Madison, WI – In a thrilling rescheduled match between Central Valley Fuego FC and Forward Madison FC, both teams put on a display of grit and determination in front of a lively crowd at Breese Stevens Field.
The match began with both teams showing strong defensive setups, but it didn’t take long for the tensions to rise. In the 29th minute, Central Valley Fuego’s José Carrera-García received a yellow card for a reckless foul, setting the tone for a fiercely contested game.
Forward Madison capitalized on their momentum in the 38th minute when Christian Chaney found the back of the net with an assist from J. Crull, giving Madison a 1-0 lead.
Central Valley Fuego made two strategic substitutions at halftime in an attempt to turn the tide. R. Mendiola replaced J. Carrera-García, and A. Midence came on for S. John-Brown. The adjustments paid off early in the second half. In the 50th minute, Javier Mariona scored for Fuego, assisted by A. Midence, leveling the score at 1-1.
However, the physical nature of the match continued to escalate. Madison’s Stephen Payne was shown a yellow card in the 54th minute for a reckless offense, and just three minutes later, Fuego’s Razak Cromwell received a yellow card for a tactical foul.
Madison’s coach made a triple substitution in the 59th minute, bringing on W. Prentice, G. McLaughlin, and F. Sousa to inject fresh energy into the squad. This tactical change proved effective as Devin Boyce scored Madison’s second goal in the 66th minute, with an assist from W. Prentice.
Fuego continued to battle hard, but their discipline began to falter. Clayton Torr received a yellow card in the 75th minute for a reckless offense, and just three minutes later, Razak Cromwell was sent off with a red card for another reckless foul, reducing Fuego to 10 men.
Despite being a man down, Fuego pushed for an equalizer but faced more disciplinary issues. In the 88th minute, Madison’s Ferrety Sousa was shown a yellow card for a tactical foul, followed by a flurry of cards in added time. Issa Yaya and Christian Chaney were both booked for arguing in the 91st and 92nd minutes, respectively, and Clayton Torr received a second yellow and subsequent red card in the 93rd minute, further reducing Fuego to nine men.
In the dying moments of the match, Fuego’s Alfredo Midence was shown a yellow card for a reckless offense in the 97th minute, capping off a tumultuous game filled with cards and intense action. Forward Madison FC emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over Central Valley Fuego FC in a match that was as dramatic as it was intense. Madison’s ability to capitalize on their opportunities and maintain composure amid the chaos proved crucial in securing the three points.
Javier Mariona:
“We should’ve gotten more out of it, we battled the whole 90 minutes, we really fought and left everything on the field and to not come away with at least one point is a super tough pill to swallow.”
Chris Heckenberg:
“I think it wasn’t the fastest start but we came out better in the second half. However you kind of shoot yourself in the foot if you get two red cards. We did it to ourselves a little bit, they capitalized and we didn’t, it was just unlucky in the end.”
Coach Jermaine Jones:
“You know, it was a good game for both teams. We make two individual mistakes where we are stepping out and they punish us on the break. But I think til the 1-1, when we scored, we were in the game, we hit the post and when we hit that in it was a completely different game. So that is something we need to learn from and next game is already in a couple of days. Now we have to figure it out cause we have a couple of red cards, and we need to see what we can put together.”
About Central Valley Fuego FC:Established in 2002, Central Valley Fuego FC is the region’s sole professional soccer club. Competing in USL League One, the club made its professional debut in April 2022. In 2024, all home matches will be hosted at Fresno State Soccer Stadium. Central Valley Fuego FC is dedicated to uniting the community through the love of soccer. For more information, visit www.fuegofc.com
