Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Aegean Hawks

2025 US Open Cup Qualifying: Mike Akinkoye’s late winner sends Virginia Dream to first USOC

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Virginia Dream FC celebrates after defeating the Aegean Hawks 2-1 to qualify for the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Virginia Dream FC
Virginia Dream FC celebrates after defeating the Aegean Hawks 2-1 to qualify for the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Virginia Dream FC

Virginia Dream FC have qualified for their first ever US Open Cup following a tightly contested, physical match with Aegean Hawks FC. The Dream took the lead through a penalty kick in the 17th minute. Nicholas Likulia earned the foul and converted the kick. Despite an Aegean Hawks equalizer casting the issue into doubt, Mike Akinyoke found a go-ahead goal in the 89th minute which proved to be a winner. 

The first half saw a majority of chances go Virginia Dream’s way but the Hawks showed dangerous flashes of possession that forced Dream defenders and goalkeeper Bill Hamid into action. Hamid, a former U.S. international and 2013 US Open Cup champion with D.C. United, made a number of saves to lead the defense.

Things got going early on as Savastana had to make a vital save in the 4th minute to keep the Dream off the board. Akinkoye recovered the ball in midfield and found Angel Chavez on the wing. The midfielder beat a Hawks defender and crossed into the box, finding Murdoch whose low shot was blocked by the legs of Savastano. 

Dream was able to take the lead in the 17th minute through a penalty kick. Nicholas Likulia was fouled by Hawks defender Teshawn Johnson. The former UNLV forward stepped up to take it and converted, hitting the side netting of Franco Savastana’s net. 

Unfortunately, Likulia was forced off through an injury in the 30th minute with Luis Aguilar coming on in relief.

In first half stoppage time the Hawks nearly found an equalizer. Sulli Dainkey’s cross into the Dream box forced a dangerous defensive header, winning a corner for the Hawks. The inswinging delivery came close to seeing a Dream defender score an own goal but was narrowly cleared away. The first half ended shortly after.

The Hawks almost equalized only a few minutes in the second half.

A bad back pass from Roschon Panton gifted a chance to the Hawks. Peter Omunyidde anticipated the mistake and was there to win the ball. His close-range shot forced a reaction out of Bill Hamid but the Dream won possession back on the corner. 

Savastano came up spades for the Hawks in the 52nd minute after a beautiful sequence from the Dream resulted in an open shot on net from Asparah Slavov, but the former University of Chicago man was up to the task.

After a quickly taken set piece caught the Dream defense napping, Peter Omunyidde snuck a tap in past Bill Hamid to tie the game up in the 53rd minute.

In the 72nd minute the Hawks thought they had taken the lead with another goal from Omunyidde but it was called back due to offside. 

After a period where the Dream began to dominate, they finally found a winner in the 89th minute. Mike Akinyoke volleyed home a half-cleared cross to score the goal that qualified Virginia Dream for their first ever US Open Cup. 

“It’s a very proud feeling to be officially a part of the oldest soccer competition in our country,” said Dream head coach CJ Taylor. “Achieving milestones as a club is something we do not take lightly and we are extremely hungry to compete in the professional scene in 2025.”

2016 US Open Cup qualifying: Aromas Cafe takes out Aegean Hawks 3-1 to reach final round (video)

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Metro DC / Virginia Soccer Association
Metro DC / Virginia Soccer Association

MORE: Five teams advance to final round of qualifying in first weekend

Over the last 20 years, there has only been two USASA clubs from the state of Virginia (Mo’s Sport Shop in 1996 and Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks in 2007, 2009) to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. On Sunday, Aromas Cafe FC of Charlottesville, Va. put themselves one step closer to joining that club with a 3-1 win over the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks.

Jake Van Yahres scored a pair of goals to lead the way at Charlottesville High School, the same place that he played his high school ball.

Aromas Cafe, making their first attempt at qualifying for the Open Cup, will advance to the final round of the qualifying tournament which is scheduled to take place in April of 2016. Their opponent won’t be announced by the US Soccer Federation until after Jan. 1.

Aromas opened the scoring around the 40th minute when Ty Clare received the ball outside the 18-yard box with his back to the goal. He turned and chipped a pass behind the defense to an onrushing Van Yahres who fired a low shot that the goalkeeper got a piece of, but was unable to keep it out.

About 10 minutes into the second half, they doubled the lead with Ivan Arapovic playing a long searching ball forward for Van Yahres to run onto. Van Yahres, who played his college ball at Virginia Commonwealth, muscled his way past two defenders and was able to chip the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper.

Aromas finished off the scoring through Van Yahres who combined with Price Thomas for the third goal. Thomas made a long dribbling run out of the midfield to the edge of the 18 and laid it off to Van Yahres, who rifled a shot on goal that was saved by the Hawks netminder. Unfortunately for the goalkeeper, he was unable to control the rebound and Luke Oostdyk, who was trailing the play pounced on the loose ball to put the game away.

“You only get one career in soccer, and a lot of times you’re not able to play at a high level with friends that you’ve been with for a while,” Van Yahres told NBC29 after the match. “I’m 27, and this is something I probably won’t get to do again, so it’s a one-time thing. Two goals, I get the attention, but everyone is doing something that deserves it as well.”

2016 US Open Cup qualifying: Aegean Hawks’ two clutch goals stun Maryland Bays

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aegean-hawks-logo

Almost five years since their first Cup encounter in a US Amateur Cup qualifier that saw Georgetown winger Seth C’deBaca lace a curling long-range laser at the end of regulation to seal victory for the Hawks, the Maryland Bays of the Maryland Major Soccer League and Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks of the Washington Premier League renewed their rivalry on Sunday when both teams clashed for the ninth time in a single elimination Cup tie.

Sunday’s match was for the new-look US Soccer-managed first round of Lamar Hunt US Open Cup open division qualifying tournament. The Bays, based out of Baltimore, were 5-3-0 in all-time matchups against the DC-based Hawks leading into the game with the Hawks winning the last meeting 1-0 in last year’s Maryland Open Cup championship match. Awaiting the winner of the match was an away date in Round 2 with Aromas Cafe FC of Charlottesville, Va., who overcame the Tartan Devils FC of Pittsburgh, PA 3-1 in their matchup a day earlier.

