2012 US Open Cup qualifying

Eric Wynalda’s Cal FC joins PSA Elite from Region IV to complete 2012 US Open Cup field

May 7, 2012 by Josh Hakala

MORE: 2012 US Open Cup bracket | Round 1, 2 matchups

For the first time in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present), two Southern California teams have qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup from USASA’s Region IV. Cal FC, led by their manager, former US international Eric Wynalda, and PSA Elite from Irvine, Calif., emerged as group winners in the Region IV qualifying tournament to punch their tickets to the 99th edition of the Open Cup.

Region IV received permission from the United States Soccer Federation to hold their tournament a week after the qualifying deadline. After Cal FC and PSA Elite qualified, the USSF held a coin flip to determine who each team would play in Round 1 on May 15. The coin flip determined that Cal FC will travel to Bremerton, Wash to take on the PDL’s Kitsap Pumas while the Portland Timbers U23s will host the PSA Elite at Jeld-Wen Field.

Cal FC only needed to win two games to win their group to get in after EP Elite from El Paso, Texas (representing New Mexico) failing to show and forfeiting their three games. What turned out to be one of the best games of the weekend, they started off with a 4-3 win over Doxa Italia on Friday. It looked like it was going to be a one-sided affair as Cal jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead, and then added a penalty kick after the break to make it 4-0. Doxa refused to roll over as they got goals from Kyle Holland and then a 45-yard blast from Alex Bengard and then a third to cut the lead to 4-3 but Cal was able to hold on despite multiple injuries in the second half.

Wynalda would tweet after the game: “Well done to Doxa for fighting back. We got out of there with our lives.”

It would be much easier in the second game as Cal cruised to a 7-0 win over The Internationalists from the Los Angeles area to punch their ticket. For Wynalda, it will mark the first time he has been involved in the Open Cup since he was a player and scored the only two Open Cup goals of his career during the 2001 tournament while helping the Chicago Fire reach the Semifinals.

In the other group, it was a strong defensive performance by PSA Elite that put them into the tournament for the first time. They did not allow a single goal in their three group matches. They defeated 2011 Open Cup qualifier DV8 Defenders, 3-0 to kick off group play, followed by a 6-0 win over the Pittsburg Galaxy setting up a final game with OC Crew. PSA only needed a draw to advance, and that’s exactly what they got, finishing 0-0 to edge DV8 Defenders, who rebounded with back-to-back wins to finish one point back in second place.

Cal FC and PSA Elite squared off in the championship game, and PSA came away with a 2-0 win. Eight minutes after Cal missed a penalty kick, former MLS player Mike Randolph was shown a red card in the first half and the Elite took advantage with goals by Andrew Riemer in the 63rd minute and Christian Ramirez in the 83rd. (Full recap by fellow NASR member Scott French at ESPN LA). In addition to their first trip to the US Open Cup, PSA will represent Region IV at the USASA Nationals at Toyota Park, July 20-22.

Upcoming Open Cup schedules:

PSA Elite (USASA) at Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL)
Jeld-Wen Field; Portland, Ore. – 7:30 p.m. PT
The Timbers PDL square are making their first appearance in the US Open Cup after missing out last year despite finishing qualifying with an undefeated record (3-0-1). Rather than going through a tiebreaker, they decided to have the Kitsap Pumas and the Timbers U23s use their regular season game on double as a play-in game. Kitsap Pumas won the game 3-2. PSA Elite are making their first appearance in the tournament after emerging from the USASA Region IV tournament.

Cal FC (USASA) at Kitsap Pumas (PDL)
Bremerton Memorial Stadium; Bremerton, Wash. – 7:15 p.m. PT
This is the fourth consecutive year that Kitsap will kick off the tournament at home. USASA Region IV qualifier Cal FC are led by a mix of young players and former professional players and their manager, former US international Eric Wynalda.

Check out the standings and the schedule below for more information …

2012 USASA Region IV US Open Cup qualifying tournament

GROUP A	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
x-Cal FC (CA-S)	3	0	0	9	14	3	+11
Doxa Italia (CA-S)	2	1	0	6	14	4	+10
The Internationalists (CA-S)	1	2	0	3	3	15	-12
EP Elite (NM)*	0	3	0	0	0	9	-9

GROUP B	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
x-PSA Elite (CA-S)	2	0	1	7	9	0	+9
DV8 Defenders (CA-N)	2	1	0	6	6	5	+1
OC Crew (CA-S)	1	1	1	4	3	3	+0
Pittsburg Galaxy FC (CA-N)	0	3	0	0	3	13	-10

* – EP Elite forfeits competition; each opponent will receive three points

2012 USASA Region IV Open Cup tournament

May 4-6 – 2400 E. Philadelphia Street – Ontario, CA

Group A (Eastern Time listed)
May 4: EP Elite (L:W) The Internationalists (EP Elite forfeit)
May 4: Doxa Italia 3:4 Cal FC
May 5: The Internationalists 0:8 Doxa Italia
May 5: Cal FC vs. EP Elite (EP Elite forfeit)
May 5: EP Elite vs. Doxa Italia (EP Elite forfeit)
May 5: The Internationalists 0:7 Cal FC
Cal FC qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Group B (Eastern Time listed)
May 4: OC Crew 3:1 Pittsburg Galaxy FC
May 4: PSA Elite 3:0 DV8 Defenders
May 5: Pittsburg Galaxy FC 0:6 PSA Elite
May 5: DV8 Defenders 2:0 OC Crew
May 5: OC Crew 0:0 PSA Elite
May 5: Pittsburg Galaxy FC 2:4 DV8 Defenders
PSA Elite qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Championship Game (Eastern Time listed)
May 6: PSA Elite 2:0 Cal FC
PSA Elite will represent Region IV at the USASA National Finals

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Seven California teams, ‘New Mexico’ rep to battle in USASA Region IV tourney

May 3, 2012 by Josh Hakala

A California-dominated group of eight teams will battle for two spots in the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in this year’s USASA Region IV tournament. Seven of the eight teams hail from California with the eighth coming all the way from El Paso, Texas, and representing the state of New Mexico (we’ll explain later). The tournament begins with two groups of four playing a round robin with each group winner advancing to the First Round of the US Open Cup, which is scheduled to begin May 15.

