Forward Madison FC leapt into third place in USL League One with a 1-0 win over Richmond Kickers on Saturday at Breese Stevens Field. Christian Díaz left it late, tallying his first goal of the regular season as the Flamingos avenged their defeat to the Kickers from two weeks ago.
According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, FMFC could have scored more, but are still happy with the end result.
“Listen, we got after the game,” Shore said. “We had a lot of good chances, we had a lot of good looks, and at the end of the night, three points is a fair result for us because we – especially in the second half – took the game to them.”
The first half played out scoreless, with both sides getting half-chances in front of goal. Richmond generated their chances on the counter-attack, while FMFC took its attempts via set pieces, but neither club found the finishing touch.
Paulo Júnior put the ball in the net in the 13th minute after receiving a bending through pass from Josiel Núñez, but was flagged on a very close offside call which disallowed the goal.
“The first half they actually played a little different than we thought they were going to come out and credit to them, they made it hard,” Shore said. “We came out in the second half with our adjustments and we were all over them.”
The Flamingos came close a couple of times early in the second half, ramping up the pressure on the Kickers’ defense. Núñez put a shot on target from the top of the 18-yard box in the 53rd minute which was nearly spilled by Richmond goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, while Don Smart slashed an effort just wide of the far post in the 55th minute.
The deciding goal came in the 74th minute from the foot of Díaz, who tapped in the ball off a cross from Paulo Júnior. Withholding late pressure from the visitors, Forward Madison regained control and used the goal to finish off the result.
According to Díaz, who, as a defender, has few scoring opportunities, his first League One goal came at the perfect time.
“It feels great,” Díaz said. “Especially after scoring the winning goal, man it feels really good, but it feels better that the team won.”
Up next for the Mingos is a home match Wednesday against Greenville Triumph SC, which returns to Madison for the first time since FMFC’s snow-covered home opener on April 27. Both teams will have a chance to cement a position in the League One playoffs.
With Saturday’s win in hand, Shore said that his team needs to quickly turn its focus to the Greenville match on Wednesday.
“It’s a big game now,” Shore said. “We’re now above them, we’re at home, we can’t concede points and three points is going to be crucial again on Wednesday.”
Forward Madison FC
Head Coach: Daryl Shore
Goalkeeper- Brian Sylvestre #92
Defender- Christian Diaz #27⚽
Defender- Wyatt Omsberg #22
Defender – Connor Tobin #13 (captain)
Defender- Carter Manley #2
Midfielder – J.C. Banks #29
Midfielder – Eric Leonard #3
Midfielder – Josiel Nunez #70 (90+1’- Louis Bennett #21)
Forward- Don Smart #7
Forward – Jiro Barriga Toyama #77 (80’- Oliver White #20)
Forward- Paulo Jr. #11
Substitutes
G- Ryan Coulter #1
D- Shaun Russell #15
M- Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi #12
M- Louis Bennett #21
F- Oliver White #20
F- Danny Tenorio #10
F- Zaire Bartley #17
Richmond Kickers
Head Coach: David Bulow
Goalkeeper: Akira Fitzgerald #1
Defender: Scott Thomsen #3 (80’- Ryley Kraft #98)
Defender: Ivan Magalhaes #4
Defender: Conor Shanovsky #5
Defender: Eli Lockaby #17
Midfielder: Braeden Troyer #31
Midfielder: Josh Hughes #7
Midfielder: Joe Gallardo #10
Midfielder: Maxi Rodriguez #21(captain) (62’- Denis Chin #15)
Midfielder: Mutaya Mwape #80 (80’- Jannik Eckenrode #22)
Forward: Daniel Jackson #9
Substitutes
GK- Joe Rice #23
M- Jannik Eckendorf #22
M-Greg Boehme #28
M- Ryley Kraft #98
F- Denis Chin #15
F- Charles Boateng #77
Goals
Forward Madison FC
73’- Christian Diaz #27 (Paulo Jr. #11)
Yellow Cards
Richmond Kickers
78’- #80 Mutaya Mwape
Referees
Joshua Encarnacion
Art Arustamyan
Justin Mack
Abby Van Note
Venue
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI
Attendance
4,517
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 28 vs Greenville Triumph SC. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
Forward Madison FC leapt into third place in USL League One with a 1-0 win over Richmond Kickers on Saturday at Breese Stevens Field. Christian Díaz left it late, tallying his first goal of the regular season as the Flamingos avenged their defeat to the Kickers from two weeks ago.
