Saturday, July 15th, 2023; 6pm CT
Location: WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live match updates
After a big win putting Forward Madison at the top of the USL League One leaderboard last Saturday, the Flamingos will hit the road to face the previous front runners, North Carolina FC, now sitting in second place, on Saturday, July, 15th at 6pm CT. A free watch party will take place in the Forward Club in Madison.
Coaches and USL League One 2023 Records:
Forward Madison FC (8-4-4)
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
North Carolina FC (8-4-3)
Head Coach: John Bradford
Key Players to Watch:
Derek Gebhard: After scoring the game winning goal against Central Valley Fuego FC last saturday, Gebhard has made a huge impact on FMFC’s attack. With his speed, he has the ability to take players on 1v1 and create some of Forward Madison’s best opportunities. We can expect to see him beating players down the line and finding players in the box on Saturday.
Jake Crull: Crull is a key player on both sides of the ball for the Flamingos. With his strong 1v1 defending abilities plus his comfort in the attack, Crull has no problems causing issues for the opposition in both their offense and defense. Being one of only two players who have played every minute of every game this season, Crull constantly shows up, makes strong runs forward to help in the attack and is a wall for the Flamingos’ defense.
Timmy Mehl: After a major save off the goal line last Saturday, Mehl has been a rock for Forward Madison’s defense. With his speed and grit in the back, Mehl is constantly seen winning his 1v1 battles. His hard work is impossible to miss as you can see the effort and determination shown in his play. We can expect to see him being a key defender in the match on Saturday.
Key Match Up:
Jayden Onen vs Garrett McLaughlin: With Jayden Onen being one of the top players in the league for number of assists with four assists, he will go head-to-head with North Carolina FC forward Garrett McLaughlin, also sitting at four assists. With both players being key parts to their teams attack, we will see the competitive competition on the field on Saturday night.
Keys to the Match:
- Creativity in the Final Third: Both teams will need to be very creative in the final third in order to create opportunities. With both teams having solid back lines, it will be hard to break the defenders down, but with creativity and taking risks, opportunities will show. With NCFC having 18 goals against, as opposed to the Flamingos’ 12, we can expect to see some breakdowns leading to strong opportunities for the ‘Mingos on Saturday.
- Composure: With this game being the battle of first place in USL League One, both teams must stay calm and composed during the match. With lack of composure, simple mistakes could lead to great opportunities for the opposing team. With NCFC just falling out of first place, they are eager to earn their spot back which may lead to a frantic style of play that Forward Madison could capitalize on.
Previous and Next Match:
The Flamingos come into this match after a 1-0 home victory against Central Valley Fuego FC. Next up, Forward Madison will return home for a friendly match against Mexican team, Atlante FC, on Thursday, July 20th, at 7pm CT.
