Alejandro Solana // Staff Writer
Senior goalkeeper Arthur Clapot saved a penalty kick in the 79th minute of a play to preserve the two-goal lead that sophomore forward Santiago Patino gave the Panthers, defeating the University of Kentucky Wildcats 2-1.
It was the first time FIU faced the Wildcats, who are ranked No. 21, since defeating them in the semi-finals of the 2015 Conference-USA Tournament. The game ended with a chippy finish as both sides had to be separated, adding to what seems to be a heated rivalry between the two nationally ranked conference foes.
“I think this is a game where there is so much on the line. Not just the three points, but our first conference USA game,” said head coach Scott Calabrese. “We beat them in the championship, they beat us to win their regular season championship, and so I think you combine all of that, there was a lot of passion on the pitch.”
Patino displayed passion early on scoring his sixth and seventh goals of the year before the 15-minute mark. His first came in the fifth minute when junior midfielder, Donald Tomlinson, found Patino on a corner kick. The Orlando native found the back of the net again in the 12th minute of the match, using his head on a useful cross from the junior English midfielder, Brad Fountain.
“It feels good that the team is working hard and I’m getting the chances to score,” said Patino after recording his third multi-goal game of the season. “They’re going in right now so I’m happy about that.”
Coming into the match-up, Kentucky had allowed just two goals, both from set pieces. Patino took advantage of that as both of his goals were from set pieces, too.
The Panthers continued to outplay the Wildcats in the first half of play, limiting Kentucky to just two shots in the first 45-minutes compared to seven from the home side. Despite the seven shots, FIU was unable to find their third goal before halftime, including an impressive save from the Wildcats’ goalkeeper, stopping what would have been Patino’s hat trick.
It only took the Wildcats three minutes to respond at the start of the second-half after Andrew Mckelvey settled a deflection from the FIU defense and found the back of the nets easily in the 48th minute, finishing under an out stretched Clapot.
Intensity built up after Kentucky’s goal, and both sides started playing harder; eight players were cautioned throughout the game, including three Panthers.
“I think based on what happened last season, there’s a little bit extra in these games for both teams,” said Calabrese.
Even with the 2-1 lead, the Panthers continued to pressure the Wildcats and push players forward. Center midfielders Tomlinson and senior Ismael Longo played with great pace and set the tempo for the rest of the team as they looked for the third goal.
In the 77th minute, FIU delivered a play down the right sideline leading to a cross and header, which looked like it was the game clincher. That was until Kentucky’s goalkeeper, Stuart Ford, dove what looked like 10 feet in the air and somehow stopped what would have been Redshirt-Freshman, Jose Ahlinvi’s, first goal of the season.
Three minutes after Ford saved Kentucky’s chances with a save, the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick with a chance to tie the game after a definite handball by the FIU defense in their own box.
“I tried to play with his mind a bit and he was looking at the left side of the goal, “ Clapot said. “I was diving left no matter what.”
And left was right, as the Frenchman made what could end up being the biggest save of the season for the men’s soccer team.
“He was there in the big moment, as he was last year,” Calabrese said. “When he has to come with a save, we’re thinking he’s going to make it.”
Senior defenseman, Juan Benedetty, only had one thing to say about his goalkeeper’s game saving stop: “He’s a beast.”
In the final ten minutes of the game both teams gathered at midfield and exchanged a few words which lead to a minute-long shoving match, causing the two sides to be separated. No punches were thrown and no players are expected to be suspended or miss any games.
“Of course it’s a rivalry. We took something from them so obviously they came with blood in their eyes,” Tomlinson said.
Benedetty said he thinks his team “handled it well” and kept their composure for the most part.
The team will indeed have to stick together moving forward as the schedule only gets tougher for FIU. Winston-Salem, North Carolina, awaits Calabrese and his squad, as the Panthers will take on No. 12 Wake Forest University on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
The game against Wake Forest starts a three-game road trip against two nationally ranked teams before returning home to face Florida Gulf Coast University on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
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