Neil Blackmon

Neil W. Blackmon is the co-founder and editor of The Yanks Are Coming. He is a member of the North American Soccer Reporters and his work has appeared in Howler Magazine, Eight by Eight Magazine, MLSSoccer.Com, SB Nation and ESPN FC, among other publications.

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Stefano Pinho’s hat trick for Miami FC earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

June 27, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC celebrates one of this three goals against Orlando City SC (MLS) in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC

Stefano Pinho finally feels at home in America.

The Miami FC forward, who was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fifth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, is feeling confident and settled in his third year playing professionally in the United States.

Pinho scored a hat trick in a 3-0 road upset of Orlando City SC (MLS) to become just the third Brazilian to win the award. The Player of the Round honor is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Playing in a global city, for a global footballing icon, on a great team helps. But the secret to that happiness? Being a new Dad.

“I’m a father now, and it changes everything,” Pinho said on a classically humid but not unpleasant Miami June day last week. “My son watches me in the stands and I want to show him that effort and attention to detail and playing hard matter.”

His son must be pleased with what he’s seeing. The product of storied Brazilian side Fluminense has scored seven goals in all competitions and tallied two assists, and has Miami FC poised for even more in the Open Cup.

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC becomes the third Brazilian in the Modern Era to score a hat trick in the US Open Cup. The previous two are also Miami-based: Welton of the Miami Fusion (MLS) in 2000 and Paulo Jr. of Miami FC (USL) in 2010. Photo: Miami FC

“There’s no question we have a chance to keep winning,” Pinho said. “We have the best players in NASL in Poku and Enzo (fellow forward Vincenzo Rennella). It’s easy to play with those guys. You’ve seen the results. We can rely on talent but we also can beat you with tactics. When you know and trust the tactics, it is easier to play aggressively with confidence.”

Stefano Pinho’s talent has been on display wherever he’s gone since arriving in America.

His spell with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers saw him lead the league in scoring in 2015, and while he didn’t score as prolifically as he would have liked last year with Minnesota United, his movements and presence helped Christian Ramirez score 18 goals for the MLS-bound Loons. This season, as a new Dad playing in a stable situation in Miami, Pinho has felt looser and more confident.

“It’s the happiest I’ve been,” Pinho said. “I’ve played for good teams before and I’ve played for great managers like Gunter (Kronsteiner, who managed him with the Strikers). But now I have both and I’m happy off the field.”

Pinho says it is different for a player to play for an icon like Miami FC manager Alessandro Nesta.

“With Nesta, he has such a big name in global soccer, if he says, ‘Do this,’ you race to ‘Do this,’” he said with a laugh. “You grow up and see him play for Italy, for Milan, and now he’s your coach. It makes me proud to play for him, but you also want to do well to show him you are a good footballer.”

Pinho also thinks he’s benefited from playing for a defender, as strange as that is for a forward to say. He credits Nesta’s tactical mind for the victory over Orlando City.

“(Nesta) saw how high and wide they’ll push their fullbacks and thought we would have space in the channels,” Pinho said. “We did. We saw the space and cycled the ball there and attacked it and I was able to finish.”

Pinho was able to finish, becoming the first player in the history of Orlando City’s stadium to tally a hat trick. Again, the Brazilian deflected credit.

“I’ve improved playing for Gunter, who has a clever tactical mind. I’ve improved playing for Nesta, who is teaching me how defenders think,” he said. “If you play for a defender as great as he was, you soak in what he knows about defender movement and you learn from it. Plus, he appreciates forwards because you need goals to win games.”

Fortunately for Miami FC and their manager, Stefano Pinho has delivered plenty of those.

Pinho was the runaway winner of the award for Round 4. The battle for second place was fairly wide open. Other players who received consideration included Djiby Fall (FC Cincinnati, USL), Julian Buescher (D.C. United, MLS), Dennis Castillo (Colorado Rapids, MLS), and Mitch Hildebrandt (FC Cincinnati, USL)

2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners

Round 1: Pete Caringi III (Christos FC, USASA)
Round 2: Phil Saunders (Christos FC, USASA)
Round 3: Fabian Cerda (Tulsa Roughnecks, USL)
Round 4: Stefano Pinho (Miami FC, NASL)

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Stefano Pinho’s hat trick leads Miami FC to road upset of Orlando City

June 15, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC celebrates one of his three goals against Orlando City in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC

Another year, another south Florida nightmare for Orlando City in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. This time, Miami FC did the job, emerging with a convincing 3-1 victory. Stefano Pinho’s hat trick, the first in the history of the new Orlando City Stadium, paced an outstanding performance by the NASL league leaders.

Only thirty seconds into the game, Kwadwo Poku raced around a pursuing Servando Carrasco and flicked a perfect ball onto an onrushing Dylan Mares. The shot went just wide of a lunging Josh Saunders at the far post. For Orlando, so dominant at home this season, it was a moment of dire portent.

Lined up in a modified 4-3-3 with Poku playing just beneath two forwards as a pure playmaking number ten, Miami was able to use the former NYC FC man to peel defenders toward the center, creating space for Dylan Mares and Michael Lahoud to operate in the channels. The result was a plethora of chances for Miami, which outshot Orlando 10-2 in the opening 45 minutes.

Miami again threatened in the eighteenth minute, with Lahoud dancing around Victor “PC” Giro and slotting a cross to Stefano Pinho, who had beaten Leo Pereira to the ball. Stefano fired just wide, but the former NASL golden boot winner was finding space to operate against the Orlando defense.

Miami broke through at the half hour mark.

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC scored one of his three goals against Orlando City in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC

Michael Lahoud took a deep pass from Richie Ryan down the right flank, put a shoulder shake on PC and slotted the ball across to Pinho, who raced just past a lunging Pereira to tap the ball in off his thighs. It was a deserved lead.

“They are usually good defensively,” Lahoud said. “They were missing Will Johnson, which would have made a difference. But I’ve watched them a lot this year, and we weren’t surprised we had space in the channels to operate. Nesta stressed being composed and I thought we were. The temptation in these types of games is to want to score every time you have the ball. You can’t do that against these teams. You have to be composed and patient.”

Miami added to the lead just six minutes later, this time after Hunter Freeman raced forward from his center half spot to put a lovely parabola of a cross towards the far post. The diminutive Pinho outjumped Spector and buried the header past an off-balance Josh Saunders to give Miami a 2-0 lead.

