News

Forward Madison FC battled Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at Breese Stevens Field on Saturday, July 30th at 7:00 pm CT. The match resulted in a 1-1 draw. Rojay Smith had a stellar performance, scoring a clutch, equalizing goal in the 63rd minute. The Forward Madison faithful were electric, bringing a wild crowd of 4,759 fans! 

The first half opened with the ‘Mingos playing aggressive and controlling the possession in the Hailstorm’s half of the field. A foul by Northern Colorado led to a free kick for Jeremiah Streng. The Finnish striker nearly scored off the free kick, as he fired a rocket of a shot at the Northern Colorado goalkeeper who managed to punch the ball just over the top post. At the 11th minute mark, Forward Madison recorded another chance thanks to a perfect Mitch Osmond pass to Derek Gebhard who shot a low ball at the goal. Unfortunately for the ‘Mingos, Gebhard’s shot got deflected and then cleared by a Northern Colorado defender. Raiko Arozarena built upon his dominant start since joining the Pink and Blue. The Cuban goalkeeper made his first save in the match in the 23rd minute when a Hailstorm striker drove right outside the edge of the box and shot a ball that didn’t make it off the ground. 

At the 30th minute mark, the Hailstorm crossed a ball into the box with Arozarena slightly out of position. The cross went over Arozarena’s head and Northern Colorado’s leading goal scorer, Irvin Parra, tapped the ball into the goal with his head. The Hailstorm goal and now 1-0 lead seemed to give Northern Colorado more momentum. Raiko Arozarena did his best to limit the Hailstorm’s momentum by making a punch save off a corner kick in the 37th minute. As the first half of Saturday’s contest came to an end, the team’s went back and forth but neither team was able to record any chances or shots. Northern Colorado Hailstorm entered halftime with a 1-0 lead.

Forward Madison’s coach Matt Glaeser opened the second half with a couple of substitutions. Drew Conner and Cyrus Rad subbed onto the pitch for Christian Dean and Alann Torres. At the 50th minute mark, Northern Colorado looked like they were about to build on their lead after a great deep ball led to a one-on-one breakaway. Luckily for FMFC, Raiko Arozarena came in clutch, stopping the breakaway with a diving save. Forward Madison nearly scored minutes later thanks to a Matheus Cassini cross to Cyrus Rad who headed it at the net. Northern Colorado’s goalie was there to just barely punch the ball out of the box. In the 63rd minute, Forward Madison finally got a goal on the scoreboard. Derek Gebhard maneuvered through the Hailstorm defense and passed the ball inside to Rojay Smith who shot the ball perfectly into the bottom left corner of the goal. Thanks to Rojay Smith, the ‘Mingos gained momentum both on the field and in the crowd. With the score all tied up at 1-1, coach Matt Glaeser decided to make a couple more subs to get some fresh legs on the field for the final stretch of the match. Forward Madison began to apply more and more pressure as the second half winded down. The ‘Mingos controlled possession for most of the final ten minutes of the second half, but were unable to record any quality chances to score. FMFC’s closest chance to score came off a corner in the 90+2nd minute. Raiko Arozarena made one last crucial save in the 90+3rd minute to keep the Hailstorm stuck at one goal on the scoreboard. The back and forth match resulted in a 1-1 draw, giving Forward Madison a key point that will help the club as they make a push for the USL League One playoffs. 

“It wasn’t our best performance,” Head Coach Matt Glaeser said. “We were sloppy in possession and still created more quality opportunities than the opponent we felt like. It was not quite enough to win the game, but it’s something we’ve got to continue to work on and improve upon.”

Next up for the ‘Mingos, FMFC takes on the Charlotte Independence on Friday, August 5th. Following the match against Charlotte, Forward Madison stays on the road for a matchup against North Carolina FC. As for the Hailstorm, they’ll face off against the Richmond Kickers on August 2nd. 

——————————————————-

Major Moments:  

• 2’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 2’ MAD’s Jeremiah Streng Free Kick saved
• 2’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 4’ MAD Yellow Card Jeremiah Streng
• 7’ NCO Corner Kick
• 9’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 10’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 12’ NCO Corner Kick
• 13’ NCO Offsides
• 14’ NCO Offsides
• 15’ MAD Corner Kick
• 23’ MAD Raiko Arozarena Saved NCO Shot
• 23’ MAD Matheus Cassini Shot on Goal
• 26’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 29’ NCO Corner Kick
• 30’ NCO GOAL (Irvin Parra) 
• 32’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 35’ NCO SUB:
  • Marky Hernandez subbed off for Daniel Scally
• 36’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 37’ NCO Corner Kick
• 38’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 40’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 3 Minutes of Stoppage Time
• 45+2’ NCO Offsides
• 45+3’ NCO Corner Kick

HT: Forward Madison FC 0 – 1 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

• HT MAD SUB:
  • Cyrus Rad and Drew Conner subbed in for Chrsitian Dean and Alann Torres
• 46’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 49’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 50’ NCO Shot on Goal saved by Raiko Arozarena
• 52’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 53’ MAD Corner Kick
• 56’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 57’ MAD Yellow Card Matheus Cassini 
• 59’ NCO Yellow Card Daniel Scally
• 60’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 61’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 62’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 63’ MAD GOAL (Rojay Smith) Assist by Derek Gebhard
• 68’ NCO SUB:
  • Trevor Amann subbed off for Stefan Lukic
• 69’ MAD Offsides
• 70’ NCO Corner Kick
• 72’ MAD SUB:
  • Abdou Mbacke-Thiam subbed on for Jeremiah Streng
• 74’ MAD Shot Missed the Goal
• 75’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 76’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 78‘ MAD SUB:
  • Mélé Temguia subbed on for Alvin Jones
• 79’ MAD Foul, No Card
• 81‘ NCO SUB:
  • Lachlan McLean and Jackson Dietrich subbed on for Jerry Desdunes and Irvin Parra
• 84’ NCO Foul
• 84’ MAD SUB:
  • Nazeem Bartman subbed on for Rojay Smith
• 85’ NCO Yellow Card Owen Damm
• 86’ NCO Foul, No Card
• 88’ MAD Offsides
• 89’ NCO Yellow Card Destan Norman
• 3 Minutes of Stoppage Time
• 90+2’ MAD Corner Kick

FT: Forward Madison FC 1 – 1 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

——————————————————-

Forward Madison FC: 

