Vermont Green FC will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season on Saturday night at Virtue Field, but to do so they’ll have to get past perennial contenders Western Mass Pioneers. The historic club from Ludlow, MA are also licking their wounds, suffering a 3-2 defeat to Seacoast United last weekend at their iconic Lusitano Stadium. The Green and the Pioneers are not known to drop points often, so fans can expect an intensified battle featuring two clubs still fighting for a top-of-the-table spot.

HISTORY

Vermont Green FC and Western Mass Pioneers have four meetings prior to this weekend’s clash, with the Massachusetts club enjoying a 3-1 advantage over the Vermonters. Despite the record, the score lines have always indicated a proper rivalry, with none of the victories coming by more than one goal, and three of the four matches ending 1-0. 

In 2022, Vermont Green FC bested the Pioneers at home in the final game of the season when Diba Nwegbo famously scored from an impossible angle on the wing, clinching a playoff spot for the Green. Most recently in 2023, Western Mass Pioneers claimed two 1-0 victories over the Green, two of Vermont’s three losses last season.

Diba Nwegbo scored the only goal when Western Mass came to Virtue Field in 2022. The goal sent Vermont Green FC into the playoffs in the last match of the season.

PIONEERS IN FOCUS

Western Mass Pioneers were founded in 1997 in Ludlow, MA, but the club is the spiritual successor of a soccer community that has existed at the iconic Lusitano Stadium since 1918. The club has had stints in both professional and semi-professional leagues, notably winning the 1999 D3 Professional National Championship. 

Nestled into Ludlow’s historic Portuguese neighborhood, the club has a rich soccer history, and regularly boasts a pedigree that rivals the best in the nation. 

The Pioneers are coached by Federico Molinari, an established and respected coach at the USL League Two level and beyond, and a veteran of the club’s professional era. The Argentine manager has become known for his particular brand of direct, fast-paced attacking football and that has yielded results year in, year out.

Western Mass striker Alec Hughes has 8 goals this season, tied with Vermont's Yaniv Bazini for best in the nation.

GOLDEN BOOT DUEL

One storyline to watch in the latest edition of this USL League Two rivalry will be a strikers duel between Yaniv Bazini and Alec Hughes. The two goal scorers currently sit atop the Golden Boot race in USL League Two with 8 goals each. If either side is going to come out on top, they may need a big game from their proven big-men up top.

Yaniv Bazini has been a goalscoring machine so far in 2024, with 8 to his name already. He is Vermont Green's all-time leading goalscorer.

#PACKVIRTUE

Big occasions call for big crowds, and ticket sales indicate another capacity crowd is gearing up to support the Boys in Green at Virtue Field on Saturday night. The twelfth player lives, and the noise will be echoing off the Green Mountains as we all push together for an important win.

ON THE CONCOURSE

Come hungry and thirsty to Virtue Field, we’ll have Church Street Cheesesteaks and Ahli Baba’s Kabob Shop serving and adult beverages from Zero Gravity, Shacksbury, and Smugglers Notch Distillery.

WATCH THE MATCH

Tickets are moving quickly and a sell-out crowd is expected at Virtue Field. Folks out of state can watch the match for free on vermontgreenfc.com/streaming.

TICKETS