The Kickoff: Monday, July 22
A roundup of Wisconsin soccer news
Top of the box
Patrick Brimmer (Pewaukee Sussex United/Elmbrook United) played for Connecticut club FCNE in the Gothia Cup last week in Gothenburg, Sweden. The FCNE P1 team was one of 190 teams from 27 countries in the Boys 14 Division at the massive tournament. FCNE P1 won all three of their group matches without conceding a goal, then beat Swedish side Backatorp IF in the Round of 32 and England’s Midlands Independent Schools in the Round of 16 by identical 3-0 scorelines. They were eliminated 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw against Sweden’s Nacka FC in Friday’s quarterfinals. Brimmer had three assists on the week and converted his attempt in the shootout loss. In all, 1,911 teams from 72 nations played 4,822 matches in 24 divisions at the 48th Gothia Cup.
Professional
Bajung Darboe (Sun Prairie) came on in second-half stoppage time and ended up converting the winning penalty Saturday as LAFC2 topped the host Tacoma Defiance 5-3 in a shootout following a wild 4-4 draw in an MLS NEXT Pro match.
Follow all the players with state ties playing professionally in the U.S. and around the world on our Wisconsin Players in the Pros chart. If we've missed anyone, email us at wisconsinsoccercentral@gmail.com or connect with us on socials.
Youth clubs
Four state girls teams will play in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, which kick off Tuesday in Reunion, Fla.: North Shore United 10G Blue and Elmbrook United 10G Elite 64 in the 14U Division; Elmbrook United 09G Elite 64 in the 15U Division; and Madison 56ers 07G Elite 64 in the 17U Division.
14U Girls
North Shore United 10G Blue
7/23: PPA 2010 Green (Md.), 10:30 a.m.
7/24: KC Legends 2010 Academy Red (Kan.), 8:30 a.m.
7/25: Solar South 10G FDL Adames (Texas), 7 a.m.
Elmbrook United 10G Elite 64
7/23: Utah Soccer Alliance 10G Elite 64, 10:30 a.m.
7/24: BVB International Academy Pittsburgh 10G Premier, 8:30 a.m.
7/25: Nationals Union 10 Black (Mich.), 7 a.m.
15U Girls
Elmbrook United 09G Elite 64
7/23: Missouri Rush 2009G Goddard, 8:30 a.m.
7/24: Kononia Lady Fire 2009/10 (Tenn.), 7 a.m.
7/25: Cook Inlet SC 09 Elite (Alaska), 8:30 a.m.
17U Girls
Madison 56ers 07G Elite 64
7/23: EDA (Calif.), 12:30 p.m.
7/24: Aztec 2007 NAL (Mass.), 11 a.m.
7/25: Utah Surf 07 Hale, 12:30 p.m.
Schedules, results and standings
Amateur
In the Midwest Premier League, the Green Bay Glory beat Berber City 2-0 on Saturday night to clinch promotion to the Heartland Division 1 for the 2025 season. The Glory, whose men’s team is in their first season, join AFC Roscoe in moving up next year. The Division 2 title will be determined next weekend — Green Bay and AFC Roscoe meet next Sunday at the Banta Bowl in Appleton in a season finale. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. AFC Roscoe won the teams’ previous meeting 2-1 on June 8 in Illinois.
In MWPL Division 1, all six teams still have a lot to play for heading into the final two weeks of the season. RWB Adria Chicago are in the driver’s seat for the title after beating Bavarian United 3-0 on Friday night in Glendale — both teams are on 19 points, but the Illinois club has two matches remaining while the Bavarians have only one. Chicago House AC is just one point behind them in third and plays the Bavarians on Sunday in Glendale and RWB Adria on Aug. 3. Czarni Jaslo Chicago and Steel City FC, both 1-6-1, are in the relegation spots — they face off Tuesday, looking to surge past fourth-place DeKalb County United and keep their spot in the top division.
Standings
MIDWEST PREMIER LEAGUE
Heartland
Division 1
W-L-T - Pts
RWB Adria Chicago 6-1-1 - 19
Bavarian United 6-2-1 - 19
Chicago House AC 6-2-0 - 18
DeKalb County United 2-5-2 - 8
Czarni Jaslo Chicago 1-6-1 - 4
Steel City 1-6-1 - 4
Bottom two teams relegated to Division 2 for 2025
Division 2
W-L-T - Pts
x-AFC Roscoe 8-1-2 - 26
x-Green Bay Glory 8-2-0 - 24
Rockford FC 6-4-1 - 19
Edgewater Castle 5-3-3 - 18
Chicago Ghost 3-5-3 - 12
Berber City 2-7-2 - 8
Strikers Fox Valley 0-10-1 - 1
Top two teams promoted to Division 1 for 2025
x - clinched promotion
WISCONSIN SOCCER LEAGUES
MILWAUKEE PREMIER LEAGUE
Women's Division
W-L-T - Pts
North Shore United U23 5-0-2 - 17
Milwaukee Kickers 5-0-1 - 16
Milwaukee City AFC 2-4-0 - 6
Isthmus City FC 1-3-1 - 4
Croatian Eagles 0-5-0 - 0
Looking ahead
USASA NATIONAL AMATEUR CUP
At Northern Illinois Soccer Complex, DeKalb, Ill.
Semifinals 7/25
New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (N.Y.) vs. Tobacco Road FC (N.C.), 5:30 p.m.
FC Arizona vs. FC Milwaukee Torrent, 8 p.m.
Final 7/27
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
NISA INDEPENDENT CUP
Great Lakes Region
First round
Dakota Fusion 2:1 Vlora FC (Minn.)
Michigan Stars 0:1 Inter Detroit
Semifinals
United Stars Soccer Academy (Ohio) 1:2 Inter Detroit
FC Milwaukee Torrent 4:2 Dakota Fusion
Final
Inter Detroit vs. FC Milwaukee Torrent, details TBA
WISCONSIN CUP
At Woodside Sports Complex, Wisconsin Dells
Final 8/3
Superior City FC vs. FC Milwaukee Torrent, time TBA