56 Raiko Arozarena

3 Eric Leonard

4 Mitch Osmond ©

5 Christian Dean

16 Alvin Jones

17 Derek Gebhard

18 Alann Torres

28 Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu

9 Jeremiah Streng

10 Matheus Cassini

11 Rojay Smith

Substitutes: 0 Parker Smith, 6 Mélé Temguia, 47 Cyrus Rad, 8 Drew Conner, 19 Justin Sukow, 24 Nazeem Bartmah, 9 Abdou Mbacke-Thiam

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

————————————————–

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

21 Johan Penaranda

2 Brecc Evans

4 Rob Cornwall

14 Arthur Rogers

31 Owen Damm

17 Danny Robles

16 Destan Norman

22 Stefan Lukic

10 Irvin Parra

11 Marky Hernandez

19 Jerry Desdunes

Unused Substitutes: 1 Thomas Olsen, 29 Trevor Amann, 9 Lachlan McLean, 15 Jackson Dietrich, 6 Shane McFaul, 8 Nortei Nortey, 3 Wolfgang Prentice, 27 Daniel Scally, 5 Leo Folla, 12 Denso Ulysse

Head Coach: Éamon Zayed 

——————————————————-

Goals

Forward Madison

• 63’ Rojay Smith

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 

• 30’ Irvin Parra 

——————————————————-

Discipline

Forward Madison

• 4’ Yellow Card Jeremiah Streng
• 57’ Yellow Card Matheus Cassini

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

• 59’ Yellow Card Daniel Scally
• 85’ Yellow Card Owen Damm
• 89’ Yellow Card Destan Norman

——————————————————-

Venue: Breese Stevens Field, Madison WI 

Attendance: 4,759 (New Breese Stevens Field Attendance Record!)

Saturday, July 30th, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT

ESPN+

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

1. 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.
2. 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.

Forward Madison FC took on Union Omaha at Breese Stevens Field on Tuesday, July 26th at 7:00 pm CT. The match resulted in a 0-0 draw, as Raiko Arozarena recorded his second consecutive clean sheet in USL League One play. 

The first half of the match kicked off with plenty of early fouls. Omaha began the game high pressing Forward Madison and forcing a couple of early turnovers. Union Omaha recorded the first chance of the match in the 5th minute when a winger crossed the ball inside the box and Alex Touche headed the ball just over the top crossbar. Forward Madison recorded its first set piece opportunity of the match at the 11th minute mark, unfortunately for the ‘Mingos, the free kick was intercepted by Omaha. In the 18th minute, Mikey Maldonado managed to maneuver his way down the field and help the Flamingos control possession in Omaha’s half for a brief stint, resulting in successive corner kicks for Forward Madison. The teams went back and forth for the next 10 minutes with neither team able to record any shots. 

Union Omaha picked up its first card of the match in the 35th minute, when Isaac Bawa slid into an FMFC striker. A minute later, Alann Torres picked up a yellow card, giving Omaha a set piece opportunity near midfield. Forward Madison nearly got one on the scoreboard in the 45th minute when Cyrus Rad crossed the ball into the box to Matheus Cassini, who headed the ball just over Omaha’s top post. With six minutes of stoppage time added at the end of the first half, Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu decided to be more aggressive. In the 3rd minute of stoppage time, Wheeler-Omiunu drove to the edge of the box and fired a shot over the head of Omaha’s goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu. Raiko Arozarena came up with his first big save of the match in the 5th minute of stoppage time to keep the score tied at 0-0 heading into the half. 

The second half of the defensive battle opened with a substitution by coach Matt Glaeser. Christian Dean subbed into the match, replacing FMFC defender Cyrus Rad. The beginning of the second half went back and forth until Omaha nearly scored at the 61st minute mark. Mitch Osmond made a sliding block to get the ball out of the box and prevent Union Omaha from scoring. In the 65th minute, coach Glaeser switched up his lineup, subbing Drew Conner and Rojay Smith into the match for Nazeem Bartman and Alann Torres. Glaeser then subbed in Jeremiah Streng for Abdou Mbacke-Thiam in the 73rd minute. Both clubs struggled to create opportunities as the time ticked away in the second half. 

At the 79th minute mark, Jeremiah Streng drove right through the middle of the Omaha backline but his shot sailed right over the top of the goal. Six minutes later, FMFC logged another quality chance when Rojay Smith got into the Omaha box and juked a defender before taking a curling shot that barely went over the top right corner of the post. With the score still tied at 0, the referee’s indicated seven minutes of stoppage time to decide the match. Raiko Arozarena came up with a couple of massive saves in the 5th and 6th minutes of stoppage time to keep Omaha stuck at zero. In the 7th minute of stoppage time, Mikey Maldonado placed a free kick in the box but Rojay Smith was unable to get a header past Nuhu. Both goalies put on a master class as neither team was able to score in stoppage time. The match resulted in a 0-0 draw as FMFC moved up and into 4th Place in the USL League One table. 

Looking ahead, Forward Madison will battle Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at Breese on Saturday in a crucial USL League One match. After taking on the Hailstorm, the ‘Mingos will battle the Charlotte Independence on August 5th. As for Union Omaha’s upcoming schedule, they’ll take on Chattanooga on July 30th.

——————————————————-

Major Moments:  

