{"id":28587,"date":"2025-07-28T23:05:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T23:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/28587\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T23:05:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T23:05:09","slug":"after-a-triumphant-weekend-vermont-green-football-club-to-host-league-final-in-burlington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/28587\/","title":{"rendered":"After a triumphant weekend, Vermont Green Football Club to host league final in Burlington"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TwoVermont Green Football Club\u2019s Alexander Hall, right, contests the ball against Lionsbridge FC\u2019s Ricky Lewis in Burlington on Friday, July 25. Photo by Glenn Russell\/VTDigger<\/p>\n

K.C. Dressing, a 31-year-old Colchester resident, spent Friday evening exhorting the loudest section of Vermont Green Football Club fans to greater heights by pounding on a limited-edition Pearl snare drum. He\u2019s been attending Green games for several years and is a member of the Green Mountain Bhoys<\/a>, a group of dedicated longtime supporters.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little snapshot of what makes Vermont an incredible place and what makes me feel so lucky to live here,\u201d Dressing said.<\/p>\n

Burlington saw two ecstatic pitch invasions this weekend at the University of Vermont\u2019s Virtue Field, after Vermont Green won two hard-fought<\/a> playoff games<\/a> to take the club to its first national finals in the United Soccer League\u2019s second tier. On Sunday night, the league announced the Vermont side would retain its home advantage again in the final against Seattle-based Ballard FC on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly excited to be hosting a final,\u201d club co-founder Patrick Infurna said. \u201cOur soccer community in general has earned it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Taylor, the club\u2019s head coach, called the team\u2019s playoff run \u201can amazing ride\u201d on Sunday after the game. He praised his players and said that support from the sold-out crowds had made a profound impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Owen O\u2019Malley, the scorer of the Green\u2019s winning penalty against Dothan United on Sunday, agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI do it for the fans, man,\u201d O\u2019Malley said. \u201cI just love these guys so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"YouTube
\nVermont Green fans celebrate the football club\u2019s semifinal win<\/p>\n

The feeling from fans was mutual. The club estimated Sunday\u2019s attendance<\/a> at just over 4,000. When O\u2019Malley ran to the stands to celebrate, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd of supporters \u2014 first young kids, then parents and adults.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The boisterous home support had been quieted briefly on Friday when, deep into added time, Lionsbridge Football Club scored what would have been the winning goal. Then cheers resumed as home fans realized the official\u2019s flag was up: the goal had been offside. Two overtime goals secured a Vermont win.<\/p>\n

Near the front of Friday\u2019s pitch invasion, Jacob Labowitz brandished an enormous Vermont flag. The Colchester-based lawyer went to Vermont Green\u2019s first-ever game in 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cFreedom and unity right here,\u201d he said, nodding up at the state coat of arms.<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Vermont\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby VTD Editor<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 27, 2025, 10:03 pmJuly 28, 2025, 11:06 am\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Melissa Gara, who works at the University of Vermont Medical Center, said Sunday she was glad to have witnessed two such successful Vermont soccer teams in the same year. The University of Vermont\u2019s men\u2019s team that won the NCAA national championship<\/a> in December \u2014 from which Vermont Green FC has recruited several top players \u2014 was still at the forefront of her mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I\u2019m a die-hard fan,\u201d Gara said.<\/p>\n

Some supporters had been all-in long before Sunday. Jack Beach and Isaac Parker, both 18, said they had waited in a virtual line for tickets in their workplace bathroom last week. Parker, who originally found the Green through Instagram<\/a>, said he was invested not just in the club, but also in the success of its athletes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe player-fan connection is crazy,\u201d Parker said.<\/p>\n

\"SeveralVermont Green Football Club battles Lionsbridge FC in a conference championship match in Burlington on Friday, July 25,. Photo by Glenn Russell\/VTDigger<\/p>\n

Fans have also been drawn to Vermont Green\u2019s off-the-field culture, which includes close relationships with local businesses and an emphasis on political advocacy. Several fans said they appreciate the club\u2019s affiliation with climate and social justice movements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The club itself has hosted fundraisers in the past for the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund<\/a> and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont<\/a>. Fan groups have also organized support for organizations such as Migrant Justice Vermont<\/a>. Infurna said the club considers environmental justice its \u201cNorth Star.\u201d<\/p>\n

The club has also hosted three women\u2019s exhibition matches<\/a> and is looking to expand its women\u2019s program in the coming years.<\/p>\n

For people like Jessica Huber, who plays in a coed Sunday soccer league, a Vermont Green women\u2019s team would make a difference. She went to one of the women\u2019s matches, all of which sold out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the demand is there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In general, Huber said, she loves the community that has formed around Vermont Green.<\/p>\n

\u201cVibes are high,\u201d she said. \u201cVibes are amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you found this story valuable, please consider becoming a sustaining member<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More than 3,000 readers already give monthly to keep VTDigger strong and independent. The average gift is just $10\/month. Together, these sustaining members power daily news, public accountability and free access to trusted information for all Vermonters.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby Greta Solsaa<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 28, 2025, 5:17 pmJuly 28, 2025, 5:51 pm\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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