On an uncharacteristically crisp autumn day awaited both sides at the Hawks home pitch at the Maryland Soccerplex, with temperatures in the upper 40s and a brisk wind blowing West-East. The Hawks started the match the more composed of the two sides with veteran midfielder Watson Vaughan-Prather and central midfield cohort Steven Hauschild pulling strings and organizing the Hawks attack.

Ten minutes in, the Hawks got their first solid chance in the match when winger Chris Hennings took on a few Bays defenders toward the endline and cut back nicely to fire a hard left-footed shot that was parried away by Bays goalkeeper Dan McCleary.

Just five minutes later, a free kick for the Hawks was lofted to the far post by William Fierro, where Vaughan-Prather headed it back across the goal mouth and onto the path of streaking forward Dan Fogarty for what looked like a tap in, but the ball sailed over his knee and out to safety.

The close call seemed to wake up the Bays, who began to assert themselves and push the match into the Hawks’ defensive half with solid possession-oriented soccer and switching the field of play. The Bays’ center midfield pairing of former Maryland Terp Kauro Forbess and former Loyola Greyhound Danny Ankrah orchestrated the Bays attack well and kept the Hawks on their heels, patiently searching for holes in the Hawks defense and spreading the ball to the wings and into forward Kingsley Onwuku’s feet.

The Hawks struggled to get a rhythm and relied on the occasional break to wingers Chris Hennings and Scott Larrabee to keep the Bays defense honest. While the possession was tilted in favor of the Bays, the Hawks defense stood tall as center back pairing Patrick Selwood and Joshua Damm and outside backs Devlin Barnes and James Kpainay all played their part with gritty goal saving one-on-one efforts during many Bays forays into the Hawks penalty area. Both teams stood at a deadlock at halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Hawks again looked livelier as Larrabee and Hennings threatened with Vaughan-Prather again serving as the link player, but the Bays defenders were always up to the task. Just as it looked like the Hawks would mirror their bright start to the first half, the Bays’ Glenn Leitch was taken down in the box by Hawks defender Devlin Barnes after a nifty piece of skill to maintain possession on a double team, and the referee awarded a PK at the 55 minute mark. Kingsley Onwuka stepped up to bury the penalty in the lower left corner past Hawks netminder Robbie Batchelder to lift the Bays to a 1-0 advantage.

Much of the ensuing play until the 80th minute echoed the second part of the first half, with the Bays dominating possession and the Hawks occasionally threatening with their wing play. As the match wore on, the game got a little chippy and the referee was not shy to dole out punishment. The Hawks were shown four yellow cards throughout the match, three after the Bays goal, while Maryland received two yellows in the second stanza.

Neither team had much teeth in the offensive third as both were missing important regulars in their front line. The Bays constantly probed with Danny Ankrah as the catalyst in the middle and some solid wing play on the right by Danny Baxter, but the Hawks defense created a wall and did well to keep the Bays from adding to the scoreline. On the other side of the pitch, Larrabee and Hennings were always dangerous on the break but could not unlock the combination to find Mccleary’s net.

From the 80th minute on, the Hawks desperation began to yield some opportunities to bring the match level. Several balls were whipped into the Bays penalty area and to the far post that looked to break the deadlock but the score remained in the Bays favor as stoppage time began. Seconds before the referee blew his whistle, the Hawks took a corner kick that was cleared by the Bays but found the feet of Hawks outside back Devlin Barnes for the second service. Center back and team captain Pat Selwood stepped up in traffic to head the ball in the net, granting the Hawks the dramatic equalizer and lifeline moments before the end of regulation.

In the first overtime period, the Bays pressed hard with the better chances and almost added to their tally off a blistering half-volley by Mike Gill that sailed just inches over the crossbar.

With five minutes left in the second overtime period, the Hawks’ Vaughan-Prather was fed a ball in the Bays penalty area. As several Bays defenders swarmed him for the takeaway, he snuck a pass to the endline for longtime teammate Michael Goldman, who took a touch and floated a left footed cross back to the six-yard box. The ball was perfectly weighted to avoid the first line of Hawks and Bays and fell to the foot of onrushing winger, Scott Larabee. Just as his college teammate did in the first meeting between these two storied USASA clubs, the Georgetown alum stunned the Bays with a well-placed volley to the left corner that left McCleary flat footed. Now with the lead, the Hawks bunkered in for the remaining five minutes of the match and the Bays could not break through, inching the Hawks closer to level in the all-time series and one step closer to the club’s first US Open Cup berth since 2012.

MORE: Ten teams advance to Round 2 in opening weekend of 2016 US Open Cup qualifying

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Maryland Bays in line for a USASA Region I double as championship games set

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USASA Region I logoUSASA Region I qualifying for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is nearly at an end, with the Maryland Bays remaining alive in both the Open and Amateur Cups. Elsewhere, Mass Premier Soccer is in the Open Final after changing its name to GPS Massachusetts, and the New York Greek American Atlas nearly hit double-digit goals against its Amateur Cup semifinal foes.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup Semifinals
Lansdowne Bhoys 1(4):1(5) GPS Massachusetts

It doesn’t seem to matter what their name is, GPS Massachusetts just keeps on winning in Region I play. Formerly Mass Premier Soccer, the side that switched its name partway through the tournament defeated Lansdowne Bhoys 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw.

According to BigAppleSoccer.com, the hosts from Eastern New York dominated the game after an early goal from Sikele Sylvester. However, GPS equalized from a deflected free kick, and neither team could find the back of the net again until the penalty kick shootout.

GPS is looking to return to the Open Cup in 2015, after gaining a surprise entry into the 2014 edition. With the announcement of an expanded 2014 Open Cup field, the USASA was awarded two additional entries. One of those new spots went to GPS, who lost in the First Round on May 7 to the PDL’s Western Mass Pioneers.

The Massachusetts side faces the Maryland Bays on June 15 for the Region I Open Cup title.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup Semifinals
Maryland Bays 4:0 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks

The Maryland Bays continued to roll through Open Cup qualifying with a 4-0 victory over the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks. Jon Ports scored a first half brace, and Chris Weaver and Chris Ports added goals in the second half.