• 2’ first free kick goes to Omaha, just inside the Madison half for a soft tackle
• 3’ Free kick, crossed into the box, defended well by Madison
• 4’ Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu is down after a rough tackle
• 5’ Alann Torres has his pocket picked and concedes another free kick
• 5’ Free kick passed sort to the wing and the cross is headed narrowly over by the onrushing Omaha #4
• 6’ Omaha number 8 shoots from outside the box but it’s way wide and high
• 7’ Keeper Raiko comfortably collects a lobbed pass into the box
• 8’ Offside, Forward Madison, from a hopeful clearance
• 9’ Close range header just wide from Cassini after a great passing move through the entire team
• 11’ Forward free kick on the left after a good run from Torres
• 12’ Madison Yellow Card #47 Cyrus Rad for a late challenge on the Omaha winger
• 14’ The free kick is whipped into the box and headed high and wide
• 15’ Another cross, another poor header from Omaha
• 16’ Free kick Madison for a poor challenge on Mikey
• 18’ Incredible run from Mikey Maldonado, he plays it to Adbou whose low cross is deflected behind for a corner
• 19’ Mikey blazes into the box and wins another corner (after the first was played short)
• 20’ Corner played short again, eventually a cross goes long and out for a goal kick
• 20’ Cassini is down after a Union collision in midfield – he jogs it off
• 22’ Rad closes down a cross, Union corner
• 23’ Corner hoofed clear off the bounce
• 26’ Omaha foul, Madison free kick well in their own half 
• 27’ Rad goes in hard on the Union midfielder, winning the ball, but the player goes down, no call from the referee
• 29’ Forward throw in can finally be taken after the stoppage
• 30’ Mikey back heels down the line to Nazeem who wins the free kick
• 31’ Madison foul in the Union Omaha half
• 33’ Bad foul on Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu on the edge of his own half
• 35’ Union Omaha #21 Bawa Yellow Card
• 36’ Forward Madison #18 Alann Torres Yellow card for pulling the jersey of Willis
• 37’ Free kick is put in low, defended by Jones who is fouled as he tries to break
• 37’ Union Omaha #7 Meza Yellow card 
• 41’ Alann Torres rips one after a good one too but it slams into the Union defender’s head outside the box
• 43’ Omaha #8 Brito Yellow card for dissent
• 44’ Omaha shot way way over
• 45’ Cassini heads tamely over from a Rad cross. He just timed it wrong and tried to control it.
• 45’ There will be at least 6 minutes of additional time
• 45+2 Goal kick Madison – long pass to the wing runs through
• 45+3 Wheeler-Omiunu charges towards the box and catches his shot well but cannot keep it down
• 45+4 Rad fouls a Union rep near the right by-line
• 45+5 Free kick cleared by a Flamingo head
• 45+6 Corner claimed by Raiko in the Madison goal
• 45+7 a fierce shot is blocked by Madison and Nazeem is fouled as he attempts to clear
• Half Time: 0-0
• 46’ Half time substitute for Madison: #5 Dean on for #47 Rad
• 47’ Early corner for Omaha well defended by Leonard with his head
• 48’ good pass from Mikey to Nazeem but his low cross is cleared
• 49’ Omaha free kick in the center of the Madison half
• 50’ Raiko with a confident take 
• 50’ Madison free kick 
• 53’ Madison corner – cross deflected
• 54’ Corner headed clear
• 55’ Hopeful long ball from Omaha claimed by Raiko
• 61’ With the goal at Omaha’s mercy Mitch comes up with an incredible block and after some silky stills from Cassini and Bartman we can nearly break but Bartman’s pass isn’t good enough
• 64’ Mikey Maldonado is fouled by #4 Omaha
• 64’ Yellow card for Omaha #4 Touche
• 65’ Double Madison sub: Drew Conner #8 is in for #18 Alann Torres and #11 Rojay Smith is in for #24 Nazeem Bartman
• 67’ Double Omaha sub: 20 Gil on for 6 Willis and 26 Acoff on for 10 Kametani
• 69’ Yellow card Omaha #20 Gil for a foul in the midfield of the Omaha half
• 71’ Alvin Jones goes down in the box but the referee shakes their head, the ball is still in play and the deep cross is just cleared
• 73’ Madison sub #9 Jeremiah Streng on for #7 Adbul Mbake-Thiem
• 75’ Madison Yellow card Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu
• 77’ Excellent header clear under pressure from 2 players by Mitch Osmond
• 79’ Streng works his way into a good position but misses to the left 
• 80’ Madison Yellow card #15 Mikey Maldonado
• 81’ Omaha sub #19 Rivera on for 16 Bruce
• 82’ Maldonado is upended, free kick Madison
• 83’ Great take in the air again from Raiko
• 84’ Free kick Omaha, cleared by Osmond
• 85’ Rojay nearly wins it for Madison as his curling effort JUST clears the bar
• 87’ Raiko saves and holds from a shot in the box
• 87’ Mitch is down for an extended period of time
• 89’ Double sub, Omaha, 5 in for 27, 22 in for 7 
• 90’ Madison sub, 6 Mélé Temguia in for 4 Mitch Osmond
• 90’ at least 7 additional minutes of extra time
• 90+1 Raiko is fouled as he punches away a dangerous cross into the Madison box
• 90+2 Omaha free kick deep in their own half
• 90+3 Eric Leonard with a crucial clearance 
• 90+4 Raiko with another big snatch over the Omaha strikers head
• 90+5 Raiko with an incredible diving save at the feet of the on-rushing Omaha striker. He’s hurt in the process but ok to continue
• 90+7 Cassini out-foxes the Omaha owl and wins a late kree fick
• 90+8 the free kick is whipped in by Maldonado and makes it all the way to the back post where Temguia can only head into the ground and the keeper can comfortably collect -that was so close

FT: Forward Madison FC 0 – 0 Union Omaha 

Forward Madison FC

56 Raiko Arozarena

4 Mitch Osmond ©

47 Cyrus Rad

3 Eric Leonard

15 Mikey Maldonado

16 Alvin Jones

18 Alann Torres

28 Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu

24 Nazeem Bartman

7 Abdou Mbacke-Thiam

10 Matheus Cassini

Substitutes: 0 Parker Smith, 6 Mélé Temguia, 5 Christian Dean, 8 Drew Conner, 17 Derek Gebhard, 11 Rojay Smith, 9 Jeremiah Streng

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

————————————————–

Union Omaha

24 Nuhu

27 Jiba

13 Knutson ©

4 Touche

21 Bawa

17 Scearce

6 Willis

8 Brito

16 Bruce

10 Kametani

7 Meza

Unused Substitutes: 2 Alihodzic, 5 Claudio, 19 Rivera, 20 Gil, 22 Doyle, 26 Acoff, 33 Piedrahita

Head Coach: Jay Mims

Goals

Forward Madison

Union Omaha

——————————————————-

Discipline

Forward Madison

• 12’ Yellow Card Cyrus Rad
• 36’ Yellow Card Alann Torres

Union Omaha

• 35’ Yellow Card Isaac Bawa
• 37’ Yellow Card Noe Meza
• 43’ Yellow Card Joe Brito
• 64’ Yellow Card Alex Touche
• 69’ Yellow Card Luis Gil 

——————————————————-

Referees:

REF: Rebecca Pagan

AR1: Eric Wood

AR2: Charles Woodcock

4TH: Alex Hofstetter

Venue: Breese Stevens Field, Madison WI 

Attendance: 4,695

Tuesday, July 26th, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT

ESPN+

Location: Breese Stevens Field, Madison, WI

Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live match updates 

Forward Madison will be facing off with Union Omaha on Tuesday, July 20th at Breese Stevens Field. The match kicks off at 7:00 pm CT and the theme is Out of the Park Night, so be ready for a baseball-themed activation at halftime! Stick around after the match to watch the Unified Series Cup matchup between Forward Madison’s Unified Team and Union Omaha’s Unified Team.