In the opening half, Miami were first to every 50/50 ball and won eight tackles compared to three for Orlando. By the time Luis Gil put Orlando’s first shot on frame in the 41st minute, Miami had already collected eight shots, with four on goal. Whether Orlando lacked cohesion playing with a new lineup or simply lacked interest in the affair, the Lions were thoroughly dominated in the opening half on their own field. With Orlando City playing for the first time since June 4th, and the visitors coming off a weekend road trip to Edmonton, it is difficult to imagine why Miami FC appeared to have fresher legs.

⚽️⚽️⚽️

Three time’s the charm! @stefano_pinho has the trick against @OrlandoCitySC! #ORLvMIA #USOC2017 pic.twitter.com/9p0dGXR63L

— NASL (@naslofficial) June 15, 2017

Orlando’s sluggish performance was even more stunning given the Lions fell victim to a Cupset in last year’s tournament, losing 2-1 at home to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The loss was the breaking point for Orlando City’s front office with then-manager Adrian Heath, who was fired shortly after the defeat. Looking to avoid a similar fate, manager Jason Kreis fielded a blend of youth and experience, affording opportunities to youngsters like Pierre Da Silva, Hadji Barry and Rafael Ramos but flanking them with vets Antonio Nocerino, Servando Carrasco and Jonathan Spector. Also in the eleven for the Lions? PC, who scored the winning goal for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers against Orlando City last season, and signed with Orlando this winter. But the side never appeared to find any rhythm, and the Lions were largely rudderless until the insertion of Kaka at the hour mark.

By the time the former Ballon d’Or winner entered, his side trailed 3-0, victims to another Pinho goal. The Brazilian finished his hat trick in the 55th minute when Vincenzo Renella played a slicing ball in traffic to Roberto Baggio Kcira, who had plenty of space on the flank. Baggio took a quick touch and cut the ball across to Pinho, who finished tidily in space. Giles Barnes scored a consolation goal on a set piece for Orlando in the 79th minute, but by then, Miami had nine behind the ball and was content to sit deep and clear any of Orlando’s forays into the final third.

Jason Kreis was conciliatory after the game, but visibly upset with the club’s second consecutive elimination at the hands of a NASL side from the Sunshine State.

“For me this is the most disappointing night I’ve had since I’ve been in Orlando,” said Kreis, who won the MLS Cup managing Real Salt Lake in 2009. “I take full responsibility. There are three things a coach is tasked with: we must have the players ready physically, we must have the players ready mentally, and we must have them ready tactically. We didn’t do any of that. But at the same time, we have to say Miami was clearly the better team, as difficult as that is to say. And they deserve a great deal of credit.”

Kreis was quick to compliment Miami and Nesta’s setup tactically.

“I think they did a really nice job defensively making us uncomfortable,” Kreis said. “They forced us into poor choices and were quick to catch us into transition. Poku, having worked with him, and in the games we scouted — that was the most invested I’ve ever seen him defensively. Credit their coaches.”

In the winning locker room, the mood was joyful but by no means content.

Lahoud, who was marvelous in 90 minutes for the visitors after flying 29 hours from Sierra Leone, where he played in African Cup of Nations qualifying over the weekend, said the team feels they can go on.

“I believed we would win,” he said. “We had nothing to lose. Pressure is on every MLS team that plays us. We respected Orlando, we’ll respect who we play next, but the moment won’t be too big for us. If we’re going to play in this tournament, we’ll play on our terms.”

That starts and ends with defense, according to Lahoud.

“Alessandro preaches defense and trust. Everyone has a tactical role defensively. If you close a guy down, you trust the guy behind you is covering for you. More times than not, we’re seeing that domino effect, if you cover the guy next to you, there aren’t breakdowns. It becomes interchangeable football. That’s a big thing and makes us tough defensively and as a team.”
For Miami, that toughness has meant only one loss on the season. And now it means a date in the Open Cup round of sixteen.

2017 US Open Cup Round 3: Miami FC excel during “hot moments”, eliminate Tampa Bay Rowdies

June 1, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Miami FC broke a scoreless tie with two second half goals to defeat the visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Wednesday night. The 2-0 win was the first in the competition for the hosts over the cross-state rival Rowdies and secures the young franchise their first date with a MLS side in the competition.

Miami FC will visit Orlando City SC in Fourth Round action on June 14.

For Miami FC midfielder Michael Lahoud, the victory was a statement about the quality of NASL and the talent on Miami FC.

“As someone who has played in two US Open Cup finals, I love this competition,” Lahoud said. “This tournament is about survive and advance. We beat a very good team, and made a statement for our league , that we’re better than one of the best teams in USL. We earned the right to show we can compete against MLS teams, and hopefully we continue this great run.”

Lahoud, who will represent Sierra Leone in their upcoming African Nations Cup qualifiers, credited his manager, Alessandro Nesta.

“Italians are never satisfied,” he said of the Azzurri great. “Fortunately, and unfortunately, we have a full staff of Italians, and our coach happens to be one of the greatest Italians to ever play the game, which is saying something. He keeps us humble with his demands, and he has a lot of demands, but he’s proud of us tonight” Lahoud said.

With the visitors playing very narrowly through the middle, chances were hard to come by early in the match. In fact, the Rowdies had the best chance of the opening 20 minutes, when following a turnover near midfield, former Chelsea FC star Joe Cole danced through the Miami FC defense and flicked a shot that Daniel Vega saved high.

Miami FC had a chance minutes later, with Lahoud dancing around defenders Luke Boden and Neil Collins and firing a rocket at the far post that was marvelously parried away by Akira Fitzgerald. It was the best chance either side would have in the opening frame.

Miami seized the initiative as the second half began, and nearly went ahead when Roberto Baggio Kcira made a menacing run down the left flank and crossed to an unmarked Poku, who had time to take a touch but shot one time, shanking the ball harmlessly wide.

Nesta credited his team’s patience and mentality for the break through on a night where space and chances were at a premium.

“The largest issue in Florida to play soccer is the heat,” said Nesta. “Finding energy is not easy. Patience is critical. You cannot force balls and you need to keep the ball. The heat and the rest make it harder to invest defensively.”

Lahoud agreed that his team had the right mentality to win a tough and physical game that included 22 Rowdies fouls.

“Nesta talks about moments that define character, what he calls “hot moments”, moments where you really find out what you are all about,” Lahoud said. “Tonight, it was a hot moment, and we were up for it. That’s what it takes to be a good team. A championship team.”

The breakthrough finally came in the 73rd minute, when for the second consecutive round, a Nesta substitution changed the game. Following a Rowdies turnover near midfield, substitute Dylan Mares was fouled in the area by Georgi Hristov. The referee pointed quickly to the spot, and Vincenzo Rennella buried the spot kick to give Miami FC a 1-0 lead.