The Region IV tournament will take place May 4-6 in Ontario, Calif., a week past the Open Cup qualifying deadline, but Mike Maloney, the region’s cup commissioner received permission from the United States Soccer Federation. Maloney cited scheduling challenges with the teams involved because of the federation’s decision to move the start date for the Open Cup from the first week of June to May 15.

Six of the eight teams are entering the tournament for the first time, with last year’s two Open Cup qualifiers returning. DV8 Defenders, a first-time entry last year and Doxa Italia, who will be competing for their fourth year in a row will look to qualify for the second straight year. Only three clubs have ever qualified in back-to-back years out of Region IV: Arizona Sahuaros (2008-11), Mexico SC (1999-2002), Sonoma County Sol (2005-06).

The teams that advance to the Open Cup will play away from home in the opening round, as was determined by the recent unveiling of the Round 1 matchups. One group winner will play at Jeld-Wen Field against the Portland Timbers U23s, while the other will play in Bremerton, Wash. against the Kitsap Pumas who are playing in a record fourth straight Open Cup. Who will play where will likely be determined by geography.

Here are the teams that will be competing, followed by the schedule:

Cal Football Club (California South)

Being a USASA team in the greater Los Angeles area is nothing new. Having Eric Wynalda as your head coach and technical director changes things, however. It means that when your local league team holds a tryout, the level of quality talent living in the area that comes out is unlike any other city. “This team is mainly formed from players in this local area –Thousand Oaks – that went to college and came back,” said team manager and president Michael Friedman. “Then we held a tryout recently and the players that came out surprised us. The talent is really high. Eric put all of his resources to work to put this together.” Players like Danny Barrera and Mike Randolph are among a group that have recently played or trained with MLS clubs that could be in the mix for the regional tournament along with a few players from Mercialagos, a lower division Mexican club. Though the squad is undergoing a makeover that is an ongoing process, with talent coming in via the exceptional sources of Wynalda, this one-year old club could very well be making headlines in June.

Doxa Italia (California South)

This Orange County-based club is the most experienced team in the field, in terms of participation in the USASA Region IV tournament. This is the fourth year in a row that Doxa Italia has entered, and are looking to replicate last year’s performance where they qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time under the name “Doxa Italia.” They fell short in their Open Cup debut, losing 3-1 to the Ventura County Fusion of the PDL in the First Round. They formed in 1997, and later merged with the club Hollywood United in 2008. The two clubs, under the name Hollywood United, qualified for the Open Cup and combined for an historic First Round upset, eliminating the Portland Timbers (USL First Division – 2nd Division), 3-2. The merger was short-lived as Hollywood United pulled out to join the PDL, leaving the players and coaches to fend for themselves. Player/manager Derek Droze took a leadership position with the club and they pressed on under the name Doxa Italia.

This year, Doxa is competing in the Coast Soccer League, as well as the Los Angeles-based Angels Confrontational League. They are currently in first place in the CSL with two league games to play. One of those games is on April 22 against second place PSA Elite, a fellow Region IV entry. They finished runner-up in the ACL, losing the final game in overtime, 2-1.
[+] MORE: “2011 Meet the USASA: Doxa Italia”

OC Crew (California South)

OC Crew is another Orange County team that competes in the United Premier Soccer League. Last year, they played an exhibition schedule in the UPSL and finished undefeated, and early on in league play this year, they remain undefeated. Owner Robert Rake is very confident of his team’s chances, saying many of his players are ready to play at the next level and would match up very well against Major League Soccer opposition. First things first, they have to win their group which includes 2011 qualifier DV8 Defenders.

PSA Elite (California South)

PSA Elite plays in the Premier Division of the Coast Soccer League, based in Orange and eastern Los Angeles counties. PSA, based in Irvine, are league rivals with fellow qualifier Doxa Italia, and are looking to qualify for the Open Cup for the first time, much like the retooled Doxa did last year. Elite has proven to live up to their name in league play, capturing the championship three times since the 2006-07 season (2006-07, 2007-08, 2010-11), and finishing second to Italia in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

The Internationalists (Los Angeles Metro League)

The Internationalists, founded in 1992 as Arroyo ’92, play in the Los Angeles Metro League, after their former league (the Arcadia International Soccer League) folded in 2009. They had an excellent run through the Arcadia league in their 17 years, then won the LA Metro League’s Super Metro (top flight) division in their second year in the circuit. One of the key players on the team is former Galaxy player Ryan Shaw, and many players have played internationally or in the PDL. This will be their first time entering in the Open Cup qualifiers.

Pittsburg Galaxy FC (American National Soccer League)

The Galaxy were founded in 2006 and are based in Pittsburg, Calif., located just northeast of Oakland. They are the lone representative from the American National Soccer League (ANSL). They feature a strong attack with El Salvadorian striker Jorge Ruiz and former MLS player Julian Nash. Ruiz led the ANSL in scoring last year, and Nash, an Oakland native, played for the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo from 2005-07. Nash’s claim to Open Cup fame was in 2004 when he finished as the tournament’s top scorer as a member of the PDL’s Chicago Fire Reserves. He remains the only amateur player in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present) to win the scoring title outright.

EP Elite (New Mexico)

The El Paso Elite seems like a strange team name for a club representing the state of New Mexico, but it’s true. The El Paso, Texas-based club was given permission to compete in Region IV (Texas is Region III) due to the fact that El Paso is located so far away from the rest of the teams in their state. El Paso is located right next to the border of Texas and New Mexico, and they often compete in New Mexico-based competitions, so permission was given.

