The Kickoff: Saturday, July 20
A recap of Wisconsin soccer news and updates
What is this?
Honestly, I’m not sure what this is. Let’s make a run and see if something develops.
Friday’s news recap
The FC Wisconsin RL B07/06 team finished as ECNL Boys Regional League national runners-up, falling to Missouri's St. Louis Scott Gallagher on penalties after a 0-0 draw in Friday morning's final in Glen Allen, Va. The Nationals went 11-0-4 against ECNL Regional League opposition this year.
Javier Steinwascher, UW-Parkside’s Jamie Le Comte (Madison College), UW-Milwaukee’s Angel Gongora (Appleton North/Madison College) and Juan Lopez scored as FC Milwaukee Torrent doubled up the Dakota Fusion 4-2 at Hart Park in Wauwatosa to advance to the final of the NISA Independent Cup Great Lakes Region tournament. The Torrent will face Inter Detroit in the final, details TBD.
Bavarian United SC dropped its USL League Two playoff debut, falling to the Des Moines Menace 2-0 in a Central Conference quarterfinal Friday afternoon in Peoria, Ill. The Menace (10-1-2) scored in the 82nd and 89th minutes to pull out the late victory over the Bavarians (6-4-3). Watch the replay
Purdue striker Kayla Budish (Brookfield Central) and FC Pride lost to the defending champion Charlotte Eagles 2-0 in the WPSL Championship semifinals Friday night in Stillwater, Okla. Budish had four goals and an assist in four playoff matches for the Pride (8-2-4). Watch the replay
According to recent reports in Italy, Serie B club Brescia is interested in striker Andrija Novakovich (Muskego). The 27-year-old had six goals and one assist in 38 appearances (34 starts) for Calcio Lecco 1912 in Serie B last season, on loan from Venezia — which was promoted to Serie A for the 2024-2025 season.
Professional
Forward Madison FC plays host to Lexington SC in a USL Jägermeister Cup match tonight at Breese Stevens Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. While nothing will be finalized today, the Flamingos likely need a win or at the very least a tie and a victory in the penalty-kick shootout to stay in the race for the Group 2 title. (The three group winners and the team with the most goals scored earn semifinal berths.)
Lexington beat visiting FMFC 1-0 in their first cup match April 28 despite being down to nine players after two red cards, scoring a stoppage-time winner. But when the teams met in a league match June 1 at Breese, Forward Madison scored three times in the opening 20 minutes and cruised to a 4-1 victory.
Amateur
WISCONSIN SOCCER LEAGUES
MILWAUKEE PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Major Division
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Bavarian United received bye
No. 4 Croatian Eagles 0:1 No. 5 Milwaukee Sport Club
No. 3 United Serbian 1:3 No. 6 Honduras FC
No. 2 FC Wisconsin Brewers received bye
Semifinals 7/21
Bavarian United (8-3-1) vs. Milwaukee Sport Club (5-8-0)
FC Wisconsin Brewers (8-3-1) vs. Honduras FC (4-6-3)
Final 7/27
Semifinal winners
First Division
Quarterfinals 7/14
Gold group
No. 1 Bavarian United 3:0 No. 4 Polonia SC
No. 2 Croatian Eagles 1:2 No. 3 MKE Inferno
Green group
No. 1 MKE Crush 5:1 No. 4 MKE Serbians
No. 2 Wolves FC 1:1 (5:4 pen) No. 3 FC Wisconsin Brewers
Semifinals 7/21
Gold group
No. 1 Bavarian United (13-1-1) vs. No. 3 MKE Inferno (6-5-4)
Green group
No. 1 MKE Crush (14-2-0) vs. No. 2 Wolves FC (12-2-2)
Final 7/27
Semifinal winners
WISCONSIN PRIMARY AMATEUR SOCCER LEAGUE
Playoffs
Semifinals 7/21
NRFC Cyclones (9-1-0) vs. Union Eau Claire FC (6-2-2)
Lobos FC (8-1-1) vs. Poskin Jets FC (4-6-0)
Final 7/28
At highest remaining seed
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.
WISCONSIN CUP
Final 8/3
Superior City FC vs. FC Milwaukee Torrent in Wisconsin Dells, time TBD
Linking play
A proposed expansion of an ethanol plant in Monroe would eliminate city soccer fields at Honey Creek Park (The Monroe Times)
Set aside some time to read this incredible story. A double life: The cocaine kingpin who hid as a professional soccer player (Washington Post)
These are the first two parts of a three-part series. Major changes coming to college soccer amid fallout from NCAA lawsuit and How the House v. NCAA lawsuit may cut some college soccer rosters in half (SoccerWire)