Flagship Flip the Script | NMFS Storm Back to Reach Championship Game

Flagship Flip the Script | NMFS Storm Back to Reach Championship Game

New Mexico Flagship Futsal Academy 6–3 HBK Futsal

For the second time on Championship Weekend, the semifinal delivered a battle between two high-level sides — technical, tactical, and played at a relentless pace.

And just like the first semifinal, it was a game defined by momentum swings.

HBK Futsal set the tone immediately.

Less than a minute into the match, Devin Brown sparked a counterattack, slipping a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Christian Vallin. Vallin squared it across goal, and Miguel Medina finished from close range to give HBK a 1–0 lead before New Mexico Flagship had even settled.

It felt like the perfect start.

But New Mexico Flagship Futsal Academy grew into the game.

Pedro Montes and Jesus Guillen began to find space, combining well and testing the HBK defense. Both goalkeepers were called into action — Jose Castro standing tall for NMFS, while Edgar Pacheco’s acrobatics kept HBK ahead through a tense stretch of play.

With 11:30 left in the half, HBK struck again.

Brown was at the center of it once more, beating his defender down the wing before opening his body and placing a precise finish into the far corner. 2–0. Control.

Then everything changed.

A period of sustained pressure from NMFS forced HBK into mistakes, and the first one proved costly. A clearance down the court was collected by David Rondon, who was given far too much space. He carried the ball forward unchallenged and drove a low strike past Pacheco to pull one back.

Two minutes later, he did it again.

This time it was a well-worked kick-in routine, with Axel Esparza laying the ball off for Rondon, who smashed it home to level the match at 2–2. The momentum had completely shifted.

HBK never recovered.

With just under five minutes remaining in the half, NMFS completed the turnaround. Another lapse in defensive focus allowed Esparza to break through, his initial effort hitting the post before falling kindly for him to finish the rebound and give Flagship the lead.

And they weren’t done.

Moments later, relentless pressure from Rondon and Guillen forced another turnover high up the court. A quick exchange between the two left Guillen with a simple finish, and just like that, NMFS had turned a 2–0 deficit into a 4–2 lead before halftime.

A stunning swing.

The second half settled into a different rhythm.

HBK pushed, but NMFS held firm.

Castro continued to deliver in goal, coming up with key saves to deny any immediate comeback, while Flagship remained dangerous on the break. Rondon nearly added another, striking the crossbar, as the game stretched and fatigue began to show.

With under four minutes to play, the decisive moment arrived.

A rebound from a Pacheco save fell to Guillen, who made no mistake — extending the lead and effectively ending HBK’s hopes.

HBK responded late through Brown, pulling one back as they committed forward and flew the goalkeeper. But that same aggression created the final opening.

A strong defensive play from NMFS captain Johann Prado halted Brown’s run, and Pedro Montes reacted first, sending the ball into an empty net from half court to seal the result.

From there, NMFS saw out the final moments.

With the 6–3 win, New Mexico Flagship advances to the NFPL Championship Game on April 26 at 1 PM, setting up a rematch with BRUSA Futsal Club after their dramatic Southwest Conference Final meeting.

For HBK, a strong start wasn’t enough. For NMFS, it was another statement — resilience, quality, and belief carrying them all the way to the final.

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