DV8 Defenders (California North)

The tournament’s other representative from Northern California, the Defenders are aiming to qualify for the US Open Cup like they did last year in their first attempt. Their run was short-lived, losing a road game at the PDL’s Real Colorado Foxes, 5-0, in the First Round. The team was founded in 1999 and competes in the Peninsula Soccer League, which is mostly made up of college-aged players. [+] MORE: 2011 Meet the USASA: DV8 Defenders

2012 USASA Region IV Open Cup tournament
May 4-6 – 2400 E. Philadelphia Street – Ontario, CA

Group A (Eastern Time listed)
May 4: EP Elite vs. The Internationalists – 4 p.m.
May 4: Doxa Italia vs. Cal FC – 4 p.m.
May 5: The Internationalists vs. Doxa Italia – 11 a.m.
May 5: Cal FC vs. EP Elite – 11 a.m.
May 5: EP Elite vs. Doxa Italia – 6 p.m.
May 5: The Internationalists vs. Cal FC – 6 p.m.
Winner of Group A qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Group B (Eastern Time listed)
May 4: OC Crew vs. Pittsburg Galaxy FC – 6 p.m.
May 4: PSA Elite vs. DV8 Defenders – 6 p.m.
May 5: Pittsburg Galaxy FC vs. PSA Elite – 1 p.m.
May 5: DV8 Defenders vs. OC Crew – 1 p.m.
May 5: OC Crew vs. PSA Elite – 8 p.m.
May 5: Pittsburg Galaxy FC vs. DV8 Defenders – 8 p.m.
Winner of Group B qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Championship Game (Eastern Time listed)
May 6: Group A winner vs. Group B winner – 12 p.m.
Winner represents Region IV at the USASA National Finals

Stanislaus United Turlock Express become first US Club Soccer team to qualify for US Open Cup (video)

April 30, 2012 by Josh Hakala

For the first time, a team from US Club Soccer have earned a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Stanislaus United Turlock Express got a pair of goals from Salvador Vergara to defeat the National Premier Soccer League’s Bay Area Ambassadors 3-0 to book their first trip to the tournament.

US Club Soccer held a qualifying tournament for the first time this year after the United States Soccer Federation awarded a half-spot to the organization. The representative from USCS would have to play an NPSL team, and Bay Area emerged from their league’s qualifying tournament after winning their group and defeating the Sacramento Gold in a match that ended in penalty kicks.

The Ambassadors had plenty of opportunities in the opening five minutes, but could not capitalize. An early long shot from Jordan Keyes hit the crossbar, and Cristian Cortes’s rebound was headed over the net. A few minutes later Bay Area had another opportunity as Francisco Camacho sent a long crossfield pass to Cortes, but the shot went wide right. Twenty minutes in, the Stanislaus United’s Arturo Pulido dribbled through traffic and sent through to Salvador Veraga in the penalty area. Veraga one-timed the ball into the right top corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The home side were able to get a couple more chances, but could not convert as the score remained 1-0 at the half.

Turlock Express kept the pressure on after halftime, as Jesse Horta forced a diving save from Bay Area keeper Julian Pereira at long range. Shortly after, Eduardo Meza sent the ball across the penalty area to Martin Arista, who recovered from a near-giveaway to double the Express lead at 57′. The Ambassadors almost cut into the lead, but Turlock keeper Javier Rosales managed to block Francis Lopez from getting the shot off. Ajaya Rana later found Lopez out of position and tried to tap it in the net, but United’s Juan Flores deflected the ball at the line. Stanislaus continued to pressure though, and Bay Area avoided calamity as Ahmad Hatifie avoided a tripping call in the penalty area, play being waved on by the referee.

However, Veraga would not be denied again. Arista ran through defenders in the 80th minute, then turned provider as he set up Veraga with an easy shot to put away the game for the Express. The United players and coaches were elated after the match, but once the dust settled, director of coaching Antonio Reis put it all in perspective. “We will have to work much harder to get ready for the quality teams we will face in the ,” said Reis. “We are really happy to get in and we think the kids we have can get the job done.”

2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Play-In (NPSL vs. US Club Soccer)
Richmond High School – Richmond, Calif.

Stanislaus United Turlock Express (USCS) 3:0 Bay Area Ambassadors (NPSL)

Scoring Summary
STA: Salvador Vergara (Arturo Pulido) – 20th minute
STA: Martin Arista (Eduardo Meza) – 57th minute
STA: Salvador Vergara – 80th minute

2012 US Club Soccer Open Cup qualifying tournament

Northern California
March 31: Pacific Los Gatos Storm 4:1 Sacramento United Legend
April 1: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 3:1 Pacific Los Gatos Storm
April 7: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 1:0 Sacramento United Legend

Southern California
April 15: Zicuiran vs. Napoli
*Zicuiran withdraws from the competition, Napoli advances to the Final

US Club Soccer Final
April 22: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 5:2 Napoli [+] Recap
Stanislaus United advances to an US Open Cup play-in match vs. Bay Area Ambassadors on April 28

USASA Region III tournament updates: ASC New Stars, NTX Rayados clinch US Open Cup berths

April 28, 2012 by Josh Hakala

UPDATE: The ASC New Stars and the North Texas Rayados both qualified for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after winning their respective groups in the USASA Region III tournament. The New Stars become the first team from Southern Texas to qualify in back-to-back seasons in the Modern Pro Era, while the Rayados, from North Texas, are in the tournament for the first time. We will have more on this weekend as we receive the details.

While both teams have clinched a spot in the US Open Cup, the two clubs will square off on Sunday at 10 a.m. local time to determine who will represent Region III at the USASA Nationals in Chicago this summer.

———————————–

Saturday results will be updated with the standings below

The first day of the USASA Region III tournament in Houston is in the books with four matches and four winners. The competition, that will determine the region’s two entries into the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, is divided into two groups of four with the winner of each group punching their ticket.

In Group A, ASC New Stars are looking to return to the tournament for the second year in a row, and they got off to a good start with a 3-1 victory over the NPSL’s Galveston Pirate SC. It was Galveston who struck first with an early goal, but the New Stars took over with three unanswered goals before the halftime break. They are joined at the top of the table with fellow Texas club, FC Rahr who shut out the Greenville Eagles 2-0.

