Owls Topple UAB for First AAC Win

Saturday, September 24

Boca Raton, Fla.

7 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

UAB

9/24/2022 10:35:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University men's soccer defeated UAB on Saturday night to earn the first American Athletic Conference win in school history. The Owls are now 2-4-2 overall and 1-0-1 in AAC play.

All the action was packed into the second half after both teams failed to register a shot attempt in the opening 45. The Owls took control after the break, dominating possession for long stretches of play.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 80th minute. Less than a minute after coming on as a substitute, Andreas Raisanen made an immediate impact. Tom Abrahamsson played a ball into space down the right flank. Zach Hassell ran onto it and fired in a low cross to the far post where Raisanen was waiting to tap it home.

For Raisanen, a freshman from Stockholm, Sweden, it was his first collegiate goal, and it came on the Owls' second shot on target. FAU continued to play lockdown defense for the final 10 minutes and held on for a 1-0 victory. With just one save needed, goalkeeper Axel Hofmann earned his first career clean sheet.

Head coach Joey Worthen postgame
"The guys did a fantastic job tonight to respond the way that they did. We knew we needed these three points at home. We controlled the game. We had a lot of the ball, but we needed to find the goal. Congratulations to the guys and to Andreas for getting his first."

The Owls will hope to carry the momentum from Saturday into a challenging upcoming schedule. Each of the next three opponents are either ranked or receiving votes in the latest NCAA DI Coaches' poll. No. 23 UCF awaits in Orlando next Friday. Then it's on to (RV) Tulsa on October 5 before a meeting with No. 12 Charlotte back at home on October 9.