Wisconsin Soccer Central

Forward Ilya Ksenidi (West Allis Hale/UW-Green Bay) played a role in both goals as the Madison 56ers scored twice in a 17-minute span in the second and went on to a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Fire NPSL in a National Premier Soccer League Midwest Region match Tuesday night in Rockford, Ill.

"I thought it was the best comprehensive game" of the season," said 56ers coach Jim Launder, whose team won its second straight game. "I thought we worked them well."

Ksenidi opened the scoring in the 55th minute, taking a pass from midfielder Will Howell (Waunakee/UW-Oshkosh) and cutting back around a defender before finishing for his second goal of the season.

"Ilya was running to his right, got behind them, chopped it back to his left and hit a ball to the right again for the finish," Launder said.

Then in the 72nd, Ksenidi broke in on goal but was taken down in the box for a penalty kick, which midfielder Trevor Banks (Madison Memorial) finished for a 2-0 lead.

"We were getting behind them. We had a nice series of balls and we got a ball in, kind of a diagonal ball to him behind and got pulled down," Launder said of Ksenidi, who departed after 70 minutes with a shoulder injury.

"He's had two goals, and they've been well taken, and when he got taken down for the penalty, he was in great shape to score that, too, if he hadn't been taken down. He's been playing well."

From there, the 56ers (2-1-1 overall, 2-1 NPSL Midwest) finished off what Launder described as a "workmanlike" victory. Goalkeeper Jon Szafranski finished with three saves for Madison in his second straight shutout.

University of Wisconsin standout Scott Lorenz, a former 56ers player, played as a central midfielder for the Fire (0-1, 0-1). "He was probably their best player on the night," Launder said.

From the touchline

UW midfielder Pablo Delgado missed the match because of a sprained ankle. Henry Aiyenero started in the attacking midfielder role in the 56ers' 4-2-3-1 formation. ... Launder said that midfielder-forward Demetrius White, a Milwaukee native and one-time Chicago Fire player, received his professional release and is eligible to play Saturday night's game at FC Indiana. However, several players will miss the match — Banks will be at his brother's high school graduation; Waspi has to take a test for graduate school; and Aiyenero will compete in the Capitol View Triathlon to raise money for young soccer players who need financial help to play. ... Notre Dame's Josh Thiermann (Stoughton), who is playing for the Chicago Fire Super-20 team, is on the 56ers' roster. Launder said he might play for Madison on Saturday, but is dealing with a hamstring injury. ... The 56ers were drawn into a group with Croatia Cleveland, FC Indiana and AAC Eagles of Illinois for the USASA Region II Amateur Cup, which is June 26 to 28 in Oak Park, Ill.

Madison 56ers — Ilya Ksenidi (Will Howell) 55
Madison 56ers — Trevor Banks (penalty kick) 72

Saves: M (Szafranski) 3; C 6.
Shots: M 9, C 7. Corner kicks: M 4, C 5. Fouls: M 10, C 13. Offsides: M 10, C 13. Att. — NA.

MADISON 56ERS: Jon Szafranski; Chris Brown (Keith Dangarembwa 60), Cale Cooper, Bram Dorrestyn, Brian Bultman; Will Howell (William Bagayoko 70), Taylor Waspi; Trevor Banks, Henry Aiyenero (Austin Spohn 70), Kyle Pateros (Parker Walton 76); Ilya Ksenidi (Nick Kay 75).