Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Brendan Doherty

2022 US Open Cup Round 3: Nine-man Rochester NY FC survives after PK shootout vs. FC Motown

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Rochester New York FC celebrate after advancing 4-3 in penalty kicks (2-2 draw) against FC Motown in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Rochehster NY FC
Rochester New York FC celebrate after advancing 4-3 in penalty kicks (2-2 draw) against FC Motown in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Rochehster NY FC

“What can I say… A game full of emotions, a lot of things happened. A roller coaster of emotions.”

Rochester New York FC head coach Bruno Baltazar succinctly summed up an eventful Third Round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match against FC Motown, an NPSL side from New Jersey.

Baltazar’s side, who finished the game with nine men, would eventually prevail 4-3 in a penalty kick shootout, despite FC Motown scoring a late equalizer in second half stoppage time. The game finished tied 2-2 after 120 minutes of play.

It was a dramatic penalty kick win for a club with a history full of dramatic moments. Rochester New York made a name for itself in the US Open Cup under the “Rochester Rhinos” moniker, where they reached the Open Cup Final twice. After falling short in 1996 to D.C. United, the Rhinos made history by upsetting four MLS teams en route to winning the 1999 US Open Cup title. They remain the only non-MLS side to lift the trophy since 1996.

Despite the colorful antics and rather full box score, the match started slowly. Similarly, the center official would end up casting a large shadow over proceedings but began the game by having a quiet word with Motown center back Hermanus Achterkamp rather than brandishing a card in the opening quarter hour.

RNY FC center back and captain Lamar Batista earned a booking in the 18th minute for clattering into one of the Motown players that had just sandwiched his teammate Ian Garrett. The referee had not called a foul on the initial play but deemed Batista’s retaliatory challenge worthy of a yellow card.

Rochester opened the scoring with a well-worked goal by Pedro Dolabella. Winger Jesus Batiz played a cross-field pass that Gibran Rayo cleverly dummied, allowing Dolabella to rush forward from midfield. The 22-year-old isolated Motown left back Jean-Ismael Voltaire before firing a left-footed strike past goalkeeper David Greczek in the 21st minute.

The visitors probed forward but did not threaten Philip Ejimadu in Rochester’s goal until after the home side doubled its advantage. Rayo chased down an over-hit through ball and recovered to pick out Dolabella in space in the area. The midfielder found Wilterlynd Inalien just inside the six-yard-box with his first touch and Rochester’s No. 9 did not miss from point-blank range in the 38th minute.

A minute and a half later, seven-year MLS veteran Dilly Duka pulled one back for the side from Morristown, New Jersey. Winger Ryan Peterson, another player with professional experience on his resume, controlled a long ball in the left-hand channel before finding Duka open at the top of the box. The former Columbus Crew midfielder cut left on Rochester center back Gustavo Rissi to create space before firing past Ejimadu in the 40th minute.

Just a few minutes into the second half, the screws starting to come loose for RNY. Batista came together with Motown right back Samuel Pompee and the visiting player went to ground holding his calf afterwards. The referee quickly reached for his pocket and showed Batista his second yellow card and subsequent red card in the 51st minute.

The match proceeded with neither team producing clear chances on goal until the referee was called upon. Just a minute after Motown had a penalty shout of their own, Rayo drew contact from Pompee in the area and hit the deck. Inalien stepped up to the spot attempting to give Rochester a commanding 3-1 lead in the 79th minute but Greczek had done his homework, diving low to his right and stopping the penalty to keep Motown within one.

In the 85th minute, Dolabella was shown a straight red card for connecting his arm with the head of Motown’s Federico De Oliveira in the middle of the field.

“It’s the first time in my career that I’m playing with two men down because of red cards,” Baltazar said.

In the second of five minutes of stoppage time, Kian Alberto hit a ball forward from deep in midfield towards striker Joe Fala. The former Red Bulls II defender saw his initial headed effort come back off the post but he was first to the rebound and tapped in from three yards out to send the match to extra time.

With the home side down two players, the amateur side appeared to be favorites during extra time but failed to break down a resolute Rochester defensive organization. In the 111th minute, a red card was shown to the RNY bench. After going down several times and receiving medical attention, starting goalkeeper Ejimadu was replaced by Caique in the final minute of extra time in order to face penalties.

The Brazilian shot-stopper validated the substitution by making two saves in the shootout. His opposite number, Greczek, also blocked two shots for Motown.

“Going into penalties, I told the guys ‘I have all the confidence in Dave Pekarek, our goalie coach,’” said FC Motown head coach Šaćir Hot. “He has studied them, he’s had countless hours spent watching their penalties.”

Ultimately Zack Perez shot over the bar for Motown in the sixth round of kicks and Milan Vanacker sealed the win for Rochester.

After the final whistle, victorious goalkeeper Caique ran straight to the Motown bench and required multiple teammates to pull him away from opponents. In the fracas, the referee showed him a red card.

Baltazar was introspective after the match, despite advancing after winning the shootout.

“I’m happy with the win, obviously. Happy to qualify for the next round. But unhappy with some stuff that happened in the game … especially about ourselves there are a few things that are not acceptable,” he said. “We can’t do these kinds of things.

“The last two games, we had two clean sheets and if we don’t concede goals we are closer to a win. And it was a really easy goal, we can’t concede this type of goal. With that goal Motown can come back into the game again.”

In the second half, everything started to fall apart with the red cards the Portuguese coach added.

“And after that it’s all about the sacrifice, the commitment, the passion that this team is building,” he said. “It becomes stronger today after this game. But we are still building it.

“They showed the organization, they showed the commitment, they showed the passion. It’s not easy. Motown is a good team, even if it’s coming from amateur levels. They have good players, players that could be on our team.”

Baltazar said that RNY is still far away from where they want to be, competing in their inaugural season in the new MLS Next Pro league, but they are getting there.

“Cup games are always tricky to play,” Baltazar said. “Motown is a team that likes to have the ball, that likes to play the game. And yeah, we created chances but we should have scored more goals. We scored two goals. Again, we conceded one goal in the first half that I can’t accept. We need to talk about that and we need to correct that.

“We had the penalty so we can kill the game at 3-1. I think it can kill the game but we didn’t manage to score and after that everything happened.”

Hot was philosophical about the result.

“There’s things we could have done differently if we had a second chance but you can say that about everything in life,” he said. “I think that I’m disappointed, yeah. But not necessarily heartbroken. Listen, everything we’ve done to this point is house money. This is already the farthest we’ve gotten in the Open Cup, Third Round.