The two first place clubs will square off on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. local time with the winner of that match being put in the driver’s seat for one of the two US Open Cup spots. If the match finishes in a draw, then it will come down to the final round of matches at 8 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Much like in Group A, Saturday morning will feature a match between the Group B co-leaders. The Royal Eagles from Florida and the North Texas Rayados both were victorious and will play each other at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The Eagles, who are representing Florida in the tournament for the second straight year, defeated the South Texas club Barracudas 2-0. The North Texas Rayados edged Oklahoma champion Boston Avenue AC 2-1 to earn the full three points.

Check out the standings and the schedule below for more information …

2012 USASA Region III US Open Cup qualifying tournament

GROUP A	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
ASC New Stars (TXS)	2	0	1	7	9	2	+7
Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)	2	1	0	6	7	6	+1
FC Rahr (NTX)	1	2	0	3	4	8	-4
Greenville Eagles (SC)	0	2	1	1	2	6	-4

GROUP B	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
NTX Rayados (NTX)	2	1	0	6	8	9	-1
Royal Eagles (FL)	2	1	0	6	7	8	-1
Boston Avenue AC (OK)	1	2	0	3	7	7	+0
Barracudas (TXS)	1	2	0	3	8	6	+2

Friday, April 27 – 8 p.m. CT

Group A
ASC New Stars (TXS) 3:1 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
FC Rahr (NTX) 2:0 Greenville Eagles (SC)

Group B
Royal Eagles (FL) 2:0 Barracudas (TX)
NTX Rayados (NTX) 2:1 Boston Avenue AC (OK)

Saturday, April 28 – 10 a.m. CT

Group A
Greenville Eagles (SC) 1:3 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
ASC New Stars (TXS) 5:0 FC Rahr (NTX)

Group B
Royal Eagles (FL) 0:4 NTX Rayados (NTX)
Barracudas (TX) 0:2 Boston Avenue AC (OK)

Saturday, April 28 – 8 p.m. CT

Group A
FC Rahr (NTX) 2:3 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
Greenville Eagles (SC) 1:1 ASC New Stars (TXS)

Group B
Boston Avenue AC (OK) 4:5 Royal Eagles (FL)
NTX Rayados (NTX) 2:8 Barracudas (TX)

Sunday, April 29 – 10 a.m. CT
ASC New Stars vs. NTX Rayados
Both group winners qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 USASA Region III participants

ASC New Stars (South Texas): The New Stars are the top-flight side from the Houston-based Aria Soccer Club that was founded in 1974. After winning the title last year, the team fell 4-0 in the first round on the road to Orlando City, who went on to nearly upset MLS’ FC Dallas in the third round as well as win the USL Pro championship. The defending champions were winless two years ago (0-2-1) in the Region III tournament, but qualified previously in 2008 for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, finishing runners-up in a 2-1 decision against Clearwater Galactics (FL) for the regional title. They were blanked, 3-0, by the USL First Division’s Charleston Battery (pro second division) in the First Round that year. They participated in the regionals in 2006, finishing second in their group after withdrawing the previous year. MORE: 2011 Meet the USASA – ASC New Stars

Boston Athletic (Oklahoma): The entrants from the Oklahoma Soccer Association were complete unknowns that were simply listed as the Tulsa-based BAAC Reserves, who won the Adult State Cup Division I tournament in mid-March. They had advanced with a 2-1 victory over COASL IFC in the championship of the three-team event, which also included Ponca City Tiburones. This year, only the club team from Oklahoma University stood in the way. The early March contest was a back-and-forth affair that saw BAAC rally twice for a 3-2 victory on three goals from Ashley McInnes, a former University of Tulsa star. According to TheCup.us records, this year will mark only the seventh time in the last 18 years where a team from the Sooner state has entered the Region III tournament. Prior to 2010, the last team to enter from Oklahoma was a club called Guerrero finished last in Region III group play back in 2001.

Greenville Eagles (South Carolina): The faith-oriented club, which has numerous teams in local Greenville 11v11 and 7v7 leagues, returns for a second chance. The full-sided team is currently dominating the local league with a 3-0 record and 13-2 aggregate goal ledger. Last summer the club had the top two teams in the local league with identical 7-1-0 records as well as the first-place team in the second-flight. The club was well-rounded a year ago with seven different players accounting for their eight goals. Juan Martinez scored in the 2-0 opening victory and his second in a 9-0 rout to finish the group in second with a 2-1 record. They advanced last year from the South Carolina tournament in Myrtle Beach.

Royal Eagles (Florida): Launched in 2009 in the Lakeland area, east of Tampa, and during their brief existence, they’ve experienced nothing but success. They were undefeated in Division 3 of the Florida Suncoast Soccer Leagues (FSSL), winning the league and the Florida Classic tournament in their inaugural campaign. The following year, because of their high level of play, the FSSL approved an unprecedented jump from Division 3 to the Premier Division. They edged Florida Gators, the only other state entrant, in a thrilling 3-2 decision for the state title.

FC Rahr (North Texas): A team a lot of fans can get behind, it is a successful side that is one of the powerhouses in Fort Worth. It is also sponsored by the popular local microbrewery, Rahr and Sons Brewing Company. The club, consisting of 120 players on eight teams, has won 14 league and tournament championships out of the Fort Worth Adult Soccer Association.

NTX Rayados (North Texas): A largely unknown side, the team is currently in first place in the North Texas Premier Soccer Association’s 1A Division with a 6-1-0 record. The league features past US Open Cup participants, Legends FC and Dallas Roma FC.

Barracudas (South Texas): An unknown side, the team had a good showing in the state tournament, qualifying with 2-0 and 4-3 wins in their group. The second victory was over fellow Region III participant Galveston Pirate.

Galveston Pirate (South Texas): The team was a late addition to fill the eighth berth in the tournament. The Pirates fell 4-3 to fellow Region III participant Barracudas in the state tournament and, according to the South Texas site, did not play its second – likely due to Barracudas having already won the three-team group. The club is also a member of the National Premier Soccer League’s four-team South Central Conference.

Forfeit helps Jersey Shore Boca qualify for US Open Cup for first time

April 28, 2012 by Josh Hakala

For the first time in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present), the state of New Jersey will have a representative in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, but one would imagine this isn’t how they wanted it to happen.

After losing their “Win & You’re In” USASA Region I match against the New York Greek American Atlas, Boca had a second chance to get in to the Open Cup by squaring off against the other semifinal loser, the Maryland Bays in the third place match.

Jersey Shore were scheduled to host the match on Sunday, April 29, but TheCup.us has learned that the Maryland Bays have withdrawn from the match. Bays manager Bryan Bugarin was disappointed to pull out, but a combination of injuries and player availability, he said, would not allow him to field a full squad. Bugarin says his club will “definitely be back” next year as the Bays will attempt to become the first team since 1997 to win three straight Maryland Open Cup titles.

Boca are the first New Jersey team to qualify since 1995, and according to TheCup.us records, the last USASA team from the Garden State to participate in the Open Cup was FC Porto in 1993.

Normally each of the four regions is given two Open Cup berths, but this year the USASA was allowed nine places by tournament organizer US Soccer Federation. It was decided that since more teams attempt to qualify from Region I than any other region, they would be awarded that extra spot.

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Stanislaus United Turlock Express to represent US Club Soccer in play-in game

April 24, 2012 by Josh Hakala

The qualifying tournament is complete and US Club Soccer has crowned a champion that they hope will become the organization’s first-ever entry into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Stanislaus United Turlock Express defeated Napoli, 5-2, at Chukchansi Park in Fresno to earn a spot in next weekend’s play-in game against the National Premier Soccer League’s (NPSL) Bay Area Ambassadors. The winner will qualify for the 99th edition of the US Open Cup.

Turlock Express jumped out a 3-0 lead in the first half and held off Napoli’s second half rally to put themselves one win away from US Club Soccer’s first-ever berth in the US Open Cup. Martyn Artista led the way for Turlock with a pair of goals.

Stanislaus United is a club based in Stanislaus County (which includes the cities of Modesto and Turlock), and the Turlock Express is the adult portion of that club. The Express field a variety of teams including outdoor teams as well as an indoor team who qualified for the playoffs last season in the Professional Arena Soccer League.

“We are very thankful to US Club Soccer for giving our club this opportunity to qualify for the US Open Cup,” said Antonio Reis, the director of coaching at Stanislaus United. “We will work very hard this week to get prepared and I know that we’ll be ready to play next weekend.”

Reis says they have done some advanced scouting of the Bay Area Ambassadors and he’s confident that the Express, with their large pool of mostly younger players, should produce an entertaining match.

The opening 20 minutes were entertaining between the Express and Napoli, who are based in Paso Robles, Calif. (about 150 miles south of San Jose). The Express created some early chances starting by misfiring on a dangerous ball sent into the box and missing on a shot from just outside the 18-yard-box in the opening five minutes. In the 12th minute, Arturo Pulido launched a 35-yard shot that just missed the target. Napoli created chances of their own off a counter attack, they forced a save from United goalkeeper Javier Rosales, then both teams would hit the post, all in the first 22 minutes.

The first goal would come in the 23rd minute when Adrian Gutierrez sent Artista in behind the defense, setting a one-on-one battle with the goalkeeper which he would win.

10 minutes later, Pulido would set up Gutierrez for a 30-yard blast to put the Express up 2-0.

Napoli nearly found an answer as Dana McGregor used his speed to find space in Turlock’s end of the field. He used that space to set up a 25-yard shot that just missed wide.

A 2-0 deficit seemed manageable for Napoli, as they were creating chances of their own, but they would give up a third right before the halftime break. Samuel Saldate found Salvador Vergara in front of goal to make it 3-0, shifting all the momentum to Stanislaus United.

Napoli refused to give up as they struck quickly in the second half. A McGregor free kick found the head of Eric Ward to cut the lead to two.

In the 67th minute, Jose Barajas’ shot hit the post for Turlock, but just six minutes later, Ward wouldn’t miss as his second goal of the half gave the game new life with a 3-2 scoreline.

The newly found optmism for Napoli fans was quickly dashed when Pulido made it 4-2 for the Express less than a minute later. In the 84th minute, the Express put the game away with Artista knifing through the Napoli defense and scoring.

United goalkeeper Rosales shut down Napoli’s last real chance in the final minutes, making a save on a breakaway to keep the score at 5-2.

TheCup.us would like to thank Gabe Rood for contributing to this report

2012 US Club Soccer Open Cup qualifying tournament final
April 22 – Chukchansi Park – Fresno, CA

Stanislaus United Turlock Express 5:2 Napoli
STA: Martyn Artista (Adrian Gutierrez) – 23rd minute
STA: Adrian Gutierrez (Arturo Pulido) – 33rd minute
STA: Samuel Saldate (Salvador Vergara) – 45th minute
NAP: Eric Ward (Dana McGregor) – 49th minute
NAP: Eric Ward (Unassisted) – 73rd minute
STA: Arturo Pulido (Unassisted) – 74th minute
STA: Martyn Artista (Unassisted) – 84th minute

2012 US Club Soccer Open Cup qualifying tournament summary

Northern California

March 31: Pacific Los Gatos Storm 4:1 Sacramento United Legend
April 1: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 3:1 Pacific Los Gatos Storm
April 7: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 1:0 Sacramento United Legend

Southern California

April 15: Zicuiran 28 vs. Napoli
*Zicuiran 28 withdrew from the competition, Napoli advances to the Final.

