2023 US Open Cup Qualifying

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 4 Review: Six first-timers, three veteran teams qualify for tournament

December 23, 2022 by Michael Battista

Chicago House supporters who made the trip to Randolph, Mass. to cheer their team on in a 2023 US Open Cup qualifying match against Brockton FC United. Photo: Brad Granofsky

It’s been a long road for the teams competing for a place in the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The final week of fixtures finally arrived as nine teams from the Open Division Local Qualifying punched their ticket over the weekend. This ultimate round of the competition was filled with drama. Five of the nine went to extra time with three of those decided by penalty kicks. The winners included teams with previous experience in the Open Cup and a few that surprised many in upsetting the favorite for the final places. These nine teams will join Bavarian SC (2022 USASA Amateur Cup champions) in the 108th edition of the US Open Cup which will begin in March.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

Brockton FC United (USASA/Bay State Soccer League)
1:1
Chicago House AC (USASA/Midwest Premier League)
Chicago qualifies, 8-7 on PKs
Match Broadcast (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

Randolph High School – Randolph, MA

After traveling 1,000 miles, playing to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes and a penalty tiebreaker in the dark, Chicago House AC secured their first ever berth in the U.S. Open Cup over Brockton FC United

Brockton jumped out ahead in the fifth minute when a House turnover led to Cardorso Elizandro sending a low cross into the penalty area that found the toe to Euclides Mendonca, leading to Mendonca beating Chicago goalkeeper Tony Halterman. After a delay caused by confusion over which ball was to be used, Brockton nearly doubled their lead when Geo Alves narrowly missed a chance on goal.

As the second half began Brockton maintained their pressure but Chicago eventually gained control, leading to an 80th minute equalizer when Anthony Smith Jr. headed home a botched bicycle kick that bounced his way. Chicago nearly found the winner five minutes later when Brockton goalkeeper Fabio Andrade was forced to make a triple save.

@ChicagoHouse_AC last goal in PKs pic.twitter.com/HmwxtLtYqG

— MASS Soccer (@MASS_Soccer) December 18, 2022

Before extra time commenced, it was decided the teams would play two 10 minute halves as it was unclear if a custodian for Randolph High School would be able to show up in time to turn the stadium lights on as darkness was quickly approaching. The twenty minutes of extra time passed with no additional scoring, and it was decided that the penalty tiebreaker would go on despite the dark conditions.

Remarkably Andrade and Halterman were able to stop one shot each in the open five attempts. The following three PK’s in sudden death were successful, and in the ninth round Halterman saved another attempt and Chicago converted its kick to win the tiebreaker 8-7. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Eric Casey

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Club de Lyon celebrates after defeating South Carolina United Heat 2-1 in extra time to qualify for the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Forrest Wimberly

South Carolina United Heat (UPSL)
1:2 (AET)
Club de Lyon (USASA/NISA Nation)

Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Center – Columbia, SC

A brace from forward Ignacio Ten Lopez was enough to lift visiting Club de Lyon (Fla.) 2-1 A.E.T over host SC United Heat to advance to the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The first half of the game was all SC United Heat as they enjoyed most of the possession and an advantage on corner kicks. Although the game was scoreless in the first half, in the 70th minute a long ball by the Heat eventually fell to Seth Hanson, who made no mistake slotting the ball into the empty net left vacant by the Lyon keeper caught in no-man’s land. Goalkeeper Jon-Paul Franscini kept the Heat in front with two strong saves in the 78th and 80th minutes. Club de Lyon were awarded a penalty kick right at the end of regulation in the 90th minute and Ignacio Ten Lopez was able to convert to send the match to extra time.

In the 103rd minute, Lopez struck again, slotting in a low cross that was whipped in by winger Gerald Ramirez. The Heat changed formation and made one last push to equalize. Their best opportunity came in the 118th minute as Lyon’s Mateo Borelli deliberately handled the ball. It was his second caution of the match, leaving Lyon with 10 men, but the ensuing free kick was blocked. The visitors killed off the final seconds of the qualifier and the match ended 2-1 in favor of Club de Lyon. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Forrest Wimberly

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UDA Soccer celebrates after defeating Azteca FC 4-1 (after a 4-4 draw) in a PK shootout to qualify for the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Andrew Mosier

Azteca FC (USASA/Colorado Super League)
4:4
UDA Soccer (UPSL)
UDA Soccer qualifies, 4-1 in PKs

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Field 8) – Commerce City, CO

UDA Soccer outlasted Azteca FC 4-1 on penalty kicks to advance to the U.S. Open Cup proper. Jose Luis Puente Rivas opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he played the ball across the top of the six-yard box and found Alan Mose Gudino for an easy tap-in. Azteca equlized in the 20th minute through a cross from Jovany Herrera, just outside the six-yard box, to Oscar Montoya. Azteca came all the way back as they took the lead in the 36th minute. Jovany Herrera was on the score sheet this time as he finished a ball played by Freddy Fregozo for his fifth 2023 Open Cup qualifying goal. UDA weren’t going to go quietly as Daniel Ruiz Galan tied the game once more just before halftime. His goal came from a Lucas Burch cross ten yards from the goal as the three minutes of added time expired. The half time score was 2-2.

In the second half, Azteca were awarded a penalty kick after UDA’s Mattias Cavallo committed a foul at the edge of the penalty area. Hallam calmly slotted the ball to his right past Castillo for a 3-2 Azteca lead in the 63rd minute. Things went from bad to worse for UDA, as an assistant coach was sent off for protesting the call. Twenty minutes later, their captain Eric Gomez-Silva was shown a second yellow card forcing UDA to play a man down for the rest of the match. UDA fought back and leveled the game in the 82nd minute when Alfredo Villescas got on the end of Alan Mose Gudina’s corner. The full time score was 3-3 and the match went to extra time.

Azteca took the lead again in the 107th minute off a spectacular volley from Anthony Miranda after UDA failed to properly clear a corner kick. It still wasn’t over as Keane Garcia pulled UDA in the 113th minute from inside the six-yard box sending the game to penalty kicks. The decisive kick was taken by Alan Mose Gudina, who calmly put the ball down the middle of the goal to put UDA through to the tournament proper. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Andrew Mosier

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Inter San Francisco celebrates after a 5-1 win over BattleBorn FC in the 2023 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Inter San Francisco

BattleBorn FC (USASA/NISA Nation)
1:5
Inter San Francisco (USASA/SFSFL)
MATCH BROADCAST (Alternate video)

Douglas High School – Minden, NV

Inter San Francisco FC traveled to Minden, Nevada for a showdown with BattleBorn FC in the fourth qualifying round of the U.S. Open Cup, a.k.a, the “Win and You’re In” round. Inter SF won the contest 5-1.

The weather was cold, but Inter SF had the field hot. Javier Rivera, Matt Fondy and Gamal Compaore all scored in a 21-minute stretch of the first half to put them in a comfortable lead on an uncomfortable day.

Leo Lazaro added a fourth and Matt Fondy a fifth (his second) to ensure the victory for the visitors. BattleBorn’s Jonathan Cuevas did manage a fantastic freekick goal to avoid the shutout. Inter SF will now await the draw for the first round proper in the spring of 2023 for their opponent in their first U.S. Open Cup appearance. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Jim Coppock

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West Chester United celebrates after qualifying for the 2023 US Open Cup with a 2-1 win over NoVa FC. Photo: West Chester United

Northern Virginia FC (USASA / EPSL)
1:2
West Chester United SC (USASA / USL of PA)
MATCH BROADCAST

Virginia Revolution Sportsplex – Leesburg, VA

In a battle of two heavyweights in Open Division qualifying, West Chester United secured its third straight Open Cup berth, and fourth overall, with a 2-1 victory over hosts Northern Virginia FC.

Both teams started the game as if shot out of a cannon, as each squad created good scoring chances at each end, but it was NoVa that struck first in the 13th minute when Jaimie Quintanilla headed home a well placed corner kick from Kevin Nadeau. West Chester responded with a few dangerous runs but halftime saw NoVa holding the 1-0 lead.

Correction peeps..Jake Gosselin with the PK, & Levi Maruca with the game winner…4 straight away games…thank you USSOCCER! We are " The ROAD WARRIORS" ???????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/ETCNT3zIYU

— West Chester United SC (@WCUSCPredators) December 18, 2022

In the second half NoVa began playing more defensive, and West Chester soon capitalized. In the 55th minute West Chester were awarded a penalty kick that Jacob Gosselin put away to even the score. Remarkably, Gosselin found himself with another penalty attempt just four minutes later, but NoVa goalkeeper Tyler Back denied the attempt, keeping the score level.

A few minutes later each team struck the crossback with shots one after another. Finally in the 80th minute West Chester went ahead, as Levi Murcia took advantage of a NoVa miscue and put away a shot from 20 yards out. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Sam Luebke

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Lansdowne Yonkers FC celebrate after the club's 2-0 win over Vistula Garfield in the 2023 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Michael Battista — Lansdowne Yonkers FC celebrate after the club’s 2-0 win over SC Vistula Garfield in the 2023 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Michael Battista

SC Vistula Garfield (Garden State Soccer League / USASA)
0:2
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (USASA/EPSL)
MATCH BROADCAST

Athenia Steel Recreation Complex; Clifton, NJ

Lansdowne Yonkers FC secured their second consecutive U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 win over SC Vistula Garfield.

Lansdowne Yonkers FC book their ticket to the U.S. @opencup for the 4th time in the last 6 editions, with the help of a Dean Dillon header and a Steven Nolan cross that resulted in an own goal. Match content by @newlogicaltech #WeAreLansdowne pic.twitter.com/U3D5c3OvvC

— Lansdowne Yonkers FC (@Lansdownebhoys) December 18, 2022

Lansdowne nearly grabbed a 1-0 lead in just the second minute as Julio Espinal sent a free kick into the penalty area, and after a few headers Steven Nolan appeared to score on a scissor kick. As Lansdowne celebrated the linesman raised his flag after the referee signaled a goal. After conferring with one another the officials ruled Nolan was offside.

Lansdowne controlled possession for much of the half, as Vistula relied on the counter attack with a few players out due to injury. As Vistula looked to hold the visitors to a 0-0 halftime score, Lansdowne struck in stoppage time. After Vistula cleared a corner kick, Yonkers regained possession and a long pass found former League of Ireland player Dean Dillon headed the ball past Vistula goalkeeper Anthony Caruso.

Just four minutes into the second half Lansdowne saw their lead double on a Vistula miscue, when Nolan sent a cross from the far right side that Vistula defender Patryk Gruca accidentally sent into the goal. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Michael Battista

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

Beaman United celebrate after edging D'Feeters Kicks SC 4-3 in extra time to qualify for the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jed Henderson — Beaman United celebrate after edging D’Feeters Kicks SC 4-3 in extra time to qualify for the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jed Henderson

Beaman United FC (UPSL)
4:3 (AET)
D’Feeters Kicks SC (UPSL)

Richard Siegel Soccer Complex – Murfreesboro, TN

Beaman United survived yet another wild game to book their spot in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup with a 4-3 extra time win over 2022 qualifier D’Feeters Kicks SC.

Beaman had endured over Kalonji Pro Profile in the previous round on penalties after a thrilling 4-4 draw, and needed heroics from goalkeeper Alejanbro Rodriguez on this night. D’Feeters opened the scoring in the 5th minute through Oscar Ocampo and Rodriguez made a big save minutes later to prevent a second goal.Rodriguez came up big once again in the 2oth minute when DKSC were awarded a penalty, and the Beaman GK stopped the spot kick to keep the score 1-0.

Beaman leveled the score in the 50th minute on the Seth Poku goal, but D’Feeters took the lead right back 11 minutes later on a low strike from Paul Gorish. In the 67th minute it was Beaman’s turn from the penalty spot as Seth Poku converted to notch his second goal of the game.

Five minutes into extra time Beaman moved ahead on a Nathaniel Bedai volley from the top of the box and held the lead to the extra time break. In the final fifteen minutes. D’Feeters hit the post in the 107h minute, and then made good on a penalty kick in the 113th minute as Roberto Goinzelez tied the game at 3-3. Beaman grabbed the lead for good four minutes later as Joseph Omondi chested down a cross and slammed it home.

A minute later D’Feeters were awarded another penalty kick, but Ramierez prevented DKSC from making it 4-4 with his second penalty save of the game. Beaman endured four minutes of stoppage time to hold on to another wild qualifying win. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Jed Henderson

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Miami United FC celebrate after beating Naples City 2-1 in the 2023 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Miami United FC

Miami United FC (NPSL)
2:1
Naples City (NSL)
MATCH BROADCAST

Milander Park – Hialeah, FL

Miami United sealed its fifth trip to the U.S. Open Cup proper after defeating Naples City 2-1. Both teams understood the importance of the “win and you’re in” match. They came out attacking and looking to create opportunities right from the kick off. It was Miami who would strike first after Shelton Shamar brought the ball forward on the right and opened up space for a left-footed shot from the corner of the 18-yard box. His shot was difficult for the Naples City goalkeeper Brayan Arce Justiniano as he got his hands to the ball but deflected it into his own net. Naples responded almost immediately as Raidel Ramos withstood a Miami defender tugging on his shirt and Miami United goalkeeper Alan coming to collect. Raidel kept his balance and lifted the ball over Alan and into an empty net. It was anyone’s game at the break.

Here is the winner that puts @miamiunitedfc into the @opencup.

Stream by SM Sports. Full match link below. https://t.co/1klbJiZnZy pic.twitter.com/gsw7TPSIMf

— Magic City Soccer (@MagicCitySoccer) December 19, 2022

In the first minutes of the second half, Miami won a free kick near the left side touchline. Robert Insua put the ball into the box and despite many odds his shot found the back of the net. It could have easily been a miss hit cross as but he caught the Naples City goalkeeper Brayan Arce Justiniano flat footed. Much like the first goal, despite getting his hands to the ball, it trickled into the net. Miami had the lead and looked more likely to score the rest of the match. They never looked back and won 2-1. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Dave Einhorn

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Capistrano FC celebrates after the club's PK shootout win over Orange County FC in the 2023 US Open Cup Qualifying touranment. Photo: Josiah Sanders — Capistrano FC celebrates after the club’s PK shootout win over Orange County FC in the 2023 US Open Cup Qualifying touranment. Photo: Josiah Sanders

Orange County FC (UPSL)
0:0
Capistrano FC (USASA / NISA Nation)
Capo FC qualifies, 3-2 in PKs

Orange County Great Park (Field 13) – Irvine, CA

Capo FC held the goal scoring juggernaut of Orange County FC to a scoreless draw, and emerged victorious on penalties to gain their debut in the U.S. Open Cup.

Not the result we were hoping to give our fans who braved the cold night supporting us to the end ????. Congratulations to @capistrano_fc for making it into the @opencup #WeAreOCFC pic.twitter.com/jjVECXh0vQ

— Orange County FC (@ocfcsoccer) December 21, 2022

The 2022 UPSL Spring champions, Orange County had scored 17 goals in their previous three qualifying games, but Capo FC kept them off the scoresheet for 120 minutes. OCFC had a good chance to score near the end of the first half, holding possession in front of the Capo goal for three minutes only to be turned back by a pair of saves from Capo’s GK Nathan King. Play became more intense in the second half but neither team could cross the goal line.

OCFC gained an excellent chance to win in extra time when they were awarded a penalty kick in the 115th minute, but it was quickly nullified when the linesmen raised his flag to signal offside, taking away the spot kick.

In the penalty tiebreaker, each team scored on their opening attempt and then saw their third kick saved. On the fourth attempt, Handy Ramos converted for Capo FC, while OCFC missed their remaining attempts to put Capo FC in the US Open Cup for the first time. [+] FULL MATCH RECAP by Kathryne Padilla

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Miami United edge Naples City to earn fifth trip to USOC

December 20, 2022 by Dave Einhorn

The last two South Florida teams squared off in a “Win & You’re In” match with a berth in the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line. In the end, the experienced Miami United FC returned to the tournament for the second year in a row with a 2-1 win over Naples City FC.

Miami United and Naples City traded opportunities and shots on target in the match’s opening minutes. Both teams found their rhythm early as they understood the importance of winning this fourth-round match. The performances of the forwards and goalkeepers dictated the pace and outcome of the match.

Miami opened the scoring in the 29th minute as they recovered a loose ball in midfield and unlocked the Naples City defense in two quick passes. Shelton Shamar brought the ball forward on the right and appeared to have space to play through a teammate but instead cut back and opened up space for a left-footed shot from the very corner of the 18-yard box. His shot was on target and proved troublesome for the Naples City goalkeeper Brayan Arce Justiniano as it curled away from him. The keeper got his hands to the ball only to deflect it into his own net. It was a stunning way to take the lead.

It wouldn’t last very long, though. Naples City proved how they had come this far as they responded immediately. Naples City appeared to be clearing its lines as the defense launched the ball high in the air toward forward Raidel Ramos with a Miami Defender clearly tugging on his shirt and goalkeeper Alan coming to clear the ball; Raidel kept his balance and lifted the ball over Alan and into an empty net. He fell to his knees as he celebrated with his teammates, taking in the moment for himself and his club.

More opportunities were traded back and forth as both teams tried to assert their dominance in the game. Miami United had an excellent opportunity just before halftime. A free kick lined up from the right side of the pitch found the head of an oncoming attacker, but their shot was well over the bar.

That attempt was a precursor of what was to come, as Miami would have another free kick on the left side of the field near the touchline early in the second half. Robert Insua put the ball into the box. His shot could easily have been a miss hit as he looked for a teammate’s head, but he managed to fool the Naples City goalkeeper Brayan Arce Justiniano. He could not fully get his body in front of the ball as his weight was shifted in the opposite direction since he expected a cross. Much like the first goal, despite getting his hands to the ball, it trickled into the net. There was some speculation on whether or not it had actually crossed the line for a moment, but it became clear to the center referee that Insua’s shot was not impeded and had crossed the line. Miami had restored their lead.

Miami pushed for a third goal for the rest of the second half. The crossbar came to Naples City’s defense twice. The second time was the more dramatic, as in the 90th minute. The ball should have been cleared by Naples City’s defense, but instead, it fell to an oncoming Miami United player. His shot seemed to have left Brayan Arce Justiniano flat-footed but didn’t dip down far enough to beat the woodwork. The ball bounced back into play; unfortunately, Miami could not capitalize.

They would hold on from there, though. Miami United secured their fifth appearance in the US Open Cup.

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Capo FC need PKs to beat Orange County FC, earn first USOC berth

December 20, 2022 by Kathryne Padilla

In a nail-biting end in Round 4 of the U.S Open cup qualifier, Capistrano FC pulled off a 3-2 win in a penalty shootout over Orange County FC.

“I thought it was wide open ; it’s back and forth. They had big moments, and we had some big moments, but it just felt like the team that made the least mistakes would win the game. It’s just one of those games you hold your breath,” Capo FC’s head coach Peter Carey said.

As the first half commenced, it was evident that both teams were motivated to gain the lead. With time winding down on the clock, it was a possession battle between both teams. However, OC FC maintained possession more in the first 25 minutes with several close opportunities but could not finish them.

Slowly the match turned into a 50/50 possession, with both teams taking any opportunity to make offensive plays, only to end with a save or loss of the ball. Any mistake could have let either team gain the upper hand; however, defensively, both teams were working to keep the score at a draw.

Any close chance either OC FC or Capo FC would miss just added to the game’s intensity. Minor fouls were made, but it wouldn’t be until the 29th minute that Capo FC’s Brayan Herrera would be given a yellow card.

A second yellow card would be given out in the 37th minute to Capo FC’s Marcos Cervantes.

OC FC regained possession in front of Capo FC’s goal for three minutes but failed to make a goal because Capo FC’s goalie Nathan King made back-to-back saves to end their offensive push.

Nearing the end of the half, the score would remain 0-0, and a final yellow card would be given for this half to Capo’s FC Oliver Caprine in the 44th minute.

The second half was much like the first half. The consistency of possession remained between the two teams; the only difference that could be seen was the aggression and intensity the Capo players had come into the half with.

“We had enough to pull it off. And that we’ve, we felt we wanted a little bit more. And so you know, we were working hard for the golden calm, but we were able to keep them from scoring too,” Carey said.

Tempers slowly began to flare between players, and minor fouls became more frequent. This led to OC FC’s Cody Shelton being awarded his team’s first and only yellow card in the match.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

There would be no goals made by either team as they reached the end of the regulation period; the match headed to overtime.

The tension is now at all-time high between the teams to score and claim their spot in the U.S. Open Cup.

However, that was still a challenging quest as play continued to be a struggle for possession. The first 15 minutes of overtime remained scoreless. It was in the second half of overtime that OC FC would be able to change the score.

In the 115th minute, on a run, an OC FC player was fouled inside the goalie box, which was quickly awarded a penalty kick, creating the opportunity for what could have been the game-winning goal. However, a minute before, the sideline referee called offside on the OC FC player who made the initial run, thus retracting the penalty call.

Remaining scoreless in overtime, the teams now faced a penalty shootout. The first two players from OC FC and Capo FC made their shots. The following third player for both teams had their shots blocked by the goalie, still leaving the score at 2-2.

With the final two players left for both teams, the tense atmosphere loomed over the players and the crowd. Capo FC’s Hevany Ramos would make his goal, ultimately the game-winning goal. OC FC would miss the final three penalty kicks losing their chance to be in the U.S. Open Cup.

“We’ve created a platform for guys to play at a high level and continue to chase a dream … Everything’s positive with the Group. We’re a tight group … We come from a small community, so it’s a tight group of guys. It’s exciting because of all the work and commitment and stuff we make these guys do, and it’s paying off..” Carey said. “We’re enjoying the ride right now. We’re gonna keep pushing.”

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Inter San Francisco add another one-sided win to earn first USOC berth

December 20, 2022 by Jim Coppock

On a cold, 20-degree day in Minden, Nevada, BattleBorn FC of NISA Nation hosted Inter San Francisco FC of the San Francisco Soccer Football League in the fourth qualifying round, “Win and You’re In” contest. Despite the partly snowy field and slippery conditions, Inter San Francisco ran out 5-1 winners and qualified for their first ever Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Inter SF came into this game outscoring their opponents 14-0 through the opening three qualifying rounds.

Inter’s Matt Fondy has reached his third straight “Win and You’re In” contest (2020 qualifying with Olympic Club and 2022 qualifying with SF Metro FC), and in each case, the former pro had a hand in the scoring for his side. Today would see him grab a pair of goals.

The first half saw the visitors take charge of play with three goals in 21 minutes.

In the 16th minute, Javier Rivera opened the scoring with a close-range header from a long corner kick. Matt Fondy increased Inter’s lead to 2-0 in the 23rd, after receiving a short, chipped ball from a teammate. Fondy ran onto the bouncing ball and chipped his shot over the onrushing keeper. Despite the keeper getting a touch on the ball, Fondy’s shot carried into the net.

The final tally of the first half came in the 37th minute via Gamal Compaore. After receiving a cross from the right side from Fondy, Compaore settled, turned, and beat three opponents with a low shot up the middle. Inter SF went into halftime in cruise control with a 3-0 advantage.

The second half saw San Francisco continue their domination. Leo Lazaro would add a fourth goal with a shot from 17 yards out on a 2-on-1 breakaway. Finally, Fondy would complete his double, with a heroic effort from the outer corner of the penalty area to the upper 90 of the far post. BattleBorn would add a free kick from Jonathan Cuevas to brak the shutout, but it was not nearly enough on the day.

With the victory the almost three-year-old club qualifies for the 2023 US Open Cup in what has been a meteoric rise. Established in 2021, San Francisco began in the SFSFL First Division (3rd tier) then won promotion to the Majors Division in 2021. In the 2022 season Inter won the Major Division with a 15-3-2 record to move up to the Premier Division, the top tied of the SFSFL. Now, they can add a berth in the 108th edition of the US Open Cup to their resume.

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Beaman United rally twice, beat D’Feeters 4-3 in OT

December 20, 2022 by Jed Henderson

Beaman United FC booked a spot in the 2023 edition of the US Open Cup after emerging victorious over D’Feeters Kicks SC in a 120-minute 4-3 victory. D’Feeters twice took the lead in regulation but were pegged back twice and eventually defeated by the home team in extra time. Beaman United’s hero was goalkeeper Alejandro Rodriguez who saved two penalties, one deep into extra time, to push his team to victory.

The message was clear from the beginning: “win and you’re in.” Anticipation for the game was only expounded as travel delays pushed back kickoff, but both teams were ready for the first whistle to start the battle.

The game quickly settled in a clear pattern: hosts Beaman looked to possess and break down their opponents, while D’Feeters stayed compact, springing forward on counter-attack opportunities.

The visitors found success early on. Oscar Ocampo hit a shot off the post in the 5th minute, and Juan Ramirez forced a big save from a 1-on-1 chance in the 11th minute. However, the visitors were not to be held at bay forever. In the 15th minute, Johnathon Diaz played a curling through ball with the outside of his foot to find Oscar Ocampo’s run behind the defense. Ocampo rounded the keeper and slotted home to put D’Feeters up 1-0.

In the 20th minute, Beaman had a chance to equalize from a corner as Kwadwo Poku’s header hit the post. The ball quickly traveled to the other end of the field where Juan Ramirez was taken down in the box to earn a penalty for D’Feeters. Beaman keeper Alejandro Ramirez dove correctly and saved his first penalty of the night to keep Beaman in the game. The game remained 1-0 at the half.

Beaman United pushed for an early second half equalizer and found it in the 50th minute. Hayden Black cushioned a cross into the path of Seth Poku, who had time to line up a sweetly hit half-volley to level the score.

D’Feeters went back in front in the 61st minute when Paul Gorish finished off a mazy run with a low strike to take back a 2-1 lead. Just six minutes later, Seth Poku won a penalty and converted for Beaman to bring the score back to 2-2. More chances came throughout a physical second half, but the teams were destined for extra time as the final whistle blew with the teams level.

Five minutes into extra time, Beaman took the lead for the first time as Nathaniel Bedai struck a beautiful volley from the top of the box to sneak past the keeper and put the hosts ahead 3-2.

The second half of extra time got even crazier. After hitting the post again in the 107th minute, D’Feeters earned a penalty that Roberto Gonzalez converted to level the score in the 113th minute. In the 117th minute, Joseph Omondi chested down a cross and slammed it home to put the home side up 4-3. The game appeared to be decided, but in the 118th minute D’Feeters earned yet another penalty, their third of the night. Alejandro Ramirez stepped up again to save his second penalty and preserve the lead.

“I just try to watch the way the player is going to run, look at his body, and then just trust myself, play mind games, tell them I know where you’re going,” Ramirez said about how he was able to save two of the three penalties he faced.

After four nervy minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew, and Beaman United FC had a ticket to the US Open Cup.

“It was a good team effort so I’m thankful for them,” Ramirez said.

Head coach Gift Ndam added: “I’m just excited that we won. D’Feeters are a great team. I just want to go celebrate with the guys.” When asked how it feels to have a place in the US Open Cup, h had only three words: “It feels great!”

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Lansdowne Yonkers tops SC Vistula Garfield for 2nd straight berth

December 20, 2022 by Michael Battista

Lansdowne Yonkers FC qualified for its a second consecutive US Open Cup with a 2-0 win over SC Vistula Garfield in New Jersey on Saturday.

Dean Dillon scored for Yonkers along with a second half own goal by Vistula moved the New York side to the tournament proper for the fourth time in team history.

Head coach Sean Kelly’s team started 2022 hot, winning an Open Cup match via penalty kicks against the Ocean City Nor’easters. Sunday’s result means they end the year with another tournament win.

“Us, as a club, should be in this competition,” Kelly said. “If we can keep this group together, which we kinda have, our goal is going to be … the last amateur team remaining.”

SC Vistula vs. Lansdowne Yonkers FC. @opencup 4th qualifying round. Powered by @newlogicaltech https://t.co/CXlKgRU67D

— Lansdowne Yonkers FC (@Lansdownebhoys) December 18, 2022

Lansdowne looked as though it went ahead just two minutes in, with both players and a match official seeing as such. A Julio Espinal free kick on the far side made it’s way into the Vistula box. A few headers brought the ball towards Steven Nolan on the right side, whose scissor kick shot was on target. He began to celebrate while the linesman raised his flag. The main referee ruled a good goal, leading to a few moments of confusion until the two officials discussed. It was officially ruled Nolan was offside, however.

Still, Lansdowne’s offense remained the main story for the entire match. Despite only scoring one goal themselves the team held possession for most of the game. Somewhere between 70-80% of the ball game saw the ball in Yonkers’ control. Vistula’s main form of counter whenever it had control was playing it long towards striker Paul Kondratowicz. A mix of bad passes and stout defense kept the ball from ever reaching keeper Abdou Karim “Kabbo” Danso.

According to Vistula player-coach Chris Karcz this was all according to plan. Knowing the type of team Lansdowne and knowing his team would be without a few players, the team decided to play more conservative.

“We kinda conceded a lot of the possession — we knew that we were going to do that,” Karcz said. “Couple injuries that we had, about three or four guys, we were missing today so we sort of sat back a little more.”

However Lansdowne’s increased time with the ball meant more chances for the visitors. A foul on the far side of the Garfield box gave Patryk Gruca the game’s first yellow and a free kick right behind the line. However the kick sailed high over the box and past the touchline for a goal kick. Garfield’s best chance came in the 43rd minute with its first corner kick which was brought down and grabbed by Danso.

The game looked to head into the break knotted at zero but the New Yorkers chances finally paid off. With two minutes of stoppage time, Lansdowne held possession for nearly the whole 120 seconds. Vistula had just cleared a corner kick attempt from the box with a header, but Yonkers recovered the ball quickly. A long pass from the far side headed towards the near post, where Dean — a former League of Ireland player — headed the chance on net. Garfield keeper Anthony Caruso, who’d made multiple saves up until this point, couldn’t block the shot as he dove.

“It was real unfortunate for us,” Karcz said. “The last five minutes of the half they put on a lot of pressure. Last kick of the first half, they scored. That really hurt us. I think if we ended the first half 0-0 (it would have been) a totally different game.”

It didn’t get much better for Garfield in the second half. In the 49th minute, Lansdowne attacked yet again. Countering off a broken up Vistula throw-in, the visitor’s passed up the near side before finding Nolan once again. He crossed in from the right side of the net and the ball hit off Gruca to make it 2-0.

From there physicality picked up while Garfield tried to bring the game back into their favor. Things like quickly taking free kicks to try and catch Lansdowne off guard had little effect. That didn’t deter the home fans from loudly supporting the group, including loud calls for a penalty in the 73rd minute for an alleged handball inside the Lansdowne box. While the crowd was mostly a mix of Yonkers’ supporters and members of the local Polish community, one more group came out. Torcida 96, a young New York Red Bulls supporter’s group, loudly cheered Vistula with smoke bombs at the ready for any potential goal.

To them, cheering for a New Jersey team that wears red and white against a team from north of Manhattan might as well have been a proxy war for the Hudson River Derby. It made sense considering Karcz formerly played for RBNY in the mid-2000s. Originally drafted by the Chicago Fire in the third round (27th overall) of the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft, Karcz joined RBNY in 2007 but never made it past the reserve team.

Congratulations to Lansdowne Yonkers FC on qualifying for #USOC2023! They defeated SC Vistula Garfield, 2-0. #RBNY #NYCFC #USOpenCup #EPSL pic.twitter.com/OglPH78YVV

— Michael Battista (@MichaelBattista) December 18, 2022

Those same supportive fans had a lot to be vocal about. Throughout the night the lead official was consistently challenged by both sides, complaining about the quality of his calls. Best summed up at halftime by a Vistula player loudly voicing his displeasure on the bench asking “Who hired this ref?” followed by an expletive. In fairness, a few notable no-calls had both sides yelling from the benches. Late in the second half, the fourth official had to directly intervene on the Garfield bench and helped award a yellow card caution to non-rostered player for offering an official a disparaging remark.

The temperature continued to drop as the wind picked up in the second half. In turn, the home side picked up the pace in the last 20 minutes. Garfield matched Lansdowne in attempts even as they continued to be out-possessed. More long balls and set pieces tested Danso in net forcing him to make two key saves in the final moments. One play in the 89th minute forced a Yonkers defender to help clear the ball off the line after a cross got past Danso in net.

For Lansdowne the year will end on multiple high notes. After an incredible stretch between late 2020 and early 2022, including winning the National Amateur Cup, the team began to stumble this past spring. A loss in the semifinals of the Eastern Premier Soccer League conference semifinals meant no defense of its championship the previous season. Combined with a Second Round loss in the Open Cup and two straight state cup final losses (Amateur & Werner Fricker) in the last month has been a lot to take in. Elsewhere though the team has returned to form, including entering the EPSL’s winter break atop the Metropolitan Conference.

“Things are turning around, it’s not easy,” Kelly said. “We had a tough offseason in terms of losing a few players. Plus the season didn’t end the way we wanted to. But there was a lot that went with that, like injuries and fatigueness. We were going on, like, 14-15 months in a row.”

Vistula’s run to a tournament berth ends on a sour note but Karcz can still admire what his team has accomplished. Entering the winter break his team is second in the Garden State Soccer League’s Super Division. Meanwhile, 2022 has seen multiple high’s including a win in the regional Amateur Cup tournament and just reaching a “Win & You’re In” USOC qualifying game. While Vistula Garfield celebrated its 70th anniversary this year he thinks the team’s soccer history is only just beginning.

“It’s so great. The Red Bulls’ club, the Polish community is here supporting us. It feels great to where we were a year ago,” Karcz said. “So much improvement. It’s unlucky that we came so close to making this tournament but we had a great run against a lot of difficult teams, we got through them. Couldn’t make it over the finish line but I’m proud of our whole team for fighting every single game, all four of them.

“We’re gonna keep on going, keep on entering more cup tournaments, get more experience for the younger guys.”

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Meruca’s late winner clinches West Chester United 3rd straight berth

December 19, 2022 by Sam Luebke

Levi Meruca’s 80th-minute goal was the difference for West Chester (PA) United SC in a 2-1 victory against host Northern Virginia FC on Saturday evening to qualify for the First Round proper of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The match was settled by a movement of real quality by Meruca on a chilly evening, pouncing on some loose play by the NoVa FC backline as he wriggled into a central shooting position and slid a shot from 20 yards in the lower left-hand corner.

“I saw was looking for a pass across, so I started dropping off,” Meruca said. “The ball came right to me. The defender started coming in, so I stepped in front, and then all I had to do was hit the shot to the far post.”

Assistant Coach Harry Ischiropoulos was on the sidelines for West Chester in place of Head Coach Blaise Santangelo. Santangelo had a great excuse for missing the game as he was attending the wedding of a former West Chester player.

“Because father had passed Blaise became like a father figure to him, so Blaise is celebrating the wedding with him,” Ischiropoulos explained.

He believes that the strategic shifts West Chester made were the key to the win.

“The adjustments we made in the second half changed the game,” he said. “We wanted to take away their ability to play certain ways, so we restricted them to play one side of the field only. Our press changed, so we allowed them to have only one half of the field to play which forced them to make mistakes. We were able to win the ball and score.”

The match was entertaining from the beginning to the end with both teams looking to play open, attacking soccer. The first five minutes of the match were particularly frantic, with clear scoring chances and legitimate penalty shouts at both ends.

Correction peeps..Jake Gosselin with the PK, & Levi Maruca with the game winner…4 straight away games…thank you USSOCCER! We are ” The ROAD WARRIORS” 🙌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ETCNT3zIYU

— West Chester United SC (@WCUSCPredators) December 18, 2022

In a prelude for what happened later, Meruca found himself one on one with NoVa FC keeper Tyler Back in the fifth minute. Meruca squandered the opportunity, striking his shot directly at Back.

After this initial frantic back and forth, NoVa FC gradually took control of the match and for the next 15 minutes or so were able to mount sustained pressure on the West Chester goal. Jean Ayoimbong was particularly influential in his astute hold-up play. NoVa FC won a well-deserved goal in the 13th minute with Kevin Nadeau hitting a perfect corner for Jaimie Quintanilla to head home.

However, despite NoVa FC holding the majority of possession for the rest of the half, West Chester was the more dangerous team, with Meruca continuing to make dangerous runs down the right flank. Back made several vital interventions, making some key saves as well as coming out to cut out long balls.

Although the half ended with NoVa FC up 1-0 there was no sense that this affair was settled. NoVa FC had a 180-degree turn in tactics, coming out in the second half playing defensively and West Chester looked increasingly confident and dangerous as the half wore on.

The second half began as the first did, with quick chances on both ends.

In an extraordinary series of events, NoVa FC was whistled for two penalties in less than five minutes. The first, awarded because of a foul on Meruca following a defensive miscue, was converted by Jacob Gosselin in the 55th.

A second Gosselin penalty kick at the 59-minute mark — given because of a NoVa FC foul during a West Chester set piece — was denied with a fine save by Back, guessing correctly and moving quickly to his right.

West Chester’s equalizer, and its subsequent missed penalty, seemed to inject even more energy into an already quickly moving match. Neither team seemed especially eager for extra time, with both sides throwing numbers forward, sometimes at the expense of solid defending.

During a sequence around the 65th minute, Gosselin hit the crossbar for Westchester and NoVa FC turned right around and Ayoimbong did the same at the other end.

In the remaining ten minutes and now trailing, NoVa FC threw everything forward looking for the equalizer. The efforts included the keeper Back coming forward and narrowly missing a header off a corner in the 93rd minute.

With the win, West Chester advances to the US Open Cup for the third tournament in a row, and the fourth time overall.

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: UDA Soccer first local college affiliate to qualify after wild shootout

December 19, 2022 by Andrew Mosier

UDA Soccer came out on top of an epic battle of wills, toppling US Open Cup mainstays Azteca FC 4-1 from the penalty mark after trading walloping blows in a 4-4 slugfest.

Keane Garcia pulled UDA level at four in the 113th minute from inside the six-yard box sending the game to kicks from the mark. But the hero of the match was 19-year-old UDA goalkeeper, Mario Castillo, who saved the first (twice) and third of Azteca’s spot kicks to put UDA Soccer through to the tournament proper in its first qualifying attempt.

“I am so proud of the guys for battling through all the adversity they faced today, between the travel and the cold and the altitude and then going down a man, they did not give up, they kept coming back, they kept fighting,” said UDA head coach Blake Ordell. “Then for Mario to make the saves he did in the shootout, it was incredible.”

With the win, UDA Socccer makes some modern US Open Cup history. UDA is a soccer academy at New Mexico State University that allows players to receive year-round training while enrolled at New Mexico State. They become the first Open Division Local team affiliated with a college or university to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present). Brigham Young University (BYU) qualified three times as a member of the Premier Development League (now USL League Two) in 2006, 2007 and 2015. Despite past attempts by teams from the University of Florida, Oklahoma University, Louisiana Lafayette, and this year with the University of Southern California (USC), no college-affiliated team has qualified through Open Division Local qualifying.

Despite the unfavorable conditions for the Las Cruces, New Mexico-based UPSL side, and the host’s Open Cup pedigree, having qualified for the tournament proper in 2017, 2018, and 2022, UDA Soccer came out on the front foot, forcing Azteca goalkeeper Gerardo Agular to save brilliantly to his right just four minutes into the match.

Ten minutes later UDA landed the first punch of the day when Jose Luis Puente Rivas spun his defender and played the ball across the top of the six-yard box finding Alan Mose Gudino for an easy tap-in past a helpless Agular.

The lead didn’t last long. Azteca pulled level in the 20th minute when Oscar Montoya tapped Jovany Herrera’s driven cross from just outside the six-yard box.

Azteca took the lead in the 36th minute when Herrera ran onto a ball in the penalty area played by Freddy Fregozo, slotting home his fifth 2023 Open Cup qualifying goal.

UDA clawed back to level just before the halftime whistle when Daniel Ruiz Galan got on the end of a Lucas Burch cross ten yards from the goal as the three minutes of added time expired.

Azteca took the lead in the 63rd minute off a Samual Hallam spot kick after UDA’s Mattias Cavallo was whistled for a tackle at the edge of the penalty area. Hallam calmly slotted the ball to his right past Castillo.

The penalty call, heavily protested by the UDA bench, led to the dismissal of an assistant coach, followed twenty minutes later by the dismissal of captain Eric Gomez-Silva, who was shown his second yellow card of the match, forcing UDA to play a man down for the remainder.

UDA fought back six minutes after going down a man, drawing level at three in the 82nd minute when Alfredo Villescas got on the end of Gudina’s corner, outjumping his marker to put the ball past a stranded Gerardo sending the game to extra time.

Azteca took the lead again in the 107th minute off a spectacular volley from Anthony Miranda after UDA failed to properly clear a corner kick. Azteca recycled the set piece out to Saul Garcia on the left flank whose weighted cross fell into Miranda’s stride.

“We put another forward up top after their fourth goal,” Ordell said. “All we could do was get as many people forward and hope for something.”

That something came when Azteca failed to clear the ball from inside the six-yard box. Garcia slammed the ball home to send the game to kicks.

“Oh man, I just couldn’t believe it when I saw the ball pop out there like that,” Garcia said. “I just hit it as hard as I could. I didn’t want anything to stop it.”

UDA’s Garcia made his attempt. Then Castillo saved Herrera’s attempt to the left, but it was ruled he had left his line early. He then saved Herrera’s second attempt, this time to his right. UDA’s Blake Bastian made his attempt to the right, followed by Azteca’s Miranda.

UDA’s Villescas then made his attempt to the left, followed by Azteca’s Hallam, who had scored from the penalty spot earlier in the match. This time Castillo was up to the task against Hallam, going correctly to his right, leaving it up to Gudina, who calmly put the ball down the middle of the goal to put UDA through to the tournament proper.

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Club de Lyon create conundrum with OT win vs. SCU Heat

December 19, 2022 by Forrest Wimberly

A brace from forward Ignacio Ten Lopez was enough to lift visiting Club de Lyon (Fla.) 2-1 after extra time over host SC United Heat to advance to the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

There was nine “win and you’re in” matches across the country this weekend and the lone match in South Carolina delivered on the soccer and the cup drama the US Open Cup provides each year.

SC United Heat had one foot in the knockout tournament in the 90th minute when a Club de Lyon ball was slipped into the edge of the penalty box. A tangle of legs on the attempted cross saw the Lyon player tumble to the ground and the center referee awarded the penalty kick. Ten Lopez stepped calmly to the spot and rifled the ball into the back corner of the goal to level the game in the 91st minute.

The first half of the game was all SC United Heat as they enjoyed most of the possession and a 7-2 advantage on corner kicks. The Heat was looking to go over the top with probing diagonal balls flighted into the box while Club de Lyon was comfortable building out of the back on the ground. The Heat tactics pinned Lyon deep in their half and only on a couple of occasions in the first half did Lyon have sustained possession in the attacking half of the field. The one shot on goal in the first half required a fully-stretched Jon-Paul Franscini in the Heat goal to punch the bending shot to safety.

Level at the half, the second half was more even with both teams trading attacks over the first 20 minutes of play. Then in the 70th minute, a long, searching ball by the Heat into the penalty box rattled around until it fell neatly at the feet of Seth Hanson who made no mistake slotting the ball into the empty net left vacant by the Lyon keeper caught in no-man’s land. The physical play of the game increased and the Heat looked to have weathered the flurry of Lyon attacks with two huge saves by Franscini in the 78th and 80th minute to preserve the score line.

The penalty conversion in the 91st minute flipped the game and energized the Club de Lyon attack into the extra time session. Then in the 103rd minute, Lopez struck again, slotting in a low cross that was whipped in front of the goal by winger Gerald Ramirez. Now with the lead, Club de Lyon looked to kill the clock and break up any flow to the game.

⁦@ClubDeLyonFC⁩ into the 2023 ⁦@opencup⁩ ⁦@usopencup⁩ pic.twitter.com/hDGhv5OI31

— TheSoccerForrest (@soccer_forrest) December 17, 2022

The Heat changed formation and personnel up top to make one last push to equalize the game in the final minutes. Several flicks and quick combinations around the top of the box provided some loose balls inside the Lyon penalty box but the visitors were able to calmly deal with the pressure and prevent the Heat from finding that decisive final touch on goal. A deliberate handball by Lyon’s Mateo Borelli in the 118th minute was his second caution of the match and gave the Heat an excellent opportunity to send the game to PKs but the ensuing free kick was blocked by the Lyon wall as the 10-man visitors killed off the final seconds of the qualifier.

Club de Lyon could now have an interesting situation on their hands as they have qualified as an amateur side and have declared their intentions to field a NISA professional team in 2023, which would have an automatic qualification to the cup. Players are now cup-tied to this amateur side and how all this plays out will certainly be an item of curiosity entering the 2023 US Open Cup.

