News Collection

USL League One – Game 19
Forward Madison FC vs FC Tucson
Saturday, August 3, 2019; 7:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

USL League One – Game 19
Forward Madison FC vs FC Tucson
Saturday, August 3, 2019; 7:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

Forward Madison FC is looking to keep the good times rolling this Saturday as it hosts FC Tucson at 7 p.m. at Breese Stevens Field. The Flamingos have won two straight games, have lost just once in their last eight and now find themselves occupying the fourth and final playoff spot in USL League One.

With the league standings nearly as tight as possible (there’s just a two-point gap between fourth and eighth place), FMFC cannot afford to drop results in its home games According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, his team needs to stick to its rhythm Saturday if it wants to keep its hot streak alive. 

“It’s important that we maximize our points at home,” Shore said. “We’ve got to try and keep our momentum going.”

Forward Madison walked away with a memorable victory the last time these two teams met, with Paulo Júnior scoring after 45 seconds – the fastest goal in USL League One history – en route to a 2-1 win at Breese Stevens Field.

This time around, though, the Flamingos will have to deal with much less time for rest. FMFC started the same lineups in wins against Orlando last Saturday and Toronto this Wednesday, and now Shore must make some tough decisions about which eleven players to lead off with. Aside from injured midfielder Brandon Eaton, however, there are no ‘Mingos ruled out from the match.

“We know we’ve got firepower, for us it’s now about making sure defensively we’re disciplined and we’re organized,” Shore said. “We know we’re going to create chances and score goals.”

On the other side, FC Tucson will be out to avenge its earlier loss. The Arizonans are currently sixth in League One, and would leapfrog FMFC with a win. Forward Devyn Jambga and defender Kyle Venter have both scored twice in the team’s last three games, and Tucson could also be able to count on loan players from Phoenix Rising FC, its USL Championship affiliate.

“They’ve got some guys that are dangerous,” Shore said. “Jordan Jones is a handful up top. You’ve got Jambga, you’ve got [Jamael] Cox, you’ve got [Zach] Wright, all those guys are dynamic, they’ve got good pace, they’re able to make plays.”

If Forward Madison wants to beat FC Tucson, the team will likely continue to count on its loan players from Minnesota United FC, whom Shore said have come into their own over the past few weeks. Right back Carter Manley, center back Wyatt Omsberg and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair all played 90 minutes in the Flamingos’ past two victories and put in performances that drew praise from fans.

“They’ve got the right attitude,” Shore said. “They enjoy being around our group as much as they enjoy being around their group up in Minnesota. Sometimes those loans can be tricky, but these guys have bought into what we’re trying to accomplish.”

FMFC is offering several special promotional ticket packages for the game, celebrating National Watermelon Day with a team-signed watermelon pack and a watermelon cocktail pack.

Following its match against FC Tucson, Forward Madison will return home on Aug. 10 to take on Richmond Kickers, the only League One team it has yet to play. Richmond currently sits in ninth place, far adrift from the League One playoffs.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC is looking to keep the good times rolling this Saturday as it hosts FC Tucson at 7 p.m. at Breese Stevens Field. The Flamingos have won two straight games, have lost just once in their last eight and now find themselves occupying the fourth and final playoff spot in USL League One.

With the league standings nearly as tight as possible (there’s just a two-point gap between fourth and eighth place), FMFC cannot afford to drop results in its home games According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, his team needs to stick to its rhythm Saturday if it wants to keep its hot streak alive. 

“It’s important that we maximize our points at home,” Shore said. “We’ve got to try and keep our momentum going.”

Forward Madison walked away with a memorable victory the last time these two teams met, with Paulo Júnior scoring after 45 seconds – the fastest goal in USL League One history – en route to a 2-1 win at Breese Stevens Field.

This time around, though, the Flamingos will have to deal with much less time for rest. FMFC started the same lineups in wins against Orlando last Saturday and Toronto this Wednesday, and now Shore must make some tough decisions about which eleven players to lead off with. Aside from injured midfielder Brandon Eaton, however, there are no ‘Mingos ruled out from the match.

“We know we’ve got firepower, for us it’s now about making sure defensively we’re disciplined and we’re organized,” Shore said. “We know we’re going to create chances and score goals.”

On the other side, FC Tucson will be out to avenge its earlier loss. The Arizonans are currently sixth in League One, and would leapfrog FMFC with a win. Forward Devyn Jambga and defender Kyle Venter have both scored twice in the team’s last three games, and Tucson could also be able to count on loan players from Phoenix Rising FC, its USL Championship affiliate.

“They’ve got some guys that are dangerous,” Shore said. “Jordan Jones is a handful up top. You’ve got Jambga, you’ve got [Jamael] Cox, you’ve got [Zach] Wright, all those guys are dynamic, they’ve got good pace, they’re able to make plays.”

If Forward Madison wants to beat FC Tucson, the team will likely continue to count on its loan players from Minnesota United FC, whom Shore said have come into their own over the past few weeks. Right back Carter Manley, center back Wyatt Omsberg and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair all played 90 minutes in the Flamingos’ past two victories and put in performances that drew praise from fans.

“They’ve got the right attitude,” Shore said. “They enjoy being around our group as much as they enjoy being around their group up in Minnesota. Sometimes those loans can be tricky, but these guys have bought into what we’re trying to accomplish.”

FMFC is offering several special promotional ticket packages for the game, celebrating National Watermelon Day with a team-signed watermelon pack and a watermelon cocktail pack.

Following its match against FC Tucson, Forward Madison will return home on Aug. 10 to take on Richmond Kickers, the only League One team it has yet to play. Richmond currently sits in ninth place, far adrift from the League One playoffs.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC is selling a limited number of team-autographed watermelons to celebrate National Watermelon Day in advance of its home game against FC Tucson this Saturday. The signed watermelons represent just part of the Flamingos’ festivities, which will also include an individual ticket package made up of a watermelon cocktail and a tank top.

FMFC’s watermelon promotion has drawn praise from across the country since it launched on Monday, with fans calling it “phenomenal,” “genius,” “amazing,” “the greatest promotion by an American soccer team ever” and “the greatest thing to happen to sports.”

Groups of four or more fans can get their team-autographed watermelon (which also includes tickets to Saturday’s game, hot dogs and soda) at https://groupmatics.events/event/Fullmelon.

Forward Madison FC is selling a limited number of team-autographed watermelons to celebrate National Watermelon Day in advance of its home game against FC Tucson this Saturday. The signed watermelons represent just part of the Flamingos’ festivities, which will also include an individual ticket package made up of a watermelon cocktail and a tank top.

FMFC’s watermelon promotion has drawn praise from across the country since it launched on Monday, with fans calling it “phenomenal,” “genius,” “amazing,” “the greatest promotion by an American soccer team ever” and “the greatest thing to happen to sports.”

Groups of four or more fans can get their team-autographed watermelon (which also includes tickets to Saturday’s game, hot dogs and soda) at https://groupmatics.events/event/Fullmelon.

Individuals can also choose to opt for the Watermelon Tiki Cocktail package, which includes a watermelon with a hole in it, a White Claw and a FMFC-themed tank top at https://groupmatics.events/event/Watermeloncocktail.

Individuals can also choose to opt for the Watermelon Tiki Cocktail package, which includes a watermelon with a hole in it, a White Claw and a FMFC-themed tank top at https://groupmatics.events/event/Watermeloncocktail.

Forward Madison currently sits in fourth place in USL League One, occupying the league’s final playoff spot with ten matches to play. The Flamingos beat Toronto FC II 4-1 on the road Wednesday, and have lost just one of their last eight matches.

Forward Madison currently sits in fourth place in USL League One, occupying the league’s final playoff spot with ten matches to play. The Flamingos beat Toronto FC II 4-1 on the road Wednesday, and have lost just one of their last eight matches.

Forward Madison FC moved into USL League One playoff position for the first time since mid-May on Wednesday afternoon, pouring on the goals in a 4-1 win over Toronto FC II at BMO Training Ground. Paulo Júnior led the Flamingos with two goals, while the team's four in total matched its highest single-game tally of the season.

Before the game started, the situation wasn’t presenting many positives for Forward Madison. Coming off just three days rest, the Flamingos had to come up against a Toronto team that benefited from the MLS All-Star break by starting five players who had played in multiple games for Toronto FC’s MLS team this season.

Still, the ‘Mingos looked good from the get-go. Forward Oliver White saw a terrific chance on goal parried away in the 11th minute, while J.C. Banks sent a swerving effort over the crossbar in the 27th minute.

Although it looked as if the game would go into halftime level at 0-0, Paulo Júnior became the first man to hit the mark when he opened the scoring just before the break in the 42nd minute. Don Smart played one of the assists of the season, pinging a cross-field pass that cut out the entire defense to find him, and Paulo put his foot up to make contact and lift the ball over the goalkeeper.

Things got even better for the Flamingos in the second half, starting in the 61st minute when Paulo scored his second of the afternoon. This time, he made the goal himself, running into the right side of the penalty area, shrugging off a defender, and blasting the ball high above the goalkeeper's reach.

Just four minutes later, Forward Madison scored again to really blow the game wide open. Midfielder Josiel Núñez gave the ball to right back Carter Manley, whose lightly-played pass came off the feet of Toronto's Rocco Romeo for an own goal.

Even though TFC II pulled one back in the 68th minute through Jordan Perruzza, the damage had already been done. Substitute Brian Bement would eventually finish off the Young Reds in the 85th minute, capitalizing off a perfectly-placed cross from Louis Bennett.

Forward Madison now sits in fourth place in USL League One, just enough to put the team into the league's final playoff spot with 10 matches remaining. The Flamingos are back at Breese Stevens Field this Saturday as they host FC Tucson, whom they beat 2-1 earlier this year.

Forward Madison FC moved into USL League One playoff position for the first time since mid-May on Wednesday afternoon, pouring on the goals in a 4-1 win over Toronto FC II at BMO Training Ground. Paulo Júnior led the Flamingos with two goals, while the team’s four in total matched its highest single-game tally of the season.

Before the game started, the situation wasn’t presenting many positives for Forward Madison. Coming off just three days rest, the Flamingos had to come up against a Toronto team that benefited from the MLS All-Star break by starting five players who had played in multiple games for Toronto FC’s MLS team this season.

Still, the ‘Mingos looked good from the get-go. Forward Oliver White saw a terrific chance on goal parried away in the 11th minute, while J.C. Banks sent a swerving effort over the crossbar in the 27th minute.

Although it looked as if the game would go into halftime level at 0-0, Paulo Júnior became the first man to hit the mark when he opened the scoring just before the break in the 42nd minute. Don Smart played one of the assists of the season, pinging a cross-field pass that cut out the entire defense to find him, and Paulo put his foot up to make contact and lift the ball over the goalkeeper.

Things got even better for the Flamingos in the second half, starting in the 61st minute when Paulo scored his second of the afternoon. This time, he made the goal himself, running into the right side of the penalty area, shrugging off a defender, and blasting the ball high above the goalkeeper’s reach.

Just four minutes later, Forward Madison scored again to really blow the game wide open. Midfielder Josiel Núñez gave the ball to right back Carter Manley, whose lightly-played pass came off the feet of Toronto’s Rocco Romeo for an own goal.

Even though TFC II pulled one back in the 68th minute through Jordan Perruzza, the damage had already been done. Substitute Brian Bement would eventually finish off the Young Reds in the 85th minute, capitalizing off a perfectly-placed cross from Louis Bennett.

Forward Madison now sits in fourth place in USL League One, just enough to put the team into the league’s final playoff spot with 10 matches remaining. The Flamingos are back at Breese Stevens Field this Saturday as they host FC Tucson, whom they beat 2-1 earlier this year.

Forward Madison FC: Dayne St. Clair; Christian “Pato” Díaz, Connor Tobin, Wyatt Omsberg, Carter Manley; Eric Leonard, Josiel Núñez (Louis Bennett 84’), J.C. Banks; Don Smart (Jiro Barriga Toyama 79’), Paulo Júnior [goals 42’, 61’], Oliver White (Brian Bement 69’ [goal 86’])

Unused Substitutes: Ryan Coulter, Brian Sylvestre, Shaun Russell Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi

Toronto FC II: Yann-Alexandre Fillion; Ashtone Morgan (Patrick Bunk-Andersen 45’), Rocco Romeo [own goal 65’], Eriq Zavaleta (Terique Mohammed 45’), Griffin Dorsey [yellow 73’, second yellow (red) 81’]; Jordan Faria, Matthew Srbely, Liam Fraser [yellow 87’], Jay Chapman, Luca Petrasso; Ayo Akinola (Jordan Perruzza 67’ [goal 68’])

Unused Substitutes: Gideon Waja, Mehdi Essoussi, Eric Klenofsky, Shaan Hundal

Goals
Forward Madison FC
42’- Paulo Júnior (Don Smart)
61’- Paulo Júnior (Oliver White)
65’- Rocco Romeo (own goa)l
86’- Brian Bement (Louis Bennett)

Toronto FC II
68’ – Jordan Perruzza (Liam Fraser)

