The Kickoff: Thursday, Aug. 1

Your roundup of soccer news across Wisconsin and beyond

Wisconsin Soccer Central

Aug 01, 2024

Marisa Bova (Hartland Arrowhead) stopped the only shot on goal she faced for her first clean sheet as a professional as the North Carolina Courage blanked reigning Liga MX Femenil champion Monterey 3-0 Wednesday night in a Group E finale of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The Courage won’t know if they win the group until after tonight’s game between Racing Louisville and the Orlando Pride; only the four best group winners advance to Tuesday’s semifinals.

Olympics

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Korbin Albert, a former FC Milwaukee Torrent player, scored her first goal for the U.S. women’s national team in a 2-1 victory over Australia in a group stage finale on Wednesday night in Marseille, France. Albert’s strike from the top of the D into the upper left side of the goal in the 77th minute proved to be the game-winner after the Aussies scored in second-half stoppage time — she is the first player in USWNT history to score her first career goal in the Olympics. The 20-year-old Albert came on in the 65th minute for Gotham FC midfielder Rose Lavelle (UW), who served in the corner kick that eventually led to Trinity Rodman opening the scoring for the U.S. in the 43rd minute. The U.S. (3-0-0) won Group B and will face Group C runner-up Japan (2-1-0) in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. CT Saturday. Watch the highlights on YouTube, as NBC blocked the ability to embed them on this site.

Professional

In Australia, Haley Johnson (Kenosha Tremper/UW-Milwaukee) and the Preston Lions face the Bulleen Lions in the 12th Nike FC Cup final on Sunday at The Home of the Matildas in Melbourne. The knockout tournament started with 98 clubs from across the state of Victoria, in the southeast of Australia. Johnson has 21 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions for Preston, which is seeking its first cup championship. Bulleen (15-3-1), which won the Nike FC Cup in 2014, leads the NPL Victoria Women's by six points over Preston and the Essendon Royals (13-5-1). Bulleen beat Preston 2-0 on May 17, and the teams meet again eight days after the cup final. The final will be streamed live on the Football Victoria YouTube channel starting at 11:30 p.m. CT Saturday.
According to a report by Tom Bogert of GIVEMESPORT, LaLiga2 side CD Castellón have had multiple transfer offers turned down by USL Championship club Charleston Battery for striker Nick Markanich, who played for the Green Bay Voyageurs in USL League Two and appeared in some friendlies with Forward Madison FC. Markanich, 24, leads the Championship with 19 goals in 22 appearances (21 starts) this season.
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.

College

Two state women’s teams kick off their 2024 seasons in the next few days with their exhibition openers: UW plays host to St. Thomas (Minn.) at 1 p.m. Friday at the McClimon Complex, while UW-Milwaukee welcomes DePaul to Engelmann Stadium for a 4 p.m. match Saturday.
The UW men’s and women’s teams are each scheduled to make one appearance on BTN this fall, both against Big Ten Conference newcomer UCLA. The men play host to the Bruins on Monday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m., while the women play at UCLA at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Youth clubs

The ECNL announced the formation of two new Pre-ECNL leagues for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. FC Wisconsin will field a U12 team in the Girls Pre-ECNL Lake Michigan League along with Chicago Inter, Evolution SC (Ill.), Indiana Elite FC, Libertyville FC (Ill.), Northwest Indiana Lions and the Rockford Raptors. Teams will play six league matches in Fall 2024 and six in Spring 2025.

Amateur

Standings

MIDWEST PREMIER LEAGUE
Heartland Conference
Division 1
W-L-T - Pts
RWB Adria Chicago 7-1-1 - 22
Bavarian United 6-2-2 - 20
Chicago House AC 6-2-1 - 19
DeKalb County United 3-5-2 - 11
Czarni Jaslo Chicago 2-7-1 - 7
🔽 Steel City FC 1-8-1 - 4
Last-place team relegated to Division 2 for 2025
8/3
RWB Adria vs. Chicago House

Division 2
W-L-T - Pts
🏆 🔼 AFC Roscoe 9-1-2 - 29
🔼 Green Bay Glory 8-4-0 - 24
Rockford FC 7-4-1 - 22
Edgewater Castle 5-3-3 - 18
Chicago Ghost 3-6-3 - 12
Berber City 2-7-2 - 8
Strikers Fox Valley 1-10-1 - 4
Top two teams promoted to Division 1 for 2025
8/2
Edgewater Castle vs. Berber City

Schedules

WISCONSIN CUP
At Woodside Sports Complex, Wisconsin Dells
Final 8/3
Superior City FC vs. FC Milwaukee Torrent, 2 p.m.

WSL WISCONSIN CHALLENGE CUP
At Woodside Sports Complex, Wisconsin Dells
Men
Semifinals 8/3
Lobos FC (Wisconsin Primary Amateur Soccer League) vs. FC Wisconsin Brewers (Milwaukee Premier League), 11 a.m.
PHFC (Madison Soccer Association) vs. Member FC (Northern Wisconsin Soccer League), 11 a.m.
Final 8/3
Semifinal winners, 4:30 p.m.
Third-place game 8/3
Semifinal losers, 4 p.m.
Women
Final 8/3
Milwaukee City AFC vs. Isthmus City FC, 2 p.m.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN SOCCER LEAGUE
NOAL MESSOU CUP
Semifinals 8/3
No. 2 Mach IV vs. No. 5 Neenah Boom
No. 3 Lakeshore United vs. No. 4 DC Express
Final 8/4
Semifinal winners

High school

2024 WIAA boys soccer key dates

Earliest day for practices: Monday, Aug. 19
Earliest day for games: Tuesday, Aug. 27
Regionals: Oct. 22 and 26 (Divisions 1 and 2); Oct. 22, 24 and 26 (Divisions 3 and 4)
Sectional semifinals: Thursday, Oct. 31
Sectional finals: Saturday, Nov. 2
43rd WIAA state tournament: Nov. 7-9 at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee