Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Michael Berton

Communications and Development Associate at the Public Interest Law Center. Based in the Philadelphia area, has been helping out with TheCup.us since 2012. Graduated with a degree in journalism from Penn State University.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Region I semifinals on tap for Open, Amateur Cup

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USASA Region I logoUPDATE (5/4/14): The Maryland Bays and Mass Premier Soccer advanced to the USASA Region I Open Cup Final to be held on June 15, 2014, at the Ukrainian Americans Sports Center in Horsham, PA.

The 2014 edition of the US Open Cup is nearly upon us, but qualifying for 2015 is already nearing completion for Region I of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).

Originally 17 teams were competing for two guaranteed spots over two separate qualifying tournaments. Now, the field is down to seven, as the Region I Open Cup and Amateur Cup are in their semifinal stages. The recent news that Region I was awarded an extra spot in the 2014 Open Cup makes these semifinals even more important—if the format holds true for next year, both Region I Open Cup semifinal winners could end up in the 2015 tournament.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup

Mass Premier Soccer (MA) at Lansdowne Bhoys (East NY)
May 4, 2 p.m. – Tibbets Brook Park, Yonkers, NY

Mass Premier Soccer might just be the luckiest team in Region I. A 2013 Open Cup entrant, MPS lost in last year’s qualifying final to miss the 2014 tournament and fell to Rhode Island side AC Blaugrana in the play-in game of this year’s qualifying tournament. However, USASA earned two extra berths in the 2014 tournament—one of which went to MPS—and AC Blaugrana was disqualified for using a cup-tied player. MPS went on to beat Icon FC 5-0 in the first round of Open Cup qualifying, meaning they will take part in the 2014 Open Cup and still have a chance for 2015.

Just three days after its qualifying match-up against Lansdowne Bhoys, MPS will take on the Western Mass Pioneers of the PDL in Round One of the 2014 US Open Cup. If MPS was to win, it would travel to Rochester to take on the Rhinos of USL Pro in Round 2.

Lansdowne Bhoys president and ESPN commentator Tommy Smyth must be happy with how much his team is putting “a bulge in the old onion bag.” Through 13 Cosmopolitan Soccer League games, Lansdowne has scored 42 goals—good enough for a 12-1-0 record. To qualify for this tournament, the Bhoys won the Eastern NY title, scoring 13 times in four games. In the first round of the Region I tournament, the high-scoring side put five past Newtown Pride FC in a shutout victory.

This is the first Open Cup qualifying attempt for the Bhoys, who get to play host for the second round in a row.

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA) at Maryland Bays (MD)
Calvert Hall High School – Baltimore, MD – May 4, 3 p.m.

The Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks will be hoping a win will be good enough to qualify for the 2015 Open Cup. Coach Jon Knight told TheCup.us that his team will struggle if it makes the final, as many of his players are going to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.

The Aegean Hawks and Maryland Bays are the only teams who competed in both tournaments. The Hawks breezed past Oak Avalon 3-1 in the first round of Open Cup play, but they lost to Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the Amateur Cup in the penalty kick shootout.

Unlike the Hawks, the Bays remain alive in both tournaments. On the Open Cup side of things, the Bays earned their first-ever Region I Open Cup qualifying victory in the first round against Eastern PA squad West Chester United.

Maryland earns another first in the semifinal, as this will be the first time it hosts a Region I qualifying game.

2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup

Danbury United (CT) at New York Greek American Atlas (NY)
Randall’s Island – Field No. 75 – May 11, 4 p.m.

Usually home-field advantage means something, but it meant little in the first round of the 2014 Amateur Cup. In fact, Danbury United was the only host to win its game, a 6-0 shellacking of Manzanillo Deportivo.

United won’t necessarily be happy to face a New York team in the second round however. After qualifying for the 2007 Open Cup, Danbury has fallen to teams from the Empire State in two straight Region I competitions (2011-12).

New York Greek American Atlas is no stranger to the US Open Cup. The club won the championship four times (1967-69, 1974), and in 2014 will compete in its fifth Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present). They will travel to take on the Ocean City Nor’easters of the PDL in Round Two.

As they look to defend their Region I Amateur Cup title, in Round 1, the Greek Americans dispatched Mass United FC 5-0. Last year’s victory earned them an Open Cup berth, which is the first time the Amateur Cup champion was sent to the tournament.

Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Eastern PA) at Maryland Bays (MD)
Calvert Hall High School – Baltimore, MD – May 11, 4 p.m.

Vereinigung Erzgebirge was founded in 1931, and is looking to qualify for the Open Cup for the first time since 2002. To do that, it will have to do something its fellow Pennsylvania side West Chester United couldn’t do—defeat the Maryland Bays.

VE knocking the Aegean Hawks out of the Amateur Cup tournament was the only close game of the first round. After a 3-3 draw, VE won the ensuing penalty kick shootout 4-3 to advance to the second round.

The Maryland Bays had attempted Open Cup qualification several times over several years without hosting a game. This matchup will be its second home contest in as many weeks.

Traveling to New Jersey in the first round didn’t seem to hurt the Bays any, as they emerged 6-1 winners over FC Motown. Couple that with a 3-1 win in the first round of Open Cup qualifying, and Maryland looks to be a tough out for any team it may face.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Region I tournaments begin on Sunday

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USASA Region I logoA long series of state competitions culminates in this—the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) Region I Open and Amateur Cups, with the winners of each tournament qualifying for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Open CUp begins this weekend (April 6) with the quarterfinal round, while the Amateur Cup competition kicks off a week later.

This will be only the second year Region I has used this format, which features 17 teams, two of which are playing in both competitions. Last year, Icon FC won the Open Cup and New York Greek American Atlas won the Amateur Cup, and both teams will represent Region I in the 2014 US Open Cup. This also marks the first time in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present) that one of the regions has elected to send the Amateur Cup champion into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup

The play-in game and quarterfinals will be played April 6 and April 13. Semifinals are scheduled for May 4, and the final will be played on June 15. Icon FC (NJ) is the reigning champion and one of two 2014 US Open Cup entrants from USASA Region I.

AC Blaugrana (RI) at Mass Premier Soccer (MA)
April 6, 2 p.m. – Framingham State University, Framingham, MA

It’s Rhode Island versus Massachusetts in the region’s sole preliminary round game. AC Blaugrana advanced out of the nation’s smallest state by winning the Southern New England Super Cup over Dinamo Morbeza. Competitors in the Southern New England Super League, Blaugrana will look to win its first-ever game in Region I Open Cup play.

Mass Premier Soccer (MPS) competed in the 2013 US Open Cup, where they lost to the PDL’s GPS Portland Phoenix 2-0 in Round One. They faced off with Icon FC (NJ) in the regional final last year, but lost 2-1. Had they won, they would have qualified for the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The last time the Bay State Soccer League side hosted a Region I contest was in its 2013 run, demolishing Connecticut’s Newtown Pride 6-0.

Newtown Pride FC (CT) at Lansdowne Bhoys (East NY)
April 6, 2 p.m. – Tibbets Brook Park, Yonkers, NY

Newtown Pride FC was established in 1998 and have played numerous charity matches to raise money for the Newtown Parent Connection, which has the goal to educate and empower its community in the prevention of substance abuse and to embrace families in crisis. Newtown was originally scheduled to compete in its state final, but its opponent had to pull out.

Last year, Newtown took part in their first-ever Open Cup qualifying tournament and they kicked off their debut cup run with a controversial situation. They lost to the New York Pancyprian Freedoms (East NY) 1-0, but they filed a protest claiming New York had used an ineligible player. In the end, it was determined that the player in question was ineligible, but a mistake was made in the roster evaluation process and that player was approved in error. A replay was called for and Newtown won 1-0. However, the club would fall one game short of a berth in the 2013 US Open Cup, as they lost to Mass Premier Soccer 6-0.

Lansdowne Bhoys qualified for the Region I tournament in its first-ever attempt, beating four-time US Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas in the process. Lansdowne competes in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, which is one of six leagues that have “elite” status according to the USASA.

Oak Avalon (PA West) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
April 6, 3 p.m. – Maryland SoccerPlex (Field #15), Boyds, MD

Oak Avalon is the first team to attempt to qualify for the US Open Cup out of Western Pennsylvania for quite a while. Western Pennsylvania teams, most of them based in the Pittsburgh area, were regulars competitors in the pre-modern era, but the region has not produced an Open Cup team since professional leagues re-joined the tournament in 1995. Oak Avalon did not have to qualify for the Region I tournament as it was the only team that entered. Avalon competes in the Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League.

The Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks have qualified out of the Metro DC/Virginia region in seven of its last eight attempts. One of two teams competing in both the Amateur Cup and Open Cup, the Aegean Hawks will host both of their quarterfinal matches. Dulles Sportsplex missed out on the 2013 Open Cup after losing on penalty kicks to Icon FC in the regional tournament. The last time the Hawks hosted a Region I game was in 2012 (a 2-0 win over the Maryland Bays), which was also the last time they made the Open Cup. They won their first Open Cup game in club history, beating the Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 3-1, but fell in the second round to the Richmond Kickers (USL Pro) 4-0.

Maryland Bays (MD) at West Chester United (EPA)
April 6, 2 p.m. – West Chester Area Sports Association Complex (WCUSC Turf Field), West Chester, PA

Maryland Bays are state champions for a third time in four years, but have yet to host a regional game. The Bays, who took out Spartans FC, Christos FC, and Screaming Eagles in the Maryland tournament, are also looking for their first win at the regional level.

Another team looking for its first Region I victory is West Chester United, out of Eastern Pennsylvania. United took the EPA championship for a third year in a row this year, defeating the nearly-90-year-old club Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the final. West Chester last hosted a Region I game in 2013, but fell 4-2 to Icon FC.

Icon (NJ) at AC Blaugrana/Mass Premier Soccer
April 13 – Time and location TBD

The fourth and final quarterfinal will be played a week later due to AC Blaugrana and Mass Premier Soccer competing in the preliminary round game. Last year, Icon became just the second USASA team from New Jersey, and second team in a row, to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era. After defeated Mass Premier Soccer in the Region I Open Cup Final, they win are the 2013 champions and thus qualify for the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup

The quarterfinals will be played on April 13. Semifinals are scheduled for May 11, and the final will be played on June 15. New York Greek American Atlas is the reigning champion and under the region’s new qualifying format, by winning the Amateur Cup, the Greeks earn a spot in the following year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (2014).

Manzanillo Deportivo (NH) at Danbury United (CT)
April 13, 1 p.m. – Immaculate High School; Danbury, CT

For the first time New Hampshire is sending a team to the Region I Amateur Cup. Manzanillo Deportivo competes in the state’s only USASA sanctioned league, the Latino International Federation Association (LIFA). All 10 teams in the league attempted to qualify, with Deportivo emerging as champions.

Danbury United will be happy not to have to face a New York team. After qualifying for the US Open Cup in 2007 (a 3-2 overtime loss in the first round to USL-2 side Western Mass Pioneers), United has fallen to New York clubs in two straight Region I competitions (2011-12). Danbury competes in the Connecticut Soccer League, and won the Connecticut Amateur championship over Poloniahawk Falcon FC.

New York Greek American Atlas (NY) at Mass United FC (MA)
April 13, 5 p.m. – Manning Stadium; Lynn, Mass.

New York Greek American Atlas is no stranger to the US Open Cup. The club won the championship four times (1967-69, 1974), and in 2014 will compete in its fifth Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era. The Greek Americans are reigning champions of the Region I Amateur Cup, defeating the Italian American Sport Club 5-1 last year. New York last qualified for the Open Cup in 2012, where it lost 2-1 in the first round to Reading United of the PDL.

Mass United FC was formed in 2009 and began play in the NPSL in 2011. United also plays in the Bay State Soccer League. The club will move to the newly-formed American Soccer League later this year. Mass United is competing in its first Region I tournament.

Maryland Bays (MD) at FC Motown (NJ)
April 13, 4 p.m. – Montclair State University (Turf Field), Montclair, NJ

After traveling to eastern Pennsylvania in the Open Cup tournament, the Maryland Bays will hit the road to New Jersey a week later. The Bays’ last Region I game against a New Jersey opponent never actually happened. In 2012, after losing its semifinal match, Maryland was supposed to play a “Win & You’re In” contest against Jersey Shore Boca. However, the Bays had to forfeit due to a lack of player availability. This allowed Boca to become the first USASA team from New Jersey to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era. The Garden State hasn’t looked back since, with Icon FC qualifying in 2013 and 2014.

FC Motown will hope to continue New Jersey’s qualifying streak into 2015. They compete in the Garden State Soccer League Semipro Division, and are representing the state for the first time in a regional tournament.

Vereinigung Erzgebirge (EPA) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
April 13, 2:30 p.m. – Maryland SoccerPlex (Field #18), Boyds, MD

UPDATE: VE defeated Phoenix SC to win the Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur Cup title

The Eastern Pennsylvania Amateur Cup championship won’t be decided until April 6, giving the winner just a week to get ready for the Aegean Hawks. VE was founded in 1931, and is looking to qualify for the Open Cup for the first time since 2002. Phoenix SC was founded even earlier, in 1926, and made its first Open Cup appearance in 1936. Phoenix last made it to The Cup in 2011, losing 2-1 to the Rochester Rhinos of USL Pro in the first round.

The Aegean Hawks host a Pennsylvania team for the second week in a row when it begins Amateur Cup play. They may face a tougher challenge in this tournament however, as Eastern Pennsylvania has much more Open Cup experience than its western counterpart, Oak Avalon.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Aegean Hawks win 7th DC-Virginia Open Cup title in last 8 attempts

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With a 2-0 victory over Hammers FC, the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks have won the Metro DC-Virginia Open Cup title for the seventh time in eight attempts. The Hawks have now earned a place in next month’s USASA Region I Open Cup tournament, which will qualify a team to the 2015 edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

According to Aegean Hawks coach Jonathan Knight, his team started poorly, but gradually got better as the game went along. As the team started to control the flow of the game, opportunities on net began to arise.

The Hawks eventually broke through right before the halftime whistle. It was a Big Ten connection that led to the first goal as a string of nine to 10 passes sent former Ohio State midfielder Danny Irizarry through into the box by former Wisconsin Badger Watson Prather. Irizarry hit a one-time shot into the right corner of the goal to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Knight was much happier with the second half, which saw his team score an insurance goal to seal the DC/VA championship. In the 55th minute, former Georgetown player Jose Colchao put in a cross to David Rosenbaum, who calmly converted his opportunity.

Up 2-0, the Aegean Hawks had several more opportunities but could not add to their lead, which almost proved costly. Hammers had two quality chances toward the end of the game. In the 75th minute, a rocket of a shot from 20 yards out hit the crossbar, and five minutes later, a shot on a nearly-open net was shanked wide left.

With the victory, the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks move on to the USASA Region I Open Cup tournament, where they are scheduled to host Pennsylvania West representative Oak Avalon on April 6. Despite making it to regionals, Knight bemoans the fact that the DC/VA tournament only saw two teams compete in the competition for the fifth year in a row.

“We have had much more participation in the past,” he said. “Participation is down because of the cost of playing. That scared away a lot of teams. It’s a shame because there are a lot of good teams in our state. I mean, we finished 7th in our league last fall. That shows that a lot of good teams just don’t enter.”

Still, Knight is happy that his team, which first entered the DC/VA Open Cup tournament back in 2006 and won the tournament four years in a row (2006-2009) before having their streak ended in 2010 by rival Club Atletico Virginia. In 2011, the Hawks found a way to enter the more competitive Maryland tournament, but also found out just how competitive it was and lost in the opening round to Christos FC. They returned to DC/VA in 2012 where they avenged their 2010 loss with a 3-1 victory over CAV, and now have defeated Hammers FC two years in a row to win the title.

He said, “We’re very excited to move on to regionals. We have a really talented roster. Just the idea that we can get to Lamar Hunt is fun.”


Recent DC/VA Open Cup champions:
2014: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2013: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2012: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2011: Club Atletico Virginia
2010: Club Atletico Virginia
2009: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2008: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2007: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2006: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
2005: Lex United
2004: LCC International
2003: Dynamos FC
2002: LCC International
2001: Virginia Beach International
2000: LCC International
1999: Zorba FC
1998: LCC International
1997: Unknown club (if you know who won, email us)
1996: Mo’s Sport Shop
1995: Spartan SC

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Lansdowne Bhoys’ surprise debut ends in Eastern NY title

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Lansdowne Bhoys win the 2013 Eastern NY Open Cup title. Photo: Lansdowne Bhoys Facebook page

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.

USASA Region I logo

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

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: West Chester United, Vereinigung Erzgebirge reach Eastern PA final

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West Chester United celebrate their opening goal in the 2nd minute against Salone FC in the Eastern Pennsylvania semifinal. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

The semifinals of the Eastern Pennsylvania qualifying tournament for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup couldn’t have been more different than the quarterfinals. After a round of eight that saw few goals and three upsets, 12 goals were scored in the semis, and both favorites, West Chester United and Vereinigung Erzgebirge, advanced to the tournament final.

West Chester United 3:2 Salone FC

Two-time reigning champion West Chester United was pushed to its limits by Salone FC, but the top seed managed a 3-2 victory over the only Philadelphia-based club in the competition.

West Chester came into the match dealing with some injury issues, as former pro Jeremiah White could not play while recovering from an ankle problem. Despite that, United still managed to jump on top early. Mike Lodge cut in from the left side of the field in the second minute and curled a shot over the Salone goalkeeper from just outside the box to give his side a 1-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived, however, as Salone answered back a minute later. A cross into the West Chester box was blocked out to Salone’s Junisa Sandi, who then sliced the ball off the outside of his right foot over the keeper and into the top corner to tie the game at 1-1.

West Chester United and Salone FC battled for 90 minutes in their Eastern Pennsylvania semifinal match. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

“I’m really impressed at how Salone handled themselves,” West Chester coach Blaise Santangelo said. “We got off strong, but Salone played some really nice soccer.”

Sandi’s goal gave the strong contingent of away supporters something to cheer about, which in turn motivated Salone to continue pressing forward. That pressure culminated in a penalty kick in the 23rd minute, when a Salone player was tripped in the box. Sandi stepped up to take the kick and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way on his attempt.

Down 2-1, United pushed forward and found an equalizer in the 37th minute. A ball that was crossed into the Salone penalty area caused a mad scramble as West Chester United players tried to get shots off while Salone players desperately tried to clear the ball. Eventually United’s Justin McCall gathered the ball at the penalty spot and side-footed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net to tie the game at 2-2.

Despite the wild first half, Santangelo said that he was confident heading into the break. He said, “At halftime, we felt that we were going to be okay. We felt that we were getting away from Salone’s coverage, and we thought that we could get in on goal against them.”

Santangelo was proven correct as West Chester created the best chances of the second half. And, in the 66th minute, former Penn State defender Mark Fetrow put the home side up for good. Andrew Kummerer curled in a free kick from about 30 yards out that found the head of the tall center back. Fetrow’s game-winning header looped up and over the keeper and several defenders before finding the back of the net.

West Chester United celebrate what would prove to be the game-winning goal against Salone FC in the Eastern Pennsylvania semifinals. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

With a 3-2 lead, West Chester concentrated on possessing the ball, which limited Salone’s chances. In the end, the away side just did not have enough to find a tying goal.

Salone manager Foday Turay said, “It was a good game. We gave it our best. That’s soccer…someone has to win. We’ll definitely be back next year.”

West Chester moves on to the final on Dec. 15, where it will host Vereinigung Erzgebirge. United is looking for a third Eastern PA Open Cup championship in a row. “Our guys are ready to go back to another final,” Santangelo said. “We’re excited to move forward and try for a third-straight cup.”

Vereinigung Erzgebirge 7-0 Upper Moreland Celtic

In the other semifinal, Vereinigung Erzgebirge scored early and often in a rout of Upper Moreland Celtic. Paul Dudley scored a first-half hat trick, and four other players added goals in the 7-0 victory.

Dudley’s goals came in the 2nd, 15th, and 33rd minutes. Also scoring were Nate Baker (30’), Artie Taylor (50’), Mike McKee (62’), and John Fazio (65’).

“We just had to go out and get a few goals,” VE manager Rob Oldfield said. “They didn’t have the depth to cause us too many problems. We just got a couple goals early, then we got to sit on the lead.”

VE, which has been playing soccer since the 1930s, is looking to win its first Eastern PA Open Cup championship since 2009 and its first US Open Cup berth since 2002. The club is also in the final of the Eastern PA Amateur Cup, marking only the third time in club history that it has made both cup finals in the same year (1991 and 2002). VE will host the Amateur Cup final on Dec. 8 against Phoenix SC.

Region I has decided to use the winners of both the Open Cup and the Amateur Cup as its qualifiers to the 2015 US Open Cup, meaning VE still has two chances to make it to the tournament.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Top seed West Chester United, three road surprises advance to Eastern PA semifinals

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West Chester United celebrates their first goal against the Ukrainian Nationals in the quarterfinals of the Eastern Pennsylvania Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

Note: Due to a change in the qualifying deadline, USASA Region I has already determined their two entries for the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (2013 Region I Open Cup champion Icon FC and 2013 Region I Amateur Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas). Therefore, this fall’s Eastern Pennsylvania champion will advance to the 2014 Region I tournament, which will then determine the region’s entry into the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Eastern Pennsylvania’s qualifying tournament for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup continued on Sunday. The tournament’s top seed progressed to the next round, but three road teams pulled off upsets in the quarterfinals.

West Chester United 2:0 Ukrainian Nationals

On a cold and windy Sunday afternoon, West Chester United scored a goal in each half to earn a victory over the four-time US Open Cup champion Ukrainian Nationals in the quarterfinals of the Eastern Pennsylvania qualifying tournament.

The Ukrainian Nationals' defense clears an attempt on goal by West Chester United. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

As top seed and two-time reigning champion, West Chester came into the match as the favorite, but the Ukrainians looked more likely to score in the game’s opening stages. That all changed when United’s Dominic Popolizio found the back of the net in the 31st minute.

West Chester’s Jeremiah White, who you might recognize from his pro days in MLS and Europe, made progress down the right side of the field and sent in a cross to Michael Lodge, who laid the ball off to Popolizio. He took advantage of time and space in the middle of the penalty area to slot ball to the left of the goalie for a 1-0 lead.

Ukrainian Nationals manager Pete Chareczko said, “The first half was tough. We were trying to hold the ball while playing against the wind. We didn’t take advantage of the chances we had, and we got caught on the counter.”

The goal seemed to wake up United, who took control the rest of the half. The home side kept the momentum going in the second half when White scored in the 50th minute. After dribbling into the left side of the box, White took a shot that hit the post. The ball rebounded straight back to him, and he was able to find the net on his second attempt.