“Before the game, I told everyone that we were going to live and die by the sword. Their first two goals, if you notice, we were man-to-man across the whole field. We could have been conservative and sat in but I said ‘no, you know what we’re gonna put on a show for the fans and for us and we’re gonna go out swinging.’ It’s easy to resort to sitting in, packing it in, and being boring but no one likes boring. We’re gonna play and we’re gonna have fun at the same time.

“At least we put on a show. We were always gonna put on a show.”

By taking Rochester to penalty kicks, FC Motown finishes as the furthest advancing amateur team and wins $25,000 in prize money. This broke the amateur team tiebreaker with North Carolina Fusion U-23 who also forced extra time in their match against the Richmond Kickers.

Rochester advances to the fourth round, facing New York City FC on May 11 at Belson Stadium (St. John’s University).

2022 US Open Cup Round 3: Ola Kamara helps DC United pull away late from Flower City Union

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Nigel Robertha DC United Flower City Union 2022 US Open Cup
Nigel Robertha of D.C. United dribbles in on goal against Flower City Union in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Mathieu Starke

UPDATE: D.C. United has fired head coach Hernán Losada

Third-tier side Flower City Union of the NISA held MLS’ D.C. United for much of the Third Round match in the U.S. Open Cup, but a 73rd-minute goal by forward Ola Kamara opened up the floodgates as the top-tier squad advanced to the next round of the domestic cup competition with a 3-0 win in Rochester, NY.

“The only goal tonight was to win, to go to the next round,” said D.C. United head coach Hernan Losada. “And at the same time, give a lot of minutes and opportunities to players who didn’t play much the last couple of weeks. So both goals were achieved.

“That’s the only thing that matters tonight. We go back to DC without injuries. Players can get match rhythm and we went through to the next stage.”

The emphatic 3-0 score sends three-time Cup winners D.C. into the Fourth Round while Flower City’s first experience in the Open Cup ends after two matches.

“We knew they would have more possession, it’s pretty typical for this type of matchup. We still wanted to go in and play our style, play forward when we can,” said Flower City Union head coach Zach Agliata.

“For the first half, I thought we played with them, up until 70-75 minutes in. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. They battled for it and I told them they would have to. They rose to the occasion. When you get a big club coming in, the guys raise their standards.”

4-19-22 US Open Cup DC United @ Flower City Union

Both D.C. United and Flower City Union have struggled in their respective leagues and were looking for a strong performances in the Cup to jump-start its seasons.

Flower City Union has not won a match in three attempts so far in the third-tier NISA, with just a slender Open Cup win over Western Mass Pioneers in the last round as the team’s only success of the campaign. In similarly dire straits heading into Tuesday’s match, D.C. United has lost four straight MLS games after starting the season with two consecutive wins.

“It’s just that these kind of games are never easy,” Losada said. “I’ve been in a lot of those games where you might believe it’s going to be an easy game just because of the level of the opponent but when you play against a good structure, a good organization with 11 players on their own half, the most difficult thing is the first goal.”

The stand-out performer for the home team was goalkeeper Maykell Ortega. He produced a kick save on Michael Estrada from point-blank range in the 12th minute and had the wherewithal to pressure Edson Flores into sending his shot over the bar.

Estrada had another chance for D.C. in the 22nd minute after Ted Ku-DiPietro played a slicing diagonal pass into the area. As Ortega came off his line, Estrada attempted to place his shot back the way his pass came but missed wide of the post.

In the 33rd minute, Griffin Yow received a long ball over the top from midfield and gently guided the ball into the back of the net but the referee had already whistled for offside.


As the visitors piled on pressure with possession in the attacking half, they left themselves vulnerable to potential counter attacks. Flower City tried to feed Jay Lee several times as the first half wound down but the lone striker was called offside in the 37th, 39th and 40th minutes.

Ku-DiPietro did well to beat Flower City’s Lukas Fernandes and Auston Kranick in the right channel before cutting inside to take a shot. The home side’s 24-year-old goalkeeper smothered the attempt in the 43rd minute.

Flower City had a meaningful goal-scoring opportunity just before the half-time whistle. Right-back Benjamin Watson hit a long ball upfield that Lee controlled in the channel before cutting in on Tony Alfaro and unleashing a shot from a tight angle. D.C. goalkeeper Jon Kempin blocked the shot but gave up a rebound that agonized through the goal mouth with no attacking players pushed forward to crash the loose ball.

The second half carried on with D.C. controlling the run of play and Flower City looking for chances on the break. One such chance came on a rare venture forward from midfielder Jordan Saling who battled several visiting players to maintain possession before dishing the ball out wide to an overlapping Watson. With multiple targets to aim for, the full-back’s 66th minute cross was too close to Kempin.

Second-half substitute Nigel Robertha was active in the Flower City penalty area, including the play prior to the break-through goal. The Dutch forward drew defenders to him before dropping the ball to Kamara, whose shot rang off the frame of the goal. Flower City’s defense half-cleared the rebound before substitute Tyler Freeman and Drew Skundrich combined to move the ball wide to Ku-DiPietro. The 20-year-old midfielder sent a cross into the box from the right wing and Ortega bobbled the ball at his near post, allowing Kamara to crash the net and head in the game’ first goal in the 73rd minute.

In the 81st minute, Robertha doubled D.C.’s lead with a simple finish from close range. Yow did well to knock down an attempted clearance and play a pass forward to Kamara, whose square ball eluded several Flower City defenders. Robertha received his pass, took a touch outside with his right foot to create separation from center back Andriy Demydiv, and coolly slotted his shot past an on-rushing Ortega.

Despite his first-half heroics, Ortega earned a yellow card in the 85th minute for making contact with Kamara after the Norwegian forward dribbled past him. Kamara dispatched the ensuing penalty for his second goal of the night the following minute.

Agliata was full of praise for his goalkeeper and noted the work that Ortega has put in since joining the team.

“He was just incredible. We’ve got a fantastic goalkeeper coach and Maykell has picked up a lot. He came up big in this match,” he said. “I just feel bad for him that the ones that got past him, did get past him. He played really well.

“I just feel really proud of all the boys. I told them they would have to fight and they rose to it and they did fight. They earned this type of feeling, this moment. They’re all positive, which is good. They’re looking forward to Maryland .”


 

2022 US Open Cup Round 2: Gibran Rayo’s strike edges Rochester NY FC past tough Lansdowne Yonkers

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Thursday evening’s Second Round encounter between Rochester New York FC and Lansdowne Yonkers FC was a physical affair. The first minute of the match saw RNY captain Lamar Batista go to ground holding his face following an aerial challenge with an opponent. This contentious nature continued through to the final whistle.

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Rochester head coach Bruno Baltazar told theCup.us, “We found a tough opponent, really physical, a lot of tackles and a lot of physical game, and we struggled a bit with how they play.”