Discipline
Toronto FC II
73’- Griffin Dorsey (yellow)
81’- Griffin Dorsey (second yellow; red)
87’- Liam Fraser (yellow)

Referees
Myrian Marcotte
Chantal Boudreau
Melissa Snedden
David Barrie

Venue
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Canada

Attendance
64

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC: Dayne St. Clair; Christian “Pato” Díaz, Connor Tobin, Wyatt Omsberg, Carter Manley; Eric Leonard, Josiel Núñez (Louis Bennett 84’), J.C. Banks; Don Smart (Jiro Barriga Toyama 79’), Paulo Júnior [goals 42’, 61’], Oliver White (Brian Bement 69’ [goal 86’])

Unused Substitutes: Ryan Coulter, Brian Sylvestre, Shaun Russell Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi

Toronto FC II: Yann-Alexandre Fillion; Ashtone Morgan (Patrick Bunk-Andersen 45’), Rocco Romeo [own goal 65’], Eriq Zavaleta (Terique Mohammed 45’), Griffin Dorsey [yellow 73’, second yellow (red) 81’]; Jordan Faria, Matthew Srbely, Liam Fraser [yellow 87’], Jay Chapman, Luca Petrasso; Ayo Akinola (Jordan Perruzza 67’ [goal 68’])

Unused Substitutes: Gideon Waja, Mehdi Essoussi, Eric Klenofsky, Shaan Hundal

Goals
Forward Madison FC
42’- Paulo Júnior (Don Smart)
61’- Paulo Júnior (Oliver White)
65’- Rocco Romeo (own goa)l
86’- Brian Bement (Louis Bennett)

Toronto FC II
68’ – Jordan Perruzza (Liam Fraser)

Discipline
Toronto FC II
73’- Griffin Dorsey (yellow)
81’- Griffin Dorsey (second yellow; red)
87’- Liam Fraser (yellow)

Referees
Myrian Marcotte
Chantal Boudreau
Melissa Snedden
David Barrie

Venue
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Canada

Attendance
64

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

USL League One – Game 18
Forward Madison FC at Toronto FC II
Wednesday, July 31, 2019; 3:00 p.m. CT
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Ontario

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

Come to the official watch party with The Flock at Coopers Tavern!

Forward Madison FC travels to Canada on Wednesday, taking on Toronto FC II in a match which could see the Flamingos reach the USL League One playoff positions for the first time since mid-May (3 p.m. CT; ESPN+). After going on a run of one defeat in its last seven matches, FMFC now sits just three points out of fourth place, and would move there – at least temporarily – with a victory.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, his team has to take advantage of its current momentum.

“[Toronto] is a hard place to play, and then we come back we play Tucson at home,” Shore said. “[These are] two teams that are in front of us, so they become six-point games. If we can go to Toronto and get three points, even one point, it keeps us in the right pace.”

Forward Madison has been on fire lately, especially on the attacking end, where the ‘Mingos have scored in eight straight games. FMFC found its feet on defense as well last Saturday, allowing only one shot on target in a 1-0 shutout of Orlando City B at Breese Stevens Field.

When the Flamingos have struggled this season, though, it has consistently been during games similar to the upcoming one in Toronto. Madison has won once in five League One weekday matches, and has lost five of nine away games.

Toronto FC II, meanwhile, is used to the midweek routine. Seven of the Young Reds’ eight home games have been played on Wednesdays or Fridays, and until last week, they had not lost at BMO Training Ground. 

That undefeated record, however, came apart last Friday when Toronto fell 1-2 to ninth-place Richmond Kickers. As if defeat wasn’t bad enough, TFC captain Adolfo Ovale, who has started every game of the season thus far, picked up his fifth yellow card, meaning he will be suspended for the game against Forward Madison. Instead, Toronto will rely more heavily upon the services of players such as Jordan Perruzza, the 18-year-old forward who has already notched seven goals in League One play.

Following its game Wednesday, Forward Madison returns home to the comforts of Breese Stevens Field to take on FC Tucson on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. If the Flamingos can arrive with three more points in tow, they’ll be in good position for the final 10-game stretch of the season.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

USL League One – Game 18
Forward Madison FC at Toronto FC II
Wednesday, July 31, 2019; 3:00 p.m. CT
BMO Training Ground – Toronto, Ontario

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

Come to the official watch party with The Flock at Coopers Tavern!

Forward Madison FC travels to Canada on Wednesday, taking on Toronto FC II in a match which could see the Flamingos reach the USL League One playoff positions for the first time since mid-May (3 p.m. CT; ESPN+). After going on a run of one defeat in its last seven matches, FMFC now sits just three points out of fourth place, and would move there – at least temporarily – with a victory.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, his team has to take advantage of its current momentum.

“[Toronto] is a hard place to play, and then we come back we play Tucson at home,” Shore said. “[These are] two teams that are in front of us, so they become six-point games. If we can go to Toronto and get three points, even one point, it keeps us in the right pace.”

Forward Madison has been on fire lately, especially on the attacking end, where the ‘Mingos have scored in eight straight games. FMFC found its feet on defense as well last Saturday, allowing only one shot on target in a 1-0 shutout of Orlando City B at Breese Stevens Field.

When the Flamingos have struggled this season, though, it has consistently been during games similar to the upcoming one in Toronto. Madison has won once in five League One weekday matches, and has lost five of nine away games.

Toronto FC II, meanwhile, is used to the midweek routine. Seven of the Young Reds’ eight home games have been played on Wednesdays or Fridays, and until last week, they had not lost at BMO Training Ground. 

That undefeated record, however, came apart last Friday when Toronto fell 1-2 to ninth-place Richmond Kickers. As if defeat wasn’t bad enough, TFC captain Adolfo Ovale, who has started every game of the season thus far, picked up his fifth yellow card, meaning he will be suspended for the game against Forward Madison. Instead, Toronto will rely more heavily upon the services of players such as Jordan Perruzza, the 18-year-old forward who has already notched seven goals in League One play.

Following its game Wednesday, Forward Madison returns home to the comforts of Breese Stevens Field to take on FC Tucson on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. If the Flamingos can arrive with three more points in tow, they’ll be in good position for the final 10-game stretch of the season.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC earned a huge home victory Saturday night in front of its largest USL League One crowd ever, beating Orlando City B 1-0 at Breese Stevens Field. Midfielder J.C. Banks scored the only goal of the game, slotting home in the second half to delight the announced crowd of 4,539.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, the fans’ constant energy pushed his team over the finish line.

 “Our guys live off of this – they really do thrive off of what our fans bring to us,” Shore said. “Tonight was a playoff mentality; it’s not going to be pretty, but if you win 1-0, you’ll take it.” 