Last time the ‘Mingos took on Union Omaha, the match resulted in a 2-2 draw. Forward Madison enters this upcoming match against Omaha following a crucial 2-0 league win over South Georgia Tormenta. Although their last league match came against Tormenta, the Flamingos most recently took on Pumas Tabasco on Wednesday and the match resulted in a 2-2 draw. Jeremiah Streng played impressively, scoring a goal and notching an assist in 62 minutes of play. Looking ahead, FMFC will battle against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC on Saturday, July 30th. 

Union Omaha heads to Madison following an important match against the USL League One’s top-seeded Greenville Triumph. Next up for Omaha, they’ll duel against Chattanooga on July 30th. 

Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records

Forward Madison FC (6-4-5)

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

Union Omaha (5-2-6)

Head Coach: Jay Mims

Key Players to Watch:

Forward Madison

Nazeem Bartman: The South African striker has been one of the best offensive players for Forward Madison all season. Bartman has the fourth most shots on the squad and is tied for second on the team in goals (3). Expect the striker to see a large workload and to be relied upon by coach Matt Glaeser to provide a spark offensively. 

Matheus Cassini: What isn’t there to say about Cassini. The Brazilian midfielder dominated against Tormenta, scoring a goal and logging an assist to help FMFC grab the win. Expect Cassini to have a big role helping to create quality chances for the ‘Mingos attack. 

Raiko Arozarena: Arozarena is coming off an impressive performance against South Georgia Tormenta FC. The Cuban goalkeeper logged five saves and a clean sheet in his first match for the Flamingos. Expect Arozarena to face a lot more pressure against this fourth place Union Omaha team. 

Key Match Up

FMFC Goalkeeper vs. Omaha Goalkeeper

The key match up for this contest is the Forward Madison goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena against Union Omaha’s goalie Rashid Nuhu. Union Omaha has been one of the best defensive teams in the league all season as they’ve allowed the least goals in the league (12). Omaha’s defense has been solid thanks to Nuhu who has been dominant in between the posts. Nuhu is tied for second-most clean sheets in the league with 5 and he’s recorded 20 saves on the year. 

Luckily for the ‘Mingos, Union Omaha has struggled on the offensive end. Omaha currently has the lowest conversion rate in the league (13%) while they’ve scored the second-least goals in the league (16). Forward Madison’s newest goalie, Raiko Arozarena, is coming off a masterclass of a performance in his first start in the Pink and Blue. Arozarena recorded five saves and a clean sheet in his first match for the Flamingos. Expect Arozarena and Nuhu to get tested on Tuesday. This goalie vs. goalie matchup should be a great one! 

Keys to the Match

1. Counterattacks, counterattacks, oh and counterattacks – Forward Madison’s chances have come in large part thanks to counterattacks. Against Tormenta, FMFC put the game away thanks to Drew Conner pressing, then stealing the ball and passing to Matheus Cassini who scored immediately off the counter. Expect coach Glaeser to have his team pressing and ready for quick counters against Omaha. 
2. Dominate Possession – In FMFC’s most recent match against Omaha, which ended 2-2, the ‘Mingos controlled possession (69% to 31%) and passed the ball significantly better than Omaha (79% to 61%). The game plan seemed to work however the match still ended in a draw. Expect coach Glaeser to have his team ready to outpossess and outpass Union Omaha yet again. 

Previous and Next Match

Forward Madison hosts Union Omaha after an international friendly against Pumas Tabasco on Wednesday. The friendly resulted in a 2-2 draw. Looking ahead, the Flamingos will welcome Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC for an important USL League One match on Saturday, July 30th. 

Union Omaha enters Tuesday’s match following a crucial match against the top-seeded Greenville Triumph. After facing FMFC, Omaha will then take on Chattanooga on July 30th. 

Forward Madison FC took on Liga de Expansión MX club, Pumas Tabasco, at Breese Stevens Field on Wednesday, July 20th at 7:00 pm CT. The international friendly resulted in a 2-2 draw. Forward Madison’s Jeremiah Streng put on a stellar performance at home, notching a goal and an assist in 62 minutes of action. 

Forward Madison began the first half strongly as Jeremiah Streng stole the ball in the 4th minute and almost created a chance for the ‘Mingos to score off the counterattack. An injury in the 9th minute forced Pumas Tabasco to sub off defender Juan de Dios Aguayo for Pablo Jaquez. In the 13th minute, the Flamingos nearly got a goal past Pumas Tabasco thanks to a perfect through ball pass from Streng to Rojay Smith. Smith shot a low, left-footed shot at Pumas Tabasco’s Joel Garcia that got saved. At the 19th minute mark, Juan José Machado led his squad on the counterattack and slotted a shot just past the Forward Madison goalkeeper, Raiko Arozarena, giving Pumas Tabasco a 1-0 lead. 

The Flamingos got one on the board in the 27th minute thanks to an acrobatic pass from Alvin Jones to Jeremiah Streng, who comfortably headed the ball into the net. With the score all knotted up at 1-1, Streng continued to make his presence felt. In the 29th minute, the Finnish striker dished an impressive pass to Rojay Smith who shot the ball right past the Pumas Tabasco keeper and into the open net. A minute later, coach Matt Glaeser subbed some fresh legs onto the field, pulling Cyrus Rad and Eric Leonard for Mele Temguia and Christian Dean. The remainder of the first half ticked away as both teams struggled to record chances. Forward Madison entered the halftime break leading Pumas Tabasco 2-1. 

The second half started off with some substitutions for both clubs. Forward Madison subbed in goalkeeper Parker Smith for Raiko Arozarena and Carl Schneider replaced Alvin Jones. As for Pumas Tabasco, Eduardo Chacon and Rafael Duran subbed onto the pitch for Alejandro Zamudio and Brian Figueroa. Pumas Tabasco picked up a couple of yellow cards in the 52nd and 54th minute marks. In the 61st minute, Parker Smith came up with a huge save on a breakaway to keep Pumas Tabasco stuck at one goal on the scoreboard. Coach Glaeser elected to make some more substitutions in the 62nd minute, subbing in Nazeem Bartman, Abdou Mbacke-Thiam, and Mikey Maldonado for Jeremiah Streng, Rojay Smith, and Derek Gebhard. At the 69th minute mark, Pumas Tabasco nearly evened up the score after a perfectly placed cross was headed just wide of the net. Forward Madison recorded a couple of quality chances and nearly scored in the 78th minute thanks to an exceptional cross from Nazeem Bartman, who pulled the Pumas Tabasco goalie out of the net. At the 84th minute mark, Pumas Tabasco’s Rafael Duran got deep into the box and slotted a short shot past Parker Smith to tie up the score at 2-2. The final six minutes of the friendly winded down quickly as the squads ended up tying 2-2.

