Liam Rooney / Staff Writer
Just four months after the conclusion of the Spring season brought upon by COVID-19, the FIU Men’s soccer team is ready to kick off its first normal season since the Fall of 2019.
Last season, the Panthers finished with a 4-4-1 record, finishing fourth in Conference USA. The Charlotte 49ers, Kentucky Wildcats, and the eventual national champion Marshall Thundering Herd were the only conference teams better than FIU last season.
FIU scored an average of 1.89 goals a game, and 17 goals in nine games total. Defensively, however, the Panthers allowed nine goals in nine games, ranking them the fifth worst defensive team of the eight in the conference.
The Panthers top goal scorer last season was midfielder Alessandro Campoy who scored four in total. Fellow midfielder Matias Barraza led the assists charts for the squad with five. Goalkeeper Johan Penaranda was one of the best keepers in the country with his .864 save percentage, which was best in C-USA and the fifth best in the nation.
Unfortunately for FIU, both Campoy and Penaranda are no longer on the roster. Other departures include defenders Adam Hassan, Jordia Avila, Owen Green, Deco Costa, and Anthony Cousins Jr.
Entering his second year as the head coach of the program, Kyle Russell looks to have shaped the squad into his liking. In an interview with PantherNOW after the conclusion of last season, Russell stated “There’s a massive opportunity here to achieve and see a really high level of success.”
With a fresh squad and a year of experience under his belt, Russell has set the expectations high for the coming year. The Panthers face an extremely difficult schedule, facing six opponents ranked in the preseason top 25, including the defending national champions.
Excluding the shortened 2020-21 year that had only nine games, the Panthers have won 10 or more games four of the last five seasons. With a full slate of games and a somewhat return to normal, can FIU put themselves in contention to win C-USA for the first time since 2015 and possibly push for a national championship?
The New Faces
There will be plenty of fresh faces around campus as the Panthers brought in 14 new players to help push the squad forward. According to the TopDrawerSoccer.com recruiting poll, FIU’s recruiting class ranks 30th in the nation and best in Conference. With a mix of eight transfers and seven freshmen, the new bloods bring in youth and experience.
With a mass exodus of defenders in the off-season, it was clear that reinforcements were needed at the back for the Panthers. Joining the squad are defenders Carlos Scheckerman, Edgar Aguilar, Noriyuki Ito, and Juan Leano.
Scheckerman comes in as a transfer from Central Methodist University. During his time at CMU Scheckerman won a NAIA title with the Eagles and was voted defensive MVP in the NAIA title match.
Aguilar, Ito, and Leano all enroll as freshmen at FIU. Aguilar played with Pachuca FC and was a member of the Mexican U17 national team and won a four nations cup with them. Ito joins from Tokyo, Japan, where he was a Tokyo-3 league champion. Finally, Leano joins after playing with multiple Mexican professional youth teams and playing with the U16 Mexican national team.
With free scoring midfielder Campoy gone, FIU adds seven new midfielders to the squad. Matteo Gasperoni, Matthias Lavenant, and Josh Burnett come in as transfers, with the rest of the new additions being freshmen. Cesar Cuellar, Jose Lapentty, Julian Hodek, and Yushi Nagao begin their college careers with the Panthers.
Gasperoni joins from Italy, where he played for Serie A club Atalanta. He received four call ups to the first team and captained the U19 Atalanta side. Lavenant hails from France and previously played with the Vannes academy team. Burnett joins from UCONN and previously played with the United States U20s national team.
For the freshmen, Cuellar comes in after playing with both Fort Lauderdale FC and the Inter Miami U17 team, where he led the team in assists. Lapentty joins from Costa Rica where he played for the Cartaginés U23 youth team. Hodek joins as a former German national team youth player. Nagao comes in from Tokyo, where he won a regional title with his high school.
Every team wants to score goals and with FIU bringing in three new forwards they have plenty of options to put goals on the scoreboard. Freshman Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro, Sander Jonassen Foro, and Alexander Lozano come in looking to bolster the Panthers goal tally.
Monteiro is a Portuguese winger who previously played for Sport União Sintrense in Portugal. Jonassen Foro captiand the UII/Kisa 2 U19 side and scored 42 goals during his time with them. Lozano joins from Miami Kendall Rush as a striker.
With a plethora of experience and youth joining the ranks of FIU, Russell added tons of firepower to his squad. Will the new additions prove to be the missing piece to the Panthers winning a conference title, only time will tell.