Maryland was riding high after earning its first-ever victories in Region I qualifying. A week after defeating West Chester United 3-1 in the Open Cup, the Bays stormed past FC Motown 6-1 in the Amateur Cup.

The Aegean Hawks were the only team other than Maryland that qualified for both tournaments, but the DC side is now out of both—they fell in penalty kicks to Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the Amateur Cup.

This game marked the first time Maryland had ever hosted a Region I Open Cup qualifier. The Bays move on to face GPS Massachusetts in the final on June 15.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup qualifying
(Home teams on right)

Preliminary Round (April 6)
AC Blaugrana (RI) L:W Mass Premier Soccer (MA)
ACB won original match 2-0, but were DQ’d for use of ineligble player

Quarterfinals (April 6)
Newtown Pride FC (CT) 1:5 Lansdowne Bhoys FC (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) 3:1 West Chester United (East PA)
Oak Avalon (West PA) 1:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (DC/VA)
Icon FC (NJ) 0:5 Mass Premier Soccer (MA) – April 13

Semifinals (May 4)
Lansdowne Bhoys (East NY) 1(4):1(5) GPS Massachusetts (Mass Premier Soccer) (MA)
GPS Massachusetts advances 5-4 on penalty kicks
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (DC/VA) 0:4 Maryland Bays (MD)

Final (June 15, 11 a.m.)
GPS Massachusetts (MA) vs. Maryland Bays (MD)
Winner qualifies for 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup Semifinals
New York Greek American Atlas 9:0 Danbury United

Danbury United just can’t seem to get over the New York hump. Since qualifying for the Open Cup in 2007, United have lost to teams from the Empire State in its three attempts. This year’s 9-0 loss to New York Greek American Atlas was by far the worst of those losses.

Reigning Region I Amateur Cup champions and 2014 US Open Cup entrants NYGAA were up 6-0 at halftime. The victory propels the Cosmopolitan League side to the Final, where last year they defeated fellow New Yorkers, the Italian Americans.

The Greek Americans are four-time US Open Cup champions (1967-69; 1974) and this year qualified for the tournament for the fifth time in the Modern Pro Era and won their first tournament game during that span as they defeated the Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL) 2-0 in the Second Round.

2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup Semifinals
Maryland Bays 1:0 Vereinigung Erzgebirge

With a spot in the Regional final on the line the Semifinal battle between the Maryland Bays and Eastern Pennsylvania’s Vereinigung Erzgebirge came down to the final minutes. The Bays put themselves in line for a Region I double with a a game-winning goal in the 86th minute, giving Maryland a 1-0 win. They will play in the Region I Open Cup Final and the Amateur Cup Final, which will be hoested by the Ukrainian Nationals (Horsham, Pa.) on June 15.

In the opening half, the visitors from the Philadelphia area focused on absorbing pressure from the Bays, and with the game scoreless at halftime, it was mission accomplished.

“The game plan was advance. We knew we would need to defend first and finish off one of our chances,’ said VE manager Rob Oldfield.

VE created more chances in the second half as the game opened up, but the Bays would have the best chance thanks to Greg Ermold. Maryland’s John Boswell sent a cross into the box that snuck through all of the traffic in front of the net and fell to Ermold who launched a shot off the post to keep the game scoreless.

The game opened up late and just when it looked like it was heading to extra time, a deflected cross fell to Maryland’s Elton Joe and after a scramble for the ball, Joe got his foot on the ball and put what would prove to be the game-winner into the back of the net with less than five minutes to play.

2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup qualifying
(Home teams on right)

First Round (April 13)
Manzanillol Deportivo (NH) 0:6 Danbury United (CT)
NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) 5:0 Mass United FC (MA)
Maryland Bays (MD) 6:1 FC Motown (NJ)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (East PA) 3(4):3(3) Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
VE advances 4-3 in penalty kicks

Semifinals (May 11)
Danbury United (CT) 0:9 NY Greek American Atlas SC (East NY)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (East PA) 0:1 Maryland Bays (MD)

Final (June 15, 3 p.m.)
New York Greek American Atlas (East NY) vs. Maryland Bays (MD)
Winner qualifies for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Amateur Cup to decide USASA Region I entry for first time

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USASA Region I logoThe opening round of the 2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup took place on on April 13 with four teams moving one step closer to qualifying for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Region I announced last fall that, for the first time in tournament history, the winner of the Amateur Cup will represent the region in the US Open Cup.

Vereinigung Erzgebirge from Eastern Pennsylvania traveled to the Maryland Soccerplex to face 2009 Amateur Cup champion Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks from Metro DC/Virginia. In the closest of the four first round games the teams ended play locked at 3-3. A Greg Shertzer goal in the 29th minute gave VE a 1-0 halftime lead, but after Andre Nunes equalized just after halftime for the Hawks, a 60th minute penalty kick by Artie Taylor gave VE the lead again. Aegean Hawks veteran Watson Prather tied the game in the 78th minute off a free kick but the scoring wasn’t done. Five minutes later, Drexel University product Malcolm LeBourne put VE ahead again.

“Malcolm thought the third goal was the finisher, allowing him to get home in time for ‘Game of Thrones,'” said VE’s Paul Dudley after the game.

Unfortunately, LeBourne’s favorite show would have to wait as Prather scored a stoppage time penalty kick for the Hawks to send the game into extra time.

After 30 minutes of scoreless soccer, a place in the semifinals came down to penalty kicks and VE, who have been playing soccer since 1969, emerged victorious 4-3. The Philadelphia area club earned a spot in the Amateur Cup regional semifinals for the first time since 1997 and are looking to qualify for the Open Cup for the first time since 2002.

“This was a complete team win,” said VE’s Brian Madden. “We are playing some of the best soccer I’ve seen in the 9 years I’ve been on the team.”

In other action, Danbury United from Connecticut played host to New Hampshire’s Manzanillol Deportivo at Immaculate High School. Danbury, who last qualified for the Open Cup in 2007, won a one-sided contest by the score of 6-0.

