USL League One – Game 26
Forward Madison FC vs North Texas SC
Sunday, September 22, 2019; 4:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI
Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center
Forward Madison FC will celebrate the end of its inaugural home schedule when it takes on USL League One regular season champion North Texas SC on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Breese Stevens Field. The Flamingos have drawn huge crowds in their first year, leading the 10-team League One with an average attendance of 4,290, and expect one of their largest numbers of the season this weekend.
Not only does Sunday’s home finale serve as a commemoration of an unforgettable inaugural year, but it also carries deep implications in FMFC’s playoff race. With three games left to play, Forward occupies League One’s fourth and final playoff spot, three points ahead of South Georgia Tormenta FC and Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.
According to head coach Daryl Shore, the pressure is on his team to deliver the goods.
“It’s a massive game,” Shore said. “[We’re] expecting a huge crowd, and we need to go out in the regular season and really put in a good performance, not just for our team and ourselves, but for our fans and for everybody who comes out and supports us.”
After winning 1-0 against the Richmond Kickers last weekend, Forward can come home Sunday carrying some momentum. The Flamingos will, however, have to deal with the loss of on-loan center back Wyatt Omsberg, who was recalled to Minnesota United to fill in following a 10-game suspension for Loons defender Brent Kallman.
FMFC lost its first two games against North Texas on the road in the season series, but came back in June with a statement 4-1 win at home. Although the visitors were missing a handful of players during that game, Shore said he also owed some of the credit for the victory to the fans, who can create a difficult atmosphere to play in for opposition teams.
“There’s no better 12th man in lower-league soccer than in Madison, Wisconsin,” Shore said. “If our fans can get out and they’re loud and they’re vibrant as they always are, maybe it catches them off guard a little bit and then it inspires our guys to get three points.”
Still, even a home field advantage will only slightly ease FMFC’s task. North Texas SC has coasted through USL League One, and won the regular season title last week with three games to spare. The Texans have won five matches in a row, and forward Ronaldo Damus leads the league’s Golden Boot race with 16 goals.
“The road to the USL [League One Final] goes through North Texas, so there’s nothing better than having the opportunity to play them prior to the playoffs and hopefully get a leg up on them,” Shore said. “It’ll be a hard game. These guys, they’re not in the number one seed for chance or luck.”
Although the Flamingos are out of contention to host a playoff semi-final game, the team has a very outside shot at hosting the USL League One Final, which would require both finishing in third place (Forward is four points back of Greenville) and having the two semi-final hosts lose. Still, that scenario is unlikely to play out.
In a sense, then, the last home game takes on an importance beyond that of any other matchday. For Shore, it’s the culmination of a season’s worth of unforgettable memories.
“It’s the old adage, time flies when you’re having fun,” Shore said. “Let’s come out early, let’s celebrate, and then hopefully we give you three points and it gets us that much closer to the playoffs.”
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its final home game on Sept. 22 vs North Texas SC. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
USL League One – Game 26
Forward Madison FC vs North Texas SC
Sunday, September 22, 2019; 4:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI
Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center
Forward Madison FC will celebrate the end of its inaugural home schedule when it takes on USL League One regular season champion North Texas SC on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Breese Stevens Field. The Flamingos have drawn huge crowds in their first year, leading the 10-team League One with an average attendance of 4,290, and expect one of their largest numbers of the season this weekend.
Not only does Sunday’s home finale serve as a commemoration of an unforgettable inaugural year, but it also carries deep implications in FMFC’s playoff race. With three games left to play, Forward occupies League One’s fourth and final playoff spot, three points ahead of South Georgia Tormenta FC and Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.
According to head coach Daryl Shore, the pressure is on his team to deliver the goods.
“It’s a massive game,” Shore said. “[We’re] expecting a huge crowd, and we need to go out in the regular season and really put in a good performance, not just for our team and ourselves, but for our fans and for everybody who comes out and supports us.”
After winning 1-0 against the Richmond Kickers last weekend, Forward can come home Sunday carrying some momentum. The Flamingos will, however, have to deal with the loss of on-loan center back Wyatt Omsberg, who was recalled to Minnesota United to fill in following a 10-game suspension for Loons defender Brent Kallman.
FMFC lost its first two games against North Texas on the road in the season series, but came back in June with a statement 4-1 win at home. Although the visitors were missing a handful of players during that game, Shore said he also owed some of the credit for the victory to the fans, who can create a difficult atmosphere to play in for opposition teams.
“There’s no better 12th man in lower-league soccer than in Madison, Wisconsin,” Shore said. “If our fans can get out and they’re loud and they’re vibrant as they always are, maybe it catches them off guard a little bit and then it inspires our guys to get three points.”
Still, even a home field advantage will only slightly ease FMFC’s task. North Texas SC has coasted through USL League One, and won the regular season title last week with three games to spare. The Texans have won five matches in a row, and forward Ronaldo Damus leads the league’s Golden Boot race with 16 goals.
“The road to the USL [League One Final] goes through North Texas, so there’s nothing better than having the opportunity to play them prior to the playoffs and hopefully get a leg up on them,” Shore said. “It’ll be a hard game. These guys, they’re not in the number one seed for chance or luck.”
Although the Flamingos are out of contention to host a playoff semi-final game, the team has a very outside shot at hosting the USL League One Final, which would require both finishing in third place (Forward is four points back of Greenville) and having the two semi-final hosts lose. Still, that scenario is unlikely to play out.
In a sense, then, the last home game takes on an importance beyond that of any other matchday. For Shore, it’s the culmination of a season’s worth of unforgettable memories.
“It’s the old adage, time flies when you’re having fun,” Shore said. “Let’s come out early, let’s celebrate, and then hopefully we give you three points and it gets us that much closer to the playoffs.”
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its final home game on Sept. 22 vs North Texas SC. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
