Forward Madison aims for another home win Sunday vs Orlando City B

USL League One – Game 6
Forward Madison FC vs Orlando City B
Sunday, August 23, 2020; 4 p.m. CT
Hart Park – Wauwatosa, WI

Where to Watch
TVW and ESPN+
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Keep track of the official stats on the USL League One Match Center

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When Forward Madison kicks off against Orlando City B this Sunday, no player on the Flamingos can afford to underestimate the importance of a win. Although it is early in the season, Forward sits five points behind the Richmond Kickers, holders of USL League One’s second (and last) playoff spot. If the Flamingos can’t get all three points, they risk slipping further behind.

Speaking on Behind the Feathers this week, Head Coach Daryl Shore said his team has an opportunity to close the gap this Sunday.

“You don’t want to be playing catch-up,” Shore said. “We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole with our first two road losses, but at the same time, if we win this game and we move onto the next game, we’ll worry about that then.”

Shore’s men can be satisfied with at least one result this week. The Flamingos earned their first away point of the season on Wednesday, scraping a 1-1 draw at Union Omaha despite being a man down for the final minutes of the game after Josiah Trimmingham saw a red card.

Trimmingham’s sending-off means the Flamingos have a hole to fill at center back, where the Trinidad & Tobago international has started the past four games. One option could come in the form of Jalen Crisler, who suffered a knee injury in Week 1 but has been regaining fitness in recent training sessions. Other possibilities include Gustavo Fernandes and Eric Leonard, who can both fill in capably at the role.

In midfield, J.C. Banks looks set to make his return after Shore rested him during the Omaha match. Wednesday’s game was Forward Madison’s first USL League One contest Banks has not appeared in.

“J.C.’s dealing with a bad shoulder that he injured in the first week,” Shore said. “We knew that this was going to be a hard game and a physical game. We made the decision early in the week that J.C. was not going to travel to Omaha so he would be well-rested for the Orlando game.”

Michael Vang, who was featured in the St. Paul Pioneer Press this week, came off early on Wednesday, but Shore said it was mostly due to cramping.

Still, at the end of an 11-day stretch featuring three matches, the Flamingos will probably have to rotate their lineup a bit.

“We’re still trying to gauge where the guys are at from Omaha,” Shore said. There will be some new faces, we’ve already said J.C. will be back in the group. I think you’ll see some other guys possibly get the start.”

On the other side, Orlando City B heads into Sunday’s match in desperate need of points. The Young Lions finished last in USL League One in 2019, and despite a significant overhaul, including a new head coach and plenty of turnover on the team’s roster, they currently sit second-to-last with four points from four games.

16-year-old Wilfredo Rivera leads the team with two goals, while 19-year-old Moises Tablante is tied for the league lead with three assists. According to Shore, Orlando will pose a threat despite its low position in the standings.

“The one thing is they’re not afraid to play young players,” Shore said. “There’s going to be a lot of energy out of them. It doesn’t matter how they did in their last game or their last few games, they’re always going to come out [and] work hard, they’re going to be active and they’re going to play a wide-open game and try to force you into mistakes.”

Forward Madison’s first-ever victory came against Orlando in the form of a 2-1 win on April 19, 2019. The Flamingos beat the Young Lions twice last year and lost once.

Following Sunday’s match, Forward Madison will be able to enjoy a spot of midweek rest before hosting North Texas SC on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m.