MIAMI (Aug. 28, 2021) - After a stunning defeat of No. 13 UCF in its season opener, the FIU men's soccer team will travel to FGCU this Sunday, Aug. 29, for a battle against the Eagles in Fort Myers.

First kick is set for 5 p.m. ET from Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex.

The match will be streamed live via FGCU's Facebook. Live stats will be available here.

The Panthers opened up the year with a crushing defeat of the in-state rival UCF Knights this past Thursday evening by a score of 4-0 in Orlando. FIU will now bus north to face another in-state foe and attempt to claim its second road victory in a four-day span.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
FGCU is set to open its season this Sunday against FIU, after the Eagles had their first match against UFTL postponed. The Eagles swept the ASUN Player of the Year awards last season and feature the talented trio of O'Vonte Mullings (Player of the Year), Ethan Dudley (Defensive Player of the Year), and Gustavo Vasconcelos (Goalkeeper of the Year). All three Eagles landed on the ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team this year.

INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU has won 9 of its last 13 contests against FGCU dating back to the 2007 season. The Panthers last saw the Eagles on Feb. 17, 2021, in Miami, when the Panthers defeated the Ealges by a score of 3-2. FIU scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute of that match to claim its second consecutive victory over FGCU. Last time the Panthers faced FGCU in Fort Myers, the Blue & Gold enjoyed a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory thanks to a golden-goal header by David Garcia.

FIU BY THE NUMBERS
The Panthers saw contributions from four different goal scorers in the win over No. 13 UCF. Returning juniors Stephen Afrifa, Rasmus Tobinski, and David Garcia all found the back of the net against the Knights, while freshman Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro also celebrated his first goal as a Panther. Kareem Riley and Garcia each logged a full 90-minutes in the FIU backline to help post a clean sheet. Goalkeeper Grant Makela produced a dazzling performance between the posts, recording five saves to help in the shutout effort.

UP NEXT
The Panthers will have five days to prepare before playing their much-anticipated home opener in front of the Blue & Gold faithful next Saturday, Sept. 4, against VCU. Kickoff against the Rams is slated for 7 p.m. ET under the lights at FIU Soccer Stadium.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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