Vermont Green FC claim national title over Seattle's Ballard FC

The semi-pro soccer team Vermont Green FC took their first-ever national title in a 2-1 victory over Seattle’s Ballard FC in front of an electric Burlington crowd on Saturday.

A tightly contested first half saw the sides trade strong chances. The Green had a goal called off in the 22nd minute, and a goal line clearance by defender Moussa Ndiaye kept the Green level.

The second half got off to a roaring start as Vermont’s Ian Abbey dribbled into the box before being taken down from behind. The Green were awarded a penalty that Julien Le Bourdoulous calmly tucked into the bottom left corner.

Ballard fought back in the 61st minute, scoring off a header. A tense and chippy half hour followed with momentum building in the Green’s favor. In the dying moments of regulation time, Maximilian Kissel buried his shot to secure victory for the Green.

"This is the culmination of four years of hard work, from the owners to the players to the fans," said Mike Popovich, a member of the Vermont Green supporters' group Green Mountain Bhoys, moments after the win. "They did this for us. These guys out there did this for us. It's just the most amazing thing that I've ever seen here in Vermont."

The Green cap off an undefeated season and a dramatic playoff run. The team came from behind to win the first three matches of the tournament.

Each of these matches have been played in front of sold-out crowds at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field. The official capacity at the stadium is 2,700. The club says that as many as 4,000 have been in attendance throughout the playoffs, and an estimated 5,000 people were in attendance Saturday. Fans unable to get tickets — which have sold out in seconds — gather on a grassy hill outside the stadium. In recent matches, fans have climbed fences and perched on port-a-potties to get a view of the action.

In an interview with Vermont Public this week, head coach Chris Taylor underscored the significance the crowd has played in the Green’s on-field success. “When we seize momentum in the game, it's really, really hard for the other teams to handle that as the crowd gets louder and it's bouncing. We can't speak highly enough of the benefits of being at home with this whole community behind us.”

The visitors, Ballard FC of Seattle, have experienced a similarly meteoric rise as the Green. They entered the league in 2022, the same season as Vermont, and won a national championship the following year.

This story is a production of the New England News Collaborative. It was originally published by Vermont Public.