10-Men UK Claws Back Twice to Draw No. 8 FIU 2-2 Sunday

Box Score | Souder Reaction
 
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Down a goal, and then a man too, Kentucky climbed back to 1-1 via a Mikkel Pedersen goal. Then 10 minutes later they were in the same kind of hole, but JJ Williams brought Kentucky level once more with an 86th-minute finish and the Wildcats earned a 2-2 draw against No. 8 and undefeated Florida International (11-0-4, 6-0-2 Conference USA – 20 points).

Kentucky is now 8-5-3 (4-2-1 C-USA – 13 points). Prior to the match on Sunday, FIU had clinched the C-USA Regular Season Title by virtue of Old Dominion’s loss to South Carolina.
 
Four minutes after the half-hour mark, the leader of FIU’s prolific offense put the visitors ahead. Alessandro Campoy played a ball right up the middle to Patino near the penalty spot with his back to goal. The C-USA goals leader turned and finished as he had 14 times before in this season to put the Panthers ahead.

Things got worse for Kentucky in the 64th minute when freshman defender Leon Jones was sent off for a tackle near the corner flag.

Yet down a man, Kentucky rallied and in quick succession. Just five minutes after the red card, Mikkel Pedersen smashed a ball from close range that JJ Williams flicked onto him via a Tanner Hummel cross from the right flank. The Danish junior college transfer scored his third goal of the season, but first since Sept. 8.

Ten minutes later the air went out of the building once more. Marvin Hezel finished a Joris Ahlinvi cross and it seemed FIU would celebrate their league title and completing an undefeated regular season with another three points.

But Kentucky showed more grit from there, and with five minutes to go in the regulation 90, Williams clawed Kentucky back for a second time. Noah Hutchins – the match-winner midweek – hit the post with a drive from distance, and Williams was first to react to the ricochet, hitting an open net from about 15 yards.

Kentucky had the best chances of overtime with Kalil ElMedkhar stopped by the FIU keeper from close range on the dribble. Williams was unable to get onto the end of a dangerous-looking cross shortly thereafter.

But it finished honors even with both teams left to look ahead to meaningful matches in the weeks to come.

“We had to come back twice,” Kentucky captain Landon Souder said. “A man down, against a great team that just shows the potential that we have within our squad and how far we think we can go with this team.
 
“Once (Leon) went out, each guy just has to pick it up to make up for it that much more. We found a way to get a point out of the game.”
 
The notes
Kentucky concluded it’s regular-season home schedule 6-2-1 (3-0-1 C-USA). The Wildcats have 10 points in the league with one match – Saturday at Charlotte – remaining before the Conference Tournament, which is in Norfolk, Virginia, this year.
 
The Panthers will finish the regular season atop the C-USA Table with 20 points.

On 13 points, Kentucky can finish the league season anywhere from second to fifth in the league. With ODU (15 points), New Mexico (11 points) and Charlotte (10 points) also jostling for position.

Williams scored his third goal of the year and he’s tied for the team lead with Pedersen, Hutchins and Stefan Stojkovic.

Williams has three goals, four assists giving him the team points lead (10). Hummel is tied with Williams for the most assists on the team.
 
The history
Kentucky leads the all-time series against Florida International 8-5-2. Sunday’s draw stopped an FIU two-match winning streak in the series. UK’s last win against FIU came at The Bell in 2015 with the Wildcats clinching the outright Conference USA regular-season title that night.
 
UK is 5-1-1 all-time when playing at home vs FIU
 
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