Though both sides have since changed their names, the game was a rematch of a 2016 Third Round match won by the Rochester Rhinos 2-0. In its first Open Cup contest since coming off hiatus, Rochester put a stellar 16-0-0 record against amateur teams on the line against the reigning National Amateur Cup champions.

Rochester added to their perfect record against amateur teams (19-0-0) with a narrow 1-0 win over Lansdowne on the strength of a first half goal by Gibran Rayo.

Rochester made a name for themselves under the name “Rochester Raging Rhinos” in 1999 when they became the first lower division club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to win the US Open Cup. More than two decades later, they remain the only non-MLS team to lift the trophy.

Baltazar discussed the club’s history after the match and how he used it as a motivation rather than a burden.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure, I would call it a positive energy and a positive feeling that we have to represent this club, to honor the big history that this club has,” said Baltazar.

Rochester’s Portuguese coach went on to allude to his preparations to avoid being upset despite only having two friendlies and two club games with his squad so far.

“It’s a tough game, always. Cup games are always tough, in American soccer, all other the world,” Baltazar addeed. “There’s a lot of surprises happening in every round and we were aware of that.”

To that end, the home side started on the front foot. Rochester’s Pedro Dolabella saw his 22 yard free kick tipped over the bar in the fifth minute before Ojai Bedford made a last-ditch tackle for the visitors a few minutes later.

Just after the half-hour mark, the hosts pressured again with a through ball on the edge of the area but Lansdowne’s Kyle Parish slid in with a timely intervention for a corner. On the ensuing corner kick, goalkeeper Abdou Karim Danso made a diving save to his left to preserve the deadlock. Danso flapped at the next ball into the box but his defense was able to complete the clearance in the 33rd minute.

MORE: American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup 

As the match looked destined to head into the break scoreless, Rochester hit on the counter attack and Gibran Rayo played a wallpass before neatly finishing past Danso deep in stoppage time.
Lansdowne Yonkers FC head coach Sean Kelly commended his team’s work rate in the first half but stressed that they improved after the intermission.

“We wanted to go and make it as hard as possible for them and I think we did,” said Kelly. “I think we worked hard. We defended really well in the first half. We were nearly there, we nearly made it into the dressing room 0-0. We defended really well even though we didn’t play well – they played really well, credit to them.”

“It was just an absolute knife to the heart, just a knife to the heart!” Kelly, who played in the 2016 match against the Rhinos, elaborated on the emotional toll of conceding just before halftime. “We had just had a free kick … and they cleared it and within a minute the ball was in the back of the net. And when you play against teams of this standard, that’s what will happen. They’ll punish you. If you don’t aim to punish them first, they will punish you on counters.”

Lansdowne came out for the second half looking to switch their style of play. A key addition in the underdog’s quest for an equalizer was former Shamrock Rovers attacker Dean Dillon, who entered the contest in the 51st minute. A sloppy midfield characterized much of the second half, with multiple substitutions for both teams and the referee handing out yellow cards rather haphazardly.

2022 MEET THE UNDERDOGS: No longer Bhoys, Lansdowne Yonkers FC continuing unprecedented success

The visiting team grew as the match wore on and developed a number of chances in the dying minutes of the games. In the 89th minute, Lansdowne had a deep free kick that drew Rochester’s Philip Chijioke Ejimadu off his line but the goalkeeper did not punch cleanly before his defense cleaned up the mess.

In second half stoppage time, Dillon saw a headed chance fly just over the frame of the net and forward Shamir Mullings, who scored the equalizer in the club’s penalty kick win over the Ocean City Nor’easters in Round 1, directed a header from an in-swinging corner kick just wide of the far post. After six minutes of time added on, the referee blew an end to the match and Rochester NY FC will advance to the Third Round where they will face another amateur team, FC Motown of New Jersey in the NPSL.

Kelly was almost beaming after the match despite the result.

“The gameplan didn’t really go to plan in the first half but in the second half we were much better,” said Kelly. “And I’m really proud of the boys for that. This group has come a long way. It’s just more experience for us as a club and as a team. Hopefully we can grow and get better from this.”

“We had two half-chances towards the end. But if you start the game slow in the first half, you can’t just come out and turn it around in the second half and expect rewards. Saying that, I would have loved it if we had gotten an equalizer but it just wasn’t meant to be today. Rochester needed a win at the same time and they got it.”

Thursday’s result means that Rochester has advanced in a Modern Era record 17 straight opening round cup matches dating back to 2002.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: FC Maritsa earn PK win after lengthy trip

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FC Maritsa players celebrate in the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against IASC Boom in Rochester, NY. Photo: Mathieu Starke | @Starke_photo (all social media)

2022 Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule / Results
Game photos by Mathieu Starke (@Starke_photo)

A 1,500-mile trip, some biting wind, and a valiant display from the home side was not enough to stop FC Maritsa from earning a win on penalties against IASC Boom on Sunday night in Rochester.

The side from St. Louis woke up in the early hours of the morning to start their travels to the Empire State and dug deep to find the energy to hold on through 120 minutes of action. Player/coach Lucas Almeida buried the winning penalty to seal Maritsa’s advance to the next round of 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup qualifying.

Sunday’s hosts, IASC Boom, are an amalgamation of the Roc City Boom squad that competes in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) and a long-standing community team called Italian American Sports Club. The team earned its place in qualification through the local Rochester District Soccer League, and defeated Pittsburgh City United FC 4-0 in last month’s Second Qualifying Round.

Maritsa also fields a team in the UPSL but entered through its local league, Metro East Football Association. FC Maritsa’s opponents in the previous round, Lexington Landsharks from Kentucky, forfeited last month’s match.

Boom had a penalty shout 15 minutes into the match when Whitman Hernandez went to ground after a tangle with Maritsa’s William Stimac but the match official waved away Rochester’s protests.

FC Maritsa logoMaritsa forward Edin Campara did well to apply pressure to IASC Boom’s backline and goalkeeper in the first half, which struggled to deal with balls in the air as the wind affected play.

The visitors had their own claim for a penalty in the 31st minute when Campara received the ball from a long throw and tried to chip it back to himself for a shooting chance. Boom’s energetic central defender Robert Williamson stepped in to win the ball with his chest but Maritsa players shouted that it hit Williamson’s arm in the process. The referee was unimpressed again.

Maritsa had a clear-cut chance in first half stoppage time when IASC Boom goalkeeper Connor Halsted came off his line but missed an attempted punch. A headed effort by the visitors was cleared off the line by Williamson and the half ended scoreless.