Miami kept the pressure on after the opener, and added a second goal in the 83rd minute. Mares was involved again, making a powerful run down the left channel and crossing to Jaime Chavez, who was rewarded when Rowdies keeper Akira Fitzgerald mishandled his soft shot.

Miami FC is now unbeaten in eight games in all competition, building confidence that they, like the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of a year ago, can go to Orlando and collect a victory.

“I’m very happy. My first managerial position and we (advance) to play a team in Orlando with Kaka, Nocerino, beautiful players, beautiful new stadium” Nesta said.

Lahoud thinks Miami can win. “For a club like ours, now there’s a feeling of `We can beat Orlando’. We don’t just want to check off that box of playing an MLS team. They have very good players, but I don’t think they’re a team we should fear. We should respect them, but at the end of the day, it’s a soccer game. If this tournament shows anything, it is that over 90 or 120 minutes, anything can happen. We stand an amazing chance.”

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: Alessandro Nesta leads Miami FC to club’s first tournament win

May 21, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Miami FC earned the club’s historic first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup win with a 3-2 victory over the South Florida Surf at the University of Miami’s Cobb Stadium. The game, played in blustery conditions with intermittent rain, had a bit of everything: strong attacking play, hard-nosed defense, heroic goalkeeping and tactical nous.

Miami FC’s manager, Alessandro Nesta, who won a World Cup playing for Italy, was happy to advance in the Open Cup but less than pleased with his club’s performance.

“It is natural in life to take some things less seriously than others,” Nesta said after the match. “But this is an important competition to our club. I respect the Cup and told the players they need to be better and have the right mentality for 90 minutes. You have to praise the other team. In truth they played harder than we did, so I’m pleased that we won the game but our players can do better.”

Early in the game, the hosts created plenty of chances, building play beautifully down the left flank through Johnny Steele and the off-ball movement of Jaime Chavez and Kwadwo Poku. Miami’s best chance came through Steele and Poku, the latter starting a late run and latching onto a Steele cross in the penalty area only to see the ball glide inches past the near post. Still, it looked very much like Miami FC would strike first, as they piled pressure on the Surf back four.

The game changed in the 20th minute, however, as South Florida midfielder Manny Gonzalez, who reached the quarterfinals of the Open Cup in 2016 with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, won a tackle in midfield and played a quick ball down the left to Darwin Espinal. The Honduran, who represented his country in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where he helped Los Catrachos finish fourth, rocketed a shot off his right foot past an outstretched Daniel Vega at the far post, giving South Florida a stunning 1-0 lead.

Miami FC had a tremendous chance to level in the 30th, winning a set piece in the right channel after a Jeff Michaud foul. The ensuing set piece service fooled Surf goalkeeper Andres Ruiz, who was caught in no-man’s land and beat to the ball by Mason Trafford. Trafford popped his clean header over the bar, however, and the Surf avoided the danger. Ruiz was forced into a hard and low save on Chavez in the 40th minute as well, but the Surf centerback pair, featuring Chicago Fire veteran Yann Mvita and Haitian international and Copa America veteran Jean-Marc Alexandre, did well to usher Miami FC runners into difficult angles. In many ways, the Surf’s tough spine in the opening half paid homage to the way upsets of years past have occurred, with good defense and opportunistic counterattacking soccer.

Nesta wasted no time making changes after an opening half where his side outshot the Surf 11-2 but still trailed. Dylan Mares replaced Jonny Steele on the left and Richie Ryan entered for Michel in the center of the pitch. The changes worked, with Ryan winning the ball in the middle of the pitch, shuttling it wide and Miami FC leveling the game in the 48th minute as Kwadwo Poku headed home a Blake Smith cross.

“I saw something to fix and you can’t always wait,” Nesta said of his two halftime substitutions. “We needed to change two players right away to win the game.”

Miami nearly took the lead in minute 55 but were repelled twice by Ruiz, who first denied Poku from ten yards and then hustled to deny a late-running Chavez on the rebound at the post. It was a tremendous sequence for the Surf keeper, who had looked a bit uncomfortable early in the evening dealing with the windy conditions, but recovered to make ten saves.

There was nothing Ruiz could do five minutes later, however.

Dylan Mares, another one of the Nesta halftime changes, made a darting run down the right flank and crossed to a free-running Poku. Andrew Booth of the Surf was in great position to defend, but he mistimed the clearance and pushed the ball into his own net, giving Miami a 2-1 lead on the hour mark.

Miami FC seemed content to keep the ball and kill off the game in the final half hour, but found themselves level in the 76th minute, when the Surf’s Jeff Michaud outraced defender Hunter Freeman to a long ball and then beat Vega from an impossible anger to level the game at two. The howler from Vega forced Nesta, who played many years with the great Italian keeper Gigi Buffon, to throw a clipboard and water bottle.

Nesta’s anger was short-lived, however, as Miami FC regained the lead three minutes later with a goal from Jaime Chavez, again assisted by Blake Smith.

Refusing to give up, Ethan Decker had a great chance to tie the game for South Florida down the left flank in the 88th minute, but Vega got just enough on the shot to allow Jonathan Borrajo to clear for Miami, who held the Surf at bay in the waning minutes to seal a hard-fought win.

Miami FC’s victory sets up a meeting in Coral Gables in two weeks against the in-state Tampa Bay Rowdies, who left the NASL for the USL this season.

2017 US Open Cup Round 1: Nacho’s heroics leads Miami United past Boca Raton in Florida battle

May 15, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Longtime NPSL star Nacho scored in the 88th minute, breaking a 1-1 deadlock and helping host Miami United defeat Boca Raton FC 2-1 in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Second Round action last night at Milander Stadium. Miami United will host the North American Soccer League’s Jacksonville Armada next Tuesday evening in the Round 3.

Throughout most of the second half, it appeared that the visitors from Boca Raton would score the winner, as they created multiple chances through forward Gio DiMauro and marauding fullbacks Nickardo Blake and Jason Fitzgerald as the hosts played deep and tried to withstand the pressure. But in the 88th minute, Miami United forced a turnover and launched a brilliant counterattack down the left, with a cross splitting two defenders and finding Nacho, who calmly dispatched the ball into the left corner of the net.

“It was a close contest, a great game,” Nacho said after the game, with a large group of Miami United fans just yards away chanting his name in sing-song fashion. “We were able to win the ball and win a one on one wide, and I hit the shot well. It’s a great feeling to help win this game for my teammates and the fans.”

Early in the game, it appeared Miami United would control proceedings. Mattias Menza scored on a rocket of a volley in the 7th minute to put the hosts ahead, and Boca Raton struggled to deal with Miami’s pressure in the midfield zones. The visitors slowly settled themselves, however, largely due to the effective runs of fullback Nickardo Blake, and nearly leveled the game at just past the half hour, when a long Blake run found forward Gio DiMauro who forced Miami United goalkeeper Carlos Alfaro to make a strong save.

The visitors kept coming, however, and were rewarded with an equalizer in the 57th minute. Boca’s Shadi Harb was fouled on the right of the area, and the ensuing free kick found a charging Stefano Bontempo, who buried a close-range chance for the tie.

Eleven minutes later, Boca Raton appeared to win a penalty on a handball after a lengthy sequence of possession led to a shot from distance, which was deflected twice off Miami United hands. There was no call, however, setting the stage for Nacho’s late game heroics.

2017 Meet the Underdogs: Boca Raton FC has MLS ambitions, sees US Open Cup as building block

May 6, 2017 by Neil Blackmon

Boca Raton FC's (right) opening game of the 2017 NPSL season was against Miami United, their First Round US Open Cup opponent. Photo: Boca Raton FC — Boca Raton FC’s (right) opening game of the 2017 NPSL season was against Miami United, their First Round US Open Cup opponent. Photo: Boca Raton FC

Boca Raton FC don’t have to look too far for a reminder of the magic of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. In fact, they don’t even need to leave South Florida.

The defining underdog story of last year’s Open Cup came thirty minutes down I-95 from Boca Raton, with the quarterfinal run of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League.

In truth, however, any comparisons between the Strikers and Boca Raton FC stop at geography.

For the Strikers, last year’s run was one about a headstrong group of players that managed to ignore the dark clouds of mismanagement and specter of financial doom off the field to deliver a lifetime of memorable magic to a small but fiercely loyal, and soon to be heartbroken, set of fans. It was a last hurrah for what had been one of American soccer’s brightest brands. The Strikers run was about defiance and bittersweet endings.

Boca Raton FC, on the other hand, is a club with a story that’s very much just beginning. Founded in 2015, Boca Raton has cultivated a unique, community-first structure from inception, and seen success in the process. Winners of four consecutive American Premier Soccer League (APSL) titles, this summer will see Boca Raton FC make the jump up to the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) for the first time. The club will open its NPSL home schedule May 12, just two days after they play Miami United in the US Open Cup.

Boca has not been shied away from big ambitions as they announced the club’s intention to make a long-term push to bring MLS to Boca Raton. The club launched the website, mls2bocaraton.com to help facilitate and promote the club’s long-term ambition.

Moving to NPSL is part of that process, club chairman Douglas Heizer said last week.

“We’re excited to play in NPSL,” Heizer said. “We built a team to play in NPSL two years ago. It gives the team more exposure for sure and we think we have a very good team, but it’s a new experience and we’re more interested in the club-building process than focusing on the move to NPSL.”

Boca Raton FC poses for a team photo before a NPSL game against Miami United. Photo: Boca Raton FC

But according to Heizer, the NPSL and seeking glory in America’s oldest soccer competition are just part of the process of club-building.

“Our main goal is to build a team that the fans and community can be proud of,” Heizer said. “That’s the number one goal. Second is to go wherever the fans bring us. We don’t care about the letters of the league. We care about the fans and the letters on the crest.”

Heizer said the club doesn’t have to reach MLS to accomplish that end.

“Chattanooga FC and Detroit City FC are perfect examples ” Heizer said. “They are NPSL teams and they have more people in the stadium than many of the second division sides.”

“Fans look for good soccer. They look for a club they can be proud of. I want to go where the fans are proud and where they want us to go,” said Heizer.

Helping deliver on Heizer’s vow to give Boca Raton FC fans good soccer is the club’s academy structure, a complete pyramid effect that starts children at the age of seven and offers different club levels until they are ready to become professionals. Boca has a partnership with Barcelona Elite that facilitates the last step, along with the NPSL club.

Boca Raton FC US Open Cup history2016 US Open Cup
Round 1: L, 4-1 (AET) at Miami Fusion FC (NPSL)2017 US Open Cup Qualifying
Round 2: W, 4-1 at Hurricane FC (USASA)

Heizer said rooting his club in community helps the club grow in a way that gives the team a skilled foundation but also expands the fan base and with it, the community’s investment in the club’s success long-term.

“I’m from Rio de Janeiro,” Heizer said. “Soccer there is a path to make a living. Clubs partner with academies and in the end, kids know where they will be going. But the important thing- the idea behind the system, is that clubs begin to care about players when they are kids, on and off the field. And then the kids grow up caring about the big club, as something that inspires them.”

It’s part of the reason Heizer has brought in coaches like Athirson, who emerged from that system in Brazil, playing with Flamengo early in his career before moving to Juventus, where he played, among other stops, until returning to Flamengo in 2004.

Athirson, who earned five caps for Brazil as well, will coach the NPSL side. He’ll be joined in the coaching pyramid by Juninho, who will run the club’s South American scouting operation, and Pedro Yunes, who will run the academy. All are familiar with the pyramid, community-based club structure.

“I wanted coaches who could share with young players the story of how you start at a club as early as 12 years old and experience results, later in life, with the top team.” Heizer explained. “That is what inspires the kids. The idea they can play for the top team, get college paid for, play professionally, learn quality skills but also build life experiences.”

Signing players on the field like Edmar, a former Ukrainian national teamer and Metalist Kharkiv regular who nearly led Ukraine to a stunning upset of France in the 2014 World Cup qualifying playoffs, signed with Boca Raton FC this February.

Edmar gives the club a level of proven class not often seen at this level, but the team is hardly a one-man band. Fullback Justin Wilbanks is very capable technically, and dangerous from distance. He has three goals on the APSL season to date. And Bruno Militz, a fast winger, is dangerous on the ball or cutting in on his left foot, a player not unlike Diego Serena was in his heyday with another old south Florida club, the Miami Fusion.

All in all, it’s enough talent to give Miami United all they can handle in the Open Cup Wednesday night.

Eventually, Heizer thinks the academies will do the dirty work.

“My short-term goal is to build with a foundation from the academies,” Heizer said. “I don’t know how long it will take but I think we can do it as early as five years into the system.”

For now, he just wants the community in south Florida to know that unlike last year’s Open Cup darling, the Strikers, whose fans received little recognition from a cold, detached front office, Boca Raton FC is a club that embraces the community. And he’s anxious to keep getting the word out.

As for the Open Cup matchup with Miami United, Heizer thinks it is just the beginning.