At Montclair State University, the home side FC Motown of New Jersey entertained the Maryland Bays. The Bays, who are also competing in the Region I Open Cup semifinals on May 4, came out comfortable 6-1 winners.

Another home side to struggle was Mass United FC, who lost 5-0 at Manning Stadium against 4-time US Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas. Keith Detelj scored two goals in the first 15 minutes, then completed his hat-trick 11 minutes into the second-half. Stephan Barea scored after 69 minutes and the scoring was completed 10 minutes from time. New York is attempting to qualify for the Open Cup for the second year in a row. They have been awarded a spot in the 2014 tournament as the 2013 Region I Amateur Cup champion.

The Amateur Cup semifinals will see Danbury United travel to New York to take on Greek American Atlas, while the Bays will play host to Vereinigung Erzgebirge. Both games are scheduled for May 11.

2014 USASA Region I Amateur Cup

First Round (April 13)
Danbury United (CT) 6:0 Manzanillol Deportivo (NH)
Maryland Bays (MD) 6:1 FC Motown (NJ)
NY Greek American Atlas 5:0 Mass United FC (MA)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (East PA) 3:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
VE advances 4-3 in penalty kicks

Semifinals (May 11)
Danbury United (CT) at NY Greek American Atlas SC (East NY)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (East PA) at Maryland Bays (MD)

Final (June 15)
Danbury/NYGAA vs. VE/Maryland Bays
Winner qualifies for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Aegean Hawks, Maryland Bays, Lansdowne Bhoys and AC Blaugrana advance in USASA Region I tourney

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It was a physical battle between the Maryland Bays (left) and West Chester United in the 2014 USASA Region I Open Cup Quarterfinals | Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

UPDATE: AC Blaugrana of Rhode Island has been disqualified due to the use of an ineligible player. Details here.

The United States Adult Soccer Association’s (USASA) Region I took another step toward the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup as their qualifying tournament kicked off this weekend.

In the tournament’s lone preliminary round game, Rhode Island’s lone entry AC Blaugrana made their debut with a 2-0 win over Mass Premier Soccer to earn themselves a date with New Jersey champion Icon FC in the quarterfinals on April 13.

Elsewhere, Open Cup regulars Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks from Metro DC/Virginia defeated Pittsburgh’s Oak Avalon 3-1 to punch their ticket to the final four. They will take on the Maryland Bays who traveled north and defeated the three-time defending Eastern Pennsylvania champions West Chester United by the same score.

And finally, a new face joined the semifinals when Eastern New York champion Lansdowne Bhoys cruised past Newtown Pride SC from Connecticut 5-1. The Bhoys will await the winner of the Icon FC-AC Blaugrana match. The semifinals will take place on May 4.

The winner of the Open Cup tournament, along with the Region I Amateur Cup champion will represent the region at the 2015 US Open Cup.

2014 USASA REGION I OPEN CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND
AC BLAUGRANA (RI) 2:0 MASS PREMIER SOCCER (MA)
by Brian O”Connell | NESoccerToday.com

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – For many wearing the white AC Blaugrana strip, Sunday’s US Open Cup clash against Mass Premier Soccer at Framingham State University was a chance to right past wrongs. To atone for previous failures. And, perhaps most importantly, to avenge recent defeats.

With no fewer than 12 players from the recently-dissolved East Providence Sports on their squad, Blaugrana (R.I.) grabbed 2-0 Region 1 preliminary round win over the same Mass Premier (Mass.) team that had knocked the former LUSA powerhouse out of Open Cup play in three straight tournaments (2010, 2011 and 2012).

A scoreless first half gave way to a decidedly different sequel, which saw the Rhode Island-based side score its first from Kyle Teixeira in the 48th minute. Local goalscorer extraordinaire Alencar Junior scored Blaurgrana’s second in the 64th minute. Goalkeeper Scott Perdomo kept the sheet clean to ensure that he and his fellow E.P. Sports alumni would taste the nectar of sweet revenge against their recent Region 1 nemesis.

With the win, Blaugrana, who played its first Open Cup clash on Sunday, advanced to the Region 1 quarterfinals, where it will host Icon (N.J.) on Apr. 13 at a location to be determined.

Sunday’s match started off with Mass Premier pressing the issue, with Perdomo and his backline tested early. Tyler McNee and Ben Shuleva made runs into their opponent’s end, but Perdomo wasn’t forced to take any drastic actions.

Though they may have been making gains as the game progressed, Mass Premier found its best opportunities from set pieces. In the 20th minute, they were awarded a free kick near the left edge of the box, but Derek Nobrega’s effort was cleared away by center back Rui Fortes.

The Commonwealth XI found another chance from the set piece in the 40th minute, this time with a free kick given deep inside the right flank. Once again, Nobrega’s cross was cleared away, this time by right back Jimmy Hernandez.

Undaunted, Mass Premier nearly pocketed a goal seconds before the interval. MacNee beat his mark, and went alone into the area with only Perdomo standing in his way. But the Blaugrana keeper held his ground, and denied MacNee with a quick flick of his left arm before corralling the rebound.

Mass Premier may have looked like early favorites following an ambitious first half, thanks to their play along the flanks. But the second half would prove to be an entirely different story for the longtime Region 1 powerhouse.

Three minutes into the second stanza, Blaugrana came alive when Hernandez launched a long ball over to Teixeira, who beat the defense and looked to bring down the pass. MPS goalkeeper Jeff Newman quickly closed in on Teixeira, and the pair collided – but not before the Blaugrana winger pushed the ball on frame and gently into the back of the net.

The lead was theirs, but Blaugrana knew they couldn’t rest easily. Not against the same Mass Premier that proved itself the mightier in matches past.

However, Mass Premier would find its chances far and few in between. Unable to find a comfortable rhythm, they struggled to summon their first half form, and laid waste to the few opportunities afforded to them.

They were further frustrated just after the hour when Blaugrana put together the finest display of offense seen all afternoon. Wilder Arboleda sent it ahead to Hernandez on an overlapping run down the right, where the right back went deep into the MPS end before crossing it far post. With the ball about knee high, Junior clinically finished it on the volley to make it a two-goal game with just under half an hour remaining.

