Sharks unable to build on recent momentum in 3-0 road defeat
Corpus Christi, Texas (May 29, 2026) – After showing signs of progress over the previous two weeks, Corpus Christi FC suffered a setback Friday night, falling 3-0 to Forward Madison FC at Breese Stevens Field. The Sharks entered the match coming off consecutive league draws against Fort Wayne FC and One Knoxville SC but were unable to match the intensity of the hosts, who scored twice in the opening 22 minutes and controlled much of the contest.
Forward Madison struck early in the eighth minute when Stephen Annor Gyamfi finished from close range after a delivery from Jackson Castro. The hosts doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute as Derek Gebhard found the bottom corner from outside the penalty area to make it 2-0.
Corpus Christi generated a handful of opportunities before halftime, including a shot on target from Nacho Abeal and attacking chances from Andrew Booth and Alexis Cerritos, but the Sharks were unable to find a breakthrough before the break.
Head Coach Éamon Zayed turned to his bench at halftime, introducing Jake Keegan, Bubu Medina and Enock Kwakwa in search of a response. While the Sharks found more possession after the restart, Forward Madison continued to create the more dangerous opportunities.
Goalkeeper James Talbot delivered several key saves to keep Corpus Christi within striking distance, recording five stops on the night. However, Forward Madison added a third goal in the 73rd minute when Claudel Ngoubou finished off an assist from Joshua Bolma, extending the lead to 3-0 and putting the result out of reach.
The Sharks continued to push forward late, with Jack Keaney nearly finding a consolation goal in stoppage time, but were unable to beat the Madison defense before the final whistle. Forward Madison finished with 21 shots and recorded its highest shot total of the USL League One season.
“We have no excuses. Our performance fell below the standards we set for ourselves, and the scoreline reflects that,” Assistant Coach Jimmy Gamal said. “Credit to the opposition, but we have to look at ourselves first. We need to be more disciplined, more competitive, and more consistent in key moments. The challenge now is how we respond. We have good footballers and we need to get out the best of them as we showed in the last couple games.”
The match also marked a milestone for Corpus Christi native Kyle Barganski, who made his first USL League One appearance after entering the match in the 69th minute.
“I’m obviously very disappointed with the result and don’t think the performance from us as a team was to the standard that we need to be at, but I’m happy to have made my first USL1 appearance for the club,” Barganski said.
Captain Patrick Langlois emphasized the need for the Sharks to respond when they return home next week.
“Another tough night for the team, you’re only as good as your last game and unfortunately we didn’t play at the level we know we can,” Langlois said. “We owe it to the fans to turn things around on Wednesday at home.”
Corpus Christi FC returns to Cabaniss Athletic Complex on Wednesday looking to bounce back in front of the home crowd as the club continues its inaugural USL League One season.
About Corpus Christi FC
CCFC was established in 2017 by Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo. The club previously played in USL League Two, the nation’s leading pre-professional league, and won their first Lone Star Division title in 2024. That same year, Corpus Christi was awarded a USL League One franchise and will kick off its first professional season in 2026. CCFC is building a new home at the Corpus Christi Multi-Sport Complex currently being constructed at 5102 Old Brownsville Road. Phase One of the $28.3 million complex was completed in summer 2025 and a 5,000-seat stadium, which will serve as home for all of the Sharks’ USL League One home games, is currently under construction.
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