Coming off its only bye weekend of the season, the Flamingos started out looking refreshed early on. Oliver White (making his first home start) and Paulo Júnior both came close on chances in the first few minutes of play, and FMFC continued strongly from that point forward.

OCB arrived in Madison in somewhat of a turmoil after firing manager Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita on Thursday, replacing him with Roberto Sibaja on an interim basis. The Lions were also without midfielder Serginho – who leads the team in assists and shots – and top-scorer Thiago Souza, neither of whom made the match-day roster.

 Despite the chance presented by a weakened opponent, the Flamingos missed a huge opportunity to establish themselves through the team’s first penalty kick of the season in the 26th minute. After Oliver White was taken down in the box, Don Smart sent his spot kick wide right following a stutter step. 

After pressing forward relentlessly, though, FMFC’s goal finally came in the 57th minute courtesy of the Wisconsin native J.C. Banks, who was alert to a Josiel Núñez chip into the box and pounced on the opportunity just ahead of his defender. Banks, who has now scored four goals for Forward Madison this year, said it was a relief to go ahead after wasting other chances early on.

 “We definitely should’ve put the game away by a couple goals,” Banks said. “We had some really good opportunities that we didn’t finish, so we made it hard on ourselves, but we got three points, so it’s all good.”

Forward Madison FC earned a huge home victory Saturday night in front of its largest USL League One crowd ever, beating Orlando City B 1-0 at Breese Stevens Field. Midfielder J.C. Banks scored the only goal of the game, slotting home in the second half to delight the announced crowd of 4,539.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, the fans’ constant energy pushed his team over the finish line.

 “Our guys live off of this – they really do thrive off of what our fans bring to us,” Shore said. “Tonight was a playoff mentality; it’s not going to be pretty, but if you win 1-0, you’ll take it.” 

Coming off its only bye weekend of the season, the Flamingos started out looking refreshed early on. Oliver White (making his first home start) and Paulo Júnior both came close on chances in the first few minutes of play, and FMFC continued strongly from that point forward.

OCB arrived in Madison in somewhat of a turmoil after firing manager Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita on Thursday, replacing him with Roberto Sibaja on an interim basis. The Lions were also without midfielder Serginho – who leads the team in assists and shots – and top-scorer Thiago Souza, neither of whom made the match-day roster.

 Despite the chance presented by a weakened opponent, the Flamingos missed a huge opportunity to establish themselves through the team’s first penalty kick of the season in the 26th minute. After Oliver White was taken down in the box, Don Smart sent his spot kick wide right following a stutter step. 

After pressing forward relentlessly, though, FMFC’s goal finally came in the 57th minute courtesy of the Wisconsin native J.C. Banks, who was alert to a Josiel Núñez chip into the box and pounced on the opportunity just ahead of his defender. Banks, who has now scored four goals for Forward Madison this year, said it was a relief to go ahead after wasting other chances early on.

 “We definitely should’ve put the game away by a couple goals,” Banks said. “We had some really good opportunities that we didn’t finish, so we made it hard on ourselves, but we got three points, so it’s all good.”

In the end, the Flamingos secured their second clean sheet in USL League One, finishing off another electric home evening for Madison’s team. 

Up next for Forward Madison is a trip in four days’ time to Toronto FC II on July 31 before home matches against FC Tucson on August 3 and against Richmond Kickers on August 10. According to Shore, if Saturday night’s game was any indicator, his team will always be able to count on a 12th man when it plays at Breese Stevens Field.

“Let me ask you this, was the game exciting?” Shore said. “I think the fans are realizing whether we win or lose or tie, we’re bringing everything we have. It’s very exciting, so you have to give credit to the fans that keep coming and keep coming.”

In the end, the Flamingos secured their second clean sheet in USL League One, finishing off another electric home evening for Madison’s team. 

Up next for Forward Madison is a trip in four days’ time to Toronto FC II on July 31 before home matches against FC Tucson on August 3 and against Richmond Kickers on August 10. According to Shore, if Saturday night’s game was any indicator, his team will always be able to count on a 12th man when it plays at Breese Stevens Field.

“Let me ask you this, was the game exciting?” Shore said. “I think the fans are realizing whether we win or lose or tie, we’re bringing everything we have. It’s very exciting, so you have to give credit to the fans that keep coming and keep coming.”

Forward Madison FC
Head Coach: Daryl Shore
Goalkeeper- Dayne St. Clair #97
Defender- Christian Diaz #27YC
Defender- Wyatt Omsberg #22
Defender – Connor Tobin #13 (captain)
Defender-  Carter Manley #2
Midfielder – J.C. Banks #29⚽
Midfielder – Eric Leonard #3 YC
Midfielder –  Josiel Nunez #70 (90+2’ Ally Hamis Ng’Azni #12)
Forward- Don Smart #7 YC (75’- Jiro Barriga Toyama #77) 
Forward-  Paulo Jr. #11
Forward – Oliver White #20 (76’- Brian Bement #14YC )

Substitutes
G- Brian Sylvestre
D- Shaun Russell #15
M- Jiro Barriga Toyama #77
M- Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi #12
M- Louis Bennett #21
F- Brian Bement #14
F- Danny Tenorio #10

Orlando City B
Head Coach: Roberto Sibaja
Goalkeeper – Christian Herrera #12 YC
Defender- Jordan Hill #13
Defender- Matheus Silva #6
Defender- Leonardo Simas #2 YC
Defender – Wilfred Williams #3
Midfielder – Ates Diouf #21 (captain) YC
Midfielder- Austin Amer #18
Midfielder – Rafael Santos #10
Forward- Luc Granitur #25 (54’- Moises Tablante #24)
Forward – Tresor Mbuyu #7 (54’- Steven Hernandez #20)
Forward- Christopher Osei-Wusu #8 (72’- William Bagrou #9)

Substitutes
GK- Juliano Chade #1
D- Steven Hernandez #20 
F- William Bagrou #9
D- Randy Mendoza #14
D- Tanner Hummel #15
F- Moises Tablante #24
F- Jahlane Forbes #16

Goals
Forward Madison FC
57’- J.C. Banks #29 (Josiel Nunez #70)

Yellow Cards
Forward Madison FC
29’- Don Smart #7
83’- Eric Leonard #3
89’- Brian Bement #14
90+4’- Christian Diaz #27

Orlando City B
34’- Ates Diouf #21
83’- Leonardo Simas #2
89’- Christian Herrera #12

Referees
Laura Rodriguez
Ethan Buege
Ryan Birdsall
Peter Bernardy  

Venue
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Attendance
4,539- Highest attended USL League One match