Besides giving his team a two-goal lead, White was constantly giving the Ukrainian backline trouble and was one of the most effective players on the field. White joins West Chester after an extensive international career that included stints with Panserraikos in Greece, FC Gueugnon in France, AGF Aarhus in Denmark, and Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. Last year, White made two appearances for the New England Revolution before being waived. He also has one US National Team appearance in 2008 in a friendly against Sweden.

“He’s a talent,” West Chester coach Blaise Santangelo said. “He’s going to be someone that really helps us in this cup run.”

Behind 2-0, things got even worse for the away side in the 78th minute when one of its players earned two consecutive yellow cards for dissent. Down a man, the Nationals continued to press forward, hitting the crossbar and forcing multiple saves. West Chester also had chances, but could not convert on multiple one-on-one opportunities against the Nationals keeper.

With the 2-0 victory, West Chester now moves on to the Eastern Pennsylvania semifinals. As top seed, United will host Salone FC in the next round of the tournament.

Phoenix SC 0:1 Salone FC

The biggest upset of the day came when Salone FC edged Phoenix SC 1-0. Phoenix, which qualified for the US Open Cup in 2011, went down a man in the 50th minute when Precious Lloka was red carded. Salone scored the game-winner in the 80th minute.

Phoenix manager Blair Thomson said, “It was a very even game and both teams had chances. I think we’re the best team in the area, but we’re not getting breaks right now.”

Salone, which is the only team in the competition from Philadelphia proper, will match up with top seed West Chester United in the semifinals.

Colonial Ultra 1:1 Upper Moreland Celtic
Upper Moreland advances 9-8 in penalty kicks

In a battle of Inter-County Soccer League teams, Upper Moreland Celtic eked out a 9-8 penalty kick victory over hosts Colonial Ultra after a 1-1 tie. Celtic player/manager Fran Pitonyak scored the game-winning penalty.

“It was a hard-fought and scrappy match,” he said. “We’ve got a good bunch of guys and we keep plugging away.”

Colonial Ultra scored first off the foot of Kastriot Fazliu 10 minutes into the match. Celtic responded midway through the first half when Matt Gamble scored on a rebound after a 35-yard shot hit the crossbar.

Neither team could find the net in the second half or in overtime, so the game went to penalty kicks. After Pitonyak scored Celtic’s ninth penalty, Colonial pushed its attempt wide of the left post. Upper Moreland moves on to the semifinals to take on Vereinigung Erzgebirge.

United German Hungarians 0:1 Vereinigung Erzgebirge

In a classic game between two teams with rich histories, Vereinigung Erzgebirge took out the No. 2 seed United German Hungarians 1-0. Greg Ermold of VE scored in the 55th minute from 30 yards out, turning his defender at midfield and hitting a rocket past the UGH goalie into the corner of the net.

VE manager Rob Oldfield said, “It’s a rivalry game, and those can be tricky. We were real solid in the back, so once we got the goal, we were able to sit on it. For the most part, we were happy to get a 1-0 away win.”

UGH, which has been playing soccer since 1922 and are twice Open Cup runners-up, was one of three home teams to lose in the quarterfinals. VE, founded in 1931, last qualified for the Open Cup in 2002. To win its first state title since 2009, VE will have to get past Upper Moreland Celtic in the semifinals.

“It was a good, classic game between us and VE,” UGH manager Werner Fricker III said. “We hit two posts and a crossbar, but VE were able to capitalize on their chances.”

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Eastern Pennsylvania kicks off Round 2 this weekend

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Ethan Armstrong of the Ukrainian Nationals celebrates the game's opening goal in the 12th minute against Cavalla. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

Qualifying for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is already underway in Eastern Pennsylvania, which kicked off its tournament on Oct. 27, when the four-time Open Cup winners Ukrainian Nationals defeated Cavalla FC 2-0. The eight remaining teams in the competition also include the two-time reigning Eastern PA champions and a two-time Open Cup runner-up. Five of the eight teams have won Eastern PA championships since 1997. The quarterfinals take place on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. at four different locations.

West Chester United vs. Ukrainian Nationals – 2 p.m.
West Chester Area Sports Association Complex in West Chester, PA

West Chester United enters this year’s tournament as two-time reigning champions and the top seed. Despite winning Eastern PA two years in a row, the squad fell twice in Region I qualifying, and is still looking for its first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup berth. As top seed, United has hosting rights throughout the tournament and is poised to make a deep run for the third year in a row.

Fellow United Soccer League side Ukrainian Nationals defeated Cavalla FC 2-0 in the play-in game on Oct. 27. The Nationals, who won the US Open Cup in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1966, are looking to return to the tournament for the first time in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present). The club hopes to end a state tournament drought as well as they haven’t won an Eastern Pennsylvania title since 2006.

