MADISON, Wis. - Forward Madison FC fell to Liga de Expansión MX side CD Tapatío, 2-1, on Tuesday evening at Breese Stevens Field in the League One side's annual international friendly.

Both Madison and Tapatío fans filled Breese Stevens Field for the first exhibition match between both sides. It was a warm Tuesday night when the match started, and FMFC played a new combination of players to begin the game.

In the 21st minute of the match, Tapatío scored off of a long free kick to go up 1-0. A few minutes later, Tapatío shot a long ball, just past the outreached hands of FMFC keeper Martin Sanchez to double its lead in the first half. 

Madison continued to put the pressure on, and in the 38th minute, Christian Chaney made a run down the right side of the field, beating his defender and attempting to chip the ball over the Tapatío goalkeeper, but it just went wide. The first half ended in favor of the Mexican team, 2-0.

Both sides started the second half with eleven new players, and the FMFC's subs came out ready to play. Almost immediately, Madison's newest acquisition, Garrett McLaughlin, put pressure on the Tapatío backline. After a few deflections, the ball found the back of the net to put the 'Mingos within one for McLaughlin's first goal for the club. 

Shortly after, Mauro Cichero almost tied the game in the 50th minute, hitting a long-rage strike but just hitting the crossbar. The game continued to go back and forth, with both sides putting on the pressure in the final third. 

In the 79th minute, Madison was awarded a penalty kick. Forward Juan Galindrez stepped up to take it for his team and hit the ball towards the bottom right corner. However, the Tapatío 'keeper guessed correctly and fully extended to keep the ball out of the net and his team in the lead. The match would end 2-1 in favor of Tapatio.

In 2023, FMFC hosted fellow Liga de Expansión MX side Atlante FC, falling to Atlante, 2-1. In the past, Madison has also played host to other second-division Mexican sides; playing to a 2-2 draw with Pumas Tabasco in 2022, falling to Club Atlético Morelia, 2-0, in 2021 and defeating Leones Negros UdeG, 2-1, in front of nearly 5,000 people in 2019.