Preseason Matchups
Vs Atlantis Owls (08/15 7pm)
Kicking off the preseason the Panthers matchup with Atlantis University. This is the first ever meeting between the two as this is the inaugural season for Atlantis athletics . FIU will test their fitness and push for a victory to start preseason.
Vs Nova Southeastern Sharks (08/18 7pm)
With one previous meeting in 2011, which the Panthers won 2-0, FIU will face their second preseason test against the Sharks. This will be the final preseason game in Miami before the regular season starts.
@ Stetson Hatters (08/20 5pm)
A familiar foe, this will be the only road match during preseason. With nine previous matchups, FIU holding the advantage with five wins, this matchup is the final opportunity for the Panthers to hit match sharpness before the kick off of the new year.
Regular Season
There will be 16 regular season matchups, seven more than last season. A challenging schedule is in front of the Panthers as they will play six teams who are currently ranked in the top 25. FIU starts the season unranked, but a few victories to start the year could easily catapult them into the top 25.
@ #13 Central Florida Knights (08/26 7pm)
Kicking off the regular season with a ranked opponent in the Knights, FIU will test themselves against one of the nations premier programs. The two teams have met 11 times with the Panthers holding a 5-5-1 record all time, losing the last matchup in 2018 3-1.
The Knights won the American Athletic Conference last season and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers defense will be tested by Gino Vivi, who scored five goals and assisted four in the Knights campaign. Another player to keep an eye on is former Panther Alessandro Campoy. FIU knows all too well the damage he can cause opposing defenses.
The FIU attack will target a UCF defense that allowed a goal per game last season. With the creativity from the midfield and the forwards, the Knights backline will be tested heavily. A competitive first matchup, the Panthers will look to knock off their first ranked opponent of the year and enter the top 25 conversation.
@ Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (08/29 5pm)
This is the 15th matchup with the Eagles and FIU holds a 9-4 all-time record against FGCU. Last season the two sides met and resulted in a dramatic 3-2 Panther comeback win. Dating back to 2010, FIU has won seven of the last ten matchups.
FGCU finished out the season with a 4-4-3 record after the opening night defeat against FIU. The Eagles finished third in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They committed the most fouls in the A-Sun, so the Panthers better be ready for a physical matchup.
Serving as a constant threat for the Eagles, Striker O’Vante Mullings will be a handful for the FIU defense. Mullings scored five goals last year and has scored 21 goals in his three seasons as an Eagle. Keeping Mullings quiet is key for the Panthers search for victory.
Possessing the fifth ranked defense of the seven teams in the A-Sun, FIU’s creativity has the ability to lead to a high scoring affair. Keep an eye on Panther defender David Garcia as he has scored a goal in each of the last two matchups with FGCU.
Vs Virginia Commonwealth Rams (09/04 7pm)
This will be the home opener for the Panthers and will also be the first ever meeting between the two schools. VCU finished last season with a 4-3-2 record and were the second best team in the Atlantic 10 Central division. FIU will need to keep an eye on VCU midfielder Celio Pompeu who led the Rams in goals last year.
@ North Florida Osprey (09/08 7pm)
The ninth matchup between the two universities, FIU holds a 4-3-1 record against UNF all time. Recently however, the Panthers have struggled, winning only two of the last six matchups. The Osprey had a 4-3-3 record in the previous season, including a 2-0 win over FIU, and finished 4th in the A-Sun conference.
UNF still has two of their three top scorers from last season on their roster. Forwards Jovoney Brown and Bryson Smith combined for four goals in the Osprey’s nine games. The team was however the fifth lowest scoring team out of the eight squads in the A-Sun. A strong midfield performance from the Panthers will keep UNF quiet and give FIU a shot at a win.
Vs Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (09/12 7pm)
Another first time matchup with an opponent this season for FIU, the Vaqueros finished with a strong 6-2-2 record last season and had the second best record in the Western Athletic Conference. Forward Reshaun Walkers was second highest scorer and will be the danger man now as UT Rio Grande Valley lost their top scorer from last season.
The Vaqueros will present a challenge to the Panthers as they allowed the lowest amount of goals in the WAC last season. The forwards need to be clinical with their chances for the best chance at a first victory against UT Rio Grande Valley.
@ Bowling Green Falcons (09/17 7pm)
This is the second ever meeting between the Panthers and the Falcons, with the first matchup coming all the way back in 2007 being a tie. Bowling Green enters the season receiving votes to be in the top 25 rankings, but just missed out. They finished with a 7-5-1 record last season and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament after winning the Mid-Atlantic Conference.
