TEANECK, N.J. – Following a recent two-game homestand, the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team traveled to FDU on Saturday and collected its third win of the year with a 3-1 performance at Macron Stadium.
Junior forward
Marco Bottene put Penn in front in the 10th minute with a tap-in goal while Adam Abrus-Aikelin doubled the visitors' lead with a lethal strike 32 minutes later. Sophomore midfielder
Becket Empson-Speiden capped off a dominant victory with the first goal of his collegiate career in the 67th minute.
Quaker Notemeal
*Bottene extended his goal-scoring record to five tallies in six matches which paces the Ivy League so far this season.
*Sophomore forward Ambrus-Aikelin notched his second goal of the campaign with a thunderbolt that rippled the roof of the Knights' goal.
*The Quakers' third goal of the evening was fired home after a quality touch and finish from Empson-Speiden, his first in Red and Blue.
*
Patrick Weir and
Mario Stoka earned the first starts of their careers and Weir went the full 90 minutes at center back.
*Senior goalkeeper
Phillip Falcon III was called into action four times throughout the match and was a steady presence at the back for 90 minutes.
*Penn held the advantage in shots (10-8) and corners (7-4) and scored from a set piece for the first time in 2026.
How It Happened
Both sides traded early fouls and strings of possession in the opening five minutes at Macron Stadium. In the 10th minute, the visitors took the lead.
Penn had just won a corner kick and sophomore midfielder
Phil Pak stood over the corner ready to deliver. His service found the head of
Owen Sullivan, but the senior's attempt on frame was saved by Matheus Franca. However, the reigning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week, Bottene, was first to react and finished the move off by tapping home the Quakers' first goal of the night.
The Red and Blue earned another corner moments later which fell to Stoka, but his well-hit strike was blocked by a Knight.
FDU generated a half chance in the 18th minute after serving a ball into the box, but Jeremie Pelade's header looped over the crossbar.
After 20 minutes of play, the Knights began to settle into the match and accumulate more possession.
Empson-Speiden and Ambrus-Aikelin were subbed on in the 30th minute and they made the most of their opportunity. Empson-Speiden had the ball out on the right wing in the 42nd minute, before he skipped past a pair of defenders to enter the Knights' penalty area. The ball eventually fell to Ambrus-Aikelin six yards from goal, and he made no mistake with his first-time effort, shooting a rocket past Franca at his near post.
After 45 minutes in Teaneck, the visitors held a 2-0 lead.
The Knights responded with a goal three minutes after halftime. FDU won a free kick 25 yards from the net and Dominic Valenzuela decided to go quick after the restart. His flicked pass found the head of Ryan Calheira which Forced a save from Falcon III, but Joshua Bartels was there to tap home the second effort to halve the hosts' deficit (2-1).
Following the restart, Penn settled into the half and began to have more of the ball. However, with 29 minutes to play Pelade got his head on the end of a cross from a wide area, but his header fizzed over the crossbar.
The Red and Blue restored their two-goal advantage in the 67th minute. Pak stood over a corner kick and his out-swinging cross found the head of Ambrus-Aikelin who flicked the ball into a dangerous area. Empson-Speiden was first to react and only needed two touches to settle and fire home the first goal of his career on the half volley.
Both sides had flurries of half chances and Falcon III made a good save in the 81st minute, but the visitors managed the game well down the stretch to leave Teaneck with all three points.
Up Next
Penn (3-1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) begins its Ivy League slate next Saturday at Yale. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. in New Haven, Conn.
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