Forward Madison FC moved into USL League One playoff position for the first time since mid-May on Wednesday afternoon, pouring on the goals in a 4-1 win over Toronto FC II at BMO Training Ground. Paulo Júnior led the Flamingos with two goals, while the team's four in total matched its highest single-game tally of the season.
Before the game started, the situation wasn’t presenting many positives for Forward Madison. Coming off just three days rest, the Flamingos had to come up against a Toronto team that benefited from the MLS All-Star break by starting five players who had played in multiple games for Toronto FC’s MLS team this season.
Still, the ‘Mingos looked good from the get-go. Forward Oliver White saw a terrific chance on goal parried away in the 11th minute, while J.C. Banks sent a swerving effort over the crossbar in the 27th minute.
Although it looked as if the game would go into halftime level at 0-0, Paulo Júnior became the first man to hit the mark when he opened the scoring just before the break in the 42nd minute. Don Smart played one of the assists of the season, pinging a cross-field pass that cut out the entire defense to find him, and Paulo put his foot up to make contact and lift the ball over the goalkeeper.
Things got even better for the Flamingos in the second half, starting in the 61st minute when Paulo scored his second of the afternoon. This time, he made the goal himself, running into the right side of the penalty area, shrugging off a defender, and blasting the ball high above the goalkeeper's reach.
Just four minutes later, Forward Madison scored again to really blow the game wide open. Midfielder Josiel Núñez gave the ball to right back Carter Manley, whose lightly-played pass came off the feet of Toronto's Rocco Romeo for an own goal.
Even though TFC II pulled one back in the 68th minute through Jordan Perruzza, the damage had already been done. Substitute Brian Bement would eventually finish off the Young Reds in the 85th minute, capitalizing off a perfectly-placed cross from Louis Bennett.
Forward Madison now sits in fourth place in USL League One, just enough to put the team into the league's final playoff spot with 10 matches remaining. The Flamingos are back at Breese Stevens Field this Saturday as they host FC Tucson, whom they beat 2-1 earlier this year.
Forward Madison FC moved into USL League One playoff position for the first time since mid-May on Wednesday afternoon, pouring on the goals in a 4-1 win over Toronto FC II at BMO Training Ground. Paulo Júnior led the Flamingos with two goals, while the team’s four in total matched its highest single-game tally of the season.
Before the game started, the situation wasn’t presenting many positives for Forward Madison. Coming off just three days rest, the Flamingos had to come up against a Toronto team that benefited from the MLS All-Star break by starting five players who had played in multiple games for Toronto FC’s MLS team this season.
Still, the ‘Mingos looked good from the get-go. Forward Oliver White saw a terrific chance on goal parried away in the 11th minute, while J.C. Banks sent a swerving effort over the crossbar in the 27th minute.
Although it looked as if the game would go into halftime level at 0-0, Paulo Júnior became the first man to hit the mark when he opened the scoring just before the break in the 42nd minute. Don Smart played one of the assists of the season, pinging a cross-field pass that cut out the entire defense to find him, and Paulo put his foot up to make contact and lift the ball over the goalkeeper.
Things got even better for the Flamingos in the second half, starting in the 61st minute when Paulo scored his second of the afternoon. This time, he made the goal himself, running into the right side of the penalty area, shrugging off a defender, and blasting the ball high above the goalkeeper’s reach.
Just four minutes later, Forward Madison scored again to really blow the game wide open. Midfielder Josiel Núñez gave the ball to right back Carter Manley, whose lightly-played pass came off the feet of Toronto’s Rocco Romeo for an own goal.
Even though TFC II pulled one back in the 68th minute through Jordan Perruzza, the damage had already been done. Substitute Brian Bement would eventually finish off the Young Reds in the 85th minute, capitalizing off a perfectly-placed cross from Louis Bennett.
Forward Madison now sits in fourth place in USL League One, just enough to put the team into the league’s final playoff spot with 10 matches remaining. The Flamingos are back at Breese Stevens Field this Saturday as they host FC Tucson, whom they beat 2-1 earlier this year.
Forward Madison FC: Dayne St. Clair; Christian “Pato” Díaz, Connor Tobin, Wyatt Omsberg, Carter Manley; Eric Leonard, Josiel Núñez (Louis Bennett 84’), J.C. Banks; Don Smart (Jiro Barriga Toyama 79’), Paulo Júnior [goals 42’, 61’], Oliver White (Brian Bement 69’ [goal 86’])
Unused Substitutes: Ryan Coulter, Brian Sylvestre, Shaun Russell Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi
Toronto FC II: Yann-Alexandre Fillion; Ashtone Morgan (Patrick Bunk-Andersen 45’), Rocco Romeo [own goal 65’], Eriq Zavaleta (Terique Mohammed 45’), Griffin Dorsey [yellow 73’, second yellow (red) 81’]; Jordan Faria, Matthew Srbely, Liam Fraser [yellow 87’], Jay Chapman, Luca Petrasso; Ayo Akinola (Jordan Perruzza 67’ [goal 68’])
Unused Substitutes: Gideon Waja, Mehdi Essoussi, Eric Klenofsky, Shaan Hundal
Goals
Forward Madison FC
42’- Paulo Júnior (Don Smart)
61’- Paulo Júnior (Oliver White)
65’- Rocco Romeo (own goa)l
86’- Brian Bement (Louis Bennett)
Toronto FC II
68’ – Jordan Perruzza (Liam Fraser)
Discipline
Toronto FC II
73’- Griffin Dorsey (yellow)
81’- Griffin Dorsey (second yellow; red)
87’- Liam Fraser (yellow)
Referees
Myrian Marcotte
Chantal Boudreau
Melissa Snedden
David Barrie
Venue
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Canada
Attendance
64
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
Forward Madison FC: Dayne St. Clair; Christian “Pato” Díaz, Connor Tobin, Wyatt Omsberg, Carter Manley; Eric Leonard, Josiel Núñez (Louis Bennett 84’), J.C. Banks; Don Smart (Jiro Barriga Toyama 79’), Paulo Júnior [goals 42’, 61’], Oliver White (Brian Bement 69’ [goal 86’])
Unused Substitutes: Ryan Coulter, Brian Sylvestre, Shaun Russell Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi
Toronto FC II: Yann-Alexandre Fillion; Ashtone Morgan (Patrick Bunk-Andersen 45’), Rocco Romeo [own goal 65’], Eriq Zavaleta (Terique Mohammed 45’), Griffin Dorsey [yellow 73’, second yellow (red) 81’]; Jordan Faria, Matthew Srbely, Liam Fraser [yellow 87’], Jay Chapman, Luca Petrasso; Ayo Akinola (Jordan Perruzza 67’ [goal 68’])
Unused Substitutes: Gideon Waja, Mehdi Essoussi, Eric Klenofsky, Shaan Hundal
Goals
Forward Madison FC
42’- Paulo Júnior (Don Smart)
61’- Paulo Júnior (Oliver White)
65’- Rocco Romeo (own goa)l
86’- Brian Bement (Louis Bennett)
Toronto FC II
68’ – Jordan Perruzza (Liam Fraser)
Discipline
Toronto FC II
73’- Griffin Dorsey (yellow)
81’- Griffin Dorsey (second yellow; red)
87’- Liam Fraser (yellow)
Referees
Myrian Marcotte
Chantal Boudreau
Melissa Snedden
David Barrie
Venue
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Canada
Attendance
64
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
