Robert Wilson

Based in Denver, Robert Wilson has covered the US Open Cup matches in the Centennial State since 2014. He has enjoyed doing his part to grow the game in his part of the United States while balancing a career outside of soccer. Robert can be contacted by email at [email protected]

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Laredo Heat edge Red Force in match marred by fight, five red cards (video)

May 16, 2014 by Robert Wilson

The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida's Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat — The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida’s Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat

For the second Wednesday in a row, the group of amateur and former professional players that make up Red Force FC packed their bags and flew across the country, this time to Laredo, Texas, where, unfortunately for the Miami-based team, their US Open Cup dream ended in a wild 2-1 defeat to the Laredo Heat.

Heat defender Danny Garza rescued the home team by scoring in the final minutes. The victory puts the Laredo Heat into the third round with a matchup against NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers, another South Florida team and a rematch from last year’s third round.

Laredo was quick to attack and started the game with much of the possession. After consistent waves of attacks led by midfielder Greg Mulamba wingback Salvador Luna drew a penalty kick on an overlapping attack in the box. The penalty was converted by Miguel Fernandez giving Laredo the early lead 1-0.

Madness broke out in the 39th minute when Red Force’s Kevin Nylen and Miguel Fernandez collided in air and fell to the ground. Players from both teams jumped to defend their fallen teammates. The heated scrum took a couple minutes to resolve and ended with four red cards and one yellow card issued. Kevin Nylen and Heber Hernandez from Red Force FC as well as Laredo Heat’s Joao Monteiro and Yair Hernandez were all ejected while Salvador Luna was issued the yellow card leaving the two sides with nine players each.

Shortly after half, the resilient Red Force tied the game. With plenty of field to work with Red Force’s Alejandro Hernandez found Stiven Salinas for the goal. Unlike their previous round in Colorado where Red Force dealt heartbreak it was two Laredo second half substitutes Danny Garza and Felix Garcia that ended the game with a timely goal. Former US youth international Felix Garcia sent a long pass from center midfield into the box where Garza dodged two Red Force defenders and fired the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

Moments later the referee blew the final whistle and Laredo Heat had secured the second round victory 2-1.

For the Red Force the US Open Cup was a memorable two games run across two states in a week’s time. One exciting come from behind victory in Colorado and one crushing last-minute drama packed defeat in south Texas. The team was clearly disappointed as after a week of lengthy travel if the Red Force had pulled off the upset they would have been able to play their next game in nearby Fort Lauderdale against a team that multiple team members have a history playing for and against.

Laredo Heat on the other hand is riding good form and the momentum provided by the last minute victory into the beginning of their PDL season and the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Goal scorer Danny Garza was quoted after the game saying “The team feels very confident … We are very organized. We’ve been training hard since the first day, and hopefully we win the next game.” That next game is the Third Round of the US Open Cup at Fort Lauderdale Strikers’ Lockhart Stadium on May 28.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 1: Red Force storms back to beat Colorado Rovers, earn rare Florida win

May 10, 2014 by Robert Wilson

Red Force, the USASA representative from Florida, scored a pair of second half goals to overcome the USSSA’s Colorado Rovers 2-1 in the first round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. It was a battle of amateur clubs featuring former professional players making their second consecutive trip to the tournament and a goal by David Olguin in the 81st minute was enough to send Red Force to a rare Florida victory.

With the win, the Miami-based club becomes the first USASA club from the sunshine state to win an Open Cup game since 2001 when Uruguay SC beat Miami Strike Force (PDL). Red Force have another long road trip ahead of them for their Second Round match as they will take on the PDL’s Laredo Heat on May 14 at 9:15 p.m. ET.

The match kicked off in Highlands Park, Colo. with the Rovers eager to jump on the attack. The Rovers, making their second consecutive appearance in the competition, set a tone for the game by taking the first shot of the game; ringing a hard-hit ball right off the middle of the crossbar. Minutes later, Red Force winger Andres Navas and former Ft. Lauderdale Strikers midfielder Scott Gordon connected on a series of quick passes with Navas firing a shot right at Rovers goalkeeper Mark Saxby. For the next ten minutes or so, the Red Force really found a rhythm displaying excellent ball movement. Attackers Gordon, Navas, Olguin and former Miami FC player Abiodun Adeyemi, continued to hold possession and force the Rovers into their own third.

After warding off multiple shots, the well-organized Rovers backline regained possession and sprung Marc Herschberger and former MLS player Colin Clark toward the opposite goal. The pressure resulted in a foul 22 yards from the goal. Clark took the free kick but it was inadvertently handled along the wall, giving the former Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo midfielder another chance. This time, Clark bent the free kick over the wall and past a helpless Red Force keeper Kyle Schoeder to give his team the lead in the 30th minute.

For the remainder of the first half and into the second, the Rovers enjoyed the majority of the possession and attempts on net. After the game, Red Force manager Gabriel Vega admitted that jet lag, accompanied with altitude, set in and his team struggled to keep up with the athletic Colorado team.

Just when it looked as if the Rovers were going to maintain or build on their lead, Red Force captain Richard Perdomo cut a Colin Clark run short and turned his team on the counter. Substitute Daniel Gonzalez accompanied by Navas, broke into the Rovers 18-yard box and chipped the keeper. Just before the ball rolled over the line, Rovers centerback Tyer Adam heroically cleared the ball but a penalty was called on the Rovers goalkeeper. Daniel Gomez converted the penalty and game was tied up.

Ten minutes later, all momentum that the Red Force had was quickly taken away when Gomez was sent of with his second yellow card. Just when the Rovers were once again looking to put the game away the Red Force responded with a quick counter attack and some smooth passing to set up Colombian forward Olguin with a 35-yard strike that found the top corner of Saxby’s net. Olguin’s golazo took the entire stadium by surprise and gave the Red Force the decisive edge in the back and forth affair.

After some nervy moments in stoppage time for both teams, the 2-1 result was complete, and the Red Force captured their first-ever US Open Cup victory securing their second round tie in Laredo, Texas next Wednesday.

After the game, Rovers coach Erick French was clearly disappointed to be defeated in such a shocking turn of events. For the Rovers, it was the second consecutive heartbreaking loss in Open Cup play. Last year, on the same Shea Stadium grass, Colorado was eliminated by the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution in a penalty kick shootout. Putting his emotions aside, French sounded determined to qualify once again, already thinking about the qualification process for 2015.

Vega and his Red Force players were ecstatic, yet exhausted from the incredible day they had. After the game, Vega complimented his team for pushing through the long travel, altitude, the early goal, and the difficult opposition. There was little time for celebration as the team had to hop on a plane back to Miami for a local tournament before arranging travel plans for Wednesday’s trip to Laredo.