After returning to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in 13 years, the San Diego Flash had their run end before it began. Their first round opponent forfeited, and the Flash were forced to forfeit in Round 2 due to the lack of a suitable field. Now, San Diego are one win away from qualifying for the fifth time in team history (dating back to the Flash’s previous incarnation as a pro team from 1995-2001).
On Saturday, the Flash repeated as NPSL Southwest Conference tournament winners, moving them on to a one-game playoff against Northwest Conference champion FC Tacoma 253. The game will be played on Sunday, Mar. 22 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle with the winner qualifying for the 2015 US Open Cup.
Elsewhere, CD Aguiluchos and the Sonoma County Sol both advanced to the Golden Gate Conference final where another 2015 Open Cup berth will be determined next week (details below).
San Diego hosted Deportivo Coras USA of Riverside, Calif. at Balboa Stadium on the campus of San Diego High School, and came away with a wild 4-1 penalty kick victory after the two sides were deadlocked at 2-2 after extra time.
“If I could describe it in one word, it would be ‘entertaining,'” said Flash director of operations Robb Watson. “It was back and forth, both sides were very evenly paced. There were plenty of missed opportunities by both sides, it could have realistically ended in a 5-5 tie if it wasn’t a qualifier.”
While Flash goalkeeper James Stroud was able to save one of the Coras penalties in the shootout, the visitors missed the target on two of their other three attempts, letting forward Brandon Zuniga seal the victory by calmly sending the Deportivo goalkeeper the wrong way to book San Diego’s ticket up north.
Zuniga had earlier tied the game in the 19th minute with a header at the back post off an in-swinging ball from a set piece, 16 minutes after Francisco Hernandez had opened the scoring for Coras off a near post header on a corner kick.
The Flash would then take the lead through former Orange County Blues defender Duach Jock in the 27th minute before Coras leveled the game in the 39th on a Christian Zamora header.
When the second half and both periods of extra time ended scoreless, San Diego easily dispatched its first four penalties en route to victory.
When the Flash take on FC Tacoma on Sunday, it will just the second game in franchise history for their opponents. Tacoma defeated Portland Spartans FC 2-1 in the only game of the Northwest Conference tournament.
According to Watson, San Diego is looking for a long run in the tournament to honor former CEO Clent Alexander.
“It’s a starting point,” Watson said of the win Saturday. “It’s good for the players to have this opportunity to grow. Some of the guys on our team are, I’m not going to say old, but are getting to the point where they maybe aren’t going to have another opportunity to advance.
“With the recent loss of our CEO, who passed away, it would be nice to move as far along as we could in the cup should we beat Tacoma.”
San Diego Flash vs. Coras USA: Highlights
San Diego Flash vs. Coras USA: Penalty Kicks
Aguiluchos, Sol advance to Golden Gate Conference Final.
Defending Golden Gate Conference champions CD Aguiluchos USA opened 2015 in the most emphatic way possible, stomping the San Francisco Stompers 8-1 thanks, in large part, to 2013 NPSL National Player of the Year Ross Middlemiss.
The striker was able to bag four goals for Aguiluchos, who qualified for the tournament in 2014 by virtue of defeating Portland Spartans FC in a playoff.
This year, the winner of the Golden Gate Conference will qualify directly for the Open Cup.
Middlemiss’ former team, the Sonoma County Sol defeated Real San Jose 4-3 Sunday night in San Jose with goals from Brandon Boone, Carlos Hernandez, Tyler Hurst, and Taylor Varnadore to garner hosting rights for the final, which will be played Saturday at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park, Calif.
The Sol are looking for their fifth Open Cup appearance after qualifying in 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010. Their best results were second round runs in 2006, and in 2009 when they also were NPSL national champions.
2015 US Open Cup Qualifying (NPSL West)
SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
First Round (March 7)
San Diego Flash 4:2 Temecula FC
FC Hasental 0:3 Deportivo Coras USA
Final (March 14)
San Diego Flash 2:2 (4:1 PKs) Deportivo Coras USA
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
Final (Feb. 20)
SFC Spartans 1:2 FC Tacoma 253 [+] RECAP
WIN & YOU’RE IN
San Diego Flash at FC Tacoma 253
March 22 – 2 p.m. PT
Memorial Stadium – Seattle, WA
*Winner qualifies for 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup
GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE
First Round (March 7)
Real San Jose 2:1 Sacramento Gold [+]RECAP
Second Round (March 14)
Sonoma County Sol 4:3 Real San Jose
CD Aguiluchos 8:1 San Francisco Stompers
Final (March 21)
CD Aguiluchos at Sonoma County Sol
* Golden Gate winner qualifies for 2015 US Open Cup
Evan Ream covers Sacramento Republic FC for the Davis Enterprise. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanReam