Lansdowne Bhoys are the Eastern New York Open Cup champions in its first attempt after defeating New York Athletic Club last November. The 2-1 victory in the final finished off a magical run that saw the side upset one of New York’s oldest and most famous clubs, Greek American Atlas SC.
The Bhoys may be relative unknowns nationally, but in New York they were steamrolling through competition in their local league, the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. Containing such teams as the four-time US Open Cup champion Greek Americans and three-time Open Cup winners New York Pancyprian Freedoms, the CSL is the top amateur conference in New York, and arguably the nation. Lansdowne finished the fall season with a 9-1-0 record, outscoring its opponents 31-7.
The champions began their tournament at home against the Greek Americans, emerging 5-4 winners. After taking a 5-1 lead, Bhoys player/coach Austin Friel said that the team took its “foot off the gas.” The Greek Americans scored three goals in the last three minutes but could not find an equalizer.
In the second round, Lansdowne was pitted against United FC, which upset the Pancyprian Freedoms in the prior round 7-6 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The Bhoys pulled out another close victory, this time winning 3-2 on the road. In a back-and-forth affair, United scored first, the Bhoys netted two goals, then United equalized. Lansdowne ended up scoring a late goal to win the game and advance to the final four.
Lansdowne’s next opponents were fellow CSL side Clarkstown FC Eagles, which made it to the semifinals with a pair of victories against non-CSL competition. In the first round, the Eagles scored a 4-0 victory over Stade Breton New York, which according to its Facebook page is the oldest French soccer team in the United States, having been created in 1955. Then, in round two, Clarkstown was a 4-1 victor over Westchester CF.
In the semifinal match-up, Lansdowne was dominant, earning a 5-0 victory over Clarkstown, which also operates a club in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Clarkstown coach Kevin Grogan, who was an Irish youth international who signed for Manchester United in 1997, said that while Lansdowne deserved the victory, an early sending-off influenced the game and led to the flattering scoreline.
In the final, the Bhoys got ahead quickly against NY Athletic Club, who advanced straight to the final thanks to winning the Rapaglia Cup, a tournament of champions in New York. Dwayne Reid, who was among the PDL leaders in points per minute last summer with the Ocean City Nor’easters, opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Fewer than 10 minutes later, Jermaine Russell added a second. NYAC had a glimmer of hope after Alessandro Sucre’s 88th minute goal, but Lansdowne was able to hold on to the 2-1 lead to earn its first state Open Cup title.
“For the first 25 minutes we were really dominant and possibly could have scored a few more,” Friel said. “We were just happy to win the game and move on to the next round.”
Lansdowne Bhoys will now represent Eastern New York in the 2014 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament, which is scheduled to begin April 6. The winner of that tournament will join the Region I Amateur Cup winner in the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
The USASA’s qualifying deadline was moved up to Dec. 31, and since there was no way to fit state and regional tournaments in before the end of the year, the 2014 Region I entries were already decided based on 2013’s results. The 2013 Region I Open Cup champion Icon FC (New Jersey) and Amateur Cup winners, Greek American Atlas, punched their tickets to this year’s Open Cup already.
2013-14 Eastern NY Open Cup Tournament
Home teams listed first
First Round
United FC 3:3 New York Pancyprian Freedoms
United FC advances 7:6 on penalty kicks
Lansdowne Bhoys 5:4 New York Greek Americans
Clarkstown FC Eagles 4:0 Stade Breton
Barnstonworth Rovers FC 1:1 Westchester CF
Westchester CF advances 11:10 on penalty kicks
New York Athletic Club – bye
Quarterfinals
United FC 2:3 Lansdowne Bhoys
Westchester CF 1:4 Clarkstown FC Eagles
New York Athletic Club – bye
Semifinals
Lansdowne Bhoys 3:0 Clarkstown FC Eagles
New York Athletic Club – bye
Final
New York Athletic Club 1:2 Lansdowne Bhoys