CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FIU men's soccer secured a 1-1 draw against No. 15 Charlotte Saturday evening at Jen Gaber Field in American Conference action.
With the Panthers playing a man down in the second half, FIU held off the 49ers to secure a key conference point on the road. Forward
Santi Possu scored in the 25th minute to give the Panthers an early advantage before Charlotte equalized in the 65th minute.
The draw extended FIU's unbeaten streak to seven consecutive matches and its unbeaten streak in American Conference play to four matches. The Panthers moved to 6-3-4 overall following the result.
FIU struck first in the 25th minute when midfielder
Sergio Perello delivered a cross into the box, allowing Possu to head the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net. The goal marked Possu's team-leading ninth of the season and fifth in conference play, tying him for the American Conference lead in league goals. He also extended his team-leading points total to 19.
The Panthers carried a 1-0 advantage into halftime before midfielder
Martin Piedeleu received a red card in the 52nd minute, forcing FIU to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Charlotte capitalized in the 65th minute, finding the equalizer to even the contest at 1-1. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Panthers' defense held firm down the stretch to secure the draw against a top-15 team in the nation
FIU was outshot 14-4, with Possu,
Owen Barnett and
Matteo Piccardo recording attempts. Seven Panthers in
Finn Bauens,
Jad Benjelloun, Raúl Carrasco,
Jameel Durhan,
Alfonso Gilleard-Soriano, Piccardo and Possu played all 90 minutes. Perello recorded the first assist of his career.
In goal,
Nigel Van Haveren recorded five saves, matching his season high, and increased his season total to 35 saves through 13 matches.
Up Next
FIU prepares for their final stretch of the season, hosting Florida Atlantic on Friday, Oct. 23 from Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium. It will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Baptist Health
The 2026 FIU men's soccer season is presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics
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