Next up, Forward Madison returns to its USL League One schedule with a match against Union Omaha at home on Tuesday, July 26th. After that, the Flamingos will conclude its four-game home stretch with a match against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC on Saturday, July 30th. As for Pumas Tabasco, they’ll head back to Mexico for a Liga de Expansion match against Atletico Morelia. 

——————————————————

Major Moments 

• 1’ early ball over the top but Jeremiah Streng can’t get there before the Puma goalkeeper
• 5’ Jeremiah Streng is through on goal again but cannot get the angle for a shot and the chance is gone.
• 7’ now Pumas have a chance on goal from Carlos López but Eric Leonard is there to close him down.
• 9’ forced substitution for Pumas Tabasco as #44 Pablo Jaquez is off and replaced by #71 Juan de Dios Aguayo
• 11’ a deep cross to the back post is punched clear by Pumas goalkeeper Joel García as Jeremiah Streng was rising to meet it.
• 13’ Rojay Smith makes his way into the box after a through ball from Jeremiah Streng, he beats the defender and beats the goalkeeper with a low shot on his left foot but it’s bravely cleared off the line by the covering defender.
• 16’ Another forced change, this time for Forward Madison, as #8 Drew Conner is off and replaced by #18 Alann Torres
• 18’ a Yellow card is shown to #19 Justin Sukow for a late challenge
• 19’ Goal! Pumas Tobasco. A deflected shot fell to #53 Juan José Machado who slotted into the goal to the left of the diving Madison keeper
• 22’ A shot from outside the box by Pumas Tobasco Alejandro Zamudio is dragged wide
• 23’ A freekick is awarded to Madison just inside their own half for a late challenge
• 26’ Omar Islas is just caught offside after a lovely long pass
• 27’ #9 Jeremiah Streng scores with a comfortable header into an open net after Alvin Jones pulls the ball over the diving keeper
• 29’ A yellow card is shown to #59 Alejandro Zamudio as he prevents a quick counter
• 29’ Goal! #11 Rojay Smith passes into an open net after Jeremiah Streng slides the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper. 2-1 Madison.
• 30’ A double substitution for Madison as #6 Mele Temguia is on for #3 Eric Leonard and #5 Christian Dean is in for #47 Cyrus Rad
• 36’ Free kick to Pumas just inside the Madison half after a late challenge
• 39’ Yellow Card to Pumas #47 for a high tackle
• 44’ Corner, Pumas
• 45’ Corner, Pumas
• 45’ One minute of stoppage time is added
• 45+1’ Yellow card to #60 Diego Gallegos

HALFTIME: Forward Madison FC 2 – 1 Pumas Tabasco

• 46’ Substitution Pumas Tabasco, Eduardo Chacon and Rafael Duran subbed on for Alejandro Zamudio and Brian Figueroa
• 46’ Substitution Forward Madison, 0 Parker Smith on for 56 Raiko Arozarena, 
• 49’ Multiple yellow cards are shown to the Pumas Tabasco bench coaching staff
• 52’ Yellow card for Pumas #52 Juan José Miguel
• 54’ Yellow card for Pumas #68 Omar Islas
• 56’ Chance for Pumas Tobasco as a low cross comes into the box but goes under the strikers outstretched foot
• 59’ Good looking chipped pass to Pumas striker who gets there ahead of the Forward keeper but he can’t keep it in play
• 61’ Forward keeper Parker Smtih with a great save low down to his right from #68 Omar Islas after he makes some space with a step over and zips into the box
• 62’ Forward substitutions; 17 Derek Gebhard off, #7 Abdou Mbacke Thiam on and #24 Nazeem Bartman on for #9 Jeremiah Streng 
• 64’ Pumas with a free kick in a dangerous position, headed clear
• 67’ Another yellow card is shown to the Pumas coaching staff
• 69’ Pumas Tabasco just miss with a wonderful headed chance after a cross from the right. It sails agonizingly past the post.
• 71’ a couple of good chances for Pumas from crosses from the right
• 75’ A chipped cross from Pumas is collected by Parker Smith
• 77’ Corner Madison
• 79’ chance for Madison smothered by the charging defender
• 79’ a flurry of chances for Madison
• 80’ Yellow card Cesar Murillo Jr.
• 80’ Dangerous free kick whipped in by Pumas but slashed clear by Madison
• 81’ Another cross runs through to Parker Smith in goal
• 82’ Pumas substitution, #54 Jose Alcantara enters the field
• 83’ Yellow card Madison #24 Nazeem Bartman
• 84’ Goal! Pumas #70 Rafael Duran volleys in after a deflected cross
• 85’ Yellow card Pumas Tobasco #191 Emiliano Freyfeld
• 88’ A second yellow and red card is shown to the substitute goalkeeper on the Pumas Tobasco bench
• 90’ Full Time.

FULL TIME: Forward Madison FC 2 – 2 Pumas Tabasco

Forward Madison FC

56 Raiko Arozarena

2 Cesar Murillo Jr. 

3 Eric Leonard

47 Cyrus Rad

13 Christian Enriquez

8 Drew Conner

16 Alvin Jones

17 Derek Gebhard

11 Rojay Smith

19 Justin Sukow

9 Jeremiah Streng 

Substitutes: 0 Parker Smith, 99 Coltrane LoBreglio, 5 Christian Dean, 6 Mele Temguia, 18 Alann Torres, 28 Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, 21 Carl Schneider, 15 Mikey Maldonado, 24 Nazeem Bartman, 7 Abdou Mbacke Thiam

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

————————————————–

Pumas Tabasco

Starting XI:

43 Joel García (P)

60 Diego Gallegos

44 Pablo Jaquez

191 Emiliano Freyfeld

47 Diego Rosales

46 Brian Figueroa (C)

52 Juan José Miguel

68 Omar Islas

59 Alejandro Zamudio

53 Juan José Machado

49 Carlos López

Substitutes: 

