Wright State men's soccer beats Northern Illinois 1-0 in Horizon League Championship quarterfinal

Saturday, November 14

Wright State University

Horizon League Championship

11/8/2026 5:23:00 PM | General, Men's Soccer

DEKALB, Ill. — Wright State men's soccer defeated Northern Illinois 1-0 in the Horizon League Championship quarterfinals Sunday at NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex, as defender Daniel Panait scored in the 50th minute.

Panait scored the match's only goal, assisted by midfielder Djafar Albadawi. Goalkeeper Alex Normandeau made two (2) saves.

Wright State improves to 8-7-3 overall with its second straight win and advances in the Horizon League Championship. Northern Illinois is 8-7-2 overall.

How it Happened
First Half
• Normandeau saved a shot by Vance Sheffield in the 18th minute.
• The match was scoreless at halftime. Shots were 4-4, and Northern Illinois held a 3-1 edge in corner kicks.
Second Half
• Normandeau saved a shot by Stevan Ljubicic in the 46th minute.
• Panait scored in the 50th minute, assisted by Albadawi, for a 1-0 lead.
• Northern Illinois goalkeeper Cayden Crawford saved shots by midfielder Rowen Arnold in the 53rd minute and forward Maximilian Banfi in the 69th minute. The match ended 1-0.

Scoring Summary
50th minute – Wright State – Daniel Panait (Djafar Albadawi)

By the Numbers
11-11 – Shots, Wright State vs. Northern Illinois (3-2 on goal)
7-6 – Corner kicks, Wright State vs. Northern Illinois
2 – Saves for Alex Normandeau
2 – Saves for Cayden Crawford, Northern Illinois
4 – Shots for Rowen Arnold, a match-high
2 – Shots on goal allowed by Wright State

Up Next
Wright State faces Purdue Fort Wayne Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET in [VERIFY: city and venue] in the Horizon League Championship.

Follow the Raiders
Follow Wright State Men's Soccer on X: @WSU_Mens_Soccer and Instagram: @wsumenssoccer.

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