After a nervy start and a tense first half, Vermont Green FC switched into high gear to completely dominate home side Laredo Heat SC by a scoreline of 7-1, earning their spot in the USL League Two National Championship to defend their 2025 title.
To start the game, Vermont seemed to build out of a back three in possession, choosing to send one fullback forward and hold the other back— a curious decision given they almost exclusively play with a back four. As the teams felt each other out, Xavi O'Neil was super active, probing at the defense with extremely quick feet.
A couple direct plays seemed to trouble Vermont in a way that normally doesn't, each ending with a fizzing ball across the box beating the whole defense. The Green were able to scramble and clear lines, and were also bailed out by an offside flag.
In the 19th minute, Ryan Zellefrow broke the deadlock with a close-range shot assisted by livewire Diego Rosas. This was very quickly followed by another goal by
Efe Aror in the 21st minute.
The next period was slightly tilted toward the Green, though Laredo Heat's Vasco Tavares constantly caused small problems for their defense through the sheer size of his frame and his own technical ability. He'd pull his side back into the game through a headed goal in the 28th minute. A chance apiece for both sides was all that was left in store for the first half as the whistle blew after a couple minutes of stoppage time.
The second half would open slowly, neither team particularly keen on being eliminated. Laredo got the first word through an excellent strike from deep, but Seth Wilson made the best save of the game as he made a flying save to keep the ball out of the top left corner in the 57th minute.
Zellefrow's aggressive pressing became even more apparent as he burst past David Ajagbe multiple times in a row, eventually leading to his team winning the ball back and getting the ball upfield. The ball was way up in the air, he'd take it down and create just enough space from his man to restore his team's 2 goal cushion.
From that point on, Laredo let the heat get to them – capitulating immediately by taking Zellefrow down in the box – who had wasted no time advancing the ball toward goal.
Sets of subs in the 63rd, 73rd, and 79th minute kept Vermont's legs fresh as the Green layered on goal after goal. Francou earned his 18th and all but sealing the USL League Two Golden Boot for himself (joining teammate Diego Rosas, who is currently the assist leader (11) and will likely win the Golden Ball); being first to the ball after two botched corner clearances, while fellow subs Andrea Di Blasio and Angelo Ventrella notched goals of their own just a couple minutes before full time to cap off a night that couldn't have gone much better for the away side.
Lineups
Tonight’s Starting XI for the Semifinal in Laredo. Come on you Boys in Green.
— Vermont Green FC (@vermontgreenfc.bsky.social) July 26, 2026 at 8:21 PM
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Nine of eleven starters from the Green's game just two days prior ran it back, with David Ajagbe and Andrew Millar replacing star striker Jeremy Francou and Trym Linberg.
Key moments
10' LAH 0:0 VTG - Chance! Xavi O'Neil gets on the end of a counter, making use of his quick feet and nearly gets a shot off, but it's blocked.
19' LAH 0:1 VTG - GOAL! Ryan Zellefrow slots home with the instep of his foot to open the scoring!
21' LAH 0:2 VTG - GOAL! Eve Aror gets on the board with help from David Ajagbe in the buildup!
25' LAH 0:2 VTG - Save! Seth Wilson makes an excellent reactionary save low to his right, pushing a ball just wide at the post!
28' LAH 1:2 VTG - Goal, Laredo. Vasco Tavares makes an unmarked diagonal run on a corner and rises above the crowd he entered to put a bullet header in the back of the net.
39' LAH 1:2 VTG - Chance! Zellefrow so close! A deflection drops the ball to Ryan, who takes a shot and sends it just wide.
57' LAH 1:2 VTG - SAVE! Not having had a ton to do, Wilson makes an incredible flying effort prevent an equalizer off a rocket from deep headed straight for the top left corner!
60' LAH 1:3 VTG - GOAL! Deftly taking a skyed ball out of the air, Zellefrow beats his defender and takes an excellently placed shot across to the far side of the net.
61' LAH 1:4 VTG - GOAL! After a stopover and an impressive show of quick feet, Ryan Zellefrow shows danger yet again right before being taken down in the box. He takes his earned penalty and wrong-foots the keeper with a driven grounder just inside the post.
73' LAH 1:5 VTG - GOAL! Jeremy Francou, who entered the match just 10 minutes prior, strikes a ball through traffic to get his 18th goal on the season after Laredo twice failed to clear their lines.
84' LAH 1:6 VTG - GOAL! Conner Miller has an incredible horizontal run, then slips a perfectly weighted vertical ball cutting out several Laredo players to put Di Blasio in on goal, who makes no mistake finishing off the play.
89' LAH 1:7 VTG - GOAL! Icing on the cake as Ventrella becomes the third substitute in a row to add a goal of his own.
90' LAH 1:7 VTG - Full time. No stoppage time needed.
Quick thoughts
Mean Green Goal Machine: Seven goals. That's an impressive total against any opponent, but against a perennial challenger in 95+ degree heat on two days' rest? Even more so.
With Ryan Zellefrow and Jeremy Francou's goals tonight, they've notched 10 and 18 goals respectively, and bring Vermont's tally on the season to 82 – an incredible sum – and leading all other USL2 teams by more than 20.
Zealous Zellefrow: At the start of the year, many wondered who would be able to fill the shoes of lead man Zach Zengue. Ryan Zellefrow, the attacking midfielder in his second season for Vermont Green has turned into a true attacking dynamo on the field, fully dismissing the question.
Showing out in a variety of ways, he not only led the press and acted as a connector high up the field, but also splayed wide, causing total chaos on the wing while displaying his technical ability in a way that directly led to his earned penalty. He'll need to show off once again if the Green are to win one last game to complete their title defense.
Heading Out (Mid) West: Speaking of that last game, Vermont Green FC will now head to Flint, Michigan to make one final defense of their USL League Two National Title. In their five-year existence, these two teams have never met, despite Flint City Bucks being perennial challengers almost always making it as far as the quarters or semifinals. While Flint City will look to another national title (and first since 2019) to its already league-leading four, Vermont will look to become the first team in over 20 years to win back-to-back USL2 titles (Cape Cod Crusaders; 02,03) and just the fourth team to ever accomplish the feat (Chicago Sockers; 99,00 and Central Coast Roadrunners; 96,97).
Player spotlight
Ryan Zellefrow: Even without a single goal on the night, Zellefrow might have been Man of the Match anyway. Showing relentless energy by often leading the press and generally being a nuisance for Laredo, Ryan Zellefrow made his presence known with a hat trick - scoring in myriad ways.