According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, FMFC could have scored more, but are still happy with the end result.
“Listen, we got after the game,” Shore said. “We had a lot of good chances, we had a lot of good looks, and at the end of the night, three points is a fair result for us because we – especially in the second half – took the game to them.”
The first half played out scoreless, with both sides getting half-chances in front of goal. Richmond generated their chances on the counter-attack, while FMFC took its attempts via set pieces, but neither club found the finishing touch.
Paulo Júnior put the ball in the net in the 13th minute after receiving a bending through pass from Josiel Núñez, but was flagged on a very close offside call which disallowed the goal.
“The first half they actually played a little different than we thought they were going to come out and credit to them, they made it hard,” Shore said. “We came out in the second half with our adjustments and we were all over them.”
The Flamingos came close a couple of times early in the second half, ramping up the pressure on the Kickers’ defense. Núñez put a shot on target from the top of the 18-yard box in the 53rd minute which was nearly spilled by Richmond goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, while Don Smart slashed an effort just wide of the far post in the 55th minute.
The deciding goal came in the 74th minute from the foot of Díaz, who tapped in the ball off a cross from Paulo Júnior. Withholding late pressure from the visitors, Forward Madison regained control and used the goal to finish off the result.
According to Díaz, who, as a defender, has few scoring opportunities, his first League One goal came at the perfect time.
“It feels great,” Díaz said. “Especially after scoring the winning goal, man it feels really good, but it feels better that the team won.”
Up next for the Mingos is a home match Wednesday against Greenville Triumph SC, which returns to Madison for the first time since FMFC’s snow-covered home opener on April 27. Both teams will have a chance to cement a position in the League One playoffs.
With Saturday’s win in hand, Shore said that his team needs to quickly turn its focus to the Greenville match on Wednesday.
“It’s a big game now,” Shore said. “We’re now above them, we’re at home, we can’t concede points and three points is going to be crucial again on Wednesday.”
Forward Madison FC
Head Coach: Daryl Shore
Goalkeeper- Brian Sylvestre #92
Defender- Christian Diaz #27â½
Defender- Wyatt Omsberg #22
Defender – Connor Tobin #13 (captain)
Defender- Carter Manley #2
Midfielder – J.C. Banks #29
Midfielder – Eric Leonard #3
Midfielder – Josiel Nunez #70 (90+1’- Louis Bennett #21)
Forward- Don Smart #7
Forward – Jiro Barriga Toyama #77 (80’- Oliver White #20)
Forward- Paulo Jr. #11
Substitutes
G- Ryan Coulter #1
D- Shaun Russell #15
M- Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi #12
M- Louis Bennett #21
F- Oliver White #20
F- Danny Tenorio #10
F- Zaire Bartley #17
Richmond Kickers
Head Coach: David Bulow
Goalkeeper: Akira Fitzgerald #1
Defender: Scott Thomsen #3 (80’- Ryley Kraft #98)
Defender: Ivan Magalhaes #4
Defender: Conor Shanovsky #5
Defender: Eli Lockaby #17
Midfielder: Braeden Troyer #31
Midfielder: Josh Hughes #7
Midfielder: Joe Gallardo #10
Midfielder: Maxi Rodriguez #21(captain) (62’- Denis Chin #15)
Midfielder: Mutaya Mwape #80 (80’- Jannik Eckenrode #22)
Forward: Daniel Jackson #9
Substitutes
GK- Joe Rice #23
M- Jannik Eckendorf #22
M-Greg Boehme #28
M- Ryley Kraft #98
F- Denis Chin #15
F- Charles Boateng #77
Goals
Forward Madison FC
73’- Christian Diaz #27 (Paulo Jr. #11)
Yellow Cards
Richmond Kickers
78’- #80 Mutaya Mwape
Referees
Joshua Encarnacion
Art Arustamyan
Justin Mack
Abby Van Note
Venue
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI
Attendance
4,517
Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 28 vs Greenville Triumph SC. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/forwardmadisonfc/tickets.
