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VOTE: TDS May Goal of the Month

June 3, 2021 by USL Digital

Forward Madison to give away Drip Kits to new UW Credit Union account holders

June 2, 2021 by USL Digital

Forward Madison FC and UW Credit Union have teamed up to give away free Drip Kits so fans can celebrate their soccer spirit when they sign up for a checking account. The first 250 new UWCU customers who open a checking account, choose the Forward Madison debit card, and use the referral code FULLMINGO will be able to receive a free replica of the Drip Kit, Forward Madison’s alternate jersey from 2020.

This is the final opportunity to get a Drip Kit from us, since this jersey is not in stock for the current season.

The giveaway program will run from June 1 to December, 31 2021. After signing up and using the referral code, members will receive a voucher for one jersey within 4-6 weeks that can be redeemed at the FMFC team store. The Flamboyance store is open every Wednesday and Friday from 2-6 p.m. at Breese Stevens Field. On gamedays, the team store is open from 12-5 p.m.

Fans can use this link to Open an account and get their jersey. For specific questions regarding the giveaway or if you are a current UWCU member that would like to open a new checking account and receive a free jersey, please call UW Credit Union at 800-533-6773.

UW Credit Union is a federally insured financial institution that serves the financial needs of more than 290,000 members. The bank, which is based in Madison, Milwaukee, and other UW System campus locations is committed to helping its members enjoy great rates, fewer fees and ensuring financial success.

This is the final opportunity to get a Drip Kit from us, since this jersey is not in stock for the current season.

Forward Madison comes back twice to take 2-2 road draw in Fort Lauderdale

June 1, 2021 by USL Digital

Forward Madison FC came back twice in the second half of its road trip finale on Tuesday to earn a 2-2 draw against Fort Lauderdale CF. Derek Gebhard equalized in dramatic fashion, curling home an 85th minute goal to save the Flamingos from their first defeat of the season.

Tuesday’s game was the Flamingos’ third in six days, and despite several changes to the starting lineup by head coach Carl Craig (including Noah Fuson’s first start of the season), the team’s fatigue showed in the first half. Fort Lauderdale got the scoring started early thanks to Mitchell Curry, who struck on a counter-attack in the 25th minute.

The Flamingos had orchestrated a comeback from a similar position in their previous match (a 3-1 win over South Georgia Tormenta), and have only scored second half goals in their five games thus far.

True to form, FMFC responded in the latter period of the game when captain Jake Keegan tied the match in the 59th minute. Midfielder Aaron Molloy split the defense wide open with a well-timed through ball, and Keegan shot to the bottom right corner to tally his third goal of the season.

The even scoreline was short-lived, however, as Fort Lauderdale benefitted from a deflected ball to score an own goal off Christian Diaz in the 69th minute.

Just as it looked like the Flamingos were out of the running, forward Derek Gebhard re-tied the game with a stunning shot from the right side of the box in the 85th minute. Gebhard took control of a pass from Audi Jepson with a deft right-footed touch before cutting inside onto his left and striking a curling effort into the top corner of the net.

Gebhard’s late goal, although scored in a very different manner, was reminiscent of his game-winner in the 92nd minute of Forward Madison’s home opener against North Carolina FC on May 15.

Thanks to Tuesday’s result, Forward Madison holds onto its second place spot in the league standings. Following the draw, the Flamingos will have a chance to rest up before returning to Breese Stevens Field on Sunday for a rematch against Union Omaha.

The Flamingos had orchestrated a comeback from a similar position in their previous match (a 3-1 win over South Georgia Tormenta), and have only scored second half goals in their five games thus far.

The even scoreline was short-lived, however, as Fort Lauderdale benefitted from a deflected ball to score an own goal off Christian Diaz in the 69th minute.

Gebhard’s late goal, although scored in a very different manner, was reminiscent of his game-winner in the 92nd minute of Forward Madison’s home opener against North Carolina FC on May 15.

Fort Lauderdale CF: Luis Zamudio; Frank Nodarse, Christian Young, Ethan Hardin, Noah Allen; Edison Azcona (Roberto Poplawski 93’); Harvey Neville; Mitchell Curry; George Acosta (Shaan Hundal 65’), Joshua Penn (Abel Caputo 65’);, Venton Evans

Unused Substitutes: Joshua Saavedra, Andre Zuluaga-Silva, Francisco Raggio, Braxton Taghvai-Najib

Forward Madison FC: Phil Breno; Jiro Barriga Toyama, Connor Tobin, Gustavo Fernandes, Ronaldo Lomeli (‘45 Christian Diaz); Aaron Molloy, Eric Leonard (Audi Jepson 77’), Michael Vang (Justin Sukow 68’); Noah Fuson (Derek Gebhard 68’), Tyler Allen, Jake Keegan

