MIAMI – FIU men's soccer opens American Conference action Friday evening, facing No. 19 Missouri State at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium.

Friday, Sept. 11 at #19 MIssouri State (4-0)

• Time / Site: 8 p.m. ET at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium
• ESPN+
• Live Stats
• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

The Panthers look to bounce back after falling on the road at St. John's, 1-0, this past Sunday, Sept. 6, in Queens, N.Y.

FIU enters its fifth season in the American Conference after posting a 4-4 conference record in 2025 and advancing to the American Conference Championship match. The Panthers have appeared in the conference championship in back-to-back seasons and three times overall in the past four seasons, winning the title in 2022.

FIU has recorded 17 conference victories through its first four seasons in the league and was picked to finish fifth in the conference standings this season.

Game Preview
Friday will mark FIU's second ranked opponent of the season after the Panthers defeated No. 20 NC State, 2-1, on Thursday, Aug. 27. It will also be the highest-ranked opponent FIU has faced since taking on No. 1 Portland on Sept. 30, 2025.

FIU battled in its 1-0 loss to St. John's, outshooting the Red Storm, 10-7. Four Panthers in Jad Benjelloun, Sergio Perello, Martin Piedeleu and Santi Possu, each recorded two shots. St. John's, however, converted a penalty kick to earn the victory.
Offensively, Possu leads the Panthers with two goals and four points through four matches while logging 304 minutes. He also leads the team in shots (6) and shots on goal (4).

Over its last four matches, FIU has conceded just two goals, with both coming via penalty kicks rather than from the run of play. On the backline, Finn Bauens and Michele Ballanti have been key contributors, with both starting each of the last four matches. Ballanti leads the team in minutes played with 374, while Bauens has logged 347 minutes.

Alfonso Gilleard-Soriano has also been a strong presence defensively. The junior has appeared in four matches this season, recording 275 minutes on the pitch and three shots on goal.

In the midfield, Martin Piedeleu and Leonardo Consoloni have been key contributors, with both appearing in all five matches. Piedeleu is tied for the team lead in shots, while Consoloni has played 332 minutes. Freshman Mateo Stickler has also made an impact, ranking second on the team in minutes with 365 while starting four matches.

Six different Panthers have recorded at least one assist this season, while five different players have found the back of the net.

In goal, Nigel Van Haveren has recorded 10 saves through five matches and owns a pair of shutouts, most recently blanking St. Thomas (Fla.) on Monday, Aug. 31.

Scouting the Bears
Missouri State enters Friday's contest ranked No. 19, its highest ranking of the season, with a perfect 4-0 record. The Bears are coming off a 2-1 road victory at UC Irvine this past Saturday, Sept. 5.

In their first season in the American Conference in 2025, Missouri State finished fifth in the league with a 3-3-2 conference record before falling in the first round of the American Conference Championship.
The Bears were picked to finish fourth in the conference this season.

Missouri State boasts a potent offense, averaging 3.25 goals per game, which is tied for the conference lead. Four players are tied for the team lead with two goals, while Diego Real leads the Bears with eight points on two goals and four assists. Daniel Souza has recorded two goals and leads the team with 10 shots. Alex Rodriguez has added two assists and a goal this season.

In goal, Danny Cullum recorded five saves in Missouri State's victory over UC Irvine.

Matchup Notes
Friday will mark the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with FIU winning both matchups last season.

The Panthers earned 1-0 victories in both meetings. FIU first defeated Missouri State during the regular season on Sept. 21, 2025, with Pasquale Capriati scoring the game-winning goal.

The Panthers then defeated the Bears, 1-0, on Nov. 7, 2025, in the first round of the American Conference Championship, with Gilleard-Soriano scoring the lone goal.

Up Next
FIU returns back home on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 PM vs Drake. It will be streamed live on ESPN+ from Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium.

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.