“You always play to win, and we will play to win. But whatever happens, we’re proud to be Boca Raton’s team.”

NOTE: Boca Raton FC is offering a free ticket to the US Open Cup game against Miami United on May 10. Fans just need to use the promo code “PREZ”.

2016 US Open Cup: Diego Restrepo carries Fort Lauderdale Strikers, wins TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament

October 14, 2016 by Neil Blackmon

Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers makes a penalty kick save against DC United of MLS in the Fourth Round of the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Fort Lauderdale Strikers

The story and romance of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is not simply a story of upsets, of the little guy getting a shot at Goliath. That’s too reductive, especially because by the end of the competition, a giant’s name usually finds itself engraved on the trophy.

The US Open Cup is, above all, months of knockout soccer that represents opportunity. In some instances, the Cup represents a redemptive opportunity, a chance to set aside past failures. In others, it’s an opportunity to show scouts they missed you. Sometimes it’s as simple as an opportunity to show yourself you’re more than what you were before.

For Diego Restrepo, the goalkeeper who was voted TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament for 2016, this year’s Open Cup was all those things. Restrepo, then playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League, seized his opportunity. The end result of his performances was a comeback and redemption story that resulted in the longest run by a lower division side in 2016, one that didn’t end until the Chicago Fire felled the Strikers in the Quarterfinals.

Restrepo narrowly edged Edwin Borboa of amateur side La Maquina for the award. Borboa finished tied for the tournament lead with five goals while leading his team to the Fourth Round where they narrowly lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Restrepo, who was named TheCup.us Player of the Round once and missed winning the award by a mere votes on two other occasions, almost never got the chance to play the hero

Two years ago, Restrepo thought he was finished in North American soccer.

The U.S. youth international who was born in Venezuela, suffered a devastating Achilles injury and was out of a job with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, left to wonder whether any North American clubs would give him another look.

“When I got injured, there were almost no clubs in the United States willing to give me a look,” Restrepo said. “It’s understandable. The injury I suffered is about the worst thing that can happen to a goalkeeper.”

Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers makes a save against Orlando City SC in the Fifth Round of the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Fort Lauderdale Strikers

After a brief stint with the Charlotte Independence of the USL, Restrepo, with no other suitors, departed for Metropolitanos in Venezuela.

“I needed games, so I went to South America, which was great because it got my confidence back,” Restrepo said. “When you play games, you feel safer (with the injury) and calmer. Playing Division One football in South America showed me I could still do it.”

Restrepo parlayed the successful stint at Metropolitanos into a move back to the North American Soccer League and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Restrepo wasn’t able to win the starting job out of the gate, however, as manager Caio Zanardi and the Strikers staff opted to go with veteran Brazilian keeper Bruno.

When Bruno struggled early, ultimately costing the team a result with a dreadful error against rival Tampa Bay, Restrepo earned his chance. He credits the healthy goalkeeper competition with improving his Open Cup performances.

“The Open Cup this year in Fort Lauderdale was against all odds because I was just worried about playing,” Restrepo said. “There was no margin for error with the coaches. I knew if I made a mistake or didn’t play well, I was going to lose my spot.”

Restrepo took that motivation and dominated the competition from the outset.

Fort Lauderdale opened the tournament against USL’s Richmond Kickers, in a game moved to a turf field and played in sweltering conditions at noon due to a scheduling conflict. Restrepo made several saves in the heat in front of very few fans to help send the game to penalties. In the penalty session, Restrepo shined, saving three of Richmond’s spot kicks to seal the Strikers’ first elimination of a pro team since 2010. It also was the first shootout in the Modern Era to finish 2-0 and just the second where a team was held without a goal.

“The Richmond game felt like a practice session,” Restrepo said, noting the light lunchtime midweek crowd and odd field of play. “Richmond was very good. They were extremely good that day. We were lucky to win.”

Yet Restrepo has made a professional and collegiate career of being a good spot shot stopper. He won a collegiate national championship as keeper at the University of Virginia and was named the defensive player of the NCAA tournament for a tremendous string of performances in delivering the Cavaliers a title. That included penalty kick work.

Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers is in position against the Richmond Kickers in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Kelsey Hinds

“I’ve been good at PKs most of my life,” Restrepo said with a gentle laugh. “You can study tendencies but that’s harder in an Open Cup format against a lower division team. So you go with intuition. You read and go. That day was just my day to shine.”

Restrepo became just the second player in club history to be named TheCup.us Player of the Round for his performance against Richmond.

The team followed up their PK win over Richmond with another historic result. The Strikers needed penalty kicks once again to do something they have never done before: eliminate a team from Major League Soccer. After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, Md., the Strikers ousted DC United 4-3 in a shootout. Restrepo made eight saves and made one stop in the shootout, but credited his defense and coaches with putting him in a position to again play the hero.

“We had a good performance against DC as a team,” Restrepo said. “We had a good plan and were very compact and tough to break down defensively. Gale Agbossoumonde and Julius (James) were terrific in front of me. And we felt like we could win.”

Restrepo nearly earned a rare back-to-back Player of the Round award, but he was edged by a single vote by the Philadelphia Union’s Roland Alberg.

Restrepo acknowledged the emotion and fire that can be born from the opportunity to play MLS sides in the Open Cup. But he said it isn’t always just that the lower division sides see it as their biggest match of the season. Sometimes they are underestimated by the MLS behemoths.

“Every time a lower division side plays a MLS side, of course you want to do well,” Restrepo said. “But there are players in the NASL who could be very good in MLS. I think MLS sides sometimes — players and coaches — underestimate the players in NASL. And in Fort Lauderdale we had some of those players.”

Restrepo said he felt the lack of respect most viscerally in the round of sixteen, when the Strikers headed up the Florida Turnpike to face Orlando City.

Jose Angulo of the Strikers scored an early goal, only to see Orlando equalize through Trinidad and Tobago international Kevin Molino.
Following the Molino goal, Fort Lauderdale spent most of the evening simply trying to weather Orlando’s pressure. Restrepo was integral to that effort. In stoppage time, he made one of the saves of the tournament, stopping a swerving and pacy Harrison Heath effort at the post.

“I was fortunate,” Restrepo said about the save on Heath. “I was screened and I took a step before he shot the ball. Fortunately, I got a glimpse of how he opened his hips at the last instant and when you see that, you’ve been playing so long you just react. I was able to get a strong hand on it at the post.”

The stop was strong enough to earn applause from the partisan Orlando City crowd. More important, it set the stage for PC’s run and winning goal at the end of the second extra time session to give Fort Lauderdale a 2-1 win.