The Falcons averaged a goal a game last season and had a shot on goal percentage of .37. An area to consider for FIU is that Bowling Green allowed almost a goal a game with a .92 percent goals against average. Playing against a team who could well be ranked at the time of the matchup, this will serve to be a true road test for the Panthers and a victory will be hard fought.
Vs Jacksonville Dolphins (09/21 5pm)
The seventh coming together between the Dolphins and the Panthers, FIU has never lost a match against JU, with the all time record being four wins and two ties. Jacksonville enters the season after a 7-4-2 finish and winning the A-Sun championship and making a NCAA tournament appearance.
There was a scheduled matchup between the two teams last season that was cancelled due to COVID-19 complications. The previous matchup between the two in 2019 ended in a 3-3 draw. This will be the second game with JU since 2013 and the first home game with the Dolphins since 2013 as well.
The Dolphins scored the most goals in the A-Sun with 22, scoring an average of 1.69 goals a game. Despite their high scoring, JU allowed 16 goals last season, which was the third worst of the seven A-Sun teams. An exciting matchup, FIU eyes a win to keep their unbeaten record intact against Jacksonville.
@ Alabama Birmingham Blazers (09/25 Time TBA)
The first Conference USA showdown of the season, this is the 17th meeting between the Blazers and the Panthers, with the record reading 8-7-1 in FIU’s favor. Entering this game on a six match win streak against UAB, another victory may be on the cards.
The Blazers finished seventh out of the eight teams in C-USA with a 1-5-1 conference record and an overall record of 3-12-1. The Panthers thrashed UAB last year 4-0 and have scored a combined 14 goals in their six game winning run while only conceding four.
UAB had the second worst goal scoring tally in the conference last season, only netting 10 goals. They had the worst goals against average, allowing opponents to score an average of 2.38 goals a game. The Blazers let in a total of 39 goals in sixteen games, also worst in conference.
FIU has scored two or more goals in 10 of the 16 matchups with the Blazers, so expect goals from this game. Forward Rasmus Tobinski scored in last season’s outing and will be looking for lightning to strike twice this time around. There is a strong possibility that the Panthers can open conference play with a victory.
Vs #20 Charlotte 49ers (10/02 7pm)
A historically difficult game for FIU, they have never beaten Charlotte in the 10 previous games played. This year will present a similar challenge for the Panthers as the 49rs have entered the preseason ranked as the 20th best team in the country.
Last season the 49rs finished with the second best record in the conference with a 6-1 record and an overall record of 6-3-2. Charlotte made an appearance in the NCAA tournament, losing to the North Carolina Tar Heels. They beat the Panthers last season 1-0 and have scored 20 goals in their 10 games against FIU.
Charlotte were one of the top defensive teams in C-USA last season as they had the second best goals against average, allowing only .87 goals per game. A mountainous challenge awaits the Panthers, every player will need to be at the top of their game to secure the first victory against the 49rs. An FIU win would boost their national credibility at a key time in the season.
@ #16 Kentucky Wildcats (10/10 6pm)
A long standing matchup that runs back to 2006, FIU holds a 6-7-2 record against the Wildcats. The Panthers match with Kentucky last season ended in a 1-1 draw after a double overtime thriller.
A massive conference road test, this is the third ranked opponent on the schedule so far. Finishing with a third place 3-3-1 conference record, identical to FIU’s, and a 12-5-2 overall record the Wildcats made a NCAA tournament appearance, losing in the second round.
Kentucky scored the most goals in C-USA with 31 goals in 19 games. Forward Brock Lindow led the Wildcats with five goals, with forwards Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Daniel Evans scoring four. Bjorgolfsson provided four assists with his goals, and Evans had three assists. The forward three will provide a constant threat to the Panthers defense.
FIU needs the midfield to dictate the tempo of the match and use their creativity to unlock the Kentucky defense. The Wildcats conceded 18 goals in 19 matches last season, including a goal by Barraza.
@ South Carolina Gamecocks (10/16 Time TBA)
Historically a difficult matchup for FIU as they have only beaten the Gamecocks twice in sixteen games, the record being 2-10-4. Another conference game, the Panthers will travel to Columbus, South Carolina where they have only won a single match.
