIU at home. The Panthers will also play North Florida, on their own pitch, on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news.
 
Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in eight different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including Riccardo Silva Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.