Boom had a chance from a set piece after Maritsa’s Mike Scharf was called for a foul on Nick Tata. Dom Francis lined up the free kick for the home team from about 35 yards and shot just wide of the near post in the 59th minute.

Just five minutes later, Maritsa capitalized on some sloppy touches from IASC Boom to take the lead. Center back Jacob Schindler partially cleared an attempted through ball by the visitors but his teammate Mwalizi Mutambo, who was otherwise solid in midfield for Boom, lost a duel to Connor Woulahan. Maritsa’s Woulahan fed the ball forward to Campara, who isolated Schindler on the dribble before pinging a cross to the far post to find his teammate Vadim Cojocov. Cojocov nodded the ball past a diving Halsted to put the team from St. Louis ahead in the 64th minute.

“In the midfield Connor put in a good tackle, anticipated the play and found Edin with a good ball,” Almeida said about the goal sequence. “Edin did well and then crossed to the back post where Vadim was making a run and got a great header in, made good contact, and put it in the net. It was a beautiful goal from a good pressure.”

After conceding, Boom head coach Marc Mandell quickly made two attacking substitution to change the complexion of the game. The match settled into a siege mentality in the final 15 minutes with Maritsa conceding space and committing fouls but Boom were unable to find an equalizer. Francis delivered service on several deep free kicks that found the first Rochester player in the penalty area but that Maritsa’s defenders were able to clear.

In second half stoppage time, Francis sent in another free kick from the inside left channel and Boom substitute Ali Shawish rose highest in the crowd to knot the match at 1-1 with seconds left.

Mandell recognized his team was off the pace at the start but credited the spirit of his players to force extra time.

FC Maritsa player attempts to tackle the ball away from an IASC Boom player in a 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match in Rochester, NY. Photo: Mathieu Starke | @Starke_photo (all social media)

“The first half we hung in there and stuck in there, they got the goal. But to fight back and we had the guys fight back and actually put a goal in 90 minutes plus, in stoppage time, it shows the determination and grit that we have with this team.”

Extra time continued with the home team on the front foot but Maritsa showed flashes on the counterattack. At the end of two 15-minute periods the score remained 1-1 and the teams lined up for kicks from the spot.

FC Maritsa won the right to shoot first and made that count. The first four kick-takers for each team converted before Lucas Almeida stepped up for his team’s fifth. The veteran for Maritsa blasted it over the keeper’s arms to score. Schindler lined up a one-step run up and goalkeeper Ethan Cowell saved the attempt for the win.

After the final whistle, IASC Boom’s Mandell was full of praise for his players despite the result. “Not training for a whole month and guys getting together to just play the game, the guys really played well. I can’t ask for more than that. Short time, trying to get everybody in. I’m proud of them.”

Almeida detailed that Maritsa’s travel schedule began before dawn in Saint Louis.

“Man, it was so long. We started at 4:45 a.m., we were at the airport. Flew to Atlanta, got a connection there flew to Buffalo, waited there, got a car there and drove straight to the arena. We haven’t been to the hotel, we haven’t done anything. It’s been a very, very long day, but a very fulfilling one.”

“It adds to the excitement. We know every game at this level is going to be a competitive game,” the player/coach said. “We expect it to be a hard one, and the possibility of going 120 minutes and penalties.”

Maritsa advance to the next round of US Open Cup qualifying where they will try to better their 2019 showing and move on to the tournament proper for the first time.

2018 US Open Cup qualifying: Rochester River Dogz make history by qualifying for first US Open Cup

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Rochester River Dogz pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Stegman's SC. Photo: Domenico Vella | Rochester River Dogz
Rochester River Dogz pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Stegman’s SC. Photo: Domenico Vella | Rochester River Dogz

On a blustery afternoon amid chilling winds and freezing rain in Rochester’s suburb of Pittsford, NY, the Rochester River Dogz earned a place in the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Hosting Stegman’s Soccer Club, a local amateur side and the parent club of Minneapolis City SC of the National Premier Soccer League, the River Dogz are themselves related to the NPSL team founded under the same name and since re-branded to the Lancers.

The River Dogz would defend their home turf, prevailing 2-1 to become the first open division amateur team from Western New York to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

The River Dogz entered the competition through the Rochester District Soccer League, an elite amateur circuit recognized by USASA, but used the players and kits from the NPSL side. Similarly, Stegman’s, a member of the Minnesota Amateur Soccer League, fielded much of its NPSL roster and suited up in MPLS City’s jerseys.

The visitors struck in just the first minute of play, before the Minnesota-style weather took hold.

Nicholas Hutton sent dangerous service into the area from the right wing. Forward Ben Wexler did well to meet the cross but his strike whistled off the crossbar. Stegman’s Timothy Wills reacted first and poked home the rebound to take the early lead.

After conceding, the River Dogz regrouped and mounted some chances of their own. The hosts appeared to notch a goal in quick response after the right winger cut inside and fired a shot on his left that fell nicely to a teammate for an easy rebound. The assistant referee has raised his flag, however, and the score remained 1-0 for the Minnesotans.

The Rochester River Dogz (white) and Stegman's SC square off in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifier at Pittsford Thornell Farm Park in Pittsford, NY. Photo: Domenico Vella | Rochester River Dogz
The Rochester River Dogz (white) and Stegman’s SC square off in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifier at Pittsford Thornell Farm Park in Pittsford, NY. Photo: Jameson Pester | Rochester River Dogz

Despite some flowing passing moves, Rochester’s equalizer came from another rebound. Rochester forced a turnover in Stegman’s third with coordinated pressure from midfield. Center forward Austin Gerber received a through ball that split Stegman’s defense and hit a heavy strike that goalkeeper Matt Elder reacted quickly to kick away. Unfortunately for the visitors, the balled popped out to attacking midfielder Stefanos Stamoulocatos and the former U.S. youth international buried the follow-up from a tight angle with his left foot to tie the match in the 26th minute.

Stegman’s number 11, Whitney Browne was active throughout the game. He forced Rochester’s Will Banahene into a diving save from a set piece in the opening 15 minutes and was not shy about unloading shots from distance either.

Rochester held court for much of the remainder of the first half. The River Dogz tried to build measured attacks through midfield, probing for an opening between defenders, while still effectively using the long ball upfield for Gerber to chase. In contrast, Stegman’s kept several players deep even when in possession in the final third.

In the second half, Stegman’s pushed forward more often looking for a second goal but left themselves more vulnerable to counterattacks. A quick break chance almost put the hosts ahead early in the second half but the shot from Anthony Rozzano’s cross bounced off the crossbar.

