Rout Sets Up Reunion For Final Match

NCAA soccer

Tyrone Marshall’s bicycle-kick goal highlighted an offensive blitz by Florida International, and the Golden Panthers beat North Carolina- Charlotte 4-0 in the NCAA Division I soccer semifinals Friday.

Florida International (17-4-2) will play St. John’s on Sunday for the national championship. The Red Storm beat Creighton 2-1 in the early game.

The championship will be a rematch of an Oct. 27 meeting in Miami. The Golden Panthers beat the then No. 2-ranked Red Storm 2-0 in that one, one of 10 victories they’ve had against teams ranked in the top 20 this season.

Florida International’s win was the most lopsided in the Final Four of Division I men’s soccer since Columbia beat Connecticut 4-0 in the 1983 semifinals.

The 49ers (19-5-0) were shut out for only the second time this season. Their best scoring chance came early in the second half, when Florida International goalkeeper Sal Fontana made a diving stop on Christian Lund.

The Red Storm (21-2-2) became the first St. John’s team to reach a national title game since the 1952 men’s basketball team lost to Kansas. It is seeking the school’s first national title in any sport.

Creighton (17-5-2), which had not allowed a goal in three previous NCAA tournament games, came close to pulling even in the 88th minute.