“It was one of the most memorable wins of my career,” Restrepo said. “It was a great atmosphere, even with a smaller crowd for the midweek game, they are so loud and aren’t very friendly.”

Neither was the Orlando coaching staff after the Strikers victory. Asked following the match what Fort Lauderdale did that caused his team trouble, Heath told reporters, “nothing.”

He also had sharp personal criticisms for the Strikers, which he shared with Restrepo.

“The coaching staff with Orlando wasn’t pleased with what was going on — they felt we were playing like a South American team, trying to stall and kill off the game for penalties,” Restrepo said. “It got so bad that Heath told me after the game that I was a disgrace to soccer. But we won and (the loss) cost him his job, so I felt fine about that.”

It was yet another history-making result for the Strikers. Since penalty kick shootout wins are officially listed as a draw, this marked the first time in franchise history that the Strikers defeated a MLS team. Despite advancing to the Round of 16, since the first two games of this year’s tournaments saw them advance by penalty kicks, since they were considered draws, Fort Lauderdale had set a Modern Era record with a seven-game winless streak. The win over Orlando City snapped that streak.

Fort Lauderdale’s victory over an in-state MLS side assured the Strikers that they would be the final lower division side playing in the competition and earned them the $15,000 prize money for being the last second division club standings. The stage was set for what seemed a winnable quarterfinal as well, against a Chicago Fire side that at the time were last in the MLS standings.

Unfortunately, internal issues at the club, namely financial issues with the Brazilian ownership group that included Brazilian legend Ronaldo, took its toll. Players were getting paid late and the team was cutting costs on travel. Restrepo said the off-field stuff was a big reason the Strikers were routed by the Fire 3-0.

“Fortunately, but also unfortunately, the off-field stuff wasn’t a distraction until the week of the Chicago Fire match in the quarterfinals,” Restrepo said. “That’s when the issues with money started. It was a big distraction. You couple the money issues with the fact that we played at Edmonton Sunday, and we had concerns about money, short rest and had to take three flights and a four-hour bus ride to play in Chicago two days after travel. That was very difficult.”

Restrepo was traded to the Tampa Bay Rowdies a little over a month after the Strikers’ historic Open Cup run ended. His performance in the Open Cup is appreciated and sure to be remembered by Strikers and NASL fans alike.

Fort Lauderdale coach and general manager Caio Zanardi agreed with that assessment.

“Restrepo made penalty saves against Richmond and DC United before an outstanding performance in Orlando against Orlando City,” Zanardi said. “He was one of the standout performers from our historic US Open Cup run.”

For Restrepo, the goal now is to chase more glory with the Rowdies, a team he was quick to praise as the best collection of talent he’s ever played with in the NASL.

“It’s the best NASL team I’ve been on,” Restrepo said. “Every player here could start somewhere in the NASL. The level at practices is day and night. The intensity at training so high. Honestly the team has been unlucky with results, but we are starting to turn around at the right moment. If we get into the playoffs, look out.”

Restrepo likely wouldn’t be in Tampa without his tremendous Open Cup performances increasing his transfer value. But in the end, isn’t that what the Open Cup is about?

A career left for dead due to an injury, suddenly redeemed. A team struggling to get by making the most unlikely of runs. A player carving out a legendary set of performances to deliver a series of Cup sets.

That’s the story of Diego Restrepo in this year’s competition. And it’s what makes the Open Cup so endearing.

Check out all of the 2016 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners HERE.

2016 US Open Cup Round 5: Fort Lauderdale Strikers’ dramatic $15,000 upset of Orlando City makes history

June 30, 2016 by Neil Blackmon

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers celebrate their upset win over Orlando City SC in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon van Woerden

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League (NASL) upset Major League Soccer (MLS) host Orlando City SC 2-1 last night on a goal from Victor “PC” Giro in stoppage time of extra time.

A crowd of 3,162 braved an Orlando metropolitan area surrounded by ominous storm clouds to witness the Strikers defeat a MLS team (in regulation or extra time) for the first time in club history. It also snapped the Fort Lauderdale’s Modern Era record winless streak (penalty kick victories are officially considered draws) at seven games and it marked the first time that the Strikers have won a road game in the tournament.

It was a game that had a little of everything: end-to-end free-flowing attacking soccer, blistering counterattacks, great goalkeeping, lovely goals and physical, chippy play that saw 38 fouls whistled and six yellow cards and two reds issued between the two sides.

Throughout the opening half hour, Fort Lauderdale found a good measure of success working the flanks, whether through the young Brazilian PC or wing forward Geison Moura, drifting wide on the right to provide width while the fullback, Gabriel, sat deeper to slow the Orlando City counterattack. The continual probing helped the visitors create the better chances, and it wasn’t surprising that they struck first, in the 12th minute.

Geison Moura played a brilliant chip to Jose Angulo that beat the offside trap, and Angulo did the rest, slotting it home past Earl Edwards Jr. to give the visitors an early lead and send their vocal supporters group, Flight 19, into raptures.

Orlando responded quickly, however.

Orlando City SC vs. Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2016 US Open Cup — Photo: Jon van Woerden

Kevin Molino won the ball with a tackle and made a magical run past four Fort Lauderdale defenders to level the game at 1-1. Molino was easily Orlando’s best player in the opening half, as he was involved in nearly every quality Lions sequence and was the only player for the MLS side who appeared cut from a different cloth than anyone in the Fort Lauderdale eleven.

But the Strikers weren’t finished in the opening half, earning a corner down the right channel in the 40th minute that saw Maicon Santos place a beautiful header toward the top right of the net, only to see an outstretched Edwards Jr. get just enough of the ball to deflect it off the woodwork. Angulo’s follow-up of the ricochet went directly into Edwards’ belly. Still, no one could question the resolve or effort put forth by the visitors in the opening half, as the NASL side very much looked like it belonged on the field with an in—state MLS counterpart.

Brek Shea indicated after the game he expected Fort Lauderdale to play with emotion and resolve.

“Any time a team from a lower division gets a chance to play a MLS team, it is their biggest game of the year,” Shea said. “Credit them. They won.”

Shea’s manager was less diplomatic. Asked if Fort Lauderdale did anything better than Orlando on the evening, Adrian Heath bluntly answered “No. Next question.”

Perhaps his frustration came because Orlando had plenty of chances to change the ultimate outcome, pouring on pressure in the second half.

Minutes after the second half began, Orlando City midfielder Harrison Heath dispossessed Julius James in the Fort Lauderdale area and immediately fired a shot that glanced off the far post.

