FORWARD MADISON FALLS IN THE INAUGURAL JÄGERMEISTER CUP FINALS TO NORTHERN COLORADO HAILSTORM FC
The ‘Mingos lose a close match on penalties to the Hailstorm, 5-4
Lineup Notes
MAD: #1 Schipmann, #4 Osmond, #5 Mehl, #6 Murphy Jr. (85’ McLaughlin), #7 Prentice (65’ Sousa), #8 Boyce, #9 Chaney, #16 Crull, #17 Gebhard (65’ Galindrez), #21 Villalobos, #22 Payne (78’ Mesias)
Subs not used: Dieye, Chilaka, Sanchez
NCO: #1 Delgado, #2 Evans, #4 Garcia, #6 Dietrick (73’ Keagan), #7 Gill (58’ Powder), #13 Opara, #15 Langlois, #19 King (84’ Hernández), #20 Hoard, #27 Rendón, #30 Martinez (73’ Kwakwa)
Subs not used: Shealy, Fenwick, Robles
Match Action
The match kicked off on Saturday night in Windsor, CO, as the sun set over the mountains, with Forward Madison in pursuit of its first-ever trophy. The ‘Mingos took the lead just 9 minutes in when Forward Madison’s Christian Chaney controlled a pass from Wolfgang Prentice off his chest and quickly struck a left-footed shot past Northern Colorado Hailstorm’s goalkeeper, Lolo Delgado, who was caught off his line. However, Northern Colorado soon responded with a goal of their own from Bruno Rendon, evening the score, 1-1.
Both teams had their chances in the later parts of the first half with Bernd Schipmann coming up big with saves on Rendon and Ethan Hoard. The ‘Mingos would also see a chance saved in the 36’ when Devin Boyce’s left-footed attempt was gathered by Delgado.
The second half saw a shift in momentum as both teams tightened up defensively. Madison’s back line, anchored by the strong performances from Jacob Crull and Timmy Mehl, played a crucial role in neutralizing Northern Colorado’s attacking threats, especially by restricting space for Hoard.
As the game progressed, Madison adopted a more cautious strategy, focusing on controlling the tempo while also considering the possibility of a penalty shootout. Still, there were flashes of danger from both sides. The best chance for Madison in the second half came from John Murphy, while Northern Colorado nearly found a breakthrough in the 79th minute when Lucky Opara’s ball across the box narrowly missed connections from Rendon and Hoard. Galindrez had a late opportunity in the 83rd minute, but Evans came up with a crucial block to keep the match level.
Despite pressure and opportunities from both teams, the 90 minutes ended 1-1, sending the Jägermeister Cup final into a penalty shootout. Both sides executed well in the shootout, converting their first three penalties. However, the pivotal moment came when Hailstorm’s Lolo Delgado made a decisive save on Forward Madison’s fourth penalty attempt. Northern Colorado capitalized on the advantage, winning the shootout 5-4 and taking home the Jägermeister Cup.
Goal Summary
1-0 MAD – Chaney (9’)
1-1 NCO – Rendón (12’)
MAD – Boyce, scored; McLaughlin, scored; Mesias, scored; Crull, saved; Chaney, scored
NCO – Langlois, scored; Hernández, scored; Powder, scored; García, scored; Hoard, scored
Disciplinary Summary
Yellow, NCO – Gill (38’)
Yellow, NCO – Rendón (70’)
Yellow, MAD – Bench (86’)
Yellow, MAD – Galindrez (88’)
Next Match
Next up, FMFC continues its roadtrip on short rest with a rescheduled match with One Knoxville SC. This match will take place Tuesday, October 1st at 5:30PM CT at Regal Stadium in Knoxville, TN.
About Forward Madison FC: Forward Madison FC is a charter member of USL League One, launched in the Spring of 2019. The Flamingos were a USL League One playoff team in 2019 and 2023, and have made an international name for themselves with a fun-loving, flamboyant brand. More information and registration for the team’s weekly newsletter is available at www.forwardmadisonfc.com. Follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
