WINDSOR, Colo. — Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC will take one last shot at glory when they face Forward Madison FC in Saturday’s USL Jägermeister Cup Final.
“It’s going to be the first piece of silverware for either team,” Hailstorm head coach Éamon Zayed said. “With that, there’s obviously a lot of excitement but also this kind of nervous energy, so we’re just trying to keep the guys focused.”
The Final will be the first in club history for Hailstorm, who got as far as the semifinals in the USL League One playoffs in 2023.
“Obviously a lot of pressure on the game with silverware on the line, but we’ve prepared really well this week and we feel good going in,” Hailstorm defender Johnny Fenwick said.
Hailstorm are unbeaten to this point in the USL Jägermeister Cup, with seven wins and two draws in nine matches. They also boast the Cup’s two leading scorers in Bruno Rendon and Ethan Hoard, who have combined to find the back of the net 14 times, more than all but one other team in the tournament.
“Madison are a defensively well-organized team, and I expect them to continue playing the way they do,” Zayed said.
Their defensive stability has led to Madison conceding just nine goals across nine matches in Cup competition, and only more than one goal in a match twice.
The only meeting between the clubs this season resulted in a 1-0 Hailstorm win in USL League One play courtesy of a Billy King goal in the second minute.
“We’re going to be focused for the full 90 minutes, whether the goal comes early or late,” Fenwick said.
Hailstorm and Madison kick off at 7 p.m. Mountain time Saturday at 4Rivers Equipment Stadium.
The Forecast: Hailstorm Prepare for USL Jägermeister Cup Final
