With the Chicago Fire on break, it’s a good time to go Full Mingo

Turns out, that club that’s best known for its distinctive, incredibly-designed pink and blue jerseys has a very good product on the field this season.

With the Chicago Fire on a three-week hiatus for international play, and the Red Stars with just one match over the next few weeks, now is a perfect time for Chicago area fans to check out Forward Madison FC.

It will be a battle of pink birds as Forward visits Fort Lauderdale CF—Inter Miami CF’s USL side—tonight (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+). After a season opening draw with Tucson, the Mingos have rattled off three straight wins, and currently sit second in the USL League One standings.

“There’s confidence,” new coach Carl Craig said after a recent win. “There’s odd moments in every game, but I think there’s a great product. There’s a great camaraderie. This team has strengthened from last year.”

Madison has been so strong, four Mingos made the most recent USL League One Team of the Week—beer-chugging team captain Connor Tobin and defender Christian Diaz, and midfielders Justin Sukow and Aaron Molloy. Tobin was also named USL League One player of the week.

Sukow received a game ball from Craig after scoring a goal in his first professional start against North Carolina FC.

“It’s exciting,” Sukow said. “I didn’t know this was a thing. I’m excited and I’ll definitely be able to keep this and remember this moment. Carl gave me the ball, it’s something to hang up in my room.”

Above: Team captain Connor Tobin chugs a beer after a recent win. What more could you possibly want?

There’s a lot going on right now. With a win tonight Madison could overtake Greenville Triumph on goal differential to top the USL League One table. At least one Chicago Fire player should be joining the team on loan very soon (although there’s been a delay in making that happen), and the team is back at home at Breese Stevens Field Sunday night to take on Union Omaha (5 p.m. CT, ESPN+).

The stadium was rocking for the most recent home match, and with Dane County relaxing capacity restrictions, Breese Stevens will be nearly at full capacity by the June 12 match against Richmond Kickers.

Whether it’s at Breese Stevens Stadium or at home on ESPN+, now seems like a great time to go Full Mingo and jump on the Forward Madison bandwagon.