US Club Soccer Final

April 22: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 5:2 Napoli
Stanislaus United advance to US Open Cup Play-In Game

NPSL / US Club Soccer Play-In Game (Win & You’re In)

April 28: Stanislaus United Turlock Express at Bay Area Ambassadors
Richmond High School – Richmond, Calif. – 5 p.m. PT

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: NY Greek American Atlas, Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks emerge from USASA Region I

April 23, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

UPDATE (4/27/12): The Maryland Bays have withdrawn from the third place match that (for the first time) will act as a “Win & You’re In” match for the US Open Cup. Because of the forfeit, Jersey Shore Boca become the first New Jersey club from the USASA to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Although there was a safety net with a second chance to qualify in the consolation contest next weekend, the USASA Region I Semifinals presented the four remaining clubs with a chance to claim their berths into the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with just one final victory. And experience won out on the day as the veteran Open Cup sides Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks and NY Greek American Atlas both posted 2-0 victories over clubs new looking to advance for the first time.

In a pair of border contests, the DC/Virginia champion Hawks blanked the Maryland Bays at the Maryland Soccerplex and the Greek Americans topped Jersey Shore Boca. Boca and the Bays were scheduled to determine the region’s third Open Cup berth with a third place match the following weekend, but Maryland withdrew due to injuries and lack of player availability. Jersey Shore become the first USASA club from New Jersey to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present).

The Hawks continue to be one of the powers of the region, remaining the only club from Virginia to qualify for the tournament more than once, reaching the Open Cup for the third time now in six years (2007, 2009).

Heavy rains forced a back-and-forth contest between the two sides that proved to hold even until a 40th minute corner kick. Sam Scales found Watson Vaughan Prather for a point-blank header to give the Hawks the lead. It was Prather’s second strike in as many games, tallying the second goal in the Region I First Round contest, a 3-1 victory over West Chester United three weeks ago. Scales previously scored himself in the team’s 3-1 victory over Club Atletico Virginia in the state championship.

Play opened in the second half and both clubs continued to have chances, including Maryland on set pieces that came agonizingly close to equalizing, particularly a ripped 35 yard shot that narrowly missed the post with 15 minutes remaining. As the Hawks began to transition to a conservative posture to hold the advantage, the Maryland pressure continued to increase only for naught.

With six minutes left second-half sub Gui Fonseca secured the victory with a brilliant individual effort. He took the ball 18 yards out and drove past two Maryland defenders before dancing along the end line and poking a shot past the keeper at the near post. Though he was a reserve on the night, Fonseca has been a star for the team in the qualifying campaign. He notched assists on all three goals in the state championship victory and added two more in the win in the Region I opener over West Chester United.

“This is an incredible achievement for us,” said Hawks manager Jon Knight. “We’re a pay-to-play organization and not many teams like us make it this far, so it says a lot about our team. We’re looking to get into the Second Round this year, and I think we’re going to be tough to beat.”

On Randall’s Island in New York City, the New York Greek American Atlas, who have four US Open Cup titles to their credit (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974), returned to the tournament for the first time since 2005, with their win over Jersey Shore Boca.

The two teams battled to a scoreless draw at the half, but right out of the gate, the Greeks broke through in the 48th minute when Joe Ruesgen’s corner kick was volleyed in by former UMass player Ben Arikian to give the home team the lead.

New York Greek American Atlas: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

Later, around the 70th minute, New York would add a second when Chris Megaloudis, a Puerto Rican international who spent time with the New York Red Bulls, found Paul Shaw to make it 2-0. Shaw sent a through ball to Megaloudis in the corner, who then beat his defender, found space and crossed the ball back to Shaw, who put the ball into the back of the net at the six-yard box.

Shaw, who began his career in England with Arsenal in the early 90s, and playing for a number of European clubs before joining FC New York as a player/manager last year. In January, he accepted an assistant coaching job at Adelphi University.

Boca put on the pressure in the final 20 minutes, but the Greeks’ defense held on the clean sheet, led by former Harrisburg City Islander goalkeeper Tommy Booth, who currently coaches at LIU-Brooklyn.

“We are delighted to be back in the US Open Cup,” said Greek Americans player/manager Michael Todd.

New York advances to the Open Cup for the fourth time (1998, 2004, 2005, 2012) in the Modern Pro Era, and puts an Eastern New York team in the tournament for the third straight year and the sixth time in the last nine seasons (New York Pancyprian Freedoms 2008, 2010, 2011). The Greeks emerged from the Eastern New York tournament, defeating the 4-time defending champion Pancyprian Freedoms in the final by a score of 4-0. New York then defeated Massachusetts champion Battery Park Gunners 2-0 with late goals from Megaloudis and Keith Detelj to reach Sunday’s match against Boca.

NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) 2:0 Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)
NY: Ben Arikian (Joe Ruesgen) – 48th minute
NY: Paul Shaw (Chris Megaloudis) – 70th minute

New York Greek Americans lineup:
Tommy Booth (GK), Danny Kramer, Tom Wharfe, Billy Hole, Joe Ruesgen (Diego Velasquez – 72′), Gary Flood (Michael Todd – 42′), Ben Arikian, Josh Troff, Arman Osooli, Chris Megaloudis, Keith Detelj (Paul Shaw – 65′)

Jersey Shore Boca lineup
Bobby Feeney (GK), Vasili Foukarakis, Andrew Cotrell, Tomas Banionis, John Carrozza (Christian Pontier – 80′), Andrew Hawtin, Dane Hodge, Ryan Sherman, Joe Selitto (Dan Pires – 45′), Simon Muckle (Chris Beekman – 45′), Michael Pezza (Nick Tarquino – 60′)

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks 2:0 Maryland Bays
AH: Watson Vaughan Prather (Sam Scales) 40
AH: Gui Fonseca (Unassisted) 84

Aegean Hawks lineup:
Chris Fenner (GK), Mateus dos Anjos, Pat Selwood, James Kpainay, Devlin Barnes, Michael Goldman, Watson Vaughan Prather (Danny Irizarry – 65th), Sam Scales, Ernesto Marquez (Lonnie Carter – 75′), Scott Larrabee, Matt Ney (Gui Fonseca – 70′)

2012 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament

Round 1 (April 1)
Battery Park Gunners (Mass.) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) [+] Recap
West Chester United Predators (East PA) 1:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA) [+] Recap

Semifinals (April 22)
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) 0:2 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
NY Greek American Atlas, Aegean Hawks both qualify for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Third Place Game (April 29)
Maryland Bays (MD) at Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)
John Patrick Sports Complex – Lakewood, NJ – 2 p.m.
Winner qualifies for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Croatian Eagles from Milwaukee return to the Open Cup

April 15, 2012 by Eric Anderson

Recap courtesy of Wisconsin’s premier soccer news website, WisconsinSoccerCentral.com

Aaron Lauber split his lip open in the first half of Sunday’s match at the USASA Region II Open Cup.