Rochester’s utility defender Alex Harling, having played center back, right back, and left back on Sunday preserved equity in the middle of the second half. Stegman’s capitalized on a poor pass from Rochester’s No. 14, who had just entered the match as a substitute, and attacked quickly through the middle. The visitors may have thought difficult part of the move was over when a Stegman’s attacker rounded Banahene, but Harling recovered expertly to clear the eventual shot off the goal line.

Shortly after nearly conceding on one end, Rochester grabbed the go-ahead goal at the other. Gerber received another well-timed through ball that put him through with Elder and set himself up for a right-footed instep shot curled low to the far post. To his credit, Elder got a touch on the shot but could not prevent the game-winner from dribbling over the line.

Facing elimination after an unforgiving qualification process, Stegman’s rose to the occasion. The visitors moved the ball around the field well while pressing forward with urgency, peppering Banahene’s goal with efforts.

“Stegmans came to play that’s for sure,” said River Dogz general manager/assistant coach Marc Mandell. “After an early goal a minute into the game, our players had to buckle down and focus on how to get back in the game. I was very pleased that we were able to come back being a goal down to win 2-1. Our goalkeeper Will Banahene was definitely the man of the match coming up with some huge saves and Austin Gerber came through with the game-winning goal for the second game in a row.”

Perhaps an effort to run the clock down, two Rochester players received bookings in the final minutes of the match. The first was to Rochester’s No. 11 for his part in some shoving and gesticulating during a fracas near the Stegman’s goal and the second was to Rozzano for time-wasting after he cleared a ball past the bleachers once it had already crossed the sideline.

Stegman’s players showed well and can be proud of their efforts (after raising the funds to cover their airfare), but it was Rochester that came away with the 2-1 victory.

With the win, the River Dogz will qualify for the 105th edition of the US Open Cup that will begin next May. Their head coach, who has plenty of US Open Cup experience as a player with the Rochester Rhinos, was proud of his team’s performance.

“Rochester has a ton of local talent and I am happy to see the community rally around these guys,” said Doug Miller, who scored the game-winning goal for the Rhinos in the 1999 US Open Cup Final. “This cup means a lot to me and my ex-teammates and to be a part of it again is exciting”

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Amateur Cup titleholders Lansdowne Bhoys edge Pancyprian Freedoms in PKs

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Lansdowne Bhoys FC soccerMORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Two of the titans of the famed Cosmopolitan Soccer League in New York City battled for 120 minutes and neither could find a goal. The match had to be decided in penalty kicks with the reigning Amatuer Cup champion Lansdowne Bhoys edging three-time US Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms, 4-3.

The Bhoys and the Freedoms have both qualified for the US Open Cup in recent years.

The Bhoys from the New York metropolitan area qualified for the 2016 edition of the tournament after defeating Newtown Pride FC and Worcester FC during qualification. That year Lansdowne Bhoys defeated PDL side Long Island Rough Riders 2-1 before traveling to Pennsylvania to stun the USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-0. The cup-run ended with a 2-0 loss in Rochester at the hands of the Rhinos in the Third Round.

The team fell to FC Motown during qualification for 2017 tournament but returned to try to earn a spot for 2018. Lansdowne Bhoys FC defeated Jackson Lions FC of New Jersey’s Garden State Soccer League in the opening round on September 24.

The Pancyprian Freedoms defeated Newtown Pride of Connecticut 2-1 in the first round of qualifying last month.

The club has a storied history that includes both the amateur side in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League dating back to 1979 and the professional team founded in 1999 as the New York Freedom. The Freedoms pushed eventual champion Rochester Raging Rhinos to the brink in extra time during the second round of the 1999 Open Cup.

More recently, the amateur side qualified for the 2016 Open Cup and showed well. The Freedoms defeated PDL-side New York Red Bulls U-23s 2-1 in the first round and narrowly lost to another PDL team, Jersey Express 1-0.

These two sides know each other well both from league play in the CSL and in amateur cup competitions, including 2017 Open Cup qualifying last autumn. In that contest, Lansdowne Bhoys prevailed 3-2 over New York Pancyprian Freedoms after extra time in Yonkers on September 10, 2016.

The teams also met just two weeks prior to Sunday’s cup showdown, a CSL match on Oct. 10 that ended 1-1 in Yonkers. Within CSL, NY leads the league in scoring with 2.4 goals per game average and Lansdowne has the stingiest defense in the division allowing just 0.75 goals per contest.

Both the familiarity between the teams and the prize at stake added venom to Sunday night’s match. The first half was chippy, with five bookings, but produced saves from both goalkeepers. New York’s forward Andreas Chronis forced a clearance off the line in the 27th minute and struck the woodwork in the 65th.

Lansdowne Bhoys defenders had their backs against the wall late in regulation when Craig Purcell got his body in front of a header from Luis Esteves in the 90th minute.

In extra time, Lansdowne goalkeeper Abdoukarim Danso, who played during the team’s previous cup run and won TheCup.us Player of the Round, came off his line to close down New York’s Adam Himeno. The best chance of the second period of extra time came off the foot of Lansdowne Bhoys’ Joseph Lopez but his long-distance effort missed the target.

After 120 scoreless minutes of soccer could not separate the Bhoys and Freedoms, the teams lined up for a shootout. Sunday night’s opponents proved evenly matched even from the spot as the Bhoys finally prevailed.

Perhaps energized from his extra time heroics, Danso stole the show with three saves from the line as his side now advances to the third qualifying round to be played in November against the Junior Lone Star Under-23s from Philadelphia.

Lansdowne Bhoys head coach Austin Friel is now one game away from taking his team back to the Open Cup while the Pancyprian Freedoms cast attention back to their undefeated start to the league

2017 US Open Cup Round 3: Last-second dagger for Rochester Rhinos kills GPS Omens’ Open Cup run

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Rochester Rhinos logo

GPS Omens came into Wednesday night’s Third Round US Open Cup match in Rochester as the clear underdogs but proved over the course of 120 minutes that they deserve respect on merit, despite losing 2-1 to the Rochester Rhinos.

Rhinos started the match lively, with a lot of pressure early but the hosts failed to capitalize. Unfortunately for Rochester, that pattern would characterize much of the game. The home side had more of the ball, executed deliberate build-up play, and got far more shots off than their amateur opponents, but could only manage a deflected goal through the first 119 minutes of the match.

In the first half, Rochester held an impressive 77 percent of possession but could not manage a single shot on goal. Neither goalkeeper made a save through the first 45 minutes but the second half sparked the contest into life.

