FIU scores 3 goals after half, tops Lobos

Florida International scored three second-half goals on Saturday and defeated New Mexico 4-2 in Conference USA men’s soccer at the UNM Soccer Complex.

It was the fifth consecutive home defeat for the Lobos (3-7-0, 1-2-0).

“I thought we closed out the first half really well with two goals and had a good grip on the game,” UNM coach Jeremy Fishbein said. “We talked at halftime that the first 10 minutes (of the second half) were crucial. That was going to be their opportunity to get momentum back and we had to be solid and play in their half, but you aren’t going to win games when you give up goals in those key moments.”

Santiago Patino had the match’s first goal, on a penalty kick in the 16th minute, for the Panthers (4-5-0, 3-0-0). Simon Spangenberg answered for UNM two minutes later in an open goal opportunity.

UNM took the lead off a corner kick set piece in the 29th minute. Nick Taylor sent a cross into the box where the first touch in traffic was off the foot of Billy Jones. Matt Puig, then registered his fourth goal of the season.

New Mexico is back at home Tuesday at 7 p.m vs. Loyola Marymount.

UNM WOMEN: The Lobos (6-4-0, 2-1-0 Mountain West), coming off a late Friday 2-1 win at Fresno State (1-7-2, 0-1-1), play today at 2 p.m. at San Jose State (3-4-2, 2-0-0).

In Fresno, the Lobos struck quickly, scoring in the third minute (Gwen Maly off of a Jessica Nelson feed) and in the 16th (Leilani Baker on a breakaway).

Fresno State scored on a penalty kick late in the first half, but UNM goalkeeper Emily Johnson denied another penalty kick, early in the second half, to preserve the lead.