Mark Romano’s Game-Winner Propels Men’s Soccer Past Florida Gulf Coast, 2-1

Saturday, September 12

Fort Myers, Fla. / FGCU Soccer Complex

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

4-2-1, 2-0-0

FGCU

2-4-0, 0-2-0

Team	1	2	Final F
North Florida	1	1	2
FGCU	1	0	1

2026 University of North Florida Men's Soccer - Team Huddle

Mark Romano’s Game-Winner Propels Men’s Soccer Past Florida Gulf Coast, 2-1

9/12/2026 10:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Senior midfielder Mark Romano delivered the game-winning goal in the 85th minute to propel North Florida Men's Soccer to a 2-1 win at Florida Gulf Coast at FGCU Soccer Complex on Saturday night.

North Florida has now won four-straight matches to improve to 4-2-1 and 2-0-0 in ASUN Conference action. It marked the first win for North Florida at Florida Gulf Coast since Oct. 18, 2016.

Fifth-year goalkeeper Luciano Natoli totaled five saves in 90 minutes in goal. It marked his sixth-career match with five or more saves.

The match entered a 40-minute weather delay after five minutes of action. North Florida threatened with three shots, two of which were on goal, in the initial 11 minutes. Florida Gulf Coast struck first with a goal in the 16th minute.

Junior forward Kaiss Mansouri leveled the match in the 30th minute with a strike for his first goal of the season. North Florida has now had seven different goal scorers through its first seven matches.

North Florida outgained its hosts 7-4 in shots, 4-2 in shots on goal and 5-0 in corner kicks in the first half. Mansouri led all Ospreys with three shots at the break.

With the margin deadlocked at 1-1, Romano controlled a pass from junior defender Rafa Rios and beat an Eagles' defender before he sent a strike from more than 30 yards out that found its way past the goalkeeper and into the right side of the net.

It marked the second goal and game-winning goal for Romano this season, both of which have come in ASUN Conference action.

15 Ospreys saw action and Natoli, Rios, senior midfielder Tyler Prebenda, senior midfielder Anton Khelil, senior defender Mikhail Keise and senior defender Germain Kapela all logged the full time.

North Florida travels to Clemson, S.C. to battle No. 17 Clemson on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. ET.