Unused Substitutes: Aidan Hogan, Heath Martin, Carlos Gomez

Goals
Fort Lauderdale CF
25’- Mitchell Curry
69’- Christian Diaz (own goal)

Forward Madison
59’- Jake Keegan
85’- Derek Gebhard

Discipline
Fort Lauderdale CF
1’- Venton Evans (yellow)
27’- Christian Young (yellow)
72’- Edison Azcona (yellow)

Forward Madison
26’- Jiro Barriga Toyama (yellow)
79’- Gustavo Fernandez (yellow)

Referees
Natalie Simon
Juan Pablo Casas
Corey Wilt
Amiel Aleman

Venue
DRV PNK Stadium

Unused Substitutes: Joshua Saavedra, Andre Zuluaga-Silva, Francisco Raggio, Braxton Taghvai-Najib

Unused Substitutes: Aidan Hogan, Heath Martin, Carlos Gomez

Goals
Fort Lauderdale CF
25’- Mitchell Curry
69’- Christian Diaz (own goal)

Forward Madison
59’- Jake Keegan
85’- Derek Gebhard

Venue
DRV PNK Stadium

Game Preview: Forward Madison faces test of endurance in road trip finale

May 31, 2021 by USL Digital

USL League One – Game 5
Forward Madison FC at Fort Lauderdale CF
Saturday, May 29, 2021; 6:30 p.m. CT
DRV PNK Park

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter and Instagram for live updates
Keep track of the official stats on the USL League One Match Center

Forward Madison FC will face one of its biggest tests of the young 2021 season when it travels to Fort Lauderdale CF on Tuesday, the team’s third match in a grueling six-day stretch. The Flamingos are undefeated and have won their last three games, but Carl Craig’s thin squad won’t be able to take anything for granted against a young and hungry Fort Lauderdale team.

“It’s going to be really challenging given the two games prior and the challenge of going from one place to the next,” Craig said. “[The travel] is one of the biggest challenges in U.S. professional soccer. I think people come from Europe or South America and think, ‘Eh, it’s a little jaunt across the country,’ but this is major.”

Forward Madison is traveling from Statesboro, Ga., where it came from behind to beat South Georgia Tormenta FC 3-1 on Saturday. The Flamingos conceded in the first half but roared back in the second, using goals from Derek Gebhard, Connor Tobin and Jake Keegan to claim the team’s first road victory of the season.

Tobin’s performance, along with his defensive prowess during last Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Union Omaha, helped earn him USL League One’s Player of the Week award on Monday. Tobin joined Christian Diaz, Aaron Molloy and Justin Sukow in this week’s USL League One Team of the Week.

Diaz, who scored the tying goal against Fort Lauderdale in FMFC’s 2-2 comeback draw in Florida last year, said he is hoping the Flamingos can do one better this time around.

“They’re a really young team and have really quick, really good players,” Diaz said. “Right now we’re focusing more on ourselves. I think Carl wants us to keep doing what we’re working on. We’re doing a really good job on going forward, [now] we have to be better in the final third to finish some of those chances that we get.”

On the other side, Fort Lauderdale CF enters Tuesday’s game in fifth place, with nine points taken from eight matches played. Fort Lauderdale, which serves as MLS club Inter Miami’s second team, finished 10th in its inaugural season in 2020, second-to-last in front of only Orlando City B.

This year, the team’s early start (it has played more games than any other club in League One) means several players have had a chance to stand out, including forward Shaan Hundal, who is second in the league’s Golden Boot race with four goals.

Fort Lauderdale is currently on a two-game losing skid, having fallen 1-0 at New England Revolution II in the team’s previous match on Friday.

“With them tied to the MLS club, there will be bags and bags of enthusiasm and talent, and we cannot lose sight of that,” Craig said of Fort Lauderdale. “They’ve got all the riches, they’ve got what they need and they’ve got the desire of young players who are touching on MLS.”

Forward Madison currently sits second in the USL League One standings, and would move into a share of first place with a win.

Following Tuesday’s game, the Flamingos will have a chance to rest up before returning to Breese Stevens Field on Sunday for a match against Union Omaha.

USL League One – Game 5
Forward Madison FC at Fort Lauderdale CF
Saturday, May 29, 2021; 6:30 p.m. CT
DRV PNK Park

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter and Instagram for live updates
Keep track of the official stats on the USL League One Match Center

Diaz, who scored the tying goal against Fort Lauderdale in FMFC’s 2-2 comeback draw in Florida last year, said he is hoping the Flamingos can do one better this time around.

Fort Lauderdale is currently on a two-game losing skid, having fallen 1-0 at New England Revolution II in the team’s previous match on Friday.

Forward Madison currently sits second in the USL League One standings, and would move into a share of first place with a win.