Facing deeper deficit, Mass Premier attempted to assemble their attack in search of a way to get back into the match. Set pieces afforded them glimpses of hope, but each opportunity went unanswered. Around the 75th minute, the men in red went to a 3-4-3, attempting to get bodies into the box.

Yet, the polish required to seize a measure of success eluded them throughout the afternoon, as Blaugrana were crowned victors once the final whistle screeched.

Lineups:

Mass Premier Soccer: Jeff Newman, Sam Brill, Alan Ashenfelter, Jake Edwards, Dan Tweed Kent, Ben Shuleva, Harris Smirko, Derek Stenquist, Charlie Romero, Tyler MacNee, Dan McGregor. Substitutes: Derek Nobrega, Nick Figueiredo, Matt Lemire, Jake Johnson, Matt Hoff

AC Blaugrana: Scott Perdomo, Wilder Arboleda, Quim DePinia, Rui Fortes, Mateo Giraldo, Jimmy Hernandez, Andres Perdomo, Anthony Petrarca, Jefferson Rojas, Alonso Villasenor, Alencar “Junior” Ventura. Substitutes: Patrick Gerard, Tristan Lewis, Peter Maciel, Dom Petrarca, Diego Tabares, Kyle Teixeira.

Scoring summary:
ACB: Kyle Teixeira (Jimmy Hernandez) – 48th min.
ACB: Alencar “Junior” Ventura (Jimmy Hernandez) – 64th min.

2014 USASA REGION I OPEN CUP QUARTERFINALS
DULLES SPORTSPLEX AEGEAN HAWKS (DC/VA) 3:1 OAK AVALON (WEST PA)
By Grant Czubinski | A Moment of Brilliance blog | @Pieyow

GERMANTOWN, Md. – It was business as usual for the reigning Metro DC-Virginia Open Cup Champion Dulles Sportplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA) today as the Washington club handily defeated visiting Oak Avalon (PA West) 3-1 in their USASA Region I Open Cup quarterfinal. The win sees the Hawks advance to the semifinal round where they will face the Maryland Bays on May 4.

If not for the heroics of Oak Avalon’s goalkeeper, Dustin Walker, the score line could have easily been much higher in favor of the Aegean Hawks. Walker – a Penn State Erie graduate – proved to the most important player on the field as he singled handedly prevented the game from becoming a rout, a performance that Aegean Hawks player/ assistant coach Watson Vaughn-Prather called “fantastic.” In the end, his efforts were for naught as the more experienced Hawks found ways to put the ball into the net, as David Rosenbaum, Scott Larrabee, and Gui Fonseca were able to notch goals to send the Washington club through to the next round.

After some pregame pleasantries between former Pittsburgh Riverhounds teammates Devlin Barnes (Aegean Hawks), Anthony Calvano, and John Liersemann (both of Oak Avalon), the game got underway just after 3 p.m. at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown, Md.

From the first whistle, the Hawks dictated the tempo of the game, which according to Vaughn-Prather, was part of the Washington club’s game plan. It did not take long for the Hawks to find the back of the net as Rosenbaum got on the end of a cross, found himself alone in the left side of the box, and blasted a mouthwatering shot near post beating Oak Avalon’s Walker for the game’s first tally in the 5th minute.

Following the game’s opening goal, the Hawks repeatedly made deep runs into Oak Avalon’s final third during the game’s first quarter hour, as the visiting Pennsylvania club looked overwhelmed and off balance. As the game progressed, Oak Avalon settled in and eventually created chances of their own, though their forays always sputtered while Walker who kept them in the game by continually turning away shots, which left the home team frustrated to only be up by one goal at the half.

Oak Avalon started the second half much more in control than the first, but could not get a shot on target, despite constantly controlling the ball in the Hawks’ half. The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute as Paul Paradise scored to level the game at 1-1.

The stalemate did not last long as Paradise’s goal proved the motivation the Hawks needed to perform at their highest level. Larrabee, finally got a shot past Oak Avalon’s Walker two minutes later to put the home team back on top 2-1.

Play began to get scrappy after the Hawks’ second goal as Oak Avalon realized that Larrabee’s goal decisively pushed the momentum of the game in the Hawks’ favor. Oak Avalon tried in vain to equalize for the next fifteen minutes, but always failed to find an opening in the host’s competent back four. The entrance of substitute Alex Herrera in the 80th minute proved to be the death knell for the tiring Pennsylvania club, as the speedy winger repeatedly took advantage of Oak Avalon’s often absent left back to control the ball deep in Avalon’s half giving the Pennsylvania club zero opportunity to mount an attack.

With momentum on their side, and a slew of substitutes in the game – including DC United academy product Parnell Hegngi – the Aegean Hawks took advantage of the fact that Avalon traveled with just 12 players, wearing them out as the game went on and dominating the final 20 minutes.

Fonseca decisively put the game away in stoppage time after he broke through several defenders to earn a one-on-one opportunity with the Avalon goalkeeper. Fonseca, a Santos academy product, danced around a fast encroaching Walker inside the box and calmly slotted home a left footed shot in the six yard box to give the Aegean Hawks a 3-1 lead in stoppage time to secure the win.

The win sends the Aegean Hawks into the semifinal round of Region I qualifying, one that Vaughn-Prather feels his team is more than ready to play. When asked how the competition in the Washington Premier League prepared the Hawks for this game, Vaughn-Prather responded, “It’s a competitive league that keeps us fit and allows us to compete in Open Cup qualifiers.”

Scoring Summary:
AEG: David Rosenbaum – 5th min.
OAK: Paul Paradise – 63rd min.
AEG: Scott Larrabee – 65th min.
AEG: Gui Fonseca – 90th min.+

Cautions:
OAK: Andres Lopez (Yellow) – 45th min.
AEG: Watson Vaughn-Prather (Yellow) – 79th min.

2014 USASA REGION I OPEN CUP QUARTERFINALS
MARYLAND BAYS (MD) 3:1 WEST CHESTER UNITED (EAST PA)
By Michael Berton | @MichaelBerton

In a battle between two teams that had never won a USASA Region I Open Cup game, the Maryland Bays overcame an early deficit to defeat Pennsylvania hosts West Chester United by a 3-1 score.