Last season South Carolina defeated FIU 3-2 and finished with a 2-4-1 C-USA record and a 8-7-1 overall record. Top scorer Brian Banahan scored seven goals last season, including a goal against the Panthers. Banahan will need to be kept quiet for a chance at conference victory.
Vs #24 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (10/19 7pm)
A first ever matchup with C-USA newcomers Coastal Carolina see’s Panther head coach Russell face the team he was with for 10 seasons. The Chanticleers are ranked 24th in the preseason polls and finished the previous year with a 9-5-2 record. They lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Two players were tied atop the top scoring charts for the Chanticleers with defender Marcelo Lage and forward Claudio Repetto serving as the danger men. A strong opponent, the Panthers could welcome Coastal Carolina to C-USA by handing them a loss.
Vs Old Dominion Monarchs (10/22 7pm)
Conference play continues as the Panthers clash with the Monarchs, a favorable matchup all time as FIU holds a 7-3 record against them. Old Dominion were far from impressive last year ending with a conference record of 0-4-3 and an overall record of 1-4-3.
The last meeting between the two schools ended in a 5-0 blowout in favor of the Panthers. The Monarchs ranked as the lowest scoring team in C-USA last year and allowed 14 goals in just eight games. FIU has lost just one of the last eight games with Old Dominion, the expectation will be another victory.
@ #7 Clemson Tigers (10/26 7pm)
A first ever meeting with the powerhouse Tigers, this is arguably the biggest road game of the season for the Panthers. Clemson finished the previous season with a 14-3-3 record and made it to the NCAA tournament semifinals where they lost to the eventual winners. They have won two national championships and will provide FIU with stiff competition.
FIU will face the challenge of defeating a Clemson team who did not lose a single game at home last season. Expert goals from the Tigers as they scored two or more in six of their eight home games in the previous year. A huge test of strength, a win here would show the nation that the Panthers are contenders.
For a victory the FIU squad needs to play a near perfect match. The defense needs to pressure the forwards of Clemson into uncomfortable situations. Playing on the front foot and being clinical with chances gives the Panthers a historic win.
@ Florida Atlantic Owls (10/30 12pm)
Immediately following the Clemson matchup, the Panthers travel to Boca Raton to face long standing rivals FAU. The series is dominated by FIU as they hold a 12-2-1 record all time, with a run of seven consecutive victories. The Owls finished fifth in C-USA last season with a 3-4 conference record and a 6-4-2 overall record.
FAU scored 14 goals in 12 games last year while conceding 11. The Panthers collected a 2-0 win in the last matchup and a repeat performance is on the cards. The Owls have lost their top goal scorer from last season and have only scored more than one goal against FIU in four of the 15 games played all time.
The Panthers hold a 5-2 record against FAU when playing in Boca Raton, and have not lost away to FAU since 2013. FIU midfielder Maruo Bravo scored in last season’s fixture and will be a threat to add another goal to his tally.
Vs #1 Marshall Thundering Herd (11/5 7pm)
Ending the season with a clash against the defending national champion Marshall, the last C-USA game may be the most important. The Thundering Herd shocked the nation last year winning the national title as an unranked seed and beating a favorite in the Clemson Tigers. Finishing with a 6-0-1 conference record and a 13-2-3 overall record.
A historically competitive matchup, this is the grudge match between the two. Both teams have won nine of the 18 matchups. It took overtime for the Thundering Herd to down the Panthers last season, which was FIU’s third straight loss against Marshall. With a 4-4 home record there is no clear home field advantage in this coming together.
The Thundering Herd were C-USA’s second highest goal scorers last season, bagging 30 goals in 18 games. Dangerman Victor Dias returns for Marshall after scoring six goals last season alongside his seven assists, both team highs. Facing last season’s best defensive team in the conference, this is the biggest game of the season for the Panthers.
Goals are to be expected in this clash, as 31 goals have been scored in the 18 games. Similarly to the Clemson game, FIU needs to be at the top of their game to dethrone the champions. A win here sends a statement to the nation, that the Panthers are for real.
C-USA Championships (11/10-11/14)
After a grueling season, this will be the Panthers chance to prove to C-USA that they are ready to capture a conference title. If FIU slips up during the regular season and their record isn’t on par with the rest of the nations top teams, a win here serves as their ticket to the NCAA championships.
High expectations and a difficult schedule await FIU in the fall of 2021. This is the time for the Panthers to deliver a conference championship and prove themselves as one of the nations elite soccer programs.
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