Saturday, August 20th, 2022; 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Severance High School, Severance, CO
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Forward Madison FC is set to head west for a match against North Colorado Hailstorm FC this Saturday at 8:00 pm CT. This will be the ‘Mingos’ 21st match of the USL League One season and it will kick off at Severance High School in Severance, Colorado. The Flamingos are 1-0-1 against the Hailstorm so far this season and both squads are within a few points of being in the USL League One playoffs.
In Forward Madison’s most recent match, Alvin Jones scored the equalizer for the Flamingos in the 90+5th minute to notch a 1-1 draw against Chattanooga at home on August 13th. Next up on the schedule, FMFC returns home for a rematch against North Carolina FC on Wednesday, August 24th at 7:00 pm CT.
Northern Colorado heads into the match against the ‘Mingos following a match against FC Tucson on Wednesday, August 17th. After taking on FMFC, the Hailstorm will battle the Greenville Triumph SC on August 27th.
Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (6-7-8)
Head Coach: Éamon Zayed
Forward Madison FC (6-5-9)
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
Key Players to Watch:
Forward Madison
Eric Leonard: The Illinois native has been the most consistent defender on the FMFC backline all season. Leonard leads the ‘Mingos in clearances (76), blocks (14), and interceptions (34). The 26-year-old even ranks fourth in the league in clearances while possessing one of the highest tackle success rates in the league. Expect Leonard to continue to do what he does best against the Hailstorm.
Derek Gebhard: Gebhard’s been one of the key pieces on the wing who’s helped FMFC produce chances with Matheus Cassini inactive. The man from Maine has created the third most chances on the squad (14) and sits tied for second on the club in assists (2). Expect Gebhard to play an important role on the attack against Northern Colorado.
Cyrus Rad: The 23-year-old has seen his role increase since the season began, as he’s taken on more responsibility on the offensive end of the pitch. Rad is tied for the squad lead in assists (3) and he’s quietly been producing impressive defensive statistics all season long. Expect Rad to continue creating chances while still helping to lock down the Hailstorm attack.
Key Match Up
Forward Madison Defense vs. Northern Colorado Defense
The key match up for this contest is the Forward Madison defense of Raiko Arozarena, Mitch Osmond, Eric Leonard, and Cyrus Rad versus the Hailstorm defense of Johan Peñaranda, Brecc Evans, Robert Cornwall, Owen Damm, and Arthur Rogers. The first two matchups between these squads have been defensive battles, so whichever defense is able to shut down the other team’s attack should come away with some crucial USL League One points. In the prior two matches, the clubs combined for five total goals with FMFC having recorded eight total shots on goal while the Hailstorm has only logged seven.
Northern Colorado’s defense has been locking down opponent’s recently, as their squad has allowed only three goals in its last five matches. A big reason why the Hailstorm have been so good defensively recently has been their goalie Johan Penaranda, who’s gotten hot. Penaranda has recorded two clean sheets in the last five matches after not having recorded a clean sheet since May. Expect Northern Colorado to continue to play lockdown defense, especially against a Forward Madison club that’s scored only three goals in its last five matches.
On the other side of this matchup is the Flamingos defense, which has been stellar in important matches. Goalie Raiko Arozarena, along with the backline of Mitch Osmond, Eric Leonard, and Cyrus Rad have only allowed four goals in the squads last six matches. The defense will need to continue to force turnovers and prevent counterattacks, which they did effectively against Chattanooga, if they hope to shut down Northern Colorado. This matchup should be intense as both squads have produced similar team defensive statistics this season.
Keys to the Match
- Record Quality Set Pieces – Forward Madison’s offense has done a good job of attempting set pieces in recent matches, however, against the Hailstorm this season, FMFC has only recorded four corner kicks in two matches. If the Flamingos can log at least a few corners and some free kicks near the box, the Forward Madison attack should have no problem scoring goals against the Hailstorm.
- Control Possession – In the first match against the Hailstorm, Northern Colorado controlled possession throughout the match, as FMFC only had possession for 38% of the match. In the second match against Northern Colorado, Forward Madison improved and owned 58% of the possession. If the Flamingos can once again improve their control of possession versus the Hailstorm, the ‘Mingos should be able to leave Colorado with points.
Previous and Next Match
Forward Madison takes on Northern Colorado this Saturday following a 1-1 draw against Chattanooga, thanks to an Alvin Jones 90+5th minute equalizer. After taking on the Hailstorm, the Flamingos’ next match will be against North Carolina FC on Wednesday, August 24th at Breese Stevens Field.
Northern Colorado gets ready to host the ‘Mingos following their match against FC Tucson on Wednesday, August 17th. Looking ahead, the Hailstorm will hit the road for a match against the Greenville Triumph SC on Saturday, August 27th.