Rochester’s Jalen Brown saw a heavy shot from the edge of the penalty area flash across the goalmouth in the 51st minute but showed he brought his shooting boots out at halftime. Just a minute later Brown picked up an innocuous partially cleared ball in midfield, cut inside on his favored right foot, and shot from 19 yards. The shot took a deflection off a GPS Omens defender before finding the back of the net but gave Rochester the lead in the 52nd minute.

Before the match could settle into a rhythm again, GPS earned a free kick for a foul off the ball as Rochester cleared its lines. Keith Caldwell, older brother of New England Revolution midfielder Scott, lined up the free kick in the 55th minute and fired past Dan Lynd to equalize the game.

GPS Omens went to the bench first, in the 60th and 65th minutes, before Rochester also made two like-for-like changes in the 73rd minute. Omens used their last substitution in the 80th minute and prepared to hold out for a 1-1 draw.

The Rhinos pushed every field player into GPS Omens’ half of the field during extra time, looking to break the deadlock before the 120 minutes wound up. Rochester had mustered 10 total shots through 90 minutes but had 11 shots in extra time alone. Brown and substitutes forward Samuel Edoung-Biyo peppered the GPS Omens’ net in both periods of extra time before the inevitable game-winner.

As fans in Capelli Sport Stadium began to resign themselves to a penalty shootout, Brown and Edoung-Biyo combined for the last-minute go-ahead goal. Brown controlled a long ball over the top from his defense before drilling service into the area. Edoung-Biyo battled to beat the GPS Omens center back to the ball and redirected the cross into the net from six yards out.

In heart-breaking fashion, GPS Omens conceded in stoppage time of the second half of extra time, perhaps seconds away from a shootout.

Elated to have grabbed his first goal for the team, Samuel Edoung-Biyo spoke after the game about his work crashing the net on angled service from wide positions.

“Throughout the game, they kept putting good crosses in and I kept going behind the man. Coach just kept telling me eventually to slash in front of the defender so you can get in front of the ball, because they kept intercepting,” the first-year Rhinos forward said.

“And that one, I just kind of changed my run from the back post to the first post and got to the ball before he did.” Edoung-Biyo, who joined the squad from an open tryout, also talked about the mixture of frustration and relief the team felt and how he dealt with the setbacks late on.

“As a striker, you want to finish the opportunities you get. And I guess, it kind of just speaks to resilience. I had three good opportunities that I should have finished. I just kept working and kept looking for it and eventually I got it in the back of the net.”

Meanwhile, Rochester’s rookie winger Jalen Brown was electric for the home side. Brown made a similarly good impression in Rochester’s second-round match and assisted the team’s second goal against FC Motown. Speaking to media after the game, the former Xavier product laid out his team’s plan late on.

“The gameplan was just to put balls in dangerous areas,” Brown said. “We were trying to go for the game. We didn’t want to go to PKs. The best thing to do is to get the ball in the box, and that’s what we did.”

“I think we took the game and put it in our own hands,” Brown said.

Aside from the daunting challenge of defeating the Rhinos at Capelli Sport Stadium, something that no team has accomplished since the Richmond Kickers beat Rochester on August 3, 2016, GPS Omens faced added fitness concerns and travel issues.

GPS Omens midfielder Gregory Zuboff contrasted his team with other amateur sides who use the cup as a showcase to earn professional contracts but assured his teammates’ dedication.

“Relative to that, we approach the game in a little bit more of a laid back fashion but we’re still very committed. We love our training sessions during the week and guys are excited to show up on Saturday mornings to play in our league matches.”

“Certainly, our guys that were out here are trying to make a living for ourselves and this is something that we do more for passion. But we love the game and games like this are the most fun.”

“We knew they were going to be quite talented,” Zuboff said about the Rhinos. “They’ve done well in the cup in the past. They had a good run last year and had a strong defeat over a fellow Boston team, Southie. We knew we were going to have to play strong defense, to try and hold them to one or no goals and try to slot one in, early, ideally.”

“We found ourselves in a tight spot, getting down 1-0. But we had a great response from Keith . He had a brilliant finish,” Zuboff smiled.

The player noted the rugged conditions for the visiting side.

“We took a seven-hour bus ride up here today,” the midfielder said. “We got in at 4:30, dropped our things off, turned around and came here to the field. We were just trying to get our legs under us.” Zuboff described how the travel and novelty of the experience may have affected fitness levels as time wore on.

“We were definitely feeling it, trying to manage those subs, especially when we saw overtime coming. There were some strategic substitutions that we had to pull.”

“Right now it feels like a defeat but looking back it’s been an exciting run for us. We’ve gotten some fun attention out of it. But most importantly the boys have been excited, we’ve been doing some extra training sessions, trying to stay fit, keep getting touches on the ball.”

“Looking back, it’s something we’ll talk about for a while but next year we’ll be looking to do the same thing and take it to the next round.”

While GPS Omens returns to Bay State Soccer League play where they are undefeated reigning champions and contemplate a potential 2018 cup run, the Rochester Rhinos move on to the fourth round of the Open Cup.

The Rhinos will travel to Providence, Rhode Island, to face the New England Revolution on June 14 at 7 p.m. EST. It will be the seventh all-time meeting between the two clubs in the tournament.

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: Graf’s goal, assist gives Rochester Rhinos a record 16th straight opening win

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Rochester Rhinos logoThe Rochester Rhinos came out to a barn-storming start, but have slippery hands and jittery nerves to thank for their early goals in a 3-0 US Open Cup victory over FC Motown.

In just the 2nd minute, attacking midfielder Sofiane Tergou picked up the ball in midfield and ran at Motown’s defense before dishing a pass into the channel for Rayane Boukemia and following the play into the box.

Jochen Graf controlled the cross from wide and flicked the ball into space for Tergou, who fired a tight angle shot at FC Motown goalkeeper Andrew Tartara. The ball appeared to skirt through Tartara’s hands and between his legs at the near post for the game’s first goal.

Rochester doubled its advantage minutes later in similar fashion.

Left back Ray Lee launched a long ball forward that Graf was able to knock into the right channel for rookie winger Jalen Brown. Without pressure from FC Motown, Brown was able to calmly curl an early cross towards the near post behind the backline.

Graf won the footrace and tapped the ball between Tartara’s legs for Rochester’s second goal in the 7th minute.

Rochester failed to produce much in front of goal to close the first half or to start the second.

The visitors from New Jersey often showed individual skill and impressive passing sequences, but could not capitalize on that positive play in the final third.

Near the hour mark, FC Motown began challenging Rochester’s defense in a meaningful way, driven by substitute Andres Berriel.

Berriel found himself in a pocket of space behind fullback Ray Lee in the 56th minute, but his first touch let him down and the chance never materialized.

With attacking substitutions of its own, Rochester began to press hard for another goal in the final ten minutes.

