Match Preview: Forward Madison FC vs North Carolina FC
September 12, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Forward Madison FC News Release
Forward Madison FC stays at home to prepare for a match against North Carolina FC on Saturday, September 17th at 5:00 pm CT. The USL League One match will kick off at Breese Stevens Field, in Madison, Wisconsin. The last time the ‘Mingos took on North Carolina, on August 24th, the match resulted in a 0-0 draw.
The Flamingos will play their second consecutive match at home following a 2-5 loss to the Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on September 10th. Mélé Temguia scored his first goal of the season against Chattanooga, while Mikey Maldonado tallied a goal and earned USL League One Team of the Week Honors. Next up for the ‘Gos is a trip to California to take on Central Valley Fuego FC on Wednesday, September 21st at 9:30 pm CT.
North Carolina heads to Wisconsin after a 4-1 loss to the Hailstorm on September 3rd. Looking ahead for NCFC, they’ll travel to Arizona to take on FC Tucson on September 20th.
Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records:
Forward Madison FC (7-11-7)
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
North Carolina FC (6-5-12)
Head Coach: John Bradford
Key Players to Watch:
Forward Madison
Raiko Arozarena: Arozarena has had some of his best matches of the season against North Carolina FC. The Cuban goalie has recorded a clean sheet and allowed only two goals in two matches against NCFC. Coming off a tough game against Chattanooga, the 25-year-old looks to bounce back and provide another clean sheet for FMFC.
Alann Torres: The 18-year-old has been solid in the midfield since Alvin Jones went down with a hamstring injury. Torres holds the fifth best passing accuracy on the team (88%), while he has also contributed a lot defensively recently (18 tackles and five clearances on the year). Expect the Pink and Blue midfielder to see a key role creating chances on the counter while ultimately providing defensive solidity for the ‘Mingos.
Cyrus Rad: Cyrus Rad has been a rock in the Flamingos’ defense all season long. A unique challenges awaits Rad and the defense by the name of Garrett McLaughlin. McLaughlin has been on a tear as of late for FMFC, so expect the FMFC defense and Rad to pay special attention to shutting him down. On the flip side of the ball, expect Rad to play an integral role in getting the ball down the wing and provide service to the FMFC strikers.
Key Match Up:
Forward Madison FC Backline vs. North Carolina FC Backline
The key match up for this contest is the Forward Madison FC backline of Mitch Osmond, Cyrus Rad, Mele Temguia, and Cesar Murillo Jr. versus the North Carolina FC backline of Jordan Skelton, Gustavo Fernandes, Christian Lue Young, and Max Flick. The last two matches between these backlines have both been very close, as both squads have combined to allow a total of three goals in the prior two matches. North Carolina FC is currently tied in second-to-last with only 28 goals scored on the year. The Forward Madison backline will need to play aggressively in order to shut down North Carolina and control possession of the ball.
The other side of this matchup features a North Carolina FC backline that has allowed the second-most number of goals on the season (41). North Carolina’s backline is entering Saturday’s match following a 4-1 loss at the hands of Northern Colorado. Their backline will look to bounce back against Forward Madison after playing strongly defensively in the matches leading up to the Hailstorm match. If NCFC hopes to win against the Flamingos, they’ll need to shut down the FMFC strikers and prevent quick counter attacks.
Keys to the Match:
Record Quality Set Pieces – Forward Madison struggled from set pieces in the last match against North Carolina FC. The Flamingos recorded eight first half corner kicks and couldn’t log many quality chances off those set pieces. After recording a set piece goal against Chattanooga, Forward Madison will need to continue to work on its set piece opportunities to ensure they can record quality chances this time against NCFC.
Grab An Early Lead – With the boisterous Breese Stevens Field crowd behind them, an early lead is essential for FMFC. Momentum will be key in this matchup and if the Flamingos can take control of the match early on, the crowd’s energy should provide significant support in keeping the lead.
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