Moments later, Antonio Nocerino beat his man down the right flank and forced Diego Restrepo into an acrobatic right-handed save that kept proceedings level. Orlando, pressuring higher up the field than in the first session, continued to generate chances, closing down the space and forcing Fort Lauderdale into turnovers. The Lions won multiple corner and free kicks and forced Restrepo into a series of saves and acrobatic punch clearances.

Orlando City SC Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2016 US Open Cup — Photo: Jon van Woerden

But for all the quality final balls, Orlando’s finishing failed them. Shea sailed a sitter over in the 63rd minute after a lovely flicked lay off from Tony Rocha. Hadji Barry saw multiple quality runs end with shots that were just over or off frame. Seb Hines missed the goal completely from four yards in stoppage time. And after entering the game late in the second half, Cyle Larin had a handful of chances go begging.

Adrian Heath lamented the missed opportunities after the game.

“We did well to generate chances with our pressure,” Heath said. “We had enough chances to win the game comfortably. We haven’t done that. When you leave a game 1-1, anything can happen.”

In the 70th minute, anything did, as both sides went down to ten men following a hard foul on Fort Lauderdale’s Geison Moura. As the teams exchanged words, it appeared Brek Shea took an elbow to the face, prompting Kevin Molino to retaliate by striking the Strikers PC in the face.

In the end, Molino and Fort Lauderdale’s Maicon Santos were shown red cards, resulting in ten on ten soccer.

After Orlando’s late flurry to close regulation time, extra time was end to end. The hosts had the first quality chance, winning a free kick at the top of the eighteen only to see Shea’s left footed chip sail hopelessly high and wide of Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Restrepo.

Restrepo, who was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round once already and missed out on back-to-back awards by a single vote, was massive all evening for the Strikers. The former U.S. youth international was controlling his area all night, punching away and catching crosses and marshaling his defense. But without question, his finest save came late in the first extra time session when he stoned Harrison Heath’s brilliant, swerving effort at the far post. The save drew respectful applause from the soccer-savvy Orlando crowd, and assured the game went to the second session of extra time level at one.

For a moment it looked as if Restrepo, already an Open Cup hero for helping Fort Lauderdale win consecutive penalty shootouts to reach the Round of 16, would be called on for penalties yet again Wednesday night. But PC’s goal, a lightning quick counterattack off a quick and controversial restart, assured a winner without spot kicks. The speedy Fort Lauderdale fullback took the restart the length of the field, cut inside toward the eighteen, made two quick, lateral cuts and sent a clinical, low, screaming shot past Edwards Jr. to give Fort Lauderdale the lead, and ultimately, the victory and a spot in the US Open Cup quarterfinal.

It was a goal of tremendous quality, but not one that surprised Strikers captain Jean Marc Alexandre.

“PC is a tremendous player,” Alexandre said following the match. “He’s quick and dangerous on the break. He’s a guy who turned down several MLS sides to stay in Fort Lauderdale with the Strikers, and he showed he has the quality to compete at any level.”

For the Strikers, the next level will be the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in club history. The win helped Fort Lauderdale become not just the last remaining NASL side in this year’s competition, but only the fourth NASL side to reach the quarterfinal round.

As the last remaining NASL team, they are awarded the $15,000 Division 2 prize money from the US Soccer Federation.

For Strikers manager Caio Zanardi, it was about respect.

“We have quality players. Many of our players have played at the highest levels,” Zanardi said. “Gabriel played for long stretches at the top level in Brazil. Jean Marc Alexandre just played at the Copa America. PC was a prized Corinthians player, who captained their youth teams and played for Brazil youth teams that won trophies. We knew we could compete.”

2016 US Open Cup Round 4: Orlando City’s emotional win over Jacksonville provides distraction for fans

June 16, 2016 by Neil Blackmon

Orlando City SC celebrate a goal against Jacksonville Armada in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: James Drexler

Orlando City defeated the Jacksonville Armada 1-0 in Fourth Round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action Thursday night in front of a capacity crowd of 2,155 at Southern Oak Stadium in Jacksonville.

Southern Oak Stadium dripped with emotion in the build-up, the aftermath of the weekend’s tragic act of violence and hatred in Orlando heavy in the air. A considerable contingent of Orlando City supporters made the trip, purple-clad, full-throated and proud, Rainbow flags and signs of remembrance throughout the stadium in Jacksonville, and a moment of silence pre-kick that included both sides in shirts with rainbow hearts that read “Orlando United.”

Orlando City talisman Kevin Molino, who has played for the purple and gold since the USL days, said the game was a welcome respite given the tragedy. “Soccer isn’t much of a distraction,” Molino said. “There is so much sadness for the people of the city, for the loved ones lost, but also it is great to come out and try to unite the community. That feels good and giving them a moment of joy is good.”

Fans of the Jacksonville Armada show their support for the city of Orlando. Photo: James Drexler

Adrian Heath agreed with his star, expressing a sense of relief. “I’m glad we got this out of the way now, and we can concentrate on Saturday (Orlando hosts San Jose as MLS returns from the international break) which will be another emotionally-charged event.” Heath said the opening of the game, where the two teams wore the matching “Orlando United” shirts, was a particularly touching moment.

“Our supporters and the people of our city are part of the DNA of our football club. They are woven into the fabric of everything we’ve built. We’ve grieved with them and if for a couple of hours tonight we have taken their minds of something, that’s good.”

The night was, fairly put, a solemn evening where the soccer seemed secondary. But one minute into the match, Orlando City nearly gave their fans and their city a storybook opening, when Carlos Rivas made a marvelous run down the left flank just after the kick, centering beautifully, only to see Brazilian forward Julio Baptista miss a sitter.

The Lions would come close twice more in the opening fifteen minutes, first through Hadji Barry, who managed the first on target shot of the game, though he was well-defended by Tyler Ruthven, and his shot is easily handled by Miguel Gallardo. Six minutes later it was again Carlos Rivas threatening, as his shot from an odd angle on the left missed just over. Jacksonville had difficulty throughout the opening half closing down the Colombian, who rewarded his manager with multiple chances created.

Orlando City SC poses for a team photo before their match against the Jacksonville Armada in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: James Drexler

Despite Orlando City’s furious start, it was actually the hosts who had the better of the play in the opening half. As the game settled, the hosts came into the game, largely thanks to the tenacious midfield play of captain Kevan George and the active Mechack Jerome, who looked in splendid form after three challenging games for Haiti at the Copa América Centenario last week.
Another Haitian international, Pascal Milien, who also was in the Haiti team at the Copa América Centenario, took a while to get involved in the near triple-digit heat, but made his presence felt halfway through the first half, beating Orlando’s Kevin Alston on consecutive occasions down the flank and creating two quality chance for Jacksonville. The Armada couldn’t capitalize, however, earning only one weak shot on goal from both Milien’s runs, and following that, neither team presented much of a threat until the halftime whistle.

