May 9, 2023 – United Soccer League One (USL1) – Forward Madison FC News Release
After a long 10 days matchless, Forward Madison will finally return to the pitch. After a 0-0 draw against One Knoxville, Forward Madison transitions into another road matchup against current USL League One frontrunners, North Carolina FC, on Saturday night at 6pm CT.
Undefeated, Forward Madison enters Saturday’s match remaining in 9th place, but with fewer games played this season than all but one USL League One squad. North Carolina sits in 1st place after a big win, gaining three important points against Central Valley Fuego in Fresno this past Saturday to secure the first place position in the standings. While Forward Madison may be the underdogs according to the standings, their undefeated record states otherwise.
Coaches and USL League One 2022 Records:
Forward Madison FC (1-0-4)
Head Coach: Matt Glaeser
North Carolina FC (5-1-1)
Head Coach: John Bradford
Key Players to Watch:
Forward Madison
Bernd Shipmann: Standing as the 4th ranked goalkeeper by number of saves and 2nd ranked goalkeeper by number of clean sheets out of 16 in USL League One, Shipmann has had no trouble making a name for himself during his first season in USL League One. After only giving up two goals on the season, earning multiple Team of the Week recognitions, and earning Mingo of the Match in three of the five USL League One games, there is no doubt that Shipmann will be an essential part to the Mingo’s defense on Saturday.
Derek Gebhard: Gebhard was all over the left side of the pitch last week against One Knoxville, creating much of the Flamingos best attacking chances in the game. He is expected to return to the starting line up this Saturday and continue to pose problems for opposing defenses.
Mitch Osmond: After being out due to an illness, Osmond is expected to be back on the pitch on Saturday. With his leadership and strength in the back, Osmond has proven to be a key factor to the Flamingos defense that is statistically in the top third of the league.
Key Match Up:
Christian Chaney vs. Rafael Mentzingen
Christian Chaney, Forward Madison’s leading goal scorer, will go head-to-head against the top goal scorer in the league in Mentzingen. Both Clubs will look to get their prized strikers on the scoresheet early and often in this matchup.
Keys to the Match:
Capitalizing on Set Piece Opportunities: While set piece opportunities have been important in past games, they will be very prevalent for the…