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC
Head Coach: Daryl Shore
Goalkeeper- Dayne St. Clair #97
Defender- Christian Diaz #27YC
Defender- Wyatt Omsberg #22
Defender – Connor Tobin #13 (captain)
Defender-  Carter Manley #2
Midfielder – J.C. Banks #29⚽
Midfielder – Eric Leonard #3 YC
Midfielder –  Josiel Nunez #70 (90+2’ Ally Hamis Ng’Azni #12)
Forward- Don Smart #7 YC (75’- Jiro Barriga Toyama #77) 
Forward-  Paulo Jr. #11
Forward – Oliver White #20 (76’- Brian Bement #14YC )

Substitutes
G- Brian Sylvestre
D- Shaun Russell #15
M- Jiro Barriga Toyama #77
M- Ally Hamis Ng’Anzi #12
M- Louis Bennett #21
F- Brian Bement #14
F- Danny Tenorio #10

Orlando City B
Head Coach: Roberto Sibaja
Goalkeeper – Christian Herrera #12 YC
Defender- Jordan Hill #13
Defender- Matheus Silva #6
Defender- Leonardo Simas #2 YC
Defender – Wilfred Williams #3
Midfielder – Ates Diouf #21 (captain) YC
Midfielder- Austin Amer #18
Midfielder – Rafael Santos #10
Forward- Luc Granitur #25 (54’- Moises Tablante #24)
Forward – Tresor Mbuyu #7 (54’- Steven Hernandez #20)
Forward- Christopher Osei-Wusu #8 (72’- William Bagrou #9)

Substitutes
GK- Juliano Chade #1
D- Steven Hernandez #20 
F- William Bagrou #9
D- Randy Mendoza #14
D- Tanner Hummel #15
F- Moises Tablante #24
F- Jahlane Forbes #16

Goals
Forward Madison FC
57’- J.C. Banks #29 (Josiel Nunez #70)

Yellow Cards
Forward Madison FC
29’- Don Smart #7
83’- Eric Leonard #3
89’- Brian Bement #14
90+4’- Christian Diaz #27

Orlando City B
34’- Ates Diouf #21
83’- Leonardo Simas #2
89’- Christian Herrera #12

Referees
Laura Rodriguez
Ethan Buege
Ryan Birdsall
Peter Bernardy  

Venue
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Attendance
4,539- Highest attended USL League One match

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on August 3 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC has released its pink flamingo-patterned alternate goalkeeper jersey that drew nation-wide attention earlier this year when it was first shown, the club announced Saturday. The kit, which is solid pink, is polka-dotted by black flamingos across the front and back in a distinctive design for a soccer jersey.

Forward Madison’s pink flamingo jersey was first revealed in March by The Athletic, a national sporting news website. Although club officials had not planned on selling the kit, soccer fans from across the country helped change their mind through months of popular demand.

The jersey, which went on sale as a pre-order at 10 a.m. on Forward Madison’s web store, will run as a limited, one-time edition. In addition, FMFC’s goalkeeper will wear the kit during the team’s home match Saturday night against Orlando City B.

Forward Madison currently sits in eighth place in its inaugural USL League One season, and leads the league with an average of 4,139 fans in attendance per regular season game. It has had to re-order its current set of jerseys after selling out initial runs.

Forward Madison FC has released its pink flamingo-patterned alternate goalkeeper jersey that drew nation-wide attention earlier this year when it was first shown, the club announced Saturday. The kit, which is solid pink, is polka-dotted by black flamingos across the front and back in a distinctive design for a soccer jersey.

Forward Madison’s pink flamingo jersey was first revealed in March by The Athletic, a national sporting news website. Although club officials had not planned on selling the kit, soccer fans from across the country helped change their mind through months of popular demand.

The jersey, which went on sale as a pre-order at 10 a.m. on Forward Madison’s web store, will run as a limited, one-time edition. In addition, FMFC’s goalkeeper will wear the kit during the team’s home match Saturday night against Orlando City B.

Forward Madison currently sits in eighth place in its inaugural USL League One season, and leads the league with an average of 4,139 fans in attendance per regular season game. It has had to re-order its current set of jerseys after selling out initial runs.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

USL League One – Game 17
Forward Madison FC vs Orlando City B
Saturday, July 27, 2019; 7:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

Get your tickets here!

Forward Madison FC returns to Breese Stevens Field from a week off in need of a win against last-place Orlando City B this Saturday at 7 p.m. The Flamingos are still five points off the playoff places, and with time running out on their inaugural USL League One season, moving up the standings is becoming a now-or-never proposition.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, the pressure is on and his team needs to respond accordingly.

“There’s 12 games left, the challenge to our group was we have to get points in all 12 games, and most of those games have to be wins,” Shore said. “The playoffs start on Saturday for us.”

Although Forward Madison looked as if it had hit a good run of form after beating League One’s top two teams in late June and early July, the ‘Mingos have stagnated since, giving up a last-minute goal to lose to Lansing and conceding late again in a 1-1 draw with Chattanooga on July 13. FMFC has split the season series with Orlando so far, emerging victorious from its first game in the Sunshine State (the club’s first-ever win) and falling by a goal in the rematch.

This time around, the Flamingos will have the added benefit of extra rest; their previous game came last Tuesday in a 2-1 exhibition win over Leones Negros UdeG, while Orlando played this Wednesday and lost 4-1 to South Georgia Tormenta FC.

Forward Madison’s team is nearly at full strength, although midfielder Brandon Eaton remains out with a left knee sprain.

Orlando City B, meanwhile, has made wholesale changes. The Young Lions fired manager Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita on Thursday, replacing him with interim coach Roberto Sibaja, who was previously with Orlando City U-19s. Orlando will also be missing midfielder Serginho, who leads the team in both assists (4) and shots (28), due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Even with new faces and key absences, though, Shore warned it would be perilous to underestimate Orlando City B.

“If they get ahead, they’re a hard team to break down,” he said. “They’re young, so they get after it. This is a game where we feel we’ve got to come out from the get-go and we’ve got to put ourselves in a position where we’re on the front foot.”

Forward Madison is offering several promotions for Saturday’s game, including a Mystery Fanny Pack, a German Beer Boot pack and a Wiener Dog Race pack. Following its game against Orlando City B, FMFC will go on the road to face Toronto FC II next Wednesday before returning home for a game against FC Tucson on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

USL League One – Game 17
Forward Madison FC vs Orlando City B
Saturday, July 27, 2019; 7:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field – Madison, WI

Where to Watch
ESPN+
Follow @ForwardMSNFC on Twitter for live updates
Keep track of official stats on the USL League One match center

Get your tickets here!

