Forward Madison FC vs. UW-Madison Men’s Soccer Team
Saturday, April 23rd, 2022; 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Breese Stevens Field
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter and Instagram for live updates
The 4th Annual Battle for Madison is set for this Saturday, April 23rd at 7:00pm CT! Forward Madison will host a friendly against the UW Madison Men’s Soccer team at Breese Stevens Field. The most recent matchup between these clubs resulted in a 1-1 draw in August of 2021.
In Forward Madison’s last match, the Flamingos fell to Minnesota United FC 2-0 in their 3rd Round match in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. As for their last USL League One match, the squad notched a 1-1 draw with FC Tucson.
The UW Madison Men’s Soccer Team season took place in the Fall, and the Badgers finished their season with an overall record of 7-6-3. Their 2021 season ended in a 2-1 loss to the University of Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.
Tickets are available now for this match. Learn more about the 4th Annual Battle for Madison here!
Coaches and 2022 Records
Forward Madison FC (0-0-3) – USL League One
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
UW Madison Badgers (0-0-0) – Big Ten
Head Coach: Neil Jones
Key Players to Watch:
Carl Schneider: The Madison native is ready to battle his alma mater. Schneider joined the UW Madison Men’s Soccer club in 2012 and managed to score two goals in 61 appearances. Expect the 29-year-old defender to have an important role shutting down the Badgers’ attack on Saturday.
Alann Torres: Torres had a strong showing against Cleveland SC in a match that the Flamingos won 3-0. The 18-year-old has proved that his 5’10’’ height can be used to an advantage as Torres helped the Flamingos drastically on counter attacks against Cleveland. The midfielder’s speed and agility will be crucial against a fast Badgers team.
Justin Sukow: Sukow has been a key role player for Forward Madison all season, playing a crucial 42 minutes so far during the USL League One season. The midfielder has dominated passing the ball, posting a 77.8% pass accuracy on the year. Sukow led the team in assists last year, and the Flamingos will need his help creating quality chances against UW Madison.
Key Match Up:
FMFC Strikers vs. UW Madison Strikers
Forward Madison has managed to get out to hot starts against teams they outmatch this season, like Cleveland SC. Although this is true, the Flamingos got out to a 1-0 lead against the Badgers in August of 2021 and ended up drawing 1-1 with UW-Madison. FMFC will need to apply constant pressure on the attack to ensure that the Badgers can’t gain any momentum. Expect a lot of the pressure coming from Justin Sukow and Nazeem Bartman.
The UW Madison Men’s Soccer club ended their 2021 season on a low note. The Badgers scored one goal in their final five matches last season. UW-Madison will look to start fast offensively, so the Flamingos will need to be ready for that. This match will likely come down to which club’s strikers can bring the most energy throughout the game. UW Madison’s Inaki Iribarren led the Badgers in goals 2021 and was efficient when attacking late in the game. Expect a bulk of UW Madison’s offensive production to come from Iribarren.
Keys to the Match:
- Control the tempo: The UW Madison Men’s Soccer team will likely come into Saturday pumped with a lot of energy to take on their cross town rival. The Flamingos will need to slow down the game and control possession if they want to come out victorious.
- Start Quickly: Forward Madison got out to a quick start last time these two squads met up. The Flamingos conceded a late goal which ended the match in a draw. Forward Madison will need to score quickly and establish a controlling lead if they want to fend off a gritty UW Madison Soccer club.
- Mentality: Coming off a tough loss to MLS club Minnesota United FC, the Flamingos can not underestimate the Badgers, especially considering that the UW Madison’s soccer club isn’t even in season. While this may seem like an easy task, the Badgers have managed to put up a fight in almost every Battle For Madison match so far.
Previous and Next Match:
Forward Madison’s last match resulted in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota United FC in the 3rd Round of the U.S. Open Cup. Their most recent USL League One match was a 1-1 draw against FC Tucson. Next up, on April 30th, Forward Madison will welcome Central Valley Fuego FC to Breese Stevens Field for the Flamingos fourth match of the USL League One season.
The UW Madison Men’s Soccer team will conclude their Spring season with a home friendly against UW Milwaukee on Saturday, April 30th.