The Croatian Eagles were able to patch up the gash and kept the striker on the pitch at the top of their 4-5-1 formation.

“We wanted to keep him in … because we knew he might get a chance to get his head on something,” Croatians coach Alex Toth said.

The move paid dividends, as Lauber got the slightest of flicks on a free kick by Scott Raymonds to give the Croatians the lead in the 61st minute, and the Milwaukee club went on to a 2-0 victory over Chicago’s AAC Eagles at Redmond Recreational Complex in Bensenville, Ill., to earn a berth in the 99th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the USASA regional final.

Ramon “Choko” Alvarado added an insurance goal in the 85th minute for the Croatians, who last qualified for the U.S. Open Cup in 2006. They’ll play another amateur team in one of 16 first-round matches on May 15.

“It was a lot of preparation, a lot of planning, but at the end of the day, it comes down to the players performing,” said Toth, who had the team train and play on FieldTurf as much as possible leading into the weekend to prepare for the tournament at Redmond. “I can pull some strings here and there, but the players have to score, they have to defend, so I give them all the credit.”

Raymonds also set up Alvarado’s goal with a long throw that got through a few AAC Eagles defenders and played a role in three of the team’s four goals on the weekend, having scored the final goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Chicago Croatian rival RWB Adria.

Alvarado scored in both matches, with Lauber assisting on his strike Saturday. Veteran goalkeeper Ante Cop posted clean sheets both days, with help from a stout backline anchored by center backs Mike Narciso and Aaron Schroeder.

Toth made just one change in his starting 11 from Saturday, moving Tony Patterson in at right back in place of Cheikh Drame, who was dealing with a shoulder injury. AAC Eagles, a Polish ethnic club which has made four U.S. Open Cup appearances in the past 10 years, won the coin toss and chose to attack with the significant wind at its back.

“So although we had a couple opportunities – we got forward some – the biggest part is you’re just trying to make sure you’re not giving up long-distance shots. Anything was dangerous when they were going with the wind, so we just wanted to get through the first 45 (minutes) 0-0,” said Toth, whose team accomplished just that. “We felt good going into the second half.”

Raymonds stood over a free kick about 45 yards out, and with that brisk breeze behind him, launched the ball into the box. Lauber’s slight touch redirected the ball, sending it in the opposite direction of the AAC Eagles keeper.

The Illinois side tried to push forward for an equalizer, but playing into the wind proved difficult.

“If they tried to go over the top or play through balls or diagonal balls against the wind, it was pretty tough, so that helped us. And anytime Cop got the ball in the goal, he was able to either hit a 60- or 70-yard punt or a 60-yard goal kick and run off Lauber or whoever else was on top,” Toth said. “Once we got that one goal, I don’t want to say you ever feel comfortable, but it’s like, ‘All right, they’re playing against the wind, I think we’re in pretty good shape.’ ”

Toth took Lauber off shortly after his goal – he ended up needing eight stitches in his lip – and moved Alvarado from the left flank up to striker with Ilya Ksenidi taking over on the left side, and also brought on Drame for starting left back Scott Widule. The duo of Ksenidi and Drame were tasked with slowing down AAC Eagles standout David Otachel, who scored five goals in Saturday’s 7-1 rout of Michigan’s Ann Arbor Elite.

The Croatians have more matches scheduled against college teams – they’re playing at the UW-Oshkosh tournament next Saturday along with UW-Green Bay and Concordia and will face Carthage on April 26 – before opening the Wisconsin Adult Soccer Association Major League spring season April 29 on the road against Milwaukee Brewers FC.

“We’re lucky we’re able to get quality players and we’re lucky because we have a great club that has been able to provide for us to play at places when we need to … not everyone has that,” Toth said of the Croatian Eagles, who were formed in 1922.

“I look at it as we’re lucky because in this day and age, everyone wants to play soccer and it has to make money. We’re still one of those clubs that have it from top to bottom, and our Majors (team), they’re there to kind of set the stage for the rest of the club.”

2012 USASA Region II Open Cup qualifying tournament
Redmond Center in Bensenville, Ill. – April 14/15, 2012

First Round – April 14
AAC Eagles (IL) 7:1 Ann Arbor FC Elite (MI)
Croatian Eagles (WI) 2:0 RWB Adria (IL)
The two winners will play on Sunday, April 15 at noon for a berth in the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
KC Athletics (KS) 10:2 Cincy Saints (OH South)
Kansas City qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Win & You’re In – April 15
Croatian Eagles (WI) 2:0 AAC Eagles (IL)
Croatian Eagles qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: KC Athletics qualify; AAC Eagles, Croatian Eagles play Sunday in a “Win & You’re In” match

April 14, 2012 by Josh Hakala

The Kansas City Athletics, playing with only 10 men the entire match, are the first United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) team to punch their ticket to the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after thrashing the Cincy Saints 10-2 at the Region II tournament in Bensenville, Ill. Luckily for the Athletics, the Saints only showed up with eight players, as KC qualifies for their second Open Cup in the last three years. Their journey in the 99th edition of the tournament will begin in the First Round, which is scheduled to begin May 15. The draw will take place at the end of April.

The second Open Cup berth will be decided on Sunday when the other two Saturday winners, AAC Eagles and the Croatian Eagles, will square off at the same venue at 12 p.m. Central Time. The AAC Eagles cruised to a 7-1 win over Michigan’s lone entry, Ann Arbor FC Elite, while the Croatians from Milwaukee edged the Illinois champion RWB Adria, 2-0.

