Forward Madison take down 9-man Fuego to keep pace in race for league lead

MADISON, Wis. -- A back-and-forth match at Breese Stevens Field Wednesday ended with Central Valley Fuego being reduced to nine men, while Forward Madison won 2-1 to keep pace at the top of the table.

Wednesday's match was a make-up after Fuego's previous visit to Madison was halted by rain. That match was tied at 1-1 with roughly 30 minutes played but, because of when the match was stopped, Wednesday's match started as a fresh slate.

The match was a chippy one, with end-to-end action and tough challenges. Neither side was able to establish a firm advantage in possession during the first half, but the Mingos were able to gain an advantage on the scoreboard in the 38th minute.

Jacob Crull worked the ball about as close to the endline as you can get without going out of play. He then served up an inch-perfect cross to Christian Chaney who nodded the ball past Fuego keeper Carlos Avilez at the near post for the 1-0 lead.

The visitors did not take that goal lying down. Just five minutes into the second half, Javier Mariona was able to rip a shot from just outside the six-yard box that screamed past Bernd Schipmann and brought the score to 1-1. It was the 19-year-old's first professional goal.

From there, both squads committed heavier numbers forward to try and take the lead. That created a good opportunity on the counterattack, one that Forward Madison took.

In the 66th minute, Wolfgang Prentice found a wide open passing lane in the Fuego box. He played the ball on the ground right to the foot of Devin Boyce, who had no problem tapping in the goal to take the 2-1 lead.

The Mingos found themselves in an even better position in the 78th minute. A harsh challenge earned Fuego center back Razak Cromwell a yellow card, his second of the half, which meant he was sent off.

With the man advantage, the Mingos could sit back and allow the clock to run out. However, they continued working forward and drew another foul on the edge of the Fuego box during stoppage time. Fuego defender Clayton Torr was shown a yellow card after the foul, his second of the half, and his squad was reduced to nine men.

That was the last big moment of the match as the full-time whistle gave Forward Madison a 2-1 win.

In total both teams combined for 34 fouls, with Fuego committing 18. The man advantage helped Forward Madison eventually dominate the possession battle as they eventually wound up with nearly 60% possession.

The Mingos also dominated in the shot department, sending 5 balls on target compared to Fuego's 2.

The Mingos remain within the top three of USL League One, tied on points with first place Union Omaha and second place Greenville Triumph. Union Omaha has only played 10 matches while Grenville has played 12 and Madison has played 11.

Forward Madison will look to continue their success on Saturday when they host Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Halftime of Wednesday's match saw Forward Madison honor longtime star Eric Leonard, who is retiring from soccer. An original Mingo, Leonard helped the team to a playoff berth in their first season and stuck around through the COVID-19 pandemic, moving to Chicago Fire FC II in 2022.

Leonard was -- until only recently -- the Mingos' all-time appearance leader with 100 appearances across all competitions.

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