Vermont Green FC, Ballard FC Advance to USL League Two Final

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

BURLINGTON, Vt. (July 27, 2025) – Vermont Green FC and Ballard FC secured their places in the USL League Two national championship with hard-fought semifinal victories on Sunday.

At Virtue Field, Vermont Green FC triumphed over Dothan United FC in a tense penalty shootout, 4-2, after a 0-0 draw through regulation and extra time. The shootout drama saw Vermont goalkeeper Niklas Herceg make a crucial save, while Owen O'Malley’s successful penalty in the fourth round sealed the win for the home side.

Meanwhile, at Interbay Stadium in Seattle, Ballard FC edged Flint City Bucks 2-1. After taking an early lead through Joe Dale’s 30th-minute goal, Ballard held on despite a strong second-half response from Flint City. The victory secured Ballard’s return to the national championship, looking to add another title after their 2023 triumph.

Vermont Green and Ballard will face off in the national final on Saturday, August 2, at 7:00 p.m. ET at Virtue Field. Both teams have displayed impressive resilience throughout the playoffs, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 season.

Flint City Bucks Look to Continue Playoff Dominance

Flint City Bucks, the USL League Two team with the most national titles, enters the semifinal after defeating Minneapolis City SC 2-1 to claim the Central Conference crown. Striker Donovan Phillip was the standout, scoring both goals and having his penalty saved. Phillip was a constant threat in the attack, and Ballard's defense will need to contain him to secure a win.

Minneapolis City SC took an early 1-0 lead, but Flint equalized and had a penalty saved in the first half. In the second half, Flint capitalized on a counterattack, with Phillip scoring the decisive goal with less than 10 minutes left, securing the win for his team.

Flint will be looking for its seventh consecutive victory and hopes to avenge its 2023 semifinal loss to Ballard.

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