Match Recap: Forward Madison vs FC Tucson

Forward Madison FC traveled to Tucson, Arizona for the final USL League One match of the regular season on Saturday, October 15th. Forward Madison FC battled against FC Tucson with the match kicking off at 9:00 pm CT at Kino North Stadium. The match resulted in a 1-1 draw with the ‘Gos picking up a point on the road.

The first half started slowly with both squads only tallying one shot each in the early moments. Tucson recorded a few fouls around the 10th minute mark, eventually leading to a Forward Madison free kick from just outside the box in the 15th minute. The free kick led to nothing but just a minute later, the Flamingos logged a quality chance. Nazeem Bartman passed the ball to Abdou Mbacke-Thiam in the box, who shot the ball just wide of the goal. The ‘Mingos’ next best chance occurred in the 24th minute, when Mbacke-Thiam served it to Alvin Jones who shot it at the Tucson keeper. The Tucson goalie, Carl Merancio, managed to grab the shot’s rebound and force a clearance. Raiko Arozarena made his presence felt in the 28th minute when Tucson’s Tyler Allen slotted a rocket of a shot at the Forward Madison goal but Arozarena caught the shot and got the ball cleared. Matheus Cassini possessed the clearance and used his speed to get a wide open breakaway. Cassini took the ball down the field and shot the ball past Merancio and into the goal. Forward Madison grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the 28th minute.

Neither team could log any chances after the FMFC goal until the 41st minute mark when Tucson headed the ball just wide off a cross. At 43rd minute of the match, Coach Matt Glaeser was forced to sub in Drew Conner for Jones, due to an injury. The referees added on four minutes of stoppage time to conclude the first half and the squads entered the break with Forward Madison ahead 1-0.

The second half began in an unfortunate way for the ‘Mingos. Arozarena came off his line and tried to punch a shot out of the box, but a Tucson player beat him to the ball and headed it to his teammate, Jaoao Delgado. Delgado shot the ball into the open goal, evening up the score at 1-1. In the 51st minute, Mikey Maldonado was given the first FMFC yellow card of the match. At the 59th minute mark, Derek Gebhard made a kick clearance from the ground while protecting the Forward Madison net. Arozarena was assessed a yellow card on the play. Forward Madison nearly scored in the 67th minute when Cassini crossed the ball across the Tucson box, but Mbacke-Thiam couldn’t connect his foot with the cross. Just a few minutes later, Coach Glaeser subbed in Mélé Temguia and Eric Leonard for Derek Gebhard and Christian Dean. Leonard made an immediate impact on the game. Tucson started to threaten on the offensive end in the 73rd minute. The Tucson striker got a shot off on goal and Leonard managed to deflect the shot away from the goal, keeping the score tied at 1-1. At the 81st minute mark, Coach Glaeser added some fresh legs into his lineup for one final push. Justin Sukow, Rojay Smith, and Jeremiah Streng entered onto the pitch for Nazeem Bartman, Matheus Cassini, and Abdou Mbacke-Thiam. The Flamingos started to push back and gain momentum right before the 90th minute. Drew Conner logged a shot in the 89th that got deflected out of bounds by the Tucson keeper, giving FMFC a corner. In the last minute of stoppage time, Forward Madison had a quality chance to score but Smith couldn’t get the shot off and the ‘Mingos ended up tying 1-1.

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Major Moments:

2’ MAD Foul, No Card
6’ TUC Shot, Over Goal
7’ MAD Shot, Wide of Goal
9’ TUC Corner
10’ TUC Foul, No Card
13‘ TUC Foul, No Card
14’ TUC Foul, No Card
15’ MAD Shot, Grabbed by GK Carl Merancio
16’ MAD Shot, Wide of Goal
16’ TUC Corner
23’ MAD Shot, Saved by Merancio
24’ TUC Foul, No Card
27’ TUC Foul, No Card
28’ TUC Shot, Saved By GK Raiko Arozarena
28’ MAD GOAL 10 Matheus Cassini
33’ MAD Foul, No Card
35’ TUC Foul, No Card
37’ TUC Corner
41’ TUC Shot, Headed Wide
43’ MAD Substitution
- IN: Drew Conner
- Out: Alvin Jones
45’ Ref added 4 minutes of stoppage time
45+2’ TUC Yellow 25 Charlie Machell
45+4’ MAD Foul, No Card

Half: FC Tucson 0 – 1 Forward Madison FC

46’ TUC GOAL 7 Jaoao Delgado
50’ MAD Foul, No Card
51’ TUC Shot
51’ MAD Foul, Yellow Card Mikey Maldonado
52’ TUC Foul, No Card
53’ MAD Foul, No Card
53’ TUC Foul, No Card
55’ TUC Foul, No Card
56’ MAD Shot, Headed Over
58’ TUC Shot, Wide of Goal
59’ TUC Shot, Saved by Dean
59’ TUC Foul, No Card
59’ MAD Yellow Card Raiko Arozarena
60’ TUC Corner
64’ MAD Foul, No Card
65’ TUC Foul, No Card
69’ TUC Shot Block
70’ TUC Shot, Wide
71’ MAD Foul, No Card
72’ MAD Substitution
- IN: Eric Leonard, Mele Temguia
- Out: Christian Dean, Derek Gebhard
73’ TUC Shot, Saved off the line by Eric Leonard
74’
77’ TUC Substitution
- IN: Franco Perez, Burke Fahling
- Out: Charlie Machell, Jaoao Delgado
79’ MAD Shot
80’ MAD Yellow Mitch Osmond
80’ MAD Corner, Headed Wide
81’ MAD Substitution
- IN: Justin Sukow, Jeremiah Streng, Rojay Smith
- Out: Nazeem Bartman, Matheus Cassini, Abdu Mbacke-Thiam
82’ MAD Shot, Wide
83’ TUC Foul, No Card
77’ TUC Substitution
- IN: Eric Kinzner, Fernando Garcia
- Out: Tarn Weir, Tevin Shaw
85’ MAD Foul, No Card
86’ TUC Free kick, Over
87’ TUC Corner
88’ MAD Shot, Off Post
88’ MAD Shot, Wide
89’ MAD Shot, Saved Wide
90’ MAD Corner
90’ MAD Corner
90’ TUC Foul, No Card
90’ Ref added 4 minutes of stoppage time
90+1’ MAD Free Kick
90+2’ MAD Foul
90+3’ MAD Shot, High
90+3’ TUC Yellow 13 Louis Perez
90+4’ TUC Foul, No Card
90+4’ MAD Shot, Saved