00:00Back here at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium in Fort Wayne
00:02Where the hosts Fort Wayne FC
00:04Have welcomed in Ford Madison
00:06Their second meeting this season
00:09The first being a 1-1 draw on national television
00:11We welcome you in on ESPN Plus
00:13As we look at the starting line-up presented
00:15by Northeast Indiana Ford dealers
00:17Proud to support Fort Wayne FC
00:19And soccer throughout our community
00:20A lot of this match will come down to being connected
00:23Segbers and Torres have to manage the space between the lines
00:26You would love to give yourself some cushion here
00:28As the whistle sounds, and we are up and running from the roof.
00:32It's Fort Wayne and Forward Madison doing battle.
00:39It's the flip side for Forward Madison, though,
00:41a team that for so long looked so comfortably.
00:44Charlotte's been an absolute demon to deal with
00:47when they're playing on their home grounds.
00:50Then you look at the context of the game,
00:51and maybe there's a little bit more frustration
00:53as Rempel curls this one in!
00:56Punched over top, J.T. Harms activated for the first time this evening.
01:01Having himself quite a good year, Harms.
01:03Seven clean sheets now.
01:04He can thank his back line for helping him in that one.
01:07Always a team stack clean sheets.
01:10Tied for second in that regard in the league, behind only.
01:14Brent Shipman, who has eight.
01:15So, two teams that have done well at times this year
01:22to shut down their opponents on the defensive end.
01:25It's been a little wobbly at times this year for Fort Wayne.
01:27When you let one in, they've let in a couple.
01:29But this Madison team pretty stout consistently throughout the year.
01:38Look at numbers here.
01:43Madison all the way in dead last or first,
01:47however you want to look at it,
01:48when it comes to goals conceded with just 27.
01:53That's a pretty good tally.
01:54We're, what, 28 games, 29 games into the season?
01:58Yeah, this is number 29 today.
02:02Bulma rolls it back up top.
02:05Carmichael cutting inside.
02:07He can rip it from here.
02:08Harry down by Shipman.
02:10He wasn't able to collect it, though.
02:16There was spillage to be cleaned up.
02:18And Madison will go forward once again.
02:20Bulma goes down.
02:22No whistle from our head official.
02:29Dangerous foray there for Madison.
02:32Trying to make it into the playoffs in their first year in USL League 1.
02:36Having spent the past few years in League 2.
02:41That jump here in 2026.
02:43Healy.
02:46Trying to cut that one back inside for Boettcher.
02:48Gaffar gets through one defender.
02:51Gaffar goes down.
02:53Ref sees nothing in it.
02:55But he will see something in that challenge from Emerson Nieto.
03:02You thought maybe that touch got away from him, Khabir Gaffar.
03:05Sideways.
03:05So you see some teams play out of character.
03:08But then you also see some teams just play with that freedom,
03:11play with that ability to be decisive and adaptable.
03:15And it's going to be where that momentum is so real,
03:18that confidence is so real.
03:19Good turnover here from Fort Wayne.
03:20And it could be the last action here in the first half.
03:23Khabir Gaffar turns, lays it off to Healy.
03:29You've got to be careful that you don't just let the whistle sound here.
03:34Moussa.
03:36Looking ahead.
03:38And just a little bit too patient there from Fort Wayne.
03:420-0 will be your scoreline going into the halftime break.
03:47Eric, where do these two teams stand?
03:49Yeah, for forward Madison, I think they're defending relentlessly.
03:52I mean, they are putting themselves into positions
03:54where they are making that second and third tackle.
03:56They're making it extremely difficult for Fort Wayne.
03:58I think their outlets can possibly be for Fort Wayne this evening.
04:05There goes the whistle.
04:06And we are ready to go once again.
04:08And Eric, coming into this game,
04:10the conversation was about being chased
04:14and trying to stay ahead of the pack
04:16that's looking to gain some ground on you.
04:19And today we looked at those halftime results from some of these other matches.
04:23And honestly, the pursuants today have not exactly showed up in their best ways.
04:29Now, we will say Boise did get all three points, clinched a playoff spot.
04:34But they're trying to keep up with Madison.
04:37Now they'll see what they can do with the ball in their possession as Armas
04:42finds some open space.
04:44Nylinger across the middle!
04:46Awudor couldn't put it away!
04:47He was so open!
04:50Maybe at Tuma...
04:52Right in front of the Hive.
04:54Three Rivers Regiment stands.
04:57Javier Armas...
05:00Couldn't find Diaz.
05:02He was the closest man.
05:04Roman Torres, though, knocking it away.
05:10Shipman.
05:11Looking for a second assist.
05:13Has won this season.
05:16Thiago Diaz, whom is usually standing right in front of him,
05:20is the one who he was trying to get the ball to.
05:22So, in a way, it's still pretty standard procedure.
05:23He's just trying to pass it to his center back.
05:33Ball takes a bounce.
05:34Bulma.
05:35Has an option out wide.
05:37He's able to slip it into the middle.
05:38Torres, a dangerous man in these spots.
05:41Plays it to Ngubu.
05:42Claudel Ngubu!
05:44Strong hand from Burns Shipman!
05:47It's still active.
05:51Armas...
05:51Able to collect that cutting pass.
05:56And the first real save in this game for Shipman.
06:00Keeps it nil-nil.
06:06That is huge from Shipman, and obviously we continue to celebrate his 100th appearance,
06:11but make it big plays to keep this at nil-nil.
06:15Boma.
06:21Boma.
06:23Awador.
06:24Able to swerve over to the right-hand side.
06:26Far on to Awador with the service.
06:28And it's off the post!
06:30Follow-up!
06:31Takes a clipping!
06:32That here.
06:37Edwards.
06:39Once again launches it into the 18.
06:41This one turned towards goal!
06:44Did it touch Shipman, or did it go off the crossbar?
06:47They're going to see another corner.
06:51Well, he does just that.
06:53He replicates it.
06:54He replicates the chaos.
06:55With that throw, you get the numbers.
06:57You get the first player dragging the attention,
07:00but also trying to make a play there.
07:03Over 10 corner kicks today for forward Madison.
07:06This one will be taken by Genny Kanjane.
07:1025-year-old left back.
07:12Drills it low!
07:13It had some promise to it as it was turned along.
07:16More wealth management corner kick.
07:19Roman Torres.
07:20What can he do with it?
07:22This is the 12th one in this match for forward Madison.
07:26But back across goal!
07:28Not it down!
07:29Booted away by Diyash!
07:36Awador.
07:37These two teams drill in their first meeting 1-1.
07:42That one, you look at the numbers, pretty well split.
07:46And in round number 2, the margins continue to be slim.
07:50Nil-nil your final score here between forward Madison and Ford Wade.
07:54Tightly contested and I think well-deserved point apiece.
07:59Thank you.
08:00Thank you.
