Saturday, July 30th, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Breese Stevens Field, Madison, WI
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live match updates
Forward Madison FC takes on Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC this Saturday at Breese Stevens Field. The crucial USL League One match will kick off at 7:00 pm CT and will feature a pre-match painting session for individuals that purchase the Paint the Mountains Ticket Package!
In the last match against Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Forward Madison defeated the Hailstorm 2-1 on the road. Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu and Alann Torres both scored their first goals of the season in the victory. The Flamingos head into Saturday’s contest following a 0-0 draw to Union Omaha on Tuesday. FMFC’s new goalie, Raiko Arozarena stepped up in a big way as he held Omaha scoreless and recorded his second consecutive clean sheet. Next up, Forward Madison will take on the Charlotte Independence on August 5th.
The Northern Colorado Hailstorm will travel to Madison following a 0-0 draw against Chattanooga. After battling FMFC, the Hailstorm will take on Richmond on August 2nd.
Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records
Forward Madison FC (6-4-6)
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (5-6-6)
Head Coach: Éamon Zayed
Key Players to Watch:
Forward Madison
Raiko Arozarena: The new ‘Mingo between the posts has been dominant since taking over the starting goalie position. Arozarena has already recorded two clean sheets in only two USL League One matches. Expect the 25-year-old to step up once again and make some big saves against the Hailstorm attack.
Mikey Maldonado: Maldonado has seen his role become more and more important over the last few FMFC matches. The 24-year-old has solidified himself as one of the best midfielders on the team, as he’s seen his shot count rise recently and he leads the squad in chances created with 31. Expect the Texas product to continue to help create chances by leading Forward Madison’s counterattacks and by making intelligent passes in the opponents half.
Alvin Jones: Ever since returning from the Trinidad and Tobago national team, Jones has been all over the ball. The midfielder has made his presence felt on both the offensive and defensive sides. Jones put on a stellar performance in the last FMFC league match by creating chances and shutting down Omaha’s attack late in the game, so expect more of the same from the 28-year-old against Northern Colorado.
Key Match Up
FMFC Strikers vs. Hailstorm Backline
The key match up for this contest is the Forward Madison strikers of Nazeem Bartman, Jeremiah Streng, and Abdou Mbacke Thiam versus the Northern Colorado backline of Leo Folla, Robert Cornwall, and Brecc Evans. The last matchup between the FMFC strikers and Hailstorm backline was won by Northern Colorado as they shut down the Flamingos’ attack. Forward Madison’s strikers struggled last match against the Hailstorm, recording only a few shots and limited set piece opportunities. The Flamingos have had a difficult time getting shots on goal, so expect coach Matt Glaeser to have a game plan set in stone for his strikers to produce quality chances.
On the other hand, Northern Colorado’s backline only made a few, minor mistakes, which ended up being costly. The Hailstorm have allowed 23 goals on the year and those goals have been pretty crucial. Although FMFC hasn’t taken many shots on goal this season, they do have one of the best conversion rates in the league, so expect Northern Colorado to come to Breese ready with a well-prepared backline.
Keys to the Match
- Outpass Opponents and Control Possession – The entire season, Forward Madison has dominated in passing accuracy and number of passes made each match. In the last match against the Hailstorm, the ‘Mingos failed to lead in pass accuracy and passes each match. If FMFC can do a better job controlling the possession on Saturday, then they should have no problem outpassing the Hailstorm.
- Record Set Piece Opportunities – In the last match against Northern Colorado, Forward Madison struggled to record set piece opportunities, as they only recorded one corner kick. Expect coach Matt Glaeser to have his team ready to attack and log set pieces throughout Saturday’s match.
Previous and Next Match
Forward Madison is coming off a draw against Union Omaha on Tuesday. Next up the Flamingos will head to Charlotte to take on the Independence on August 5th.
Northern Colorado heads into Saturday’s match following a 0-0 draw against the Chattanooga Red Wolves. After they play FMFC, the Hailstorm will face off with Richmond on August 2nd.
