Fans will be invited to party, or at least dress, like it’s 1974
By: Henry Krueger, Gonzaga University ‘25
Coming off an exciting stoppage time win in the Jägermeister Cup, Spokane Velocity FC is running on all cylinders heading into its first USL League One match in nearly a month.
Velocity, which sits fifth in the league standings, will welcome sixth-place Forward Madison FC to ONE Spokane Stadium for a match that begins at 3 p.m. Sunday.
This special match will celebrate Expo 50, which honors the 50th anniversary of the opening of the World’s Fair in Spokane in 1974. Fans are encouraged to dress like its 1974 and share photos with #VeloExpo for a chance to win prizes. In addition, the first 500 fans in the gate will receive a free commemorative T-shirt. And if that’s not enough, a live DJ will be spinning the grooviest of 70s tunes.
Both Spokane and Madison were victorious in the second round of group play in the Jägermeister Cup, with Velocity defeating Union Omaha 3-2 and Madison taking down the Charlotte Independence 2-1 on Saturday.
Velocity’s three-goal effort marked the club’s highest scoring output of the season and preserved its undefeated home record. The match was decided by a go-ahead goal from Javier Martín Gil in stoppage time.
Romain Métanire delivered a cross from the right wing to Martín Gil, who scored in mid-air with a diving volley. The play sent the crowd of 4,523 fans into a frenzy.
“When I saw Romain with the ball … I was in the perfect space to attack the ball,” Martín Gil said. “He gave me a good ball and I tried to hit the ball as [best] I could and it went inside.”
While Velocity has managed to stay competitive in low-scoring matches, Madison has taken a more aggressive attacking approach against its opponents. Madison is second in USL League One action with 1.8 goals per match and third with 4.8 shots on target per match.
The most recent USL League One match for Madison ended in a 3-2 victory over Greenville Triumph SC on May 4. Three different players scored for Madison, including Juan Galindrez, who scored in stoppage time to close out the win.
One similarity between Velocity and Madison is effective ball distribution. Leigh Veidman’s team leads the league with 389.3 accurate passes per match, while the Wisconsin-based club is second with an average of 381.0.
On most possessions for Velocity, the primary playmaker is midfielder Luis Gil. The 30-year-old team captain has created a team-high nine chances in USL League One play. He also has four goals and two assists across all match formats this season.
With Velocity being two matches into a five-match home stand, Gil said the team has benefitted from competing in front of the fans at ONE Spokane Stadium.
“It pushes us to the end,” Gil said. “You can see it’s electric when we score those last-minute goals or any goal in general, but you can feel the whole atmosphere. It’s amazing and we need that throughout the season.”
Following the tradition before every home match, the 509 Syndicate will gather 90 minutes before the 3 p.m. kickoff at the Rotary Fountain in Riverfront Park. At 2 p.m., the group will march to the stadium with drums, flags and lots of cheering. The public is invited to join in.
Velocity will remain at home to face Greenville Triumph SC in a Jägermeister Cup match on May 25, before welcoming Chivas de Guadalajara U23 to town for an international friendly on June 2.
Velocity will hit the road again on June 13 for a second match-up against Union Omaha in the Jägermeister Cup.
Still need tickets? Grab yours today and get ready to boogie!
