Game Details
FIU 3, No. 4 Kentucky 2
FIU (5-6, 4-0 C-USA), No. 4 Kentucky (9-1-1, 3-1 C-USA)
Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Miami, Florida | FIU Soccer Stadium
 
The Basics
- The FIU men's soccer team knocked No. 4 Kentucky from the ranks of the unbeaten on Sunday night with a thrilling 3-2 win at the FIU Soccer Stadium. In doing so, the Panthers, the only team undefeated in Conference USA play, extended their regular season conference unbeaten streak to 17 matches. The victory improves FIU to 5-6 on the year and 4-0 in C-USA play, while the Wildcats drop to 9-1-1 overall and 3-1 in C-USA. The Panthers are 14-0-3 in their last 17 C-USA regular season tilts, with their last loss coming at New Mexico, 4-1, on Sept. 30, 2016.
 
- The win over the No. 4 Wildcats is the Panthers' first over a team ranked in the top five since a 3-1 victory over No. 4 SMU in the Conference USA Tournament semifinals on Nov. 14.
 
- As has been the trend of late, Santiago Patino (Orlando, Florida/Freedom) got the Panthers on the board early on in the contest when he took a pass from Matias Barraza (Miami, Florida/Doral Academy) and headed it past Kentucky goalkeeper and off the cross bar for his 10^th goal of the season in the 15' minute. That score stood until the Wildcats' Daniel Evans beat Daniel Gagliardi (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) to tie the game at one-all in the 34' minute. That was all the scoring in the first 45 minutes of play as FIU took a slight 6-5 shots advantage into the locker room at the break
 
- Joris Ahlinvi (Bordeaux, France) didn't waste any time getting the Panthers back on top, when he took an offering from Talla Faye (Dakar, Senegal) and fired a laser from 20 yards out giving FIU a 2-1 lead just 1:16 into the second stanza. Barraza then got into the goal scoring column, with his first goal of the season – and what ended up being the game-winner in the 69' minute – when he was in the right place at the right time. Barraza found the ball that was pin-balled around, in front of the net off a corner kick, and buried it home. His three points on the night are a single-game career-high for the Doral Academy product.
 
- Nicolai Fremstad cut the Panthers' lead to one, 3-2, in the 72' minute but they were unable to get the equalizer.
 
Stat of the Night
After FIU held a slight 6-5 advantage in shots in the first half, the Panthers opened things up in the second stanza, outshooting the Wildcats, 7-3, giving them a 13-8 edge in the night. Of Kentucky's eight shots, all of them were on goal.   
 
Scoring Summary
FIU – Santiago Patino (Matias Barraza; 14:37)
UK – Daniel Evans (Nicolai Fremstad; 34:07)
FIU – Joris Ahlinvi (Talla Faye; 46:16)
FIU – Matias Barraza (Unassisted; 68:56)
UK – Nicolai Fremstad (Kalli Elmedkhar; 71:37)
 
               1             2             F
FIU         1             2             3            
UK          1             1             2
 
Shots: FIU 13, UK 8
Shots on Goal: FIU 7, UK 8
Saves: FIU 6, UK 4
Corner Kicks: FIU 6, UK 6
 
Up Next
FIU hits the road to face Charlotte on Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The Panthers then return home to take on C-USA rival Florida Atlantic on Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., and then close out non-conference play on Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. against USF.

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