Rayane Boukemia scored the Rhinos’ final goal, tapping home a rebound in the 85th minute.
Rochester is now 16-0-0 all-time against amateur sides in the US Open Cup. The win also extends the Rhinos’ Modern Era record for consecutive opening round wins. Rochester has won 15 consecutive tournament openers, with the only time they’ve ever lost coming back in 2001 to the A-League’s Hershey Wildcats.

The Rhinos will host GPS Omens, a Massachusetts-based amateur team from the Bay State Soccer League, in the Third Round on May 31.

2016 US Open Cup Round 4: Sacha Kljestan PK holds up as New York Red Bulls edge Rhinos in Rochester

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rbs_negOn Wednesday night, 3,561 people witnessed a hard-fought match between two hungry teams with very different track records in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The New York Red Bulls, who are seeking their first US Open Cup title, fielded a very strong lineup while the Rochester Rhinos, the 1999 champions, looked to maintain a 25-game unbeaten streak at home in all competitions. Despite the best efforts from Rhinos’ players, New York defeated its hosts 1-0 thanks to a 20th minute penalty kick from Sacha Kljestan in front of a large contingent of traveling support.

In the days leading up to the game, Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch told the media he was planning to send out a talented squad but his selection still turned a few heads. Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, and Gonzalo Veron led New York’s attack while Dax McCarty, Sal Zizzo, Aurelien Collin, and Luis Robles also started.

Playing a new 5-2-3 formation, Rochester seemed to surprise the visitors in the opening minutes. Steevan dos Santos, Michel Guilavogui, and Christian Volesky took the game to New York but failed to put any substantive on Robles.

Veron, who has struggled for fitness since a dominating preseason, was the clear danger man for New York. His teammates looked to feed him the ball and the Argentine caused trouble whenever he cut in from the left wing. This play led to the game’s only goal.

Veron received a pass from midfield and attempted to make a diagonal run into the Rochester penalty area. Sean Totsch, playing in the center of the defense, tried to shield Veron off the ball. The forward cast the second-year Rhino aside and carried on. Vasilis Apostolopoulos then stepped in front of Veron and fouled him in the box for a penalty.

Rochester players, and fans, were not arguing whether Apostolopoulos fouled Veron, but rather that the attacker has fouled Totsch earlier in the play. Regardless, Kljestan stepped up and coolly dispatched his penalty in the 20th minute to give the Red Bulls the first half lead. It was his second career US Open Cup goal, after picking up his first in last year’s tournament.

After the goal, Rochester appeared disheartened and receded in the game. New York put together sustained periods of pressure and earned half a dozen corner kicks before halftime. The Rhinos attack had created openings but failed to convert them into real chances on goal.

Youngster Alex Muyl, who scored one of his team’s seven goals in the team’s blowout win in league play against New York City FC, replaced Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 23rd minute after the veteran winger picked up a knock. In the second half, electric dribbler Mike Grella entered the game for Bradley Wright-Phillips in the 67th minute but certainly didn’t have the impact his recent performances may have suggested. Red Bulls’ final change brought central defender Ronald Zubar on for forward Veron with ten minutes left to shore up the defense and protect the team’s narrow narrow lead.

As Rochester pushed players forward, including rookie center back Joe Farrell, who scored a scorcher on the road in Toronto in USL on the weekend, they were exposed in the back. Grella broke through clean on goal but goalkeeper Tomas Gomez, who made six saves on the night, didn’t back down. With Grella bearing down on goal, Gomez came off his line and didn’t make it easy for Grella. The former San Jose reserve goalkeeper stayed on his feet and did well to block Grella’s breakaway shot.

The home team’s best chance to equalize the game started with a Kenardo Forbes free kick. Forbes floated service into the mixer from the right channel. Robles came off his line to punch but couldn’t wade through the mass of bodies to make clean contact. The ball fell to Totsch, who hit a neat instep volley on frame. While the ball may have been destined for the top corner at the near post, choosing accuracy over power allowed New York’s Zubar to head the ball clear off the line while Robles was still out of position in the 84th minute.

The visiting Red Bulls held on for the 1-0 victory over Rochester and will advance in the Open Cup. The win was the Red Bulls’ first over the Rhinos after losing their only other meeting back in 2005 in Rochester, 3-1. To give fans how long its been since their last meeting, Sergio Galvan Rey scored for New York that day

After the game New York head coach Jesse Marsch told media about the motivation to perform well in this competition.

“From the inside the players really want to take this tournament seriously and go after it and win a trophy. And certainly as an organization, we do,” said Marsch who won four US Open Cup titles as a player. We’re an organization that still doesn’t have enough trophies in the trophy case, so we look at every tournament as a real chance to put one in there. We wanted to put a good team on the field.”

“I’ll give credit to Rochester because they made us earn it,” said Marsch, who was on the DC United team that beat the Rhinos in the Final in 1996. “They didn’t give much away. We didn’t have too many chances. They competed hard. They battled. And we’re lucky to get out of here with the win.

“These games are never easy. Obviously if we can score a second goal, then we make our lives a bit easier, he added. “This game means a lot to them as well as it means a lot to us. Certainly, every inch that we gained we had to fight for. I give them credit but in the end, it was good for us to get the lead early on because it meant that the game settled in a little bit more. We didn’t have to be panicky or desperate. Overall it was a pretty professional performance from a lot of our guys.”

Rochester head coach Bob Lilley also talked about the strength of New York’s lineup after the game.

“I thought we’d get some regular starters, but I didn’t necessarily think we’d get as many as we did. But I told our guys to be ready. In the locker room, I said, ‘Hey, they’re paying you respect now but now you need to show them you can play. Go out ready to compete.’ I think our guys did. I loved the way we started the game. I just don’t think we took enough advantage of those early stages to really get after them. And once they kind of settled into the game, they dictated the pace of play. It was hard to get enough of the ball to really put them under pressure.”

In the end, Lilley was proud of his team’s performance and he feels they can carry the experience into league play.

“We limited their chances more than most MLS sides and certainly we pushed them a little bit more than they’ve been pushed recently,” Lilley said. “We certainly got benefits out of it and I think the guys need to see how they measure up and where they maybe fell short a little bit. But I think they’ll learn from this game. And I also think they’ll take positives for sure, because I think the guys recognize they didn’t mess around with their lineup, they put out a very strong lineup. I think that says something.”

“I’m pretty happy overall with how they performed on the night,” Lilley concluded with a smile.

The loss for the Rhinos ends a six-game Open Cup winning streak at home and a 25-game undefeated run in all competitions in Rochester dating back to August 2014. By winning and moving on in the tournament, the Red Bulls earned a trip to play rivals Philadelphia Union in the Fifth Round on June 29.