Forward Madison FC returns to Breese Stevens Field from a week off in need of a win against last-place Orlando City B this Saturday at 7 p.m. The Flamingos are still five points off the playoff places, and with time running out on their inaugural USL League One season, moving up the standings is becoming a now-or-never proposition.

According to Head Coach Daryl Shore, the pressure is on and his team needs to respond accordingly.

“There’s 12 games left, the challenge to our group was we have to get points in all 12 games, and most of those games have to be wins,” Shore said. “The playoffs start on Saturday for us.”

Although Forward Madison looked as if it had hit a good run of form after beating League One’s top two teams in late June and early July, the ‘Mingos have stagnated since, giving up a last-minute goal to lose to Lansing and conceding late again in a 1-1 draw with Chattanooga on July 13. FMFC has split the season series with Orlando so far, emerging victorious from its first game in the Sunshine State (the club’s first-ever win) and falling by a goal in the rematch.

This time around, the Flamingos will have the added benefit of extra rest; their previous game came last Tuesday in a 2-1 exhibition win over Leones Negros UdeG, while Orlando played this Wednesday and lost 4-1 to South Georgia Tormenta FC.

Forward Madison’s team is nearly at full strength, although midfielder Brandon Eaton remains out with a left knee sprain.

Orlando City B, meanwhile, has made wholesale changes. The Young Lions fired manager Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita on Thursday, replacing him with interim coach Roberto Sibaja, who was previously with Orlando City U-19s. Orlando will also be missing midfielder Serginho, who leads the team in both assists (4) and shots (28), due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Even with new faces and key absences, though, Shore warned it would be perilous to underestimate Orlando City B.

“If they get ahead, they’re a hard team to break down,” he said. “They’re young, so they get after it. This is a game where we feel we’ve got to come out from the get-go and we’ve got to put ourselves in a position where we’re on the front foot.”

Forward Madison is offering several promotions for Saturday’s game, including a Mystery Fanny Pack, a German Beer Boot pack and a Wiener Dog Race pack. Following its game against Orlando City B, FMFC will go on the road to face Toronto FC II next Wednesday before returning home for a game against FC Tucson on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC will host the Milwaukee Torrent in a ‘Battle for Wisconsin’ exhibition game at Breese Stevens Field on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. The match pits in-state opponents from Wisconsin’s biggest cities, giving each the chance to claim state-wide soccer supremacy. 

Now past the halfway point of its inaugural USL League One season, Forward Madison has been a success story that has made waves across the country (and even the world). According to FMFC Managing Director Peter Wilt, though, this exhibition is tailored especially for Wisconsin.

“This will be a good game for both teams as well as for fans of both teams,” Wilt said. “The Torrent will be a good test for Forward Madison, and we look forward to an entertaining game for Wisconsin soccer fans. I am grateful to Andreas Davi and the Torrent for making this much-anticipated match a reality.”

The Milwaukee Torrent, founded in 2015, has competed in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur and semi-professional league, during past seasons. The Torrent has upgraded its roster in anticipation of its entry into the NPSL “Founders Cup” competition this August, and hired former MLS head coach Carlos “Cacho” Córdoba to lead the team. 

According to Milwaukee Torrent owner Andreas Davi, the ‘Battle for Wisconsin’ will serve as a showcase for soccer in the state. 

"The Torrent are thrilled to visit Madison and show fans the talented roster we've put together for this fall's NPSL Founders Cup competition, with players from 11 countries,” Davi said. “Thanks to Forward Madison FC and Peter Wilt for this great opportunity to have professional players from two Wisconsin teams meet on the field. We're looking forward to experiencing the great atmosphere that has been created at Breese Stevens Field."

Tickets, which start at $15, will go on sale this Thursday at 9 a.m. Forward Madison season ticket holders who renew for 2020 by Sept. 6 will receive their seats at no charge.

Forward Madison FC will host the Milwaukee Torrent in a ‘Battle for Wisconsin’ exhibition game at Breese Stevens Field on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. The match pits in-state opponents from Wisconsin’s biggest cities, giving each the chance to claim state-wide soccer supremacy. 

Now past the halfway point of its inaugural USL League One season, Forward Madison has been a success story that has made waves across the country (and even the world). According to FMFC Managing Director Peter Wilt, though, this exhibition is tailored especially for Wisconsin.

“This will be a good game for both teams as well as for fans of both teams,” Wilt said. “The Torrent will be a good test for Forward Madison, and we look forward to an entertaining game for Wisconsin soccer fans. I am grateful to Andreas Davi and the Torrent for making this much-anticipated match a reality.”

The Milwaukee Torrent, founded in 2015, has competed in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur and semi-professional league, during past seasons. The Torrent has upgraded its roster in anticipation of its entry into the NPSL “Founders Cup” competition this August, and hired former MLS head coach Carlos “Cacho” Córdoba to lead the team. 

According to Milwaukee Torrent owner Andreas Davi, the ‘Battle for Wisconsin’ will serve as a showcase for soccer in the state. 

“The Torrent are thrilled to visit Madison and show fans the talented roster we’ve put together for this fall’s NPSL Founders Cup competition, with players from 11 countries,” Davi said. “Thanks to Forward Madison FC and Peter Wilt for this great opportunity to have professional players from two Wisconsin teams meet on the field. We’re looking forward to experiencing the great atmosphere that has been created at Breese Stevens Field.”

Tickets, which start at $15, will go on sale this Thursday at 9 a.m. Forward Madison season ticket holders who renew for 2020 by Sept. 6 will receive their seats at no charge.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Nathalie Durgnat was falling out of love with soccer.

It was the beginning of 2019, and Nathalie, who lives in Switzerland and is in her mid-30s, was questioning whether she still loved the sport she had been so close to since birth.

“I’ve been a soccer fan my whole life,” Durgnat said. “My father was a coach, so as a kid I was always around a soccer field. But now European soccer has become so elite, it’s caring less and less about the fans I find. As a true fan of the sport myself, it’s really saddening.”

In some sense, it was like an identity crisis. Nathalie, facing disillusionment from her lifelong passion, probably thought she would need something dramatic to rekindle her attachment. One thing is almost certain, though – Nathalie didn’t expect to regain her love for soccer by scrolling through her Twitter feed.

In fact, that’s exactly how it happened.

In January 2019, while looking at her phone, Nathalie stumbled upon an article in Culture Soccer, a French-language soccer blog, profiling a strange team in Wisconsin with a plastic flamingo in its crest: Forward Madison FC. For Nathalie, it was an odd proposition, but there was something there that she liked about it.

“I just thought that a team with a pink flamingo as a mascot was really funny, so I thought I would try to follow the club on Twitter,” she said. 

