Nashua Eagles midfielder Josue Assantha moves quickly to the ball during the team's home opener two months ago at Rivier's Merrill Field. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Sunday will be the biggest game the International Soccer Club of Nashua Eagles have ever played.

And if it goes well, there could be an even bigger one next weekend.

The No. 2 seeded Eagles will be the host for their United Premiere Socce League New England Conference semifinals vs. No. 9 Ole FC out of Ansonia, Conn. on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Rivier Univiersty’s Joanne Merrill Field.

Last year the Eagles made the semis, but that was down in Revere, Mass. and they fell 1-0. This time, they are the hosts, and that’s a big deal.

“I think having home field advantage is going to be huge for us,” Eagles general manager Jeremy Zelanes said. “We’ve got a lot of guys healthy, which is good. … But I think playing a game in front of our fans, I would say we have the one-up this time around.”

The Eagles are the conference’s second seed, finishing 7-2-2, the best record they ‘ve ever had in the seven years of the franchise. When Daniel Webster alum Eusebio Marote took over as head coach in 2022, the team decided to get younger and more athletic, go through some growing pains, and here they are, one home game win away from playing for a conference title. Should they win,they’d advance to the UPSL Regionals, likely in Cleveland, Ohio.

But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. The other semi on Sunday will be between top seed Brockton FC United, the defending champions, and No. 4 GZS Bridgeport FC, in Brockton, Mass.

If Nashua and Brockton both win, the Eagles will head there next weekend for the finals. If Nashua and Bridgeport win, the Eagles will likey be able to play at home.

“It’s a testament to what Eusebio Marote had done with the team,” Zelanes said. “If you look back three years ago, there’s a really solid progression in the organization. The first year we just missed playoffs, last year we had the Final Four appearance, we got knocked out. I like our chances this year. I think we have a great squad, great team chemistry.”

The Eagles were so good this season they got a bye into the semis. Ole FC actually beat Nashua in the season opener, 4-2, at Sacred Heart Univesity, but only finished 3-6-2. Still they upset Boston Street – the team that beat the Eagles in the semis last year – to earn a trip to Rivier.

“Since (that loss) we’ve picked up some good talent along the way,” Zelanes said. “I like our chances this weekend.”

One of the team’s biggest pickups was Sam Lantona out of Cornell University. Also, returning to the team after playing with another club in New Jersey was Aidan Bagley. “Every time he’s in our lineup he’s a huge asset for us,” Zelanes said.

Another key is forward Vanilton Xavier, the team’s leading goal scorer.

“We’ve been blessed with having a lot of talent in our starting 11, and our big goal this year was to score more goals,” Zelanes said. “If you look at year after year over the seasons, we hadn’t put up the numbers we needed to put up. Defense wins games, but being able to put the ball in the back of the net doesn’t hurt.”

And thus the Eagles have put up a franchise best 33 goals in 11 games – nearly double what they had last year.

But one thing Zelanes also has said made a difference was getting keeper Preston Neal out of Southern New Hampshire University. He joined the team about four games in and has been big boost.

“He’s got a very commanding presence in the back, very good at communicating and helping us to keep our shape throughout the game,” Zelanes said.

That will be a key as Ole FC move their players around well on the attack, even though they’ve only put in 13 goals since beating Nashua in the opener.

“On the field, the biggest thing with them is they’re very organized,” Zelanes said. “But at the same time, we’ve done the same thing this year, which is something we hadn’t seen from ISC teams in the past.”

Lamar O. Chancey is one of the players the Eagles will have to contain, the leading scorer for Ole FC. Meanwhile, they’ll have to try to slip one or more past Ole keeper Abraham Jimenez Espinal. Given the ISC Eagles’ knack for scoring, that should be a given.

Either way, this is huge for a franchise that has gone through a lot. Marote has made a big change.

“Quite frankly it’s the culture,” Zelanes said. “Eusebio is a younger coach, he was well respected as a player. The guys like playing for him. We get guys that are driving almost an hour and a half or two hours from, say, Rhode Island to play for him.”

And they hope to play at least two more games, and maybe more.