The Maryland Bays celebrate Chris Weaver's goal in the 74th minute that gave the Bays a 3-1 win over Wets Chester United. | Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

West Chester won the Eastern Pennsylvania championship for a third year running, but had been knocked out in the quarterfinal round of the Region I tournament in each of its previous two attempts. Maryland won its third state championship in its last four attempts, but similarly had yet to win a regional game.

United got off to a quick start on its home turf. An 8th  minute corner kick was cleared out of the Bays penalty box, but only as far as United winger Justin McCall. With time and space, McCall shot from 25 yards out, curling the ball into the right side-netting.

That lead was short-lived however, as Maryland’s Elton Joe sped past the West Chester defense in the 11th minute and easily slotted the ball past the United keeper. Joe’s speed would prove to be an issue for the home side throughout the contest.

Maryland Bays won a physical battle with West Chester United to advance to the Region I Open Cup semifinals. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

Each side had several more close chances in the first half, but the game remained tied 1-1 at the break. The second half was a different story though. According to West Chester head coach Blaise Santangelo, a mixture of tired legs and missing players gave his squad some problems, which showed in a second half dominated by the Maryland champions.

Maryland got the eventual game-winner just six minutes into the second stanza. Once again, a Bays player ran through the middle of the West Chester defense for an easy goal. This time, it was former Loyola University Maryland player Glenn Leitch with the goal.

The game gradually got more physical, culminating in a red card for United’s Aaron Thomas, who got involved in an altercation in the middle of the field in the 67th minute. Maryland made the home team pay seven minutes later, when Joe’s blazing speed got him past the defense. His cross found Chris Weaver, who pushed the ball in from six yards out.

Maryland was able to calmly see out the remainder of the game, and in the process won a Region I game for the first time. The Bays will take on DC/VA champions Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks in the semifinals on May 4.

2014 USASA REGION I OPEN CUP QUARTERFINALS
LANSDOWNE BHOYS (EAST NY) 5:1 NEWTOWN PRIDE FC (CT)
By David Harris | Soccer Long Island Magazine | @DavidHarris0422

Bronx, N.Y. – In a performance worthy of those usually seen in Ballsbridge or Parkhead, Lansdowne Bhoys defeated Newtown Pride FC by a score of 5-1. Representing Eastern New York in the USASA Region I quarterfinal, Lansdowne added to a season of dominant displays with their win over Newtown, who were representing the Connecticut State Soccer Association.

The scoring started early in the first half as Lansdowne earned a penalty, which was coolly converted by midfielder and captain Stephen Roche. Lansdowne midfielder Cian McBrien added to the tally with a goal off a pass from forward Dwayne Reid. McBrien added another goal just before halftime, to make the score 3-0 to Lansdowne.

Lansdowne Bhoys captain Stephen Roche in action against Newtown Pride in their USASA Region I Open Cup quarterfinal match. Photo: David Harris

The second half started slow, with both teams struggling to create good scoring chances. Lansdowne maintained possession and Newtown looked to counter, which they eventually did through a goal by Colin Jackson.

With the score now 3-1, Lansdowne knew they had to finish what they started and they did. Lansdowne pushed the pace once again and came up with a fourth goal by Reid. Midfielder Sikele Sylvester added another for Lansdowne just before the end to make the score 5-1 and seal the win for the Eastern New York champions.

Lansdowne president and ESPN commentator Tommy Smyth was among the supporters who were there to cheer on their club. It’s been a dominant season thus far for the Bronx-based Irish-American club, with many terrific performances in the various Eastern New York and USASA competitions.

Currently top of the East group in Division 1 of the Cosmopolitan League with 36 points from 12 wins and only 1 loss, Lansdowne have been the story of the season thus far throughout amateur soccer in the region.

Austin Friel, the player/manager for Lansdowne said after the game, “it was another terrific performance by the lads. Newtown have a very good team, but the lads showed once again the quality that we possess. It’s a special group and it’s been a special season thus far, but we need to keep going with so many important matches coming up. We also want to thank our supporters and sponsors, who’ve been behind us all the way.”

Stephen Roche, the Lansdowne captain said, “I’m very proud of the effort the lads put in today. We pressed them from the word go and looked like we could score every time we had the ball. We will respect our next opponent, but are full of confidence.”

USASA Region 1 national cup commissioner Gus Xikis said, “Lansdowne looked really good today and are a great representative of Eastern New York. I can’t wait to see how they progress throughout the competition. Whether it’s Lansdowne or another club, Region 1 will be well represented at this year’s National Finals in Salt Lake City.”

Lansdowne Bhoys will play the winner of AC Blaugrana (R.I.) vs Icon FC (N.J.) on Sunday, May 4 in the USASA Region I semifinal.

2014 USASA Region I Open Cup qualifying
(Home teams on right)

Preliminary Round (April 6)
AC Blaugrana (RI) L:W Mass Premier Soccer (MA)
ACB won original match 2-0, but were DQ’d for use of ineligble player

Quarterfinals (April 6)
Newtown Pride FC (CT) 1:5 Lansdowne Bhoys FC (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) 3:1 West Chester United (East PA)
Oak Avalon (West PA) 1:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (DC/VA)
Icon FC (NJ) at Mass Premier Soccer (MA) – April 13, 2 p.m. at Framingham State College

Semifinals (May 4)
Lansdowne Bhoys (East NY) at Icon FC / Mass Premier winner
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (CT) at Maryland Bays (MD)

Final (June 15)
Teams TBD – Winner qualifies for 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

New Jersey’s Icon FC edges Aegean Hawks in penalty kicks to clinch first-ever US Open Cup berth

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For the first time in its history, Icon FC has guaranteed their place in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament.

Much like they did to oust last year’s US Open Cup qualifier Jersey Shore Boca in the state semifinals, they needed penalty kicks to advance to the next round. The game was tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and after a scoreless extra time, Icon and the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks ended up going to seven rounds of spot kicks to determine who would represent Region I in the 100th edition of the Open Cup. Icon FC was victorious in the shootout, 7-6, and with that, they advance to the Region I Final, which also clinches a berth in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

They will await the winner of Newtown Pride SC and Mass Premier Soccer in the other semifinal which will be played on Sunday, April 28.