Phoenix SC vs. Salone FC – 2 p.m.
Phoenix Sport Club, Feasterville, PA

Phoenix SC is currently top of the United Soccer League and riding a three-game win streak. The club won the 2010 and 2011 editions of the tournament and qualified for the Open Cup in 2011. Phoenix, who first entered the Open Cup back in the 1940s, fell early in last year’s tournament to Nether United in penalty kicks.

Salone FC is the only team in the competition from Philadelphia proper. The squad fell in last year’s quarterfinals, 4-0 to Cavalla FC. Salone is one of just three teams left that have not won an Eastern Pennsylvania championship.

Colonial Ultra vs. Upper Moreland Celtic – 2 p.m.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth Meeting, PA

In the only match-up featuring teams that have yet to win an Eastern Pennsylvania tournament, Colonial Ultra takes on Upper Moreland Celtic. Colonial Ultra is leading the Inter-County Soccer League at 5-0-1. Last year, the Ultras fell 3-2 to Quakertown in the first round.

Fellow ICSL side Upper Moreland Celtic used to be known as Mayfair Celtic. The squad lost to Junior Lone Star 6-0 in last year’s tournament.

United German Hungarians vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge – 2 p.m.
United German Hungarian Club, Oakford, PA

The United German Hungarians began playing soccer in 1922. Since then, the club has been Open Cup runner-up twice, in 1977 and 1993. The German Hungarians have won the state title five times since 1997. Currently, the side is languishing in sixth place in the United Soccer League (out of seven teams), but are seeded second in this tournament due to advancing to the championship game last year.

Vereinigung Erzgebirge are no slouches when it comes to soccer history either. The club was founded in 1931. VE last qualified for the Open Cup in 2002, and won state titles in 2007 and 2009. VE is currently in second place in the United Soccer League.

2013 US Open Cup: DC United’s Dwayne De Rosario easy choice for TheCup.us Player of the Tournament

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Dwayne De Rosario, until recently of DC United, was named the 2013 TheCup.us Player of the Tournament. He played in all but 23 minutes of the tournament for United, leading the club to their third Lamar Hunt US Open Cup title, and his first as a player.

The Player of the Tournament award is voted on by staff at TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters. De Rosario won the vote by an overwhelming majority.

Others receiving votes were DC teammate Joe Willis, Portland Timbers forward Frederic Piquionne, who made history in the Third Round with four goals in one half and finished tied with De Rosario for leading goalscorer with five, and Javier Morales, who led Real Salt Lake to the title game.

De Rosario made his mark immediately on the tournament, playing all 120 minutes in DC’s opening game against the Richmond Kickers. After a scoreless draw, he scored in the penalty kick shootout to help United advance. In Round 4, De Rosario scored all three goals in a 3-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Union. He became the first Canadian to score a hat trick in the Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present) and earned Player of the Round honors for his effort.

He followed that performance with two game-winning goals in the next two rounds. He scored the game winner in the quarterfinals against the New England Revolution in the 69th minute. DC went on to win 3-1. He also scored the deciding goal against the Chicago Fire in the Semifinals. United’s 2-0 win in Chicago marked the first time the Fire had ever lost at home in Open Cup play.

DC United won the cup against Real Salt Lake, with De Rosario playing 75 minutes in the 1-0 victory. The MLS side’s run through the US Open Cup was extraordinary considering the team’s league form. DC had more victories in the Open Cup (4) than it did in MLS play (3). United also had plenty of success winning Player of the Round, taking the award in three of the five rounds in which they played: De Rosario in the Fourth Round, Joe Willis in the Semifinals, and Bill Hamid in the Final.

De Rosario’s successful cup form was not enough to impress DC United management, however. This week, the club decided not to exercise the option in his contract, meaning De Rosario will be wearing the uniform of another team next season.

2013 TheCup.us Player of the Round Honors

Player of the Tournament (Overall): Dwayne De Rosario (DC United)
Player of the Tournament (Lower Division): Ty Shipalane (Carolina RailHawks)
Final: Bill Hamid (DC United)
Semifinals: Joe Willis (DC United)
Quarterfinals: Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
Fourth Round: Dwayne De Rosario (DC United)
Third Round: Frederic Piquionne (Portland Timbers)
Second Round: Brandon Fricke (Des Moines Menace)
First Round: David Geno (Seattle Sounders U23)
Preliminary Round: Gustavo Villalobos (FC Hasental)

2013 US Open Cup: Ty Shipalane of Carolina RailHawks named Lower Division Player of the Tournament

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Ty Shipalane of the Carolina Railhawks has been named 2013 TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament. Shipalane and the Railhawks upset two MLS sides en route to a Quarterfinals appearance in the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Many players earned votes for the award, which is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters. Others receiving consideration were Dom Dwyer of Orlando City SC, Georgi Hristov of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Conner Bevans of FC Tucson, and Kwadwo Poku of the Georgia Revolution.

