EXHIBITION MATCH
Owls Soar Past Conquistadors in Dominant 4-0 Victory
Diarra's double helps Florida Atlantic cruise to commanding win over Florida National
In this exhibition match, Florida Atlantic University demonstrated their offensive prowess Tuesday night, dispatching Florida National University 4-0 in a comprehensive victory at Florida Atlantic Stadium. The Owls' attacking display, led by striker Mamadou Diarra's first-half brace, proved too much for the visiting Conquistadors to handle.
The hosts wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Sebastian Zettl breaking the deadlock in the 7th minute. The Austrian midfielder capitalized on a defensive miscue, slotting home from 12 yards out to give Florida Atlantic an early advantage.
Diarra then took center stage, notching two goals in a seven-minute span that effectively put the game out of reach before the half-hour mark. His first came in the 18th minute, heading home a perfectly weighted cross from the right wing. The Senegalese forward doubled his tally in the 25th minute with a clinical finish after dancing past two defenders.
The Owls maintained their intensity after the break, with midfielder Ethan Schumaker adding a fourth goal in the 49th minute. His long-range effort from 25 yards out curved beautifully into the top corner, leaving the Florida National goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Florida National struggled to generate meaningful opportunities against Florida Atlantic's organized defense, which recorded its third clean sheet of the season. The Conquistadors' best chance came in the 63rd minute when forward Carlos Martinez struck the crossbar from a free kick.
The victory extends Florida Atlantic's unbeaten streak to five matches and serves as a confidence boost ahead of their upcoming conference schedule. For Florida National, the defeat highlights areas for improvement as they return to NAIA competition.
The Owls will look to maintain their momentum when they host NC State September 13, while the Conquistadors return home to regroup before their next fixture.