Throughout the game, both teams played well and it proved to be a relatively even game throughout the 120 minutes played.

During the first half, both teams were able to create good goal scoring opportunities. Icon’s first chance came in the ninth minute when after a scuffle in the box Argjent Duka’s shot was saved by the Hawks’ goalkeeper Chris Fenner. A couple minutes later it was the Hawks’ turn to have shot on goal. Robby Wright crossed the ball low into the box, Icon keeper Chris Duggan wasn’t able to hold on to it and Hawk forward Watson Vaughan-Prather took advantage, but his shot went over the cross bar. After this opportunity the game continued even as one team continued to put pressure on the other. Both teams fought for the ball in the midfield.

The next best chance for Icon came in the 33rd minute when Nelson Bercerra’s close-range shot in front of goal was blocked by a Hawk defender. During the last minute of the first half the Hawks had another opportunity from a free kick when Ernest Marquez’s cross was almost headed in by Vaughan-Prather.

Both teams came out on fire in the second half, with the Hawks creating an opportunity in the first minute when Marquez’s cross into the box was met with a shot from Wright, but Duggan managed to come up with a save for Icon. However, Icon scored first in the 64th minute when Kevin Garcia controlled the ball in the area and shot the ball past the keeper from a cross from Custidiano Michael. Even though Icon was up 1-0, the Hawks continued to play well and you could sense that they believed that they could still score.

Then with ten minutes to go, when it seemed that Icon was going to win the game, the Hawks equalized when Scott Larrabee’s cross was tapped in by Sam Scales.

After the equalizer, Nelson Becerra had an opportunity to score off a free kick, but his shot went over the cross bar. Danny Irizarry also took a low shot from outside the box for the Hawks, but his shot went wide. After ninety minutes the game was still tied and the regional semifinal went to extra time.

During the first 15 minutes of extra time, Icon was the better team. Their best chance came when Becerra noticed the Hawks’ goalkeeper was off his line and he tried to chip the ball over the keeper from a distance, but the ball went over the bar. Daniel Fernandez also had a good opportunity for Icon when his shot from inside the box sailed over the cross bar.

The Hawks’ best chance in extra time came in the second half when Vaughan-Prather was able to beat an Icon defender to take a shot, but his shot went wide. After the referee blew the final extra time whistle, the teams began to prepare for the penalty shootout.

The Hawks went first with Sam Scales converting the team’s first penalty. Danny Szetela was also able to comfortably tie the shootout for Icon. Next, Watson Vaughan-Prather put away his attempt for the Hawks and Jonathan Lopuski did the same for Icon. Danny Irizarry was also able to successfully put the ball in the net. Hawks goalkeeper Chris Fenner made the first save of the shootout when he kept Nelson Becerra’s ball from going in the net. Icon goalkeeper Chris Duggan also came up big when he saved the Hawks’ fourth shot from Michael Goldman.

Andy Cesti had the opportunity to tie the shootout for Icon, but Chris Fenner also saved his shot. All Mateus Dos Anjos had to do was convert the Hawks’ final penalty shot to take his team to the final, but Chris Duggan kept his team in the game with a huge save. Garcia, the goalscorer for Icon, kept his team in the game when he put his ball into the back of the net, taking the shootout to sudden death.

The Hawks converted their first three sudden death shots, and Icon answered with three of their own. The turning point in the shootout came when Devlin Barnes shot his attempt low and wide of the goal giving Icon the advantage. The game winning shot was given to Custidiano Michael and he comfortably put the ball in the net to take his team to the Region I final for the first time.

Icon FC becomes just the second New Jersey-based USASA club to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present), with the first coming last year with Jersey Shore Boca. Icon eliminated Boca in the state semifinals in penalty kicks.

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Region I, II, IV and US Club Soccer in action this weekend (with updates)

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It’s a busy weekend of qualifying for the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, as we head down the home stretch. By Monday morning, the USASA will know five of the six teams that will join Red Force (Florida) and North Texas Rayados in the 2013 US Open Cup. Also, US Club Soccer’s “lights out” semifinal match will be replayed on Sunday to determine who will play the Fresno Fuego Future in a “Win & You’re In” match the following weekend.

Here is a breakdown of this weekend’s games, and as always you can check Twitter (@USOpenCup) for updates, and remember if you’re at any of these games or have any Open Cup-related news/info/comments to make, be sure to use this year’s hashtag #USOC100.

(All Times Eastern)

FRIDAY

USASA Region IV Tournament
DAY 1: Friday, April 19
Ontario Soccer Park – Ontario, CA

PSA Elite 3:0 Doxa Italia
DV8 Defenders 8:2 The Internationalists
Cal FC 12:3 San Francisco City FC

It was a high-scoring opening day of the USASA Region IV tournament, as the trend of barn-burners and blowouts continue. With many teams having been burned by goal difference tiebreakers in the past, a recent tradition of running up the score has been established and ehas continued into 2013. Cal FC dropped a dozen goals on newcomers San Francisco City in their quest to qualify for the second straight year, and attempt to provide an encore to one of last year’s biggest Cinderella stories. 2011 qualifiers DV8 Defenders missed the cut last year and started their campaign to represent the Bay Area once again with a convincing 8-2 win over The Internationalists. While the most competitive match of the day was still a 3-0 shutout with PSA Elite taking out Doxa Italia. Although, with head-to-head likely the first tiebreaker in the group, and PSA Elite competing in the other group, Doxa Italia still has hope of qualifying just like they did in 2011 as long as they win both of their games on Saturday. Clearly, that will be no easy task as they must play Cal FC and DV8 Defenders.

SATURDAY

USASA Region II Semifinals (Win & You’re In)
Saturday, April 20 – 3 p.m.
Kroc Center – Chicago, IL

FC Indiana 1:2 (AET) RWB Adria

RWB Adria, a semifinalist in 1978 and 1991, qualifies for the US Open Cup for the first time since 2008.  

