2022/23 NFPL Championship Preview

by NFPL

Just Two Remain...

And they're the top two teams in the league this season, a fitting matchup for the 2022/23 NFPL Championship game. FC Tryzub will host Grand Rapids OLé for the trophy on Saturday, April 22nd, in Chicago. 

The two teams are both riding a high from destroying their semifinal opponents, scoring 12 goals each. They'll meet in a winner-take-all Championship game.

The two teams played once in the regular season just a few weeks ago, an intense match that ended 3-3 in Matchweek 15. Grand Rapids OLé have yet to lose on the road this season and FC Tryzub have yet to lose at home. They'll both be tested - Grand Rapids OLé have the league's best defense and FC Tryzub have the league's best offense. Both teams prefer possession-based, fluid futsal and have brought a deep roster to every game to combat the long season's fatigue.

We're expecting some fireworks and the two best teams in the Midwest to leave everything on the court for the trophy - don't miss it on Saturday!

Key Players:

FC Tryzub:

  • Igor Bych - The league leader in scoring, Bych has 19 goals and 10 assists in the regular season. He missed the semifinal and is questionable for the Championship match. 
  • Denis Reveachin - Tied for second in the league in assists, Reveachin is the captain and leader of the team - he also missed the semifinal but FC Tryzub destroyed Joy Athletic without him. 
  • Bohdan Ruchka - Excellent goalscorer that has missed several games for FC Trzub this season - his presence at the Championship match is unknown. 

Grand Rapids OLé:

  • Lito Esquivel - Leads the team as the captain and in total points, Esquivel runs the show for Grand Rapids OLé and has established himself as one of the league's top players over the last two seasons. 
  • Sammy Esquivel - Capable of both brilliant and mundane goals, Esquivel (brother to Lito) has made his mark on this season with 9 goals and 2 assists in 9 matches. 
  • Jeo Garcia - A big performance in the semifinal against Columbus, Garcia leads the line for Grand Rapids and has been a physical beast throughout the season, wearing teams down with his strong hold-up play and uncanny finishing.

MATCH DETAILS:

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