MIAMI (Sept. 6, 2022) - No. 13 ranked FIU men's soccer pulled out its first home win of the year on Tuesday night, as the Panthers blanked the UNF Ospreys by a score of 2-0 in front of an energized crowd at FIU Soccer Stadium.
The Blue & Gold improved to 3-1 on the year, while UNF fell to 0-3.
FIU secured its second clean sheet of the season and only allowed one shot on goal from UNF in the contest. The Panthers fired off six on-target attempts and out-shot UNF by a margin of 14-11 overall.
The opening half featured a strong defensive showing from both sides, with FIU placing two shot attempts on goal and trading five shots to UNF's six.
The Panthers finally broke through shortly after halftime when Yushi Nagao scored the game-winner on a heads-up play in the 50th minute. After UNF's keeper saved a shot by Fumiya Shiraishi, Stephen Afrifa somehow maintained possession for FIU while laying on the ground in the six-yard box and miraculously got the ball to Nagao, who came crashing in and fired the pass into the back of the net.
Later in the 73rd minute, freshman Joao Domingues scored his first collegiate goal to finish a Panther counterattack and extend FIU's lead to 2-0. Afrifa assisted on the play again, penetrating into the UNF box and drawing in the defense before dishing to the right wing for a wide open Domingues. Domingues shook one defender and then fired past the keeper to the right post, as the Panthers took a two-goal advantage and held it the rest of the way.
FIU out-shot UNF by a margin of 9-5 in the second period and allowed zero shots on goal following the break.
Senior Nagao scored his first goal of the season, while Afrifa logged his first two assists of the campaign. Nagao was also credited with an assist on FIU's second goal.
The Panthers secured their first win over UNF since 2018, and the first win over the Ospreys at FIU Soccer Stadium since Sept. 26, 2017.
Defenders Carlos Scheckermann, Edgar Aguilar, and goalkeeper Kevin Harr all logged a full 90 minutes in the match to help secure the clean sheet.
UP NEXT
FIU hits the road again this Saturday, Sept. 10, for another Top-25 tilt against a tough New Hampshire squad that began the season ranked No. 7 nationally. First kick is set for 6 p.m. against the Wildcats.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Tw1itter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news. Follow all of FIU's athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