Following Tuesday’s game, the Flamingos will have a chance to rest up before returning to Breese Stevens Field on Sunday for a match against Union Omaha.

Connor Tobin named USL League One Player of the Week

May 31, 2021 by USL Digital

USL League One announced on Monday the Team of the Week for Week 8 of the 2021 regular season, with Forward Madison FC defender Connor Tobin named Player of the Week after scoring his side’s game-winning goal against South Georgia Tormenta FC and contributing to a clean sheet in a notable victory against Union Omaha.

Tobin played an integral role as Madison moved into second place in the League One standings with a pair of victories. In Wednesday’s win over Union Omaha, he won five duels and made three clearances as the Flamingos became the first team to defeat los Buhos this season. The 34-year-old center back then captained the side to a comeback win against Tormenta, powering in a header from a corner kick and winning 6 of his 8 duels on the night.

Madison’s two impressive wins see the Flamingos lead all clubs with four players selected to Week 8’s Team of the Week.

D – Christian Diaz, Forward Madison FC: Diaz was excellent in Madison’s win over Omaha on Wednesday, winning two tackles and 7 of 9 duels while making four interceptions. He followed that up with another solid outing against Tormenta, winning six duels and making three clearances.

M – Aaron Molloy, Forward Madison FC: Madison Head Coach Carl Craig has sung the praises of Molloy recently, and after last week’s performances, it’s easy to see why. The Irishman created six chances across FMFC’s two games, and picked up the assist for Connor Tobin’s winner on Saturday with a pinpoint corner kick delivery.

M – Justin Sukow, Forward Madison FC: Sukow scored Madison’s winner against Omaha in his first professional start, and assisted Jake Keegan for the Flamingos’ third goal against Tormenta. His assist to Keegan was one of four chances he created in Saturday’s contest, the most of any player.

D – Connor Tobin, Forward Madison FC: Tobin has been at the heart of Madison’s three-game winning streak, having played every minute of the team’s 2021 campaign so far. His defensive play, as well as his first goal of the year on Saturday, are big reasons why the Flamingos have conceded only two goals in four games and have risen to second place in the table.

Madison’s two impressive wins see the Flamingos lead all clubs with four players selected to Week 8’s Team of the Week.

Forward Madison roars back for 3-1 win at Tormenta

May 29, 2021 by USL Digital

Forward Madison FC used a dominant second half comeback Saturday to take all three points against South Georgia Tormenta FC on Saturday, winning 3-1 on the road in Statesboro. Derek Gebhard, Connor Tobin and Jake Keegan all scored in a thrilling performance that gave the Flamingos their third straight victory.

The game started off rather shakily for FMFC as South Georgia Tormenta came strong out of the gates. Forward goalkeeper Phil Breno made two strong saves early on, stopping Clayton Adams’ shot from the left side of the box in the seventh minute before denying Adams again on a dipping shot in the 24th minute.

Despite Breno’s efforts, South Georgia took the lead when Luca Mayr scored from a free kick in the 33rd minute.

In the second half, though, Forward Madison came back with a vengeance. Derek Gebhard tied the game at the 49th minute with a scrappy touch right on the goal line, managing to poke home a rebound.

Shortly after, captain Connor Tobin put the Flamingos in the lead with a powerful header from Aaron Molloy’s corner at the 54th minute. Tobin, a center back, ran straight to the Forward Madison fans behind the goal as the celebrations ensued.

Forward Madison put the nail in the coffin in the 82nd minute thanks to striker Jake Keegan, who ran through on a clean breakaway after a great pass by midfielder Justin Sukow. Keegan placed a shot in the bottom right corner to seal a 3-1 comeback.

Saturday’s win means Forward Madison has now won three games in a row and sits second in the USL League One table after four matches played.

Following Saturday’s game, Forward Madison will head to Florida for it’s second consecutive away match on Tuesday, June 1 against Fort Lauderdale CF.

Despite Breno’s efforts, South Georgia took the lead when Luca Mayr scored from a free kick in the 33rd minute.

In the second half, though, Forward Madison came back with a vengeance. Derek Gebhard tied the game at the 49th minute with a scrappy touch right on the goal line, managing to poke home a rebound.

Saturday’s win means Forward Madison has now won three games in a row and sits second in the USL League One table after four matches played.

Following Saturday’s game, Forward Madison will head to Florida for it’s second consecutive away match on Tuesday, June 1 against Fort Lauderdale CF.