Adrian Heath changed midfield shape early in the second half, and was nearly rewarded after a a Milien turnover sent Orlando off on the break—but another Rivas shot went just wide. The shot was on the edge of the 49th minute, at which point a foghorn was sounded and all in attendance rose to their feet in solidarity to cheer and clap in honor of the 49 fallen at the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting this weekend.

Moments later, a Junior Sandoval shot took a deflection and fell beautifully to Jerome, whose shot off one touch beat Orlando City keeper Earl Edwards Jr but missed inches to the right.

The game changed, however, just past the hour mark. Referee Rubiel Vazquez called Beto Navarro for a foul on Julio Baptista just outside the eighteen, setting up a free kick. After Julio Baptista’s free kick was deflected out for a corner, Orlando again found the Brazilian in the area and the his flick found David Mateos on the far post who finished, giving Orlando a 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute.

City nearly added another three minutes later, as Jacksonville botched two chances to clear in the area before Miguel Gallardo dove to save a Carlos Rivas effort at the far post. Charles Eloundou, brought on for Alhassane Keita in the 65th minute, nearly leveled proceedings for Tony Meola’s side only moments after entering the game, but his long range blast was parried well by Earl Edwards Jr. to keep the Lions ahead.

With just under fifteen minutes to play, still trailing 1-0, Tony Meola brought on Danny Barrow, an attacker on for fullback Bryan Burke, as Jacksonville desperately searched for an equalizer. Barrow helped the Armada earn a terrific chance in the 89th minute, playing a brilliant ball through to Mechack Jerome, but his ensuing cross sailed over a flurry of secondary runners at the center of the box. After Miguel Gallardo parried away a counterattacking chance from Orlando City’s Tony Rocha, Charles Elondou nearly got in behind the City defense, only to have Earl Edwards Jr. beat him to the ball. The Armada would get yet one more chance, in stoppage time, when defender Tyler Ruthven beat David Mateos to a 50-50 ball, but sailed his effort from five yards over the bar.

Orlando City will await a Fifth Round draw Thursday afternoon. Jacksonville Armada, having captured their first win in franchise history in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, will open play in the NASL fall season July 2nd at Tampa Bay.

2016 US Open Cup Round 3: Jacksonville Armada need OT to earn first tournament win, 2-1 over Charleston Battery

June 3, 2016 by Neil Blackmon

Patrick Otte of the Jacksonville Armada celebrates with Armada fans after scoring a goal against the Charleston Battery in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Gary Lloyd McCullough | Jacksonville Armada

The Jacksonville Armada defeated the Charleston Battery 2-1 after extra time in the third round of the 2016 US Open Cup Wednesday night at picaresque Southern Oak Stadium on the campus of Jacksonville University. A capacity crowd of 1,200 saw the Armada win for the first time since an April 15 NASL league triumph over The Miami FC. The win was also the first US Open Cup win for the Jacksonville Armada in their young franchise history.

The chances came early and often for Jacksonville, who dominated possession in the game’s first twenty minutes. Matt Fondy, starting in place of the struggling Alhassane Keita, rewarded manager Tony Meola’s confidence, holding the ball up well and creating multiple chances with his vision and passing. Only the first of a handful of marvelous saves from Charleston goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper, who earned seven caps for Cuba before defecting in 2012, kept the game on level terms after fifteen minutes. The Armada broke through, however, in the 17th minute on a late run by Patrick Otte, who buried a Matt Fondy lay-off.

Charleston, however, looking to become one of, if not the first US Open Cup side to advance a round after losing the prior round (a penalties defeat to Villages SC was overturned due to The Villages fielding an ineligible player) leveled quickly.

Montreal Impact loanee Romario Williams delivered a splendid ball with a defender on his shoulder to an onrunning Chris Tsonis, who easily slotted past Miguel Gallardo to bring the Battery level. Williams was a handful for Jacksonville all evening, his physical and speedy runs stretching the Armada on the counterattack consistently. been so physical and strong he often lacks supporting runs.

In the second half, the Armada again controlled the ball and collected the most chances. Junior Sandoval’s blast in the 48th minute was saved well by Odisnel Cooper in the 48th minute and Beto Navarro fired over the goal from seven yards in the 54th minute, but the go-ahead goal would not come.

Indeed, it was Charleston who nearly took the lead in the 64th minute on a fantastic run by Romario Williams, who manhandled Beto Navarro and fired across the net only to have Miguel Gallardo deflect the ball away. That chance was the closest either side came to scoring until extra time.

Patrick Otte of the Jacksonville Armada celebrates his goal against the Charleston Battery in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Gary Lloyd McCullough | Jacksonville Armada

Alhassane Keita, who entered in the second half for Matt Fondy, nearly put Jacksonville ahead in the first fifteen minutes of extra time, only to be denied by the wingspan of Cooper. Cooper’s save came moments after it appeared Alex Dixon was taken down in the area by Brian Woodbine, only to see referee Kevin Terry Jr. signal “play on.”

The teams remained even until the 108th minute, when Junior Sandoval played a ball to Alex Dixon on the edge of the area and Dixon played a one-time lovely flick to Keita, who beat Cooper far post to give the Armada the winner. The goal was the first for Keita in any competition all year for Jacksonville, and a sigh of relief for the Guinean, who led the Armada in goals in their inaugural season.

The win was particularly meaningful for Tony Meola, who captained Sporting Kansas City (then the Wizards) to a US Open Cup championship in 2004. “It means a lot to me personally, with Lamar Hunt’s name on the trophy, a man who was special to me and a competition that was special to me for the nine years I was in Kansas City. We said we’d do our best to put the best team out and we did that tonight.”

Meola was pleased to see Alhassane Keita, his troubled goalscorer, end his slump, but even more pleased to see a young player like Alex Dixon make a difference with the game-winning assist. “I’m happy for Keita, obviously, but one guy I’m particularly happy for is Dixon, because it has been tough for him, to be completely fair, and he came in tonight and did everything he was asked to do. Of course I’m happy for the group, but sometimes certain guys when you see them every day, you want to see them do well.”

Dixon deflected the praise. “It’s not about anyone or me. I was happy to contribute and make a little difference. I saw Sandoval cut in and then Keita peeled off and I flicked it his direction. He did the rest but we’re thrilled to get the result.”

Jacksonville will host Orlando City in fourth round action on June 15.