41 Williams Bravo, 66 Carlos Lopez, 70 Rafael Duran, 71 Juan de Dios Aguayo, 48 Eduardo Chacon, 54 Jose Alcantara, 56 Luis Oropeza

Full Squad:

GK: 43 Joel Garcia, 42 Jared Muñoz, 41 Williams Bravo, 71 Juan de Dios Aguayo, 48 Eduardo Chacon, 54 Jose Alcantara, 56 Luis Oropeza

DEF: 71 Juan Aguayo, 66 Carlos Lopez, 64 Pablo Bennevendo, 55 Hector Vargas, 47 Diego Rosales, 44 Pablo Jaquez, Diego Gallegos

MID: 69 Edgar Alaffita, 68 Omar Islas, 59 Alejandro Zamudio, 57 Angel Garcia, 56 Luis Oropeza, 52 Juan Miguel, 50 Edson Martinez, 46 Brian Figueroa

ATT: 70 Rafael Duran, 67 Jose Rios, 54 Jose Alcantara, 53 Juan Machado, 49 Daniel Lopez, 48 Eduardo Chacon

Head Coach: Carlos Cariño

——————————————————

Goals

Forward Madison FC

• 27’ Jeremiah Streng 
• 29’ Rojay Smith

Pumas Tabasco

• 19’ Juan Jose Machado
• 84’ Rafael Duran

——————————————————

Discipline

Forward Madison FC

• 18’ Yellow Card Justin Sukow
• 80’ Yellow Card Cesar Murillo Jr.
• 83’ Yellow Card Nazeem Bartman

Pumas Tabasco

• 52’ Yellow Card Juan José Miguel
• 54’ Yellow Card Omar Islas
• 88’ Red Card Bench

——————————————————

Venue: Breese Stevens Field, Madison, WI Attendance: 3,712

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT

Location: Breese Stevens Field 

Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live match updates 

Forward Madison FC is hosting an international friendly against Pumas Tabasco at Breese Stevens Field on Wednesday, July 20th, 2022. The match will kick off at 7:00 pm CT and Mariachi Corcel de Madison will be in attendance playing music before, during and after the match.

Forward Madison enters Wednesday’s match following a crucial 2-0 victory over South Georgia Tormenta FC. Matheus Cassini and Raiko Arozarena both had dominant performances. Cassini assisted on a goal and scored a goal of his own, while Arozarena, in his first start for FMFC, managed to record a clean sheet. After the match against Pumas Tabasco, Forward Madison will welcome Union Omaha for a USL League One match on July 26th. Forward Madison concludes their four-game home span on July 30th, when the Flamingos host Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. 

Pumas Tabasco, joined the Liga de Expansion MX last season, and currently is three games into their 2022 season. Their most recent match resulted in a 2-0 loss against Alebrijes de Oaxaca on July 14th. Following the match against FMFC, Pumas Tabasco will return to Mexico for a match against Atletico Morelia on July 24th. 

Coaches and 2022 Records

Forward Madison FC (6-4-5)

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

Pumas Tabasco (0-3-0)

Head Coach: Carlos Cariño

Key Player to Watch:

Forward Madison

Carl Schneider: Although Schneider hasn’t seen much of a workload recently, the defender has played key roles in FMFC’s friendlies earlier this season. The 29-year-old adds an edge to the backline and will figure to see plenty of minutes against a young Pumas Tabasco squad. Expect the Madison native to be relied upon heavily to slow down the Pumas Tabasco attack.

Keys to the Match:

1. Get the Crowd into the Game: In what will be the second of four consecutive games at home for Forward Madison, the squad will need to build momentum heading into the final two USL League One matches of the four-game home span. If FMFC can tally a few goals and put on a good showing against Pumas Tabasco, the crowd should be ecstatic and the momentum will carry over for the upcoming two home matches. 
2. Solid Defensive Effort: Forward Madison’s attack has heated up recently but the defense can still use a little boost after allowing six goals against the Charlotte Independence on June 26th. Expect Head Coach Matt Glaeser to field a strong backline to help shutdown the Pumas Tabasco attack. If FMFC can slow down Pumas Tabasco’s attack, the FMFC backline should have no problem turning defense into offense through counterattacks. 

Previous and Next Match:

Forward Madison enters Wednesday’s match following an important 2-0 win against South Georgia Tormenta on July 16th. Following the international friendly, the third place ‘Mingos will host Union Omaha on July 26th. FMFC’s four-game home span will come to an end on July 30th, when Forward Madison hosts Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. 

Pumas Tabasco heads into the match at Breese after a 2-0 loss to Alebrijes de Oaxaca on July 14th. Next up for Pumas Tabasco, they’ll take on Atletico Morelia on July 24th.

Forward Madison FC battled against South Georgia Tormenta FC at Breese Stevens Field on Saturday, July 16th at 7:00 pm CT. The Flamingos won 2-0 thanks to some clutch late-game heroics by Matheus Cassini and a clean sheet from newcomer Raiko Arozarena. Cassini notched an assist to Rojay Smith in the 76th minute, then scored in the 86th minute to put the game away and move the ‘Mingos up to 3rd place in the USL League One Table!

The first half began with back and forth action, as neither team was really able to control the ball consistently. Forward Madison logged its first quality chance of the match in the 9th minute when Mitch Osmond nearly headed the ball into the goal off a corner kick. At the 10th minute mark, Raiko Arozarena, in his first start in the Pink and Blue, made an impressive save after Tormenta brought the ball into the box with numbers and shot a rocket of a shot at the net. A slow start for the ‘Mingos allowed South Georgia to control possession in FMFC’s half for a majority of the opening 20 minutes. 

In the 32nd minute, Arozarena came up with another huge save after Tormenta’s Kazaiah Sterling got past the last FMFC defender. Nazeem Bartman almost gave the ‘Mingos life in the 39th minute when he fired a shot just over the Tormenta goal. As the remainder of the first half ticked away, neither team was able to record any quality chances and the squads entered the halftime break tied 0-0.