At some point, Nathalie read another article about the team and started interacting with the club online, which led her to the idea of making an entire Twitter account solely devoted to Forward Madison. In February, Nathalie created @ForwardMSN_FR, a French-language fan Twitter feed with almost-daily updates about the team.

“I thought to help me commit to follow the club, creating a Twitter account for the French-speaking fans would be a good idea,” Durgnat said. “As I followed along, I just got more and more into it.”

Nathalie’s fandom from afar convinced her to buy a season ticket to support the team financially, although she donates her seat for every game. Eventually, she began to think about what it would be like to attend a match in person.

“I saw that the atmosphere was really, really cool for a lower-league team, and then I thought that there were home games during the summer, which is usually when I have my longer time off work,” Durgnat said. “I started looking at flights and I saw that it was really expensive, so I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not going to make it,’ but the more games I watched, I really wanted to experience it for myself.

“[Eventually] I realized I could actually afford it, so I asked my boss for the time off, and when he gave me the time off, I booked everything.”

Nathalie Durgnat was falling out of love with soccer.

It was the beginning of 2019, and Nathalie, who lives in Switzerland and is in her mid-30s, was questioning whether she still loved the sport she had been so close to since birth.

“I’ve been a soccer fan my whole life,” Durgnat said. “My father was a coach, so as a kid I was always around a soccer field. But now European soccer has become so elite, it’s caring less and less about the fans I find. As a true fan of the sport myself, it’s really saddening.”

In some sense, it was like an identity crisis. Nathalie, facing disillusionment from her lifelong passion, probably thought she would need something dramatic to rekindle her attachment. One thing is almost certain, though – Nathalie didn’t expect to regain her love for soccer by scrolling through her Twitter feed.

In fact, that’s exactly how it happened.

In January 2019, while looking at her phone, Nathalie stumbled upon an article in Culture Soccer, a French-language soccer blog, profiling a strange team in Wisconsin with a plastic flamingo in its crest: Forward Madison FC. For Nathalie, it was an odd proposition, but there was something there that she liked about it.

“I just thought that a team with a pink flamingo as a mascot was really funny, so I thought I would try to follow the club on Twitter,” she said. 

At some point, Nathalie read another article about the team and started interacting with the club online, which led her to the idea of making an entire Twitter account solely devoted to Forward Madison. In February, Nathalie created @ForwardMSN_FR, a French-language fan Twitter feed with almost-daily updates about the team.

“I thought to help me commit to follow the club, creating a Twitter account for the French-speaking fans would be a good idea,” Durgnat said. “As I followed along, I just got more and more into it.”

Nathalie’s fandom from afar convinced her to buy a season ticket to support the team financially, although she donates her seat for every game. Eventually, she began to think about what it would be like to attend a match in person.

“I saw that the atmosphere was really, really cool for a lower-league team, and then I thought that there were home games during the summer, which is usually when I have my longer time off work,” Durgnat said. “I started looking at flights and I saw that it was really expensive, so I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not going to make it,’ but the more games I watched, I really wanted to experience it for myself.

“[Eventually] I realized I could actually afford it, so I asked my boss for the time off, and when he gave me the time off, I booked everything.”

Nathalie’s trip from Switzerland to Madison went about as smoothly as a pothole on East Washington. Her three flights were delayed, she struggled to make her connections, and by the time she finally arrived (well past 10 p.m.), Nathalie said she was totally exhausted.

When she finally stepped into the terminal, however, Nathalie walked down the stairs to find an entire cohort of FMFC friends waiting for her, including Managing Director Peter Wilt and team captain Connor Tobin. Together, they cheered, took photos and offered Nathalie a temporary contract to “go Full Mingo” for the weekend. 

“I really wasn’t expecting that, and it made me feel much better after my three delayed flights,” Durgnat said. “Everyone has been so welcoming, from the officials from the club, the team, the supporters.”

Walking back to the parking lot, Wilt egged Tobin on to “call his shot” and promise a goal for Nathalie. Tobin said he couldn’t guarantee anything (he had not even recorded a single shot all season), but pledged that he would do his best.

After a good night’s sleep, Nathalie woke up the next day in time to take a tour of Breese Stevens Field and explore the city with members of The Flock, Forward Madison’s independent supporters’ group. She’d arrived on a Friday, so there wasn’t time to do much more before that Saturday’s game against Chattanooga.

Instead, she went back to her hotel, took a nap, and got ready for the match.

With game time nearing, Nathalie put on her new jersey, walked to the Avenue Club, and found a pre-match party layered thickly with pink and blue. After spending so long rooting in solitude, suddenly there were hundreds of Forward Madison fans swimming around her eyes. At around 6 p.m., The Flock began marching, and Nathalie joined them as they flowed toward the stadium, singing, chanting, waving homemade banners and turning the heads of nearly anyone they passed.

“The passion is put out there in such a positive manner, that’s really what I will take with me back home,” Durgnat said. “As long as you give everything you have for the team, they will welcome you with open arms.”

At last, Nathalie’s stream of fans reached the stadium, and now there were thousands, a sea of people in all assortments of brightly-colored FMFC paraphernalia spilling out of the sidestreets, the sun’s reflection glinting off their faces. Music reverberated from loudspeakers, and players, distracted from their warm-ups, looked up to see The Flock coursing across the sideline to their stand behind the east-end goal.

A few minutes before kickoff, Kuba Krzyzostaniak, Forward Madison’s Director of Digital Media, pulled Nathalie aside and asked her to come out onto the pitch. Holding her scarf high over her head, Nathalie beamed as she was introduced to the crowd.

Nathalie’s trip from Switzerland to Madison went about as smoothly as a pothole on East Washington. Her three flights were delayed, she struggled to make her connections, and by the time she finally arrived (well past 10 p.m.), Nathalie said she was totally exhausted.

When she finally stepped into the terminal, however, Nathalie walked down the stairs to find an entire cohort of FMFC friends waiting for her, including Managing Director Peter Wilt and team captain Connor Tobin. Together, they cheered, took photos and offered Nathalie a temporary contract to “go Full Mingo” for the weekend. 

“I really wasn’t expecting that, and it made me feel much better after my three delayed flights,” Durgnat said. “Everyone has been so welcoming, from the officials from the club, the team, the supporters.”

Walking back to the parking lot, Wilt egged Tobin on to “call his shot” and promise a goal for Nathalie. Tobin said he couldn’t guarantee anything (he had not even recorded a single shot all season), but pledged that he would do his best.

After a good night’s sleep, Nathalie woke up the next day in time to take a tour of Breese Stevens Field and explore the city with members of The Flock, Forward Madison’s independent supporters’ group. She’d arrived on a Friday, so there wasn’t time to do much more before that Saturday’s game against Chattanooga.

