USL League One - Game 11
Forward Madison FC vs FC Tucson
Friday, June 7, 2019; 7:00 p.m. CT
Breese Stevens Field - Madison, WI

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Forward Madison FC has a huge chance to dig itself out of a hole Saturday night, as the Flamingos host FC Tucson at Breese Stevens Field at 7 p.m. (tickets available here). FMFC has lost four straight games in USL League One, meaning it needs to start picking up points to remain within touching distance of the playoff race.

Still, although the ‘Mingos recent form has been poor, there’s reason to be optimistic about Saturday’s match. For the first time in over a month, Forward Madison did not play a midweek game, meaning the team comes in with eight days of rest. On the other side, FC Tucson is coming into the match after playing on the road in Orlando on Wednesday.

Speaking on “Let Me Be Forward” this week, Head Coach Daryl Shore said the extra time in training has given his team the opportunity to focus on cleaning up some of its recent problems.

“We’re playing well enough to at least get points out of these games,” Shore said. “We’ve got to get our confidence back. We’ve got to keep fighting and we’ve got to keep pushing each other. It’s one of those things where, if we can get on the scoresheet first, we feel like we’ve got a good chance to win.”

Saturday will also be a special night off the field, as Forward Madison celebrates the FIFA Women’s World Cup with its “Tribute to Women in Soccer” night. Fans who purchase a special ticket package before the Friday deadline will get access to an exclusive “Women in Soccer” pre-match panel, and FMFC will honor Madison native and two-time Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Tarpley in a pre-game ceremony.

FMFC comes into Saturday relatively injury-free, with midfielder Danny Tenorio approaching his full return from a preseason meniscus tear. Midfielder Josiel Núñez, however, is serving a suspension for the match due to his behavior during the Flamingos’ loss to Lansing Ignite.

FC Tucson, meanwhile, is currently riding a hot streak, sitting in fourth place in the USL League One table with a three-match unbeaten run. That being said, Tucson has been less than stellar on the road recently, having lost three of its past four away games. The Arizona team is owned by USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC, and will likely have several Rising players on loan for Saturday’s game.

According to Shore, it’s a difficult matchup for the Flamingos, but not an impossible one.

“They’re a team that’s going to come into Breese Stevens thinking they’re going to be playing against a team that’s on a little bit of a slide, so they’re going to have some confidence,” Shore said. “We’re not going to get discouraged.”

Following its match against FC Tucson, the Flamingos will line up for two more home games at Breese Stevens Field. FMFC will look to avenge previous losses to North Texas SC on Saturday, June 22, before hosting Minnesota United FC in a major exhibition game on June 25.

This weekend, though, all the focus is all on ending a stubborn losing streak for a league-leading home crowd.

“[We’ll] hopefully give our fans a reward for coming out,” Shore said. “They’ve been so great and supportive and it’s time that we pay homage to them with three points at home.”

Forward Madison FC’s inaugural season is here! The team will play its next home game on June 15 vs FC Tucson. Get tickets to see Forward Madison’s inaugural season at: https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.