Another slow start to the half for both teams allowed Arozarena’s brilliant performance to carry over into the second half, as he made a key save on a Tormenta shot right away in the 50th minute. Two minutes later, in the 52nd minute, FMFC gained back some momentum when Alann Torres provided a beautiful deep pass to Abdou Mbacke- Thiam, who shot the ball right into the top of the post. The shot bounced off the top post, hit the ground and then bounced away from the goal. At the 70th minute mark, Rojay Smith and Drew Conner got subbed onto the pitch for Alann Torres and Nazeem Bartman. The Forward Madison subs made an immediate impact as the squad kept the ball in Tormenta’s half for almost two minutes after the substitution. In the 76th minute, Matheus Cassini passed the ball into the box to Rojay Smith who got past a defender and shot the ball into the far corner of the Tormenta goal giving Forward Madison a 1-0 lead! 

Ten minutes later, in the 86th minute, Drew Conner stole the ball in the Tormenta half and passed the perfect through ball to Matheus Cassini. Cassini pushed forward and shot a bullet right past Pablo Jara, giving Forward Madison a 2-0 lead. After the second goal, Forward Madison completely controlled the momentum and nearly scored again after a breakaway in the 88th minute. Five minutes of stoppage time proved not to be enough time for Tormenta as the Flamingos hung on to win 2-0. 

Next up for the ‘Mingos, the squad will take on Pumas Tabasco in an international friendly at Breese Stevens Field on Wednesday, July 20th. Looking ahead on the USL League One schedule, Forward Madison will face off with Union Omaha at Breese on July 26th! Tormenta will head home after taking on FMFC and they’ll play against North Carolina FC on July 23rd. 

——————————————————

Major Moments:  

• 3’ Tormenta corner, cleared by the Flamingos
• 8’ Madison corner after shot deflected off the Tormenta defender
• 9’ Mitch is close with the header from the corner from Mikey
• 10’ Huge save from the new Forward keeper Arozarena
• 11’ low cross smothered by the Tormenta keeper
• 12’ Mikey wins a free kick in his own half
• 14’ Arozarena stops the ball on our own line after a through ball evades the striker
• 15’ Tormenta free kick in their own half as Leonard stops the break
• 16’ Rad is judged to have pushed the striker going for a header, free kick played backwards
• 17’ Tormenta #7 drags a shot low and wide to the keeper’s right
• 20’ Tormenta free kick headed out for a corner
• 21’ corner cleared and free kick conceded by Cassini as Forward attempt to counter
• 21’ Free kick caught with confidence by Arozarena
• 27’ Tormenta come forward with numbers but Madison catch them offside
• 28’ Free kick to Tormenta and their number 9 flicks his header just wide
• 32’ another huge save from the big Cuban in goal, corner to Tormenta
• 36’ Tormenta shot from outside the box wide but took a nick of a defender, Tormenta corner
• 36’ great punch out by the Forward keeper
• 39’ Bartman into the box, cuts back but pulls his shot over the bar
• 40’ Cassini fouled, mid way into the Tormenta half
• 43’ Great approach play from Forward the low cross goes begging
• 45’ Madison corner after a mistake in defense
• 45+1’ Danger in the box but Forward clear, and clear again
• 45+1’ Silky skills from Cassini to win the throw

HT: Forward Madison FC 0 – 0 South Georgia Tormenta FC

• 48’ Wasted opportunity as Cassini’s through ball runs out for a goal kick
• 49’ good chance for Forward but the cut back is just behind Bartman
• 50’ Good save again from Arozarena from a fierce shot from distance. He turns it over the bar for a corner
• 51’ corner cleared
• 51’ great chance for Cassini with an Abdul cut back but he gets right underneath it and clears the stands
• 52’ Abdul clatters the bar with a great run through, beating the keeper but not the goalline
• 54’ shot from outside the box after a clear Tormenta hand-ball
• 58’ FMFC Yellow Card Andrew Wheeler Omiunu
• 60’ just over from Tormenta with the header after a great cross in
• 63’ shot hooked high over from Tormenta
• 63’ Tormenta #55 off with #21 entering
• 64’ Tormenta corner cleared by a towering Leonard header
• 66’ free kick after Mitch accidentally handles mid way in his own half
• 67’ excellent defending from Mitch with a cool header back to his keeper under pressure
• 68’ Forward keeper is alive to a good through ball
• 70’ Tormenta subs, #20 on #10 off, and #23 on #3 off
• 70’ Forward subs, #8 on #18 off, and #11 on #24 off
• 70’ Yellow for Tormenta #25
• 73’ Flurry of good possession for Madison but no shots
• 76’ Goal #11 Rojay Smith! Forward Madison! Assist from Cassini
• 79’ Rojay shoots from just inside the box and forces a good low save from the Tormenta keeper
• 80’ Corner taken cleared for another corner on the other side
• 82’ Forward sub, 9 on for 7
• 83’ Tormenta subs, 13 for 11, 18 for 7
• 85’ Rad caught just inside the Tormenta half, free kick
• 86’ Cassini goal! Drew plays him in after winning the ball off the toes of the Tormenta midfielder and plays in Cassini who finishes with aplomb low, hard across the goalkeeper
• 88’ Forward corner played short
• 89’ another big claim from keeper Raiko
• 90’ 5 added minutes
• 92’ Streng tries for the third but the defender gets a head on it to divert it just wide for a corner
• 94’ Maldonado concedes a free kick and after a couple of passes a Tormenta shot flies just over
• 95’ Full Time: Forward Madison FC 2 – 0 South Georgia Tormenta

Forward Madison FC

56 Raiko Arozarena

3 Eric Leonard

4 Mitch Osmond ©

47 Cyrus Rad

15 Mikey Maldonado

16 Alvin Jones

18 Alann Torres

28 A. Wheeler-Omiunu

10 M. Cassini

24 N. Bartman

7 A. Mbacke Thiam

Substitutes: Parker Smith, Mele Temguia, Christian Dean, Drew Conner, Derek Gebhard, Rojay Smith, Jeremiah Streng

Leading Coach: Neil Hlavaty

————————————————–

South Georgia Tormenta FC

1 Pablo Jara ©

11 Jamil Roberts

25 Jake Dengler 

5 Josh Phelps

12 Deshawon Nembhard

3 Owen Green

8 Gabriel Cabral

55 Tobias Otieno

10 Adrian Billhardt

9 Kazaiah Sterling

7 Kingsford Adjei

Substitutes: 0 TJ Bush, 23 Curtis Thorn, 20 Fuad Adeniyi, 21 Chris Heckenberg, 18 Josue Soto, 13 Kotaro Umeda, 19 Taylor Crull

Head Coach: Ian Cameron

——————————————————

Goals

Forward Madison FC

• 76’ Rojay Smith
• 86’ Matheus Cassini

South Georgia Tormenta

——————————————————

Discipline

Forward Madison FC

• 58’ Yellow Card Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu

South Georgia Tormenta FC

• 70’ Yellow Card Jake Dengler

——————————————————

Venue: Breese Stevens Field, Madison, WI

Attendance: 4,304

Referees: 

REF: Alex Beehler

AR1: Eric del Rosario

AR2: Zach Gaidar

4TH: Peter Bernardy

Forward Madison FC have agreed to loan goalkeeper Phil Breno to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in exchange for goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena, pending league and federation approval. Both transactions are recallable loans. 

