The inaugural USL Jägermeister Cup Final is set, as Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and Forward Madison FC seek to lift their first trophy this Saturday night.

If styles make fights, it could be a classic. On home turf, the Hailstorm will aim to maintain their explosive, youthful attacking presence. Madison will try to stifle those attacking opportunities with a veteran side that brings a possession-based, methodical approach to the game.

On the touchline, Madison Head Coach and Technical Director Matt Glaeser will face off against Northern Colorado's assistant and acting head coach, Colin Falvey, who'll deputize for the suspended Éamon Zayed.

Glaeser and Falvey's relationship goes beyond a brief meeting on the pitch during the 2014 USL Championship season in which Glaeser was in goal for Wilmington Hammerheads FC and Falvey was leading the Charleston Battery backline. The pair of young coaches also served as assistants on Mark Briggs' Sacramento Republic FC coaching staff in 2021, where it could be said the structures that now feature in Madison were conceptualized.

"I worked with Matt [Glaeser] at Sacramento, and we focused a lot on defensive organization, so I'm not surprised by how solid Madison is defensively – they don't give away many chances," Falvey said. "The first thing that stands out about their defense is their experience. These guys have been around the league and know how to get the job done. They understand the league and what's required, especially with the constant transitions.

"Their coaching staff has done a brilliant job organizing their defensive shape, and the clean sheets speak for themselves. They're tough to break down, no doubt."

Madison's team-first identity under Glaeser has allowed his side to fully lean into a gameplan predicated on precision passing, possessional control and opportunistic attacking. Through the Group Stage, the 'Mingos led all teams with an 85% passing accuracy rate and were second among all 12 sides averaging 54% of possession and accumulating 5,037 total touches.

"Our attacking metrics reflect a balanced approach," Glaeser added. "[Christian] Chaney, [Juan] Galindrez, and Wolfgang Prentice have all contributed with goals. Prentice, for example, has nine goal contributions across league and cup play. Derek Gebhard has a similar number at 10.

"That balance is important. It makes us more unpredictable and adaptable. We've scored goals in different ways – pressing and creating transitions, positional attacks or playing behind teams with higher defensive lines. The more balanced we are, the harder we are to prepare for. While I'd love for Chaney to have 20 goals, I appreciate the balance in our attack. It aligns with our overall approach – sharing the ball and creating chances for each other."

FMFC’s preparations will be key as it hopes to shut down – or at a minimum, limit – Northern Colorado's potent attack. The Hailstorm are led by first-year pro Ethan Hoard and Cuban fullback Bruno Rendón's Group Stage-leading nine and eight goal contributions, respectively. Across all competitions this season, the Hailstorm are 11-4-5 when the pair share the pitch for 45 minutes or more.

Northern Colorado dominated the Group Stage, becoming the only team to navigate all eight rounds without a regulation loss as it topped the West Group. The Hailstorm led all clubs with 22 goals, a +12 goal differential, 19 big chances created, 62 shots on target and a 58% shooting accuracy rate.

"Confidence is key. When players are confident, they play their best football," said Falvey. "Early in the season, we were struggling, but the cup allowed us to experiment and build confidence. Once they saw that they could perform well in the cup, that belief carried over into league games. It gave me a chance to try players in different positions, which also helped the team develop. The timing of the cup was perfect for us.

"Past results don't matter here, a cup final is different," Falvey added. "We've only played Madison once this year, and it was a very close game. We won, 1-0, but a draw would've been a fair result. Both teams are well-organized and evenly matched, so we'll treat this final with the respect it deserves. It's a one-off game, and whoever handles the occasion better will likely come out on top. I expect a tight, cautious game from both sides."

The Hailstorm's hope is to finish the inaugural USL Jägermeister Cup without suffering defeat through Group Stage and Knockout play. Filling in for longtime teammate and coaching partner, Zayed, Falvey – who was able to claim a USL Championship title as the Battery's captain in 2012 – recognizes the significance a trophy can have on the players and organizations involved.

"Winning as a coach would mean a lot more because you're part of something bigger than yourself," said Falvey. "As a player, you're focused on your own performance and career. But as a coach, you're responsible for the entire team, and that makes it more meaningful. If we win, it would be amazing to see the joy in the players and the whole organization. It's not just about me – it's about everyone involved in the club. I hope we can go out there and finish the job."

For Glaeser and Madison, it's all about trusting the process and recognizing incremental success along the way.

"This is part of the process we outlined a couple of years ago – progression every season and growing our brand on the field. We already have a well-established brand off the field, but growing our on-field identity has been our biggest task," Glaeser explained. "I think we're building a winning culture, and reaching a final is a significant step. Winning it would be another. It's the first final in club history, so we're taking it seriously. We're proud to be here, but we're not satisfied. We're hungry to finish the job. It'll be a tough game, but we're excited."