Vermont Green FC will host Reading United AC in the USL League Two Playoffs on Tuesday night, the first home postseason match in the Green’s young history. The visitors from Pennsylvania come as an unfamiliar foe, but it will be the usual pandemonium at a jam-packed Virtue Field that should have the Vermonters feeling right at home.

HISTORY

Vermont Green FC have no prior matches against Reading United AC, but this is not the Green’s first playoff appearance. In 2022, Vermont Green qualified for the playoffs and upset USL League Two’s overall top seed Lionsbridge FC on the road in the round of 32, before falling to Long Island Rough Riders in the round of 16. The Rough Riders went on to the national championship game.

Reading United AC will wear their all navy blue away kit on Tuesday night in Burlington.

READING UNITED IN FOCUS

Reading United AC (pronounced Red-ing) was founded in 1995 as the Reading Rage, and has competed in the professional and semi-professional divisions of US Soccer since then. In 2009, the Rage announced an affiliation with Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, and rebranded to their current name, Reading United Athletic Club.

The club from Pennsylvania’s “Pretzel Capital of the World” have a long history of success, both as competitors in their leagues, as well as in producing professional talent. Reading United AC have had over 145 alumni enter the professional ranks, including US Men’s National Team players CJ Sapong and Alex Bono.

This season, Reading United AC finished second in the Mid Atlantic Division behind Ocean City Nor’Easters, and just above West Chester United.

The Keystone Staters bring a wealth of experience navigating USL League Two, and are an organization that is familiar with the league’s postseason. In 2018 and 2019, Reading United AC went to back-to-back national finals, losing to Calgary Foothills and Flint City Bucks.

Reading United AC will be looking to ignite their historic playoff tournament form on Tuesday night at Virtue Field, it will take focus and dedication from the Vermonters on and off the pitch to stop them.

Mohammed Ibrahim, already the club's youngest ever player, became the club's youngest ever goalscorer when he scored the winner at Western Mass on Saturday.

RISING STAR, MOHAMMED IBRAHIM

With Vermont Green and Western Mass Pioneers locked at a goal a piece on Saturday night—and the Green’s season hanging in the balance—Adam Pfeifer looked to his youngest player to conjure some magic. It was Mohammed Ibrahim, the teenage Ghanaian midfielder who put the task on his left foot in the 84th minute, giving the Vermonters their desperately needed winner.

The 18-year-old Ibrahim, known lovingly as “Mo Ibra” in the clubhouse, is not just a quality player for the future, he could see himself with much more responsibility as the Green enter the playoffs. The Virginia Commonwealth commit with the slender frame has proven his mettle, and may be called upon for more heroics.

Virtue Field will be packed — 2,500 strong, and hundreds more on the hill — for Vermont Green FC's first ever home playoff match on Tuesday night.

#PACKVIRTUE & #FILLTHEHILL

2024 has been a year of big moments. The U.S. Open Cup matches in the bitter cold, the USL League Two Home Opener, and the inaugural Women’s Exhibition Match all produced pandemonium and delirious levels of support at Virtue Field. On Tuesday night, the Vermonters have the opportunity to add one more, and the support from the 2,500 in the bleachers—and hundreds more on the hill—could be what propels the Green into the next round of the playoffs. 

STREAM THE MATCH

Fans can watch this USL League Two Playoff match live at vermontgreenfc.com/streaming.

ON THE CONCOURSE

On the concourse, Church Street Cheesesteaks, El Gato Cantina, and The Caracas will all be serving food. Vivid Coffee Roasters will have you covered with coffee, snacks, and other beverages, and Ben & Jerry’s will be scooping free ice cream!  Zero Gravity, Shacksbury, and Smugglers’ Notch Distillery have the adult beverages.

WATCH

LIGHTNING PROTOCOL

If we have to contend with severe weather, here’s the deal:

  • The match will be played through heavy rain.
  • If there is a lightning strike within 6 miles of Virtue Field, we will need to delay the match by 30 minutes. Every strike restarts the clock.
  • If we have to evacuate the stadium for lightning, fans must seek shelter in their cars or under the cover of the Gucciardi Fitness & Recreation Center.
  • We will keep fans updated via email and social media with every new update.