Phil Breno is in his second year with the Flamingos, tallying 39 appearances in the Pink and Blue. This season, Breno made 12 starts for the Flamingos, tallying 31 saves at a 59.6% Save Success Rate.

Raiko Arozarena comes to Forward Madison FC after experience in the Tampa Bay Rowdies system since 2021. Prior to the Rowdies, the 25-year-old played in Mexico, first for Venardos and then with CF Cafetaleros de Chiapas. The Pinar Del Rio, Cuba native also has made appearances for Cuba’s U-20 national team. Arozarena is the brother of Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozerena.

Raiko Arozarena has made 4 appearances for the Rowdies this season, after 2 appearances in the 2021 campaign. The 5’11” goalkeeper is set to play a major role in a FMFC squad looking to push for the USL League One playoffs.

“We felt like this deal was a great opportunity for both players and clubs,” Forward Madison Head Coach Matt Glaeser said. “It’s a great opportunity for Phil to gain valuable experience at the Championship level while also a fantastic opportunity to gain a high level goalkeeper in Raiko and help him develop his potential. We are excited to welcome Raiko to our environment and anticipate him playing an important role in the remainder of our season.”

Saturday, July 16th, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT

ESPN+

Location: Breese Stevens Field, Madison, WI

Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live match updates 

Forward Madison will host South Georgia Tormenta on Saturday, July 16th at Breese Stevens Field at 7:00 pm CT. The theme of the match is Bake Night, so be sure to bring an empty stomach as there will be a few local bakeries in attendance (Sweeternative Baking, Bloom Bakery, and Macaroons by Sim)! The match will be the second contest of the season between the clubs, after the clubs managed to draw 2-2 in their first match. 

The Flamingos enter Saturday’s match after earning a key three points on the road against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC in a 2-1 victory. Parker Smith earned ‘Mingo of the Match Honors in his first start after he shut down the Hailstorm attack, allowing only one goal on 16 shots faced. Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu and Alann Torres both tallied goals to give FMFC a much-needed three point boost up the USL League One table. Looking ahead, Forward Madison will host an international friendly against Pumas Tabasco on Wednesday, July 20th, 2022. As for the USL League One schedule, the ‘Mingos will face off with Union Omaha at home on Tuesday, July 26th, 2022. 

South Georgia Tormenta FC heads into Breese following matches against Chattanooga and Greenville. After the game against FMFC, the Tormenta will welcome North Carolina FC for a match on July 23rd, 2022. 

Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records

Forward Madison FC (5-4-5)

Head Coach: Matt Glaeser

South Georgia Tormenta FC (4-4-5)

Head Coach: Ian Cameron

Key Players to Watch:

Forward Madison

Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu: The 27-year-old midfielder has been on a tear since returning from an injury in late May. Wheeler-Omiunu holds one of the highest passing accuracies on the club (82.5%) and sits second on the team in assists (2), while he’s still managed to dominate on the attack (6 shots and 1 goal). Expect the Forward Madison captain to continue to play a key role defensively yet still help lead counterattacks. 

Parker Smith: Smith is coming off the game of his career so far, as the 21-year-old held Northern Colorado to only one goal after facing 16 shots on the night. The California native came up with some crucial saves late in the match to keep the Hailstorm stuck at one goal on the game. Expect coach Matt Glaeser to give the goalkeeper another chance in the box after his strong effort against the Hailstorm. 

Alann Torres: The 18-year-old has proven his importance in the midfield recently. In FMFC’s last match against Northern Colorado, Torres scored his first professional goal of his career when he blasted a shot from outside the box that flew by the Hailstorm keeper. The 5’10’’ midfielder has also been one of the most efficient passers on the team, currently possessing a passing accuracy of 85.9%. Expect Torres to continue to be efficient in the midfield for the Pink and Blue. 

Key Match Up

FMFC Strikers vs Tormenta Goalkeeper:

The key match up for this contest is the Forward Madison strikers of Nazeem Bartman, Abdou Mbacke Thiam, Jeremiah Streng and Derek Gebhard versus the South Georgia Tormenta goalkeeper, Pablo Jara. This matchup should be a good one as Pablo Jara has the second most clean sheets in the league (4), while Forward Madison has the third most goals in the league (20). Jara has been dominating the USL League One this season, helping his team by only allowing 16 goals, which ranks fourth best in the league. Expect coach Matt Glaeser to have his squad’s attack ready for an important matchup. 

The Forward Madison strikers have been key to the Flamingos’ attack recently, scoring three goals in three critical matches. Jeremiah Streng has taken charge of the attack, leading the team with four goals on the season. In Forward Madison’s last match against Tormenta, Rojay Smith scored a key goal to give FMFC a 2-1 lead. Expect Smith, Streng and the rest of the Forward Madison attack to continue to dominate the opposing team’s goalkeeper. 

Keys to the Match

1. Use the Crowd to Your Advantage – Forward Madison returns home for a key three-game span after a strong stretch on the road. It’ll be critical for Forward Madison to gain some early momentum against Tormenta to get the crowd into the game. Expect coach Matt Glaeser to have his team amped from the beginning and the starting nine should come into the game with a lot of momentum. 
2. Quick Counterattacks – In FMFC’s most recent match, against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, Forward Madison managed to produce most of their offense through quick counterattacks. Both Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu and Alann Torres’ goals came thanks to quick counter attacks. Expect the ‘Mingos to continue to try to start the break quickly after forcing turnovers against South Georgia Tormenta. 

Previous and Next Match

Forward Madison welcomes Tormenta to Breese Stevens Field following a crucial 2-1 win over Northern Colorado. Next up, the ‘Mingos will host an international friendly against Mexican club, Pumas Tabasco. 

South Georgia heads into Saturday’s game following a match against the Greenville Triumph on July 13th. The Tormenta will then head home to take on North Carolina FC on July 23rd.