Sunny Florida is about to be taken over by Bearcats as the men’s soccer team rolls into town, looking to build off its first win last Sunday.
Binghamton (1-3-1) will take on Florida International (0-2-1) on Friday and Florida Atlantic (0-3-0) on Sunday. The Bearcats did not play either team last season.
Binghamton was finally able to get in the win column last weekend against Long Island, winning by a score of 4-3. BU had not played terrible soccer in their four previous matches, but simply found themselves unable to capitalize when opportunities were there.
“One of the key things that changed in us last week was that we finished some of our chances,” said head coach Paul Marco. “We had been creating many opportunities; against Bucknell we could’ve had three or four, against all our opponents we’ve had many opportunities.”
Finally, last week, led by Cody Germain’s two goals, things came together. This week, Binghamton takes on two teams that have also struggled to begin the season, and with a strong showing could return north with a .500 record.
Despite the win, Marco was not thoroughly impressed.
“This group hasn’t made a commitment to winning yet,” he said. “We’re trying, but in any given moment I can’t tell you they’re going to meet the challenge head on yet, though I do think we are getting better.”
At Florida International, Binghamton’s first game this weekend is against a team that seems to already have committed itself to winning, featuring players like junior midfielder Edgard Corr√É.√™a from Brazil, the type of go-to guy who has not yet emerged for the Bearcats.
However, the Golden Panthers’ weakness, a slow backfield, actually bodes well for BU, which sports a fast-paced and athletic attack. And though winless, FIU has played the likes of ninth-ranked South Florida and 11th-ranked Cal — hardly cakewalks.
Florida Atlantic, also in search of its first win, holds its home-opener against Binghamton on Sunday. There is a heavy international presence on the Owls, with players hailing from Belgrade, Israel and Norway, but none of them can seem to score: FAU has been shut out in all three of its games this season.
With momentum from last weekend and their opponents’ records working in their favor, as long as the Bearcats don’t spend too much time on the beach, this weekend could prove be a very productive one.