Last weekend the USL's league cup competition kicked off for another season. The USL Cup pits USL Championship and League One sides against one another for a third trophy each club could win inside the USL. Opening with a four match group stage, it's extremely hard to advance in the Cup as only the group winner is guaranteed a place in the knockouts. Joining the seven group winners is a single wild card spot, given to the best performing second place team from all groups.
Last week: @ Lexington SC (USL Cup, Match One)
While Breese Stevens Field turf gets replaced the season opening road swing continued with a trip to USL Championship side Lexington SC as part of the USL Cup. As expected from the second division side, they controlled the match from the opening whistle and mostly dominated the first half. Eight shots with six going on target and near 60% possession for the Greens should have meant a half time lead, alas that was not the case at the break. The hosts scored first, but it took forty minutes to do so and even then during first half stoppage time, Madison responded. Directly off a corner from Collin McCamy, midfielder Aaron Edwards out himself in the perfect spot to score a diving header at 45+1' to send the match to half time at a level one-one scoreline.
After the break Lexington SC cleaned themselves up and proceeded to dominate the second half of play. The Greens knocked in two goals within five minutes of each other with Jacob Greene and Marcus Epps scoring in the 63rd and 68th minutes respectively to put the match to 3–1. Two minutes later, Xavier Zengue put Madison back in the match with an own goal. Zengue unwittingly headed a ball directly into goal after a Madison shot put it off the post and sent it on a trajectory to the 25 year old winger. Madison was not able to capitalise on the opportunity to draw and steal a point, rather Lexington put the death nail in with a stoppage time goal from striker Phillip Goodrum.
Up Next: @ Sarasota Paradise (USL1, Match 5)
Following the first USL Cup group stage match the 'Mingos are back to USL League One play this weekend. The boys in blue and pink head back to Florida for the second time this season. For the first time ever Forward Madison meets expansion side Sarasota Paradise, who've had a rough start to their inaugural campaign. Paradise are 1-0-4 (W-D-L) in their last five, with their only win coming against fellow USL1 expansion side Corpus Christi FC.
Forward Madison on the other hand are 1-1-3 in their last five and sit in sixth place in the league, even though they've played three less matches than the teams at the top. The biggest problem for the 'Mingos this year has been the ability to find the back of goal as they've scored only five goals in their four league matches. But their solid defence has made up for it, only losing a single match in league play this season.
