The South Carolina men’s soccer team won its matchup against FIU 3-2 after back-to-back losses last week.
The Panthers had five corner kicks in the first half compared to the Gamecocks' two. The Gamecocks had opportunities to score early with free kicks but was unable to connect the shots.
South Carolina’s sophomore goalkeeper Filip Versterre played all 90 minutes and had two saves. The Panthers struck first in the matchup with a goal in the 18th minute from freshman forward Johan Helan, assisted by fifth-year defender Owen Travis and sophomore midfielder Leonardo Consoloni.
The Panthers' defense shut down the Gamecocks and limited the team to only two shots in the first half, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
The Gamecocks quickly evened the score in the second half with a goal by senior forward Tyler Trimnal, assisted by senior midfielder Ethan Ballek in the 48th minute. Just a few minutes later, Trimnal almost gave the Gamecocks its first lead of the evening in the 57th minute but narrowly missed the goalpost.
Junior forward Pasquale Capriati gave the Panthers the lead in the 71st minute with the assist from freshman midfielder Dominic Brady.
Just four minutes later, Ballek scored the equalizer for the Gamecocks to make it 2-2 with under 15 minutes left.
Trimnal capped off his impressive night with the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute to give the Gamecocks the win.
Gamecocks get back in the win column
This marks the Gamecocks' second win of the season, and in a big way. Despite shots made by senior defender William Nilsson and junior midfielder Jonah Biggar, the Gamecocks could not find the back of the net in the first half.
Offense able to produce in second half
The Gamecocks' defense allowed three shots and five corner kicks in the first half of the match on Tuesday. The lack of communication on the pitch has become increasingly evident in recent matches. Despite this, head coach Tony Annan saw improvement tonight.
“I’m proud of the lads for sure. They’ve worked their butt off tonight and really stuck in and showed some grit and then came back twice and then won the game, which is all you can ask," Annan said.
The offense tied the game with under 15 minutes to play and was able to get the go-ahead goal and keep the Panthers' strong offense from coming back.
Compared to the team's usually high number of corner kicks, the Gamecocks only had two in the match, which greatly limited the offense’s opportunities.
Despite this, the offense scored all three goals in the second half while the defense stopped the Panthers from gaining any momentum after its early lead.
Trimnal and Ballek shine in win
Ballek and Trimnal were the difference makers in the match against FIU on Tuesday. Ballek was one of the Gamecocks' top scorers in 2024 with nine goals and five assists. His goal in the 75th minute of Tuesday's game was his second goal of the 2025 season.
“We rely on them in big moments, (they’re) experienced players with tons of experience playing college games, come big in big moments, and we needed them to come big, and they did, both of them," Annan said.
Trimnal helped put the Gamecocks on the board and in the lead in the matchup against the Panthers with two goals. Trimnal spent the last three seasons at Clemson, where he had 15 career goals and six assists.
“It feels good to get my first goal of the season, and to get the second is awesome, but credit to the team tonight. Last week was a tough result for us, and all week we’ve been talking about we’ve got to focus, get better and grind,” Trimnal said.
What’s next?
The Gamecocks (2-2) host Charlotte (1-1-1) on Friday, Sept. 5. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and is slated for 7 p.m.