The Athletics representing Kansas, a state that prior to their first entry into the tournament in 2010, had not had a team in the competition in at least 20 years.

Kansas City arrived at the venue on the west side of Chicago with just 10 players, knowing they had a big challenge in store for them against a team they knew very little about. The Cincy Saints, the first Southern Ohio team to enter Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present), are a relatively new club (founded in 2009) that competes both indoor (PASL Premier League) and outdoor in the Midwest Soccer League. The nerves of playing with 10 men were calmed when the Athletics realized the Saints had only traveled with eight players for this “Win & You’re In” match. The match was pre-determined to be the one that would determine the first Open Cup berth from Region II due to a blind draw that took place weeks beforehand.

nestor — Nestor Hernandez of the AAC Eagles dribbles through the Ann Arbor FC defense in the first game of the 2012 USASA Region II tournament. Photo: AAC Eagles

It didn’t take long for KC to capitalize on their two-man advantage. Chris Markey scored twice, while Peter Kariotis, Jesse Baker, Martin Johnston and Matt Germain added their own all before halftime. The Saints’ Adam
The day started with Ann Arbor FC drawing first blood with a goal by Brian Conway in the 19th minute to take the lead on the hometown team AAC Eagles. Two minutes later, David Otachel scored the first of his five goals on the day on their way to a 7-1 rout of the Michigan representative. Stan Micic and Armando Tello also tallied for the Eagles, who are attempting to qualify for the Open Cup for the sixth time in the Modern Pro Era. The club is led by first-year coach Marek Radziszewski, who was a former goalkeeper for the Eagles in the early 90s Tenhundfeld tried to make a game of it with two goals within the first five minutes of the second half, but less than a minute after he made the score 6-2, player/manager Kyle Perkins scored a seventh for the Athletics. Johnston added his second in the 67th minute, followed by Steven Grow’s first two minutes later, and the 10th and final goal by Johnston in the 74th minute.

The Croatian Eagles put themselves one win away from returning to the Open Cup for the first time since 2006 with a 2-0 win over RWB Adria with a 19th-minute goal by Ramon Alvarado and a tally by Scott Raymonds in the final minute.

Keeper Ante Cop started the sequence that led to the opener, sending a long ball that Croatians striker Aaron Lauber flicked on to Alvarado on the left side. RWB Adria controlled play throughout the second half as they looked for an equalizer, dominating possession and pushing increasing numbers forward, but couldn’t solve Cop and the Croatians’ backline.

Adria hit the post with about 15 minutes remaining and Cop came up with two nice saves, and the Croatians finally converted on a counter attack in the last minute of the 90, as Raymonds latched onto a ball from 40-year-old Jason Willan and finished from 7 yards out to seal the victory. (Full match report at WisconsinSoccerCentral.com)

AAC Eagles (IL) 7:1 Ann Arbor FC Elite (MI)

Scoring Summary
AAFC: Brian Conway (Jacob Puente) – 19th minute
AAC: David Otachel – 21st minute
AAC: Stan Micic – 32nd minute
AAC: David Otachel – 42nd minute
AAC: David Otachel – 61st minute
AAC: David Otachel – 63rd minute
AAC: David Otachel – 76th minute
AAC: Armando Tello – 84th minute

Croatian Eagles (WI) 2:0 RWB Adria (IL)

Scoring Summary
CRO: Ramon Alvarado – 19th minute
CRO: Scott Raymonds – 90th minute

KC Athletics (KS) 10:2 Cincy Saints (OH)

Scoring Summary
KCA: Peter Kariotis – 13th minute
KCA: Chris Markey – 20th minute
KCA: Jesse Baker – 25th minute
KCA: Martin Johnston – 30th minute
KCA: Chris Markey – 36th minute
KCA: Matt Germain – 40th minute
CIN: Adam Tenhundfeld – 46th minute
CIN: Adam Tenhundfeld – 49th minute
KCA: Kyle Perkins – 50th minute
KCA: Martin Johnston – 67th minute
KCA: Steven Grow – 69th minute
KCA: Martin Johnston – 74th minute

USASA Region II US Open Cup “Win & You’re In”
AAC Eagles vs. Croatian Eagles
Sunday, April 15 – 12:00 p.m. CT

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: US Club Soccer tournament kicks off to decide play-in game representative

April 11, 2012 by Steven Bayley

UPDATE (4/13/12): Zicuiran 28 has withdrawn from the competition, leaving Napoli to represent Southern California in the Final.

US Club Soccer’s qualifying tournament to determine their US Open Cup representative in a play-in game against the NPSL’s Bay Area Ambassadors is taking place in California this month. Four teams will battle to take part in the game, which will be hosted by the Ambassadors on April 28.

The winner of a three-team Northern California qualifying group containing NorCal Premier Soccer League sides Sacramento United Legend, Pacific Los Gatos Storm, and Stanislaus United Turlock Express will play April 22 against Napoli, the Southern California representative from the Central Coast Soccer Association.

The first two games of the NorCal group stage were played March 31 and April 1. Pacific Los Gatos Storm beating Sacramento United Legend in the Saturday game by the score of 4-1, courtesy of a first half brace by PLGS’ Dan Oka, and a second half pair from Enrique “Qeeks” Tovar that put the game away for Pacific Los Gatos. Less than 24 hours later, PLGS appeared understandably sluggish in their second game of the weekend, against a rested Stanislaus United Turlock Express side seeing its first action in the qualifying tournament. Stanislaus United got the 3-1 victory, and sits atop the group heading into this Saturday’s group stage finale with Sacramento United Legend. Stanislaus needs only a draw to advance to the next round and book the April 22 US Club Soccer final which will take place at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, Calif. at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

In only its second year of competition, The Angels Confrontation has quickly established itself as one of the premier amateur leagues in the country. The league has been making an effort to build a fanbase, and last year’s championship game between San Nicholas and 2010 Open Cup qualifier Doxa Italia shows some of the progress that’s been made (SEE VIDEO BELOW).