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USASA Region IV Tournament
DAY 2: Saturday, April 20
Ontario Soccer Park – Ontario, CA

Doxa Italia 7:0 San Francisco City FC
Cal FC 4:1 DV8 Defenders
PSA Elite 10:1 The Internationalists

Doxa Italia 2:1 Cal FC
PSA Elite 9:2 DV8 Defenders
San Francisco City FC 4:1 The Internationalists

When the dust settled out west on Saturday evening, two teams punched their ticket to the 2013 US Open Cup. PSA Elite cruised to three straight wins, outscoring its opponents 22-3, en route to a Group B win and their second straight trip to the Open Cup. Fellow Southern California club, Doxa Italia, overcame a 3-0 loss to PSA Elite in the opening game and clinched their second Open Cup berth in three years. Doxa emerged from Group A despite their loss to Group B champion PSA by defeating the two clubs in their group, newcomers San Francisco City (7-0), followed by a winner-take-all game against last year’s Cinderella story Cal FC. Doxa defeated Cal FC 2-1 in the final game as the two clubs finished tied atop the group standings, with Doxa Italia moving on to the championship game by way of the head-to-head tiebreaker. PSA Elite and Doxa Italia have both clinched their spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, they will meet again in the Region IV title game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. local time) to determine who will represent the region at the USASA National Finals.

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Region IV Finals (April 19-21)
Ontario Soccer Park – Ontario, CA –
All Times Eastern

Group A PTS W L D GD
Doxa Italia (CA – South) 6 2 1 0 +5
Cal FC (CA – South) 6 2 0 0 +12
San Fran. City (CA – North) 3 1 1 0 -13

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Group B PTS W L D GD
PSA Elite (CA – South) 9 3 0 0 +19
DV8 Defenders (CA – North) 3 1 2 0 -4
Internationalists (CA – South) 0 0 3 0 -18


SUNDAY

USASA Region II Semifinals (Win & You’re In)
 Sunday, April 21 – 1 p.m.
Olathe North – Olathe, KS

Dearborn Stars SC (MI) 0:1 KC Athletics (KS)

KC Athletics player/manager Kyle Perkins scored the lone goal in the 90th minute to send the Kansas-based club to their second straight Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. This will be their third Open Cup berth in the last four years.

USASA Region I Quarterfinals
Sunday, April 21 – 3 p.m.
Newtown High School – Newtown, CT

NY Pancyprian Freedoms (ENY) 0:0 Newtown Pride SC (CT)
Newtown Pride advance 7-6 in PK shootout – will play at Mass Premier Soccer on April 28 (Win & You’re In)

The two teams battled to a scoreless draw after 120 minutes, but it was Newtown Pride SC who advanced after winning the penalty kick shootout 7-6. The Connecticut representative are now one win away from a US Open Cup berth and they will travel to the Boston area to play Mass Premier Soccer (MA) on April 28. More details to come. USASA Region I logo

USASA Region I Semifinals (Win & You’re In)
Sunday, April 21 – 6 p.m.
Montville Community Park (130 Changebridge Rd.) – Montville, NJ

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (MDCVA) 1:1 Icon FC (NJ)
Icon FC wins PK shootout, 7-6, to qualify for the 2013 US Open Cup

Icon FC became just the second New Jersey-based USASA team to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present) when they won a penalty kick shootout with the Aegean Hawks. 7-6. The match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes and for the second time that Sunday afternoon, a Region I match had to be decided at the penalty kick spot. More details to come.

US Club Soccer Semifinals
Sunday, April 21 – 8 p.m.
Valley Christian High School – San Jose, CA

San Ramon FC 0:2 (AET) Los Gatos Storm
Los Gatos Storm will play Fresno Fuego Future in the USCS Final

There are now two teams remaining in the US Club Soccer qualifying tournament after Los Gatos Storm needed extra time to defeat San Ramon FC 2-0 on Sunday night. The original game was cut short in the middle of the second overtime period due to a power outage, but the replay lasted the full 120 minutes as the Storm put themselves one win away from a berth in the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. They will play the Fresno Fuego Future, a club that features the PDL franchise of the same name, at Chukchansi Park in Fresno, CA to decide US Club Soccer’s representative in the 2013 US Open Cup. The winner of that game will begin play in the Play-In Round on May 7 against an NPSL opponent still to be determined. More details to come.

#USOC100

Screaming Eagles disqualified from USASA Region I qualifying, Aegean Hawks advance to semis

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The USASA Region I semifinals have been altered after the region determined the Screaming Eagles, the Maryland champions, have been disqualified for using multiple players that were not cleared by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). As a result, the Eagles 1-0 quarterfinal victory on April 7 over the Aegean Hawks has been overturned and the Hawks will now move on to the semifinals.

The Hawks will travel north to New Jersey to take on Garden State champions Icon FC in a “Win & You’re In” match on April 21. Time and location is still to be determined.

TheCup.us has learned that nine players listed on the Eagles’ gameday roster did not have their international clearance paperwork appoved by the USSF and despite the team being notified prior to the game that those players were not cleared, they were listed on the 18-man roster anyway.

Efforts to contact the Screaming Eagles by email have not yet been returned.

In the week leading up to the match, Hawks manager Jonathan Knight was aware that the Eagles were having difficulties getting players registered, but chose not to protest the result. Instead, as he put it, he allowed the organizers of the tournament to handle the issue.

“While we are obviously pleased that we have the opportunity to continue our run in the 100th edition of the US Open Cup, we are saddened that it has come about with the disqualification of our opponent,” said Knight after learning of the decision. “The Screaming Eagles were a worthy opponent that showcased athleticism and technical ability beyond their years.  The fact that they edged us on April 7 is a testament to the fact that they have a quality side.”

When an amateur team takes part in the US Open Cup, each player must be properly registered with the USSF. For players born outside of the United States or who have played professionally in the past, there is additional paperwork that must be submitted.

“The bottom line is the US Open Cup has player eligibility rules that can be quite onerous, particularly from teams comprised of players born overseas,” said Knight. “Over the years we have had countless players ineligible to participate based on these clearance rules, and have always refrained from playing those players until such time as they are cleared.”

When the Hawks take on Icon FC, who defeated West Chester United 4-2 in their quarterfinal match back on April 7, they will be aiming for their second straight Open Cup berth, and the fourth in the last seven years