Instead, she went back to her hotel, took a nap, and got ready for the match.

With game time nearing, Nathalie put on her new jersey, walked to the Avenue Club, and found a pre-match party layered thickly with pink and blue. After spending so long rooting in solitude, suddenly there were hundreds of Forward Madison fans swimming around her eyes. At around 6 p.m., The Flock began marching, and Nathalie joined them as they flowed toward the stadium, singing, chanting, waving homemade banners and turning the heads of nearly anyone they passed.

“The passion is put out there in such a positive manner, that’s really what I will take with me back home,” Durgnat said. “As long as you give everything you have for the team, they will welcome you with open arms.”

At last, Nathalie’s stream of fans reached the stadium, and now there were thousands, a sea of people in all assortments of brightly-colored FMFC paraphernalia spilling out of the sidestreets, the sun’s reflection glinting off their faces. Music reverberated from loudspeakers, and players, distracted from their warm-ups, looked up to see The Flock coursing across the sideline to their stand behind the east-end goal.

A few minutes before kickoff, Kuba Krzyzostaniak, Forward Madison’s Director of Digital Media, pulled Nathalie aside and asked her to come out onto the pitch. Holding her scarf high over her head, Nathalie beamed as she was introduced to the crowd.

Once the match was underway, Nathalie joined in with The Flock, singing songs she had only heard previously on TV. Despite a 22-hour journey, the atmosphere was so contagious that, she later said, there was never a chance she would have stopped for a rest.

“I didn’t know how I would feel in terms of jet lag or no jet lag, but I really felt the energy of everyone singing, and it got me singing as well,” Durgnat said. “You will not hear it because it’s going to be a written interview, but my voice is cracking up. I didn’t think I could sing and dance around the whole game, but I did. I felt really alive”

Madison scored first in the 20th minute, when Connor Tobin, fulfilling the half-promise he had made to Nathalie the night before, headed home a ball off a corner kick. Pandemonium ensued, arms shooting into the air like fireworks. FMFC had scored first only three times in 15 USL League One matches up to that point, and the joy it brought seemed unbridled as Breese Stevens Field exploded with exhilaration. 

Nathalie, too, was enraptured by the celebrations. By this time, she had worked her way up to the front of the supporters’ section, and it wasn’t long before she was invited up to the capo stand to lead the fans in chants.

Although Chattanooga equalized late in the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Nathalie said her favorite moment occurred right at the end, when her and the other supporters rose into full voice to push the players on.

“The end of the game, from the 90th minute up until the end of additional time, The Flock kept singing, ‘Madison, Madison,’ and every single player came to shake hands, to thank the supporters for never giving up,” she said. “They never gave up on the field, we never gave up in the stands, and this kind of communion – like, they know we gave everything, we know they gave everything, and even though the three points weren’t there, everyone did our best.”

Afterwards, when the high-fives were over and the night looked finished, there was still one more surprise in store for Nathalie. She made her way over to the players’ entrance, looking for goalkeeper Ryan Coulter, whom she had wanted a photo with to show to a friend back home.

When she found him and explained what she was doing, Coulter told her to wait up. He doubled back to the locker room, and a minute later, emerged with a pair of cleats and a Sharpie in hand.   

For Nathalie, Coulter’s autographed boots were the icing on the cake, a final present to bring home along with a trove of happy memories. In fact, she said, it was one of the best nights of her life.

Just months ago, Nathalie Durgnat was a disaffected devotee of European soccer, someone who had been through the highs and lows of fandom, but felt it had lost its sense of authenticity. Now, in the calm darkness of a July night in Wisconsin, holding a pair of sweaty shoes in her hands, that old feeling had returned with a kind of intensity she could not have dreamed of.

Nathalie had fallen in love with soccer again.

“It was really amazing,” she said. “I had such a great time and I was with such a great bunch of people, having fun, supporting the team. To me, that’s what soccer is all about.”

Once the match was underway, Nathalie joined in with The Flock, singing songs she had only heard previously on TV. Despite a 22-hour journey, the atmosphere was so contagious that, she later said, there was never a chance she would have stopped for a rest.

“I didn’t know how I would feel in terms of jet lag or no jet lag, but I really felt the energy of everyone singing, and it got me singing as well,” Durgnat said. “You will not hear it because it’s going to be a written interview, but my voice is cracking up. I didn’t think I could sing and dance around the whole game, but I did. I felt really alive”

Madison scored first in the 20th minute, when Connor Tobin, fulfilling the half-promise he had made to Nathalie the night before, headed home a ball off a corner kick. Pandemonium ensued, arms shooting into the air like fireworks. FMFC had scored first only three times in 15 USL League One matches up to that point, and the joy it brought seemed unbridled as Breese Stevens Field exploded with exhilaration. 

Nathalie, too, was enraptured by the celebrations. By this time, she had worked her way up to the front of the supporters’ section, and it wasn’t long before she was invited up to the capo stand to lead the fans in chants.

Although Chattanooga equalized late in the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Nathalie said her favorite moment occurred right at the end, when her and the other supporters rose into full voice to push the players on.

“The end of the game, from the 90th minute up until the end of additional time, The Flock kept singing, ‘Madison, Madison,’ and every single player came to shake hands, to thank the supporters for never giving up,” she said. “They never gave up on the field, we never gave up in the stands, and this kind of communion – like, they know we gave everything, we know they gave everything, and even though the three points weren’t there, everyone did our best.”

Afterwards, when the high-fives were over and the night looked finished, there was still one more surprise in store for Nathalie. She made her way over to the players’ entrance, looking for goalkeeper Ryan Coulter, whom she had wanted a photo with to show to a friend back home.

When she found him and explained what she was doing, Coulter told her to wait up. He doubled back to the locker room, and a minute later, emerged with a pair of cleats and a Sharpie in hand.   

For Nathalie, Coulter’s autographed boots were the icing on the cake, a final present to bring home along with a trove of happy memories. In fact, she said, it was one of the best nights of her life.

Just months ago, Nathalie Durgnat was a disaffected devotee of European soccer, someone who had been through the highs and lows of fandom, but felt it had lost its sense of authenticity. Now, in the calm darkness of a July night in Wisconsin, holding a pair of sweaty shoes in her hands, that old feeling had returned with a kind of intensity she could not have dreamed of.

Nathalie had fallen in love with soccer again.

“It was really amazing,” she said. “I had such a great time and I was with such a great bunch of people, having fun, supporting the team. To me, that’s what soccer is all about.”

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on July 27 vs Orlando City B. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at:https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.