2023 US Open Cup Qualifying: Chicago House AC win PK shootout in darkness to punch ticket

December 19, 2022 by Eric Casey

Chicago House AC celebrate after qualifying for the 2023 US Open Cup after beating Brockton FC United 8-7 in a PK shootout. Photo: Liz McQuilkin

It took over a thousand miles of travel from Illinois to Massachusetts — and nine rounds of penalty kicks in increasingly cold and dark conditions — but Chicago House AC are heading to the 2023 U.S Open Cup. Their 8-7 victory in penalties over Brockton FC United at Randolph High School in the final round of qualifying came following a 1-1 score at the end of the extra time, sending the squad founded by former Chicago Fire executive Peter Wilt to their first ever edition of the tournament.

Brockton seemed to be reveling in their relative home field advantage in the initial minutes of the game, and looked the stronger side for much of the first half. Just five minutes in, Brockton pressed a defender who was attempting to wrangle a ball from his keeper, resulting in a takeaway that was quickly turned into a low cross into the box by Brockton’s Cardoso Elizandro. It found the foot of Euclides Mendonca, who calmly slotted the ball past Chicago’s Tony Halterman to give his team the early lead.

Following the early goal, the rest of the first half was rather uneventful — with the exception of a four minute stoppage of play beginning in the 22nd minute to debate which of the balls that were strewn about the technical area were game balls, and which weren’t.

After a few minutes of lively discussion between both benches and the officials, this was eventually sorted out, and Brockton found a few more attacking opportunities before the end of the half.

A 29th minute opportunity on a ball bouncing at the top of the box saw Brockton’s Geo Alves narrowly miss a chance to give his team a 2-0 lead, and a 30 yard freekick taken just before the halftime whistle by Mendonca had to be carefully handled by Halterman.

Just posted a bunch more pics from yesterday’s @opencup match betwen @ChicagoHouse_AC and @BrocktonFc! https://t.co/QA5joU4lKY pic.twitter.com/T1H6au5vdX
— Burt Granofsky Photo (@burtphoto) December 18, 2022

The second half started with Brockton retaining the momentum they had in the first. A 48th minute cross after a strong United counter attack looked threatening, but ended up sailing harmlessly through the box for a Chicago goalkick. It would be one of a number of good crosses that Brockton failed to finish in the second half, as eventually Chicago House began to find their footing. In the 67th minute, a House shot nearly found the back of the net, but Brockton keeper Fabio Andrade made a quick kick save to safely knock the ball out of play.

Chicago increased the pressure on Brockton as the half wore on, and in the 80th minute, they finally equalized. A botched bicycle kick on a cross into the box eventually bounced its way to Anthony Smith Jr., who headed past a diving Andrade, knotting the game at 1-1.

Chicago then had multiple chances to give themselves a lead before the end of regulation. In the 85th minute, Brockton’s Andrade had to make a triple save to keep Chicago from netting a second goal, and the final touch of regular time was a Chicago header that sailed just over the top of the bar.

80’ ⁦@ChicagoHouse_AC⁩ equalizes!!!! pic.twitter.com/AmCMbGjpFz
— MASS Soccer (@MASS_Soccer) December 17, 2022

Once the final whistle of regulation time blew, the game’s officials began conferring with a representative from US Soccer on how to proceed, as the field was getting increasingly dark as the sun began to set. Unsure if a custodian from Randolph High School was going to be able to make it to the school to turn the stadium’s lights on, it was determined that the game should proceed with two 10-minute halves of extra times rather than the traditional 15.

Brockton had an early chance in the 2nd minute of extra time when a bouncing cross landed at the feet of Mendonca, but his shot went wide past the post. As extra time wore on, Chicago House AC Head Coach Matt Poland continued to express his displeasure with the lighting situation to the fourth official and the representative from US Soccer, being sure to mention the extreme travel distance and lack of locker rooms that his team also had to endure.

In the second half of extra time, Brockton had two additional chances on long throw-ins into the box, but failed to find the net. As darkness truly began to set in, extra time came to an end with the two teams tied at 1-1.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "Champions" shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit <a href="https://shop.thecup.us/">THECUP.US SHOP</a> — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “Champions” shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

After a short discussion between officials, it was determined that penalties would proceed as normal despite the dark conditions, and it became increasingly difficult for anyone but the players and officials to determine what was happening on the field. Brockton’s Fabio Andrade stopped Chicago’s first penalty kick, but Chicago’s Tony Halterman stopped Brockton’s second, tying things at one a piece after two rounds. The next three rounds saw no saves, leading the teams to be tied four goals at the end of five, sending the teams into sudden death.

All kicks were successfully converted until the ninth round, when a roar of cheers from the Chicago players indicated to the crowd and benches that their keeper had made a save. A successful conversion by Chicago moments later sealed the victory for the club, giving them the 7-6 shootout win.

Chicago House AC goalkeeper Tony Halterman continued to play an important role in his club’s qualifying run. After scoring the game winning penalty in their shootout victory over 1927 SC in the second qualifying round, he netted another goal and made two saves in this game’s shootout round.

“That’s the longest shootout I’ve been a part of,” said Halterman, “I was my number one penalty taker for my club growing up, it’s just something I love doing.”

As the players celebrated with a banner and bottles of champagne following the game, most involved seemed to agree that it was one of the most bizarre games they had ever been a part of.

“With the lights and everything, it’s probably the craziest game I’ve ever been involved in,” said Chicago House AC Head Coach Matt Poland.” There was a lot of drama, but you come to find out that’s what the Open Cup is.”

@ChicagoHouse_AC last goal in PKs pic.twitter.com/HmwxtLtYqG
— MASS Soccer (@MASS_Soccer) December 18, 2022

In addition to the cold, windy and increasingly dark conditions on the field, Chicago House had to overcome the adversity of traveling over a thousand miles to play this final game of US Open Cup qualifying.

“We flew in last night, and our plane got delayed. We didn’t get here until 2:30 in the morning, but we were excited to get here,” said Poland, “We got a couple hours of sleep and then we came here to play.”

Founded in 2021, Chicago House AC began playing in NISA in the 2021 Fall season, but following a dispute with NISA they were voted out of the league, and were therefore unable to participate in the 2022 Open Cup. A successful cup run in 2023 could eventually lead to them playing Chicago Fire, their cross-town competitors where Chicago House AC founder Peter Wilt won three cups as an executive in 1998, 2000 and 2003.