MIAMI – FIU men's soccer hits the road for a pair of matches, beginning Sunday, Sept. 6, against St. John's in Queens, New York, in non-conference action.

Sunday, Sept. 6 at St. John's (1-2)

• Time / Site: 7 p.m. ET at Belson Stadium
• ESPN+
• Live Stats
• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

FIU (2-1-1) enters the weekend following a pair of home victories, including a 2-1 win over No. 20 NC State on Thursday, Aug. 27, before recording a 2-0 shutout victory over St. Thomas (Fla.) on Monday, Aug. 31.

The Panthers begin a challenging road stretch against a St. John's squad that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament before opening American Conference action against ranked Missouri State next Friday, Sept. 11.

Game Preview
The Panthers are riding a three-match unbeaten streak, beginning with a scoreless draw at Omaha before earning back-to-back victories over No. 20 NC State and St. Thomas (Fla.).
 
A key offensive component for FIU has been forward Santi Possu, who is tied for the conference lead with two goals. Possu was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Week after playing the hero against NC State, netting the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute to secure FIU's ranked victory.
 
The graduate student leads the Panthers with two goals and four points through three matches while logging 235 minutes. He also leads the team in shots (4) and shots on goal (3).
 
In the 2-0 victory over St. Thomas (Fla.), a pair of Panthers netted their first goals in the Blue & Gold. Freshman Ezequiel Gonzalez opened the scoring before Jad Benjelloun added his first goal of the season in the second half. Freshmen Pasquale Capriati and Mateo Stickler also recorded assists in the victory.
 
Six different Panthers have recorded at least one assist this season, while five different players have found the back of the net. Benjelloun has been key in the midfield, scoring a goal on Monday and adding an assist to begin the season. Sunday will mark a reunion with St. John's, where he spent the 2025 season, appearing in nine matches.
 
Defensively, FIU has conceded just one goal during its three-match unbeaten streak. A key component of the Panthers' backline has been left back Alfonso Gilleard-Soriano, who earned his first career American Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor after playing a key role in FIU's victory over No. 20 NC State. 
 
The American Preseason All-Conference selection played all 90 minutes at left back against the Wolfpack, helping limit NC State to just one goal, which came via a penalty kick. The junior has appeared in all three matches this season, making two starts. He ranks second on the team in shots on goal (2) and has recorded three shots overall.
 
In goal, Nigel Van Haveren has recorded seven saves through four matches and owns a pair of shutouts, most recently blanking St. Thomas (Fla.).

Scouting St. John's
St. John's enters Sunday's contest with a 1-2 record and is coming off a 2-1 home loss to No. 16 Hofstra. The Red Storm's lone victory this season came in a 5-0 shutout win to open the 2026 campaign on Aug. 20.
 
Brage Eie Birkelund and Luca Fargnoli are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece, while Birkelund has added an assist to lead the Red Storm with five points. Xavi Abejion leads the team with two assists this season.
 
Last season, St. John's recorded nine victories en route to an NCAA Tournament berth before falling to West Virginia in the opening round. The Red Storm were selected to finish fourth in the BIG EAST East Division in the conference's preseason poll.
 
St. John's is guided by Dr. David Masur, who enters his 36th season as the program's head coach and 40th season overall in the NCAA. Masur has recorded 415 victories and ranks as the second-winningest active Division I head men's soccer coach by career wins.

Matchup Notes
Sunday will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the two programs, with FIU holding a 5-4 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1994.
 
In the most recent meeting on Aug. 29, 2022, FIU earned a 1-0 road victory over St. John's.
 
The Panthers and Red Storm also faced off on one of college soccer's biggest stages, meeting in the 1996 NCAA Division I Championship. FIU fell to the eventual national champion, St. John's, by a 4-1 score.

Up Next
FIU gets set for American Conference action on Friday, Sept. 11 on the road at Missouri State. Kickoff is set for 8 PM 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
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUMSoccer), Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news
 
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.