For the first time in nine tries, Club Atletico Virginia (CAV) finally broke through against their Washington Premier League (WPL) rivals, the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks. And they couldn’t have picked a better time to do it. At George Mason High School in Falls Church, Va., CAV defeated the Aegean Hawks 2-0 in a rain-soaked DC/Virginia Open Cup Final to punch their ticket to the USASA Region I tournament.
The two teams last met in league play almost two months ago, in a game that finished in a 1-1 draw. Coming into the match, the Hawks had won the last four DC/VA Open Cup championships and held a 6-0-2 advantage in the all-time series, outscoring Virginia 28-7 in those matches. However, it was clear that CAV brought a stronger team to the rematch of last year’s one-sided Open Cup Final (Aegean Hawks won 9-0).
The opening 30 minutes was a battle with each team creating solid chances.
In the 11th minute, the Hawks looked to test the Atletico defense by establishing the long range shot. Center back Alan Golden’s 30 yard strike ricocheted off an Atletico defender and into the path of Hawks holding mid Michael Goldman, whose booming shot sailed ten feet over the crossbar from 20 yards out.
2010 DC/VA Open Cup Final Video Highlights
Club Atletico Virginia vs. Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
(Video courtesy of Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks)
Atletico pressured in the 15th minute when outside midfielder Matt Miller’s cross was headed down into the penalty area to midfielder John Carson, whose running half-volley header lacked the snap to pose much of a challenge to Hawks goalkeeper, Alex Fatovic.
The deadlock would be broken in the 30th minute when Atletico defender Ben Mortimer struck a dangerous 20-yard volley destined for the upper corner that was somehow kept out with an outstanding save by Fatovic. On the corner kick that followed, midfielder John Carson lofted an accurate ball to the far post that was met by a clinical header by Victor Krasij that beat the diving keeper from close range.
Now with a 1-0 deficit to overcome, the Hawks stepped up the possession and the pressure, and came close to equalizing when midfielder Watson Prather’s shot hit the crossbar from 30 yards out. The rebound fell to Hawks striker Ricky Schramm, who chested the ball forward and off the arm of Atletico center back Tremaine Chinapoo before being cleared to safety. The center referee John Schmitz did not see the infraction and the game continued.
With two minutes left before the halftime break, CAV doubled their lead. Following an interception in midfield, Carson received the ball with some space and played a perfectly weighted pass to striker Billy Whittington. Hawks defender Alan Golden then brought Whittington down in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.
Carson coolly deposited the spot-kick in the lower right corner to give CAV a 2-0 advantage going into halftime.
Any attempt for the Hawks to get back into the game was dealt a major blow in the 53rd minute when midfielder Michael Goldman was shown a straight red card. Goldman was sent off for a late knee-high tackle on Dave Leon, leaving the defending champs down to 10 men for the remainder of the match.
The CAV defense, led by goalkeeper Matt Scheer, were able to keep the shorthanded Hawks off the scoresheet and snap their eight-game winless streak against them.
With the win, Club Atletico Virginia qualifies for the USASA Region I Finals, which, if they emerge victorious, will advance to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks Lineup:
GK: Alex Fatovic, Alan Golden, John Stephens, Devlin Barnes, Corey Curnutte, Watson Prather, Mike Goldman, Nidhal Charfi (Nate Bukey – 60′), William Fierro (Anders Kelto – 55′), Erwin Diaz, Ricky Schramm
Subs Not Used: Jon Knight
Club Atletico Virginia Lineup:
GK: Matthew Scheer RB: Benjamin Mortimer CB: Tremaine Chinapoo CB: Cooper Bryant LB: Phillip Purdy (Jordan Cullinane ‘65) RM: Andrew Richardson DCM: Matthew Davis (Matthew Carlson ’45) DCM: Victor Krasij LM: Matthew Miller (David Leon ’45) AM: John Carson STR: Billy Wittington (Nico Ojeda ’85)