FULL MATCH REPLAY

Scoring Summary:

NY – Sacha Kljestan (PK) 20’
Discipline Summary:

ROC – Vasilios Apostolopoulos (caution, foul) 19’
NY – Gideon Baah (caution, foul) 82’
NY – Sean Davis (caution, foul) 90+1’
Lineups:

New York: Luis Robles; Justin Bilyeu, Gideon Baah, Aurelien Collin, Sal Zizzo, Dax McCarty ©, Sean Davis, Gonzalo Veron (Ronald Zubar, 80’), Sacha Kljestan, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Alex Muyl, 23’), Bradley Wright-Phillips (Mike Grella 67’)

Rochester: Tomas Gomez; Sean Totsch, Joseph Farrell, Vasilios Apostolopoulos, Marcos Ugarte, Brandon Beresford, Michel Guilavogui (Sofian Tergou 66’), Mike Garzi, Kenardo Forbes, Christian Volesky (Asani Samuels 66’), Steevan dos Santos

2016 US Open Cup Round 3: Rochester Rhinos play role of giant with 2-0 win over Lansdowne Bhoys

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The Bhoys from New York City represented themselves well in a 2-0 loss to the Rochester Rhinos on Wednesday night.Rochester_Rhinos_Logo_Hi_large

Lansdowne Bhoys FC, one of six remaining teams from below the professional leagues, traveled to Rochester to face a team that, while best known as an occasional giant-killer, and the 1999 US Open Cup champion, is also a perennial minnow-crusher. The Rhinos entered Wednesday night’s game with a 15-0-0 all-time record against amateur sides in the Open Cup but the Bhoys proved they were no pushovers by defeating USL team Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Second Round.

The visitors flew up to Western New York on Tuesday night and had an extended training session on the turf at Rhinos Stadium on Wednesday morning. This rather professional preparation showed its value as Lansdowne players were competitive in every challenge from the first whistle.

Strong defenses from both teams limiting close-range chances in the first half but while Rochester attempted to make the pass in the final third, Lansdowne decided to shoot from distance. Attacking midfielder Daryl Kavanagh cut inside from the left channel to fire a right-footed shot wide of the far post from 18 yards out in the 16th minute.

In the 28th minute, Ciaran McGuigan rifled a heavy free kick just outside the post that appeared to have Rochester goalkeeper Tomas Gomez beat.

The Rhinos on the other hand tried to play short passes inside the area or low cross across the face of goal. Rochester forward Asani Samuels, who scored a hat-trick in the Second Round, dribbled towards goal along the end-line in the 12th minute but his patience allowed Lansdowne defenders to recover. Right winger Michel Guilavogui got around the corner in the 18th minute but there were no advanced teammates to meet his centering pass.

After the halftime break, the game continued in much the same way. In the 47th minute, Christian Volesky headed a cross from Bradley Kamdem tamely at Lansdowne goalkeeper Danso Abdoukarim. On the other end of the field, Ovan Oakley capitalized on a mistake by Rochester’s defense to create a breakaway but his attempted chip bounced harmlessly wide of the post in the 54th minute.

Rookie midfielder Andre Fortune II broke the deadlock on the hour mark. Rochester’s right back Dom Samuel had done well to cut inside and draw a foul from Lansdowne midfielder Craig Purcell. Several Rhinos stood around the ball but Fortune ultimately stepped up to take the free kick from 22 yards out. The Trinidad and Tobago youth international expertly curled the ball around the defensive wall and inside the post leaving Abdoukarim rooted to the spot.

The Bhoys responded well to conceding the game’s first goal, fashioning multiple chances in the next ten minutes. Purcell and Kavanagh in particular were active, forcing Gomez to make saves. The task facing the amateurs from Yonkers got considerably more difficult when Volesky doubled Rochester’s lead.

Marcos Ugarte picked up the ball after a half-clearance from Lansdowne’s defense. The second-year Rochester winger saw Volesky in a meter of space and found his teammate with a crisp, low pass. Volesky took a touch to settle the ball before burying a right-footed shot from 18 yards in the 71st minute.

Despite the two-goal deficit, Lansdowne Bhoys FC continued to battle for loose balls and challenge the Rochester goal until the final whistle.

“They were a tough team, they were physical. They came to play for sure. They beat Pittsburgh a couple weeks back,” Andre Fortune II said after the game. “We knew that after this game, whoever came out of it was playing Red Bulls and that meant a lot to both of us. They came out fighting and they were ready to play.”

Christian Volesky described his goal to media after the game. “Marcos and I have a really good chemistry,” he said. “He picked me out and I knew I was going to get the ball. I took a touch away from the pressure and just hit it and found the back of the net fortunately for me.”
The forward added, “The goalkeeper was good but I was able to beat him on this shot.”

“Obviously they’re a physical team,” Rochester head coach Bob Lilley said about Lansdowne Bhoys FC. “Their long-range shooting was impressive, they stung a lot of balls from distance … for sure, they were dangerous.

“Overall it was a good win. We knew it was going to be a tough game,” the veteran coach continued. “We took the game seriously and we told the guys that it may take a while to crack them. It was always going to be a tricky game and I think we handled it pretty well.”

After the game Lansdowne head coach Austin Friel was disappointed but proud of his team’s achievements and humble in defeat. Friel said his players knew the mental fortitude that was necessary to play against the defending USL champions.

“I knew they were very good at keeping the ball. I knew they were very dangerous on set pieces. And I knew they can hurt you if you make any mistakes. So we were coming up here basically to keep a good shape, keep a good formation, and to try and frustrate the Rochester Rhinos and to try to take our chances whenever we got them.”

We did well for nearly 60 minutes. We gave away a free kick on the edge of the box and fair play to the midfielder, he put it away well. So coming up here, we were expecting a tough game and we got one. The best team won I thought.”

The coach reflected on the context of this year’s cup run within the club’s history. “Obviously it has to be up there with the very best achievements because it’s not every day that an amateur team beats a professional team, or even beats a PDL team. But as I said, it’s the start of where the club wants to go.”

“Whenever you get a taste of what you can achieve, what the players have achieved, you want more. Definitely we’ll be back in it next year and try and have a journey again. I think it’s been like a 9 or 10 month journey already that we’ve had. It’s been a great experience. The players have really adapted themselves well and deserve all the credit they get.”

While Lansdowne Bhoys FC saw their first ever entrance to the US Open Cup end in the Third Round, the Rhinos are looking forward to a Fourth Round match against the New York Red Bulls. Rochester will host the MLS side on June 15 from Rhinos Stadium at 7 p.m.

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