WINDSOR, Colo. — With the second seed in the USL League One playoffs on the line, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC will host Forward Madison FC for the final regular season match of the 2024 season.
Hailstorm enter the match a point behind Madison in third place in the USL League One table, meaning a win, and only a win, would take them ahead of the ‘Mingos into second place, guaranteeing them home-field advantage in a potential semifinal match.
“For me it’s going to be an exciting game because we might as well go for broke. It’s either win or lose, a draw is no good for us,” Hailstorm head coach Éamon Zayed said.
Zayed emphasized the need to score goals, something Hailstorm have done seven times in their last three matches, with six different goal scorers in that stretch.
This will be the third high-impact matchup in Windsor between the clubs in the last year, as Hailstorm knocked Madison out of the 2023 USL League One playoffs with a 4-1 win and took home a victory on penalties, and the club’s first trophy, in the USL Jägermeister Cup Final last month.
“I have no doubt that after the Jägermeister Cup game, this was the game they were looking forward to playing and trying to make amends,” Zayed said.
Hailstorm and Madison kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday at 4Rivers Equipment Stadium.