Shipalane was instrumental in the Railhawks’ opening game against the Carolina Dynamo in the Second Round. He scored the opening goal and assisted on Zack Schilawski’s tally that put the game away in the 75th minute. The RailHawks won 3-1, earning them a home game against an MLS team.

In the Third Round, Shipalane played all 90 minutes in a 2-0 home win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. They hosted another MLS team in Round 4 and he played a major role in another upset, beating Chivas USA 3-1. Shipalane scored the opening goal and assisted on the game-winning goal by Cesar Elizondo in overtime.

Carolina’s run ended in the Quarterfinals against Real Salt Lake in a 3-0 loss. However, the Railhawks were the only NASL team to make advance that far in the 2013 tournament, and one of two lower division teams to make it to the Quarterfinals. For the RailHawks it was their third and fourth MLS upsets in their seven-year history as a franchise, and it marks just the seventh time a lower division team has upset two MLS clubs in one tournament.

2013 TheCup.us Player of the Round Honors

Final: Bill Hamid (DC United)
Semifinals: Joe Willis (DC United)
Quarterfinals: Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
Fourth Round: Dwayne De Rosario (DC United)
Third Round: Frederic Piquionne (Portland Timbers)
Second Round: Brandon Fricke (Des Moines Menace)
First Round: David Geno (Seattle Sounders U23)
Preliminary Round: Gustavo Villalobos (FC Hasental)

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Four time champions Ukrainian Nationals win Eastern PA opener

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Ethan Armstrong of the Ukrainian Nationals celebrates the game's opening goal in the 12th minute against Cavalla. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

Despite the 2013 US Open Cup concluding not even one month ago, qualification has already started in Eastern Pennsylvania…for 2015. Four-time Open Cup winners Ukrainian Nationals matched up against Cavalla FC in the opening round of qualifying on Sunday afternoon, with the Ukrainians prevailing 2-0.

The USASA is in the midst of a transition where each of the four regions will be moving their qualifying deadline to Dec. 31. This format will begin next year, and until then, different regions are choosing different methods of selecting their entries for 2014. Region I already decided that their 2013 Open Cup champion, Icon FC and Amateur Cup winner New York Greek American Atlas SC will be their 2014 entries, so the current state tournaments will feed into the 2014 regional tournament, which will feed into the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. (Get all that?)

Ethan Armstrong and Brendan Burgdorf were the goalscorers for the Ukrainian Nationals, who had lost to Cavalla in the 2013 Open Cup qualifying tournament. Both goals came in the first half, which was the game plan, according to Ukrainian Nationals head coach Pete Chareczko.

“In the first half, we were stressing to have some pressure and to go on offense. The first half plan was to come out and score goals. In the second half, we just wanted to contain,” he said.

Ukrainian Nationals and Cavalla players battle for the ball in their US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

The Ukrainian’s early pressure paid off in the 12th minute, when Armstrong opened the scoring. A cross from wide right skipped past the Cavalla goalkeeper. Armstrong was in the right place at the right time, easily tapping the ball into the net.

The home side continued to control play and almost doubled its lead in the 24th minute when the Cavalla keeper was caught well outside of the area. He was bailed out by his defender, however, who headed away a shot bound for the back of the net.

That play seemed to spur Cavalla on, leading to more possession and chances for the away side. Cavalla had several close chances, but the next goal came from the Ukrainians, who scored again in the 42nd minute. Burgdorf received the ball at the top of the box, where he faked out two defenders. With an open lane, he slotted the ball to the left of the diving keeper to give his team a two-goal lead.

The Ukrainian Nationals contained a steady stream of Cavalla pressure in the second half, seeing out the game somewhat comfortably. Other than an errant Cavalla cross that hit the crossbar, the Ukrainian’s goalkeeper was seldom troubled.

With the win, the Nationals move on to Round 2 of the nine-team Eastern Pennsylvania qualifying tournament, which is set for Nov. 10. They will take on reigning state champions West Chester United.

The Nationals, who won the US Open Cup in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1966,  are looking to return to the tournament for the first time in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present). The club hopes to end a state tournament drought as well as they haven’t won an Eastern Pennsylvania title since 2006.

“We’re looking to carry on the tradition of this club. We’ve won the Open Cup and the Amateur Cup. This team’s good enough to do it again,” Chareczko said. “We’re a big club, and we’ve got big ambitions.”

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