'We Want to Make this the Hardest Place to Play in the League': Fort Wayne FC Hosts Corpus Christi at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium
USL1 Fort Wayne FC

'We Want to Make this the Hardest Place to Play in the League': Fort Wayne FC Hosts Corpus Christi at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium

Published on May 19, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Fort Wayne FC News Release


Coming off yet another impressive performance at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium, Fort Wayne Football Club is set to welcome Corpus Christi FC to its home grounds on Wednesday night.

Fort Wayne FC remains unbeaten in regulation at 6411 Bass Road with a 2-0-2 record there, which includes Saturday night's thriller with USL Championship-side Indy Eleven. Fort Wayne FC's Jack Thomas forced penalty kicks with a goal in stoppage time, evening the score at 2-all, before Indy Eleven netted three of the four PK goals to earn the extra two points in the Prinx Tires USL Cup match.

"The fight in this group has been amazing," said Fort Wayne FC head coach Mike Avery, who has the youngest roster in USL League One - with 15 players having made their professional debuts this season.

"There are three things I love about this team: They're really talented; they play with a lot of joy and are a lot of fun to be around; and they work, there is not a day where they don't work. For them to come back (Saturday) and keep fighting, keep fighting, it doesn't surprise me at all."

Tickets for the match Wednesday are on sale. Fans are reminded that parking is prepay only.

The parking lot will open at 4:45 p.m., the stadium gates at 5:30 p.m., and kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m.

Tied for sixth in the 17-team USL League One standings, Wednesday's match looms large for Fort Wayne FC (3-2-2 in league play); Corpus Christi is a league-worst 0-4-3.

"We want to make this the hardest place to play in the league. That's what the goal is," Avery said, noting that immediately following the match against Indy Eleven he reminded his players of the importance of "turning the page" to focus on Corpus Christi in a "really, really important game" for Fort Wayne FC.

This will complete a five-match homestand for Fort Wayne FC, which plays at Athletic Club Boise in Boise, Idaho, this Saturday at 9 p.m. Fort Wayne time.

Before checking in against Indy Eleven, Thomas had missed three straight matches due to injury.

"I'd been out for three weeks and it had been annoying," said Thomas, who entered the match during the 78th minute and scored in the 91st.

"I got injured the week before the home opener and the home opener is the one that everyone wants to play in. It was hard to bounce from that, but my (physical training) and rehab was going well, I was able to get into training (last) week, and I just tried to get myself fit for the game."

Taig Healy, who scored Fort Wayne FC's first goal, has now found the back of the net in five of the last six matches regardless of competition, and he's scored in all four matches at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium. Goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann, who didn't play Saturday, has four-save clean sheets in his last two matches - a 3-0 victory over Portland Hearts of Pine on May 6 and a 1-0 victory over Westchester SC on May 9.

After facing AC Boise, Fort Wayne FC is back at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium for a match May 30 against AV Alta FC - the last match at 6411 Bass Road until July 4 against the Spokane Velocity FC.

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United Soccer League One Stories from May 19, 2026


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