Vermont Green fans share their love for the team at last home practice
Vermont Green fans share messages to the team while watching the team’s final practice at Virtue Field on Wednesday, July 29.
For postgame coverage, click HERE
Vermont Green FC men’s team is one win away from securing back-to-back USL League Two titles. All the Green need to do is beat the most storied team in the league — the Flint City Bucks — who have won a league-leading four titles on the road. The Bucks most recent title came in 2019.
The Green have been the league’s top team all season long with a prolific offense that has scored 83 goals in 18 games. In the playoffs the offense has been just a potent with a +18 goal differential in four games. Vermont is seeking to become the league’s first back-to-back winner since the Cape Cod Crusaders did it 23 years ago.
Read on below for live updates from the match. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST. The most recent in-game updates will be displayed at the top.
Final: Vermont Green 2, Flint City 1
That’s it! Vermont Green FC men’s team successfully defend its USL League Two title with a second straight undefeated season! The players run over to celebrate with the fans who made the trip! Bringing Vermont traditions to Michigan!
92nd minute: Vermont Green 2, Flint City 1
Green goalie Seth Wilson, corrals a slow roller in stoppage time in what could be one of the Bucks last chances for an equalizer.
89th minute: Vermont Green 2, Flint City 1
Flint City may have gotten one of its last chances with a corner kick. The shot goes high and out of play. There are 5 minutes of stoppage time.
83rd minute: Vermont Green 2, Flint City 1
Andrew Millar and Andrea Di Blasio replace Vermont’s goal scorers Ryan Zellefrow and Diego Rosas. Seven minutes and stoppage time away from another trophy!
75th minute: Vermont Green 2, Flint City 1
Ryan Zellefrow buries a penalty kick into the bottom left-hand corner giving Vermont the lead.
David Ajagbe immediately made an impact, countering up the field and drawing the penalty. Ajagbe’s speed forces Steven Clark to come out of the box countering and tackling Ajagbe. Clark picks up a yellow card and the refs award a penalty kick.
73rd minute: Vermont Green 1, Flint City 1
David Ajagbe comes onto the field in place of Jeremy Francou.
64th minute: Vermont Green 1, Flint City 1
As quickly as Vermont gets on the board, Flint City responds. Matthew Paiva drills a header into the back of the net. Ellis Jones, who committed the own-goal, picks up the assist with a pass via his head.
62nd minute: Vermont Green 1, Flint City 0
A mistake goes in favor of Vermont with Flint City commits an own goal. Diego Rosas was the last Green player to touch the ball and he has been the team’s best player so far!
59th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Vermont’s leading scorer Jeremy Francou had a great look sending a cross just a wide of the teammate he was aiming for. Flint City making a pair of subs.
57th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
The Green earn back-to-back corner kicks, but Steven Clark jumps up to catch the ball before any Vermont player can get a touch on it. Flint City comes up with another stop.
52nd minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Looks like the Green made a substitution at halftime bringing in Samson Kpardeh and he picked up a yellow card after accidentally kicking a Flint City player in the face.
50th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Vermont Green capitalizes on a bad pass on a quick counter. Flint City is able to recover leading to a corner kick, but the Green come up empty. Bucks goalie Steven Clark ends the sequence with a diving save on Xavi O’Neil’s shot.
48th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Vermont Green gets its best look of the night a few minutes into the half. Hard to tell who touched the ball last.
Halftime: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
For the first time this postseason, Vermont is held scoreless in the first half. The Green have controlled most of the possession so far. Not many great looks for either team in the first half.
45th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
There will be one minute of stoppage time.
33rd minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Diego Rosas has been the Green’s best player so far generating shots on net for corner kick opportunities. Rosas sends Vermont’s third corner kick long and the Green aren’t able to get a shot on goal.
29th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Flint City’s Carles Zomeno picked up a yellow card after a tackle on Efe Aror on the Bucks’ defensive side of the field.
26th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Flint City makes a defensive stand thwarting a Vermont corner kick and ensuing play.
23rd minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Flint City records its first shot towards goal, but the shot sails high for a goal kick.
19th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Diego Rosas sends a shot to the box, but it is blocked out of play setting up the Green for their first corner of the game. Flint City heads away the Green’s corner kick.
12th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Different game so far for the Green who have not been able to find an early goal in within the first 10 minutes.
8th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Vermont Green gets its first shot on goal from the far side, forcing Steven Clark, the Bucks goalie, to make a save.
6th minute: Vermont Green 0, Flint City 0
Vermont Green have set a couple of balls towards goal and Flint City’s 40-year-old keeper Steven Clark, but no good shot chances yet.
The USL League Two final is now underway
Vermont Green gets the game started with a pass backwards from an overcast and slighly rainy Flint, Michigan.
USL League Two final stream is back online
If you are watching the USL League Two final from SportsEnginePlay, the video feed is back up and running. The captains from each team have just shook hands as the starters are lining up on the field.
It does appear the SportsEnginePlay stream is slightly (roughly 30-40 seconds) ahead from the stream on WCAX.
USL League Two knows about the streaming issue
According to a statement posted on the SportsEnginePlay live stream, the league is aware of internet issues and is pivoting to a back up plan that was prepared for.
Vermont Green FC starting lineup
Jeremy Francou, Xavi O’Neil, Ryan Zellefrow, Diego Rosas, Connor Miller, Efe Aror, Nikos Clarke-Tosczak, Nicholas McHenry, Brandon Marshall, Trym Linberg, Seth Wilson.
Of note, since I wrote a Will Sawin feature story, Sawin is not listed on the Green’s game day roster.
A USL League Two final pregame show is now airing
Fans don’t need to wait till 7:30 p.m. ET to tune in. There is a USL League Two final pregame show now airing on WCAX and SportsEnginePlay.
See scenes of Vermont Green FC fans in Flint, Michigan
It appears that a few dozen Vermont Green FC fans made the trip to Flint, Michigan hoping to see the team secure back-to-back USL League Two titles.
What Vermont area restaurants are hosting watch parties?
The Slide In Pub in Shelburne and Zero Gravity Beer Hall in Burlington are hosting watch parties. The Mad Rose in Rutland will also be hosting a watch party.
What to know about the Flint City Bucks?
Flint City clinched its seventh appearance in the USL League Two final after Oliver Moller-Jensen scored the game winning goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Moller-Jensen provided all the offense in the Bucks’ 1-0 win over Ventura County Fusion in the national semifinals.
Flint City won the the Great Lakes Division title and have cruised through the playoffs as well pitching three shutouts. The Bucks are outscoring opponents 9-1 in the playoffs.
How to watch Vermont Green FC in the USL League Two final
► Site: Atwood Stadium, Flint, Michigan
► Dates: Saturday, Aug. 1
► Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET
► TV channel: WCAX
► Stream: Sportsengineplay
Contact Judith Altneu at JAltneu@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.