South Georgia Tormenta FC: Pablo Jara; Nicholas O’Callaghan, Lars Eckenrode, Vincenzo Candela (Grant Hampton 85’), Clayton Adams (Ricardo Gomez 68’); Abuchi Obinwa, Raheem Sommersall, Marco Micaletto; Azaad Liadi (Luis Angel Rodriguez 69’), Luca Mayr-Falten, Joshua Phelps

Unused Substitutes: Carlos Avilez, Sergi Nus, Craig McCall

Forward Madison FC: Phil Breno; Jiro Barriga Toyama, Connor Tobin, Gustavo Fernandes, Christian Diaz; Aaron Molloy, Audi Jepson (Eric Leonard 70’), Justin Sukow (Michael Vang 85’); Derek Gebhard (Noah Fuson 93’), Tyler Allen, Jake Keegan

Unused Substitutes: Aidan Hogan, Heath Martin, Ronaldo Lomeli,

Goals
South Georgia Tormenta
32’ – Luca Mayr

Forward Madison
49’- Derek Gebhard
54’ – Conor Tobin
82’ – Jake Keegan

Discipline
South Georgia Tormenta
22’ – Vincenzo Candela (yellow)
52’ – Azaad Liadi (yellow)
59’ – Joshua Phelps (yellow)
79’ – Abuchi Obinwa (yellow)
88’ – Lars Eckenrode (yellow)

Forward Madison
32’ – Audi Jepson (yellow)
63’ – Jake Keegan (yellow)

Referees
Joshua Belk
Dallas Rosier
Kevin Huet
Arnel Selman

Venue
Erk Russell Park – Statesboro, Georgia

Unused Substitutes: Carlos Avilez, Sergi Nus, Craig McCall

Unused Substitutes: Aidan Hogan, Heath Martin, Ronaldo Lomeli,

Goals
South Georgia Tormenta
32’ – Luca Mayr

Forward Madison
49’- Derek Gebhard
54’ – Conor Tobin
82’ – Jake Keegan

Forward Madison
32’ – Audi Jepson (yellow)
63’ – Jake Keegan (yellow)

Referees
Joshua Belk
Dallas Rosier
Kevin Huet
Arnel Selman

Venue
Erk Russell Park – Statesboro, Georgia

Game Preview: On the road again!

May 28, 2021 by USL Digital

USL League One – Game 4
Forward Madison FC vs South Georgia Tormenta FC
Saturday, May 29, 2021; 6 p.m. CT
Erk Russell Park

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter and Instagram for live updates
Keep track of the official stats on the USL League One Match Center

Forward Madison FC is on the road this weekend, playing its first of two consecutive away games on Saturday, May 29 against South Georgia Tormenta FC. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. CT.

The Flamingos are off to their best start to a season in team history, with seven points, no losses, and a sixth place USL League One standing. Their great record was solidified on Wednesday night as Forward Madison struck down Union Omaha 1-0 at Breese Stevens Field. Midfielder Justin Sukow had a memorable first professional start, scoring the winning goal in the 58th minute.

“I was really happy to score, but the most important thing is that we got three points,” Sukow said. “We’ll try to take that momentum going into the next two games.”

Even as Forward Madison sees early signs of success on the field, head coach Carl Craig noted that Saturday’s game will provide a chance for more “high quality football” to be played.

“The performances are getting better each week, but there’s still an awful long way to go,” Craig said. “I think each week we keep putting layers on it. We go up a bit, we drop a little bit, but that speaks to the newness not only of this season, but to us as a football team. “

Saturday’s match against South Georgia Tormenta FC is the first of two away games for the Flamingos before they face off against Fort Lauderdale CF on Tuesday. Tormenta are currently on a three-game losing streak after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Greenville Triumph last Saturday. South Georgia currently sits in 11th place in USL League One.

One player to watch could be Tormenta’s goalkeeper, Pablo Jara, who earned Player of the Match honors last Saturday with his four saves against Greenville and made history as the first USL League One player with 50 League One regular season appearances.

Coach Craig noted that despite the team’s current standing, their play style can still pose a threat to the Flamingos.

“I think their style is quite similar to ours,” Craig said. “They like to move the ball, they like the shorter passes and they play sort of a pop-pop style of football. While they don’t necessarily have the W’s, they’ve been very competitive and I think they’ll give us a good game”

An added element to Saturday’s match comes in the form of a small group of away supporters, led by David Magness of the “FlorMingos”, who are travelling to the game.

‘We talk about why we do this, we do this because we love playing, but we do this for the crowds as well,” Craig said. “To have people come all that way and watch is tremendous. It shows what this club means to people in the community.”

Forward Madison holds the upper hand in the all-time record against South Georgia Tormenta FC with two wins. In 2019 the Flamingos notched a 2-1 win on Tormenta’s home turf. Last season, Forward Madison scored a 4-0 victory in Wauwatosa, marking the team’s largest-ever margin of victory. Midfielder Michael Vang made his debut and scored first professional goal during that game, making him the only player on the current roster to have scored against the team.

After Saturday’s game, Forward Madison’s road trip will continue as the team heads to Florida for its game against Fort Lauderdale CF on Tuesday, June 1.