MIAMI – FIU men's soccer closes out its two-game homestand Monday evening, hosting the St. Thomas (Fla.) Bobcats in non-conference action at 7 p.m. from Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium.

Monday, Aug. 31 vs St. Thomas (Fla.)

• Time / Site: 7 p.m. ET at Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium
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• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

The Panthers (1-1-1) look to secure back-to-back victories Monday evening after earning a dramatic 2-1 win over No. 20 NC State on Thursday, Aug. 27, for their first victory of the season.

The victory marked FIU's first win over a ranked opponent since Oct. 24, 2025, when the Panthers defeated No. 24 Charlotte. It also marked FIU's first victory over an ACC opponent since Sept. 3, 2022, when the Panthers defeated No. 13 North Carolina.

Game Preview
FIU enters Monday's contest coming off its first victory of the 2026 season after battling the NCAA Championship runner-up Wolfpack. With the match tied 1-1 in the 75th minute, Santi Possu delivered the game-winning goal off an assist from Martin Piedeleu to put the Panthers on top.

For Possu, the goal marked his second in the first three games of the season, putting him atop the team leaderboard in goals early in the campaign. He previously found the back of the net in the season opener at Creighton. Midfielder Owen Barnett also opened the scoring Thursday night with a powerful strike, tallying his first goal of the season.

Through three matches, FIU has recorded 27 shots, with Possu and Sergio Perello each registering four to lead the team. Possu also leads the Panthers with three shots on goal this season.

Four different Panthers have recorded assists through three games, with Jad Benjelloun, Johan Helan, Piedeleu and Benjamin Watt each contributing an assist this season.

In goal, Nigel Van Haveren has recorded six saves through three games, including a pair of saves in FIU's ranked victory over NC State.

Freshman Mateo Stickler has also been a key contributor, leading the team with 242 minutes played. He logged 84 minutes in Thursday's victory over the Wolfpack.

Scouting the Bobcats
St. Thomas, an NAIA program, prepares for its second match of the season after opening the campaign with a 2-0 victory over Xavier University of Louisiana.

Luca Heusser and Julien Laborde have each tallied a goal in the shutout victory, while Ricardo Delgado recorded two saves in goal. Four Bobcats players played the full 90 minutes in the victory.

Last season, St. Thomas finished with 11 wins before falling in the Sun Conference Championship. The Bobcats are led by head coach Feliks Mats, who enters his 21st season at St. Thomas and has recorded more than 200 career victories.

Matchup Notes
Monday will mark the 16th meeting between the programs, dating back to 1979.

FIU is 15-0 all-time against the Bobcats, with the most recent meeting coming in 2009, when the Panthers earned a 2-1 victory.

Up Next
FIU hits the road on Sunday, Sept. 6 to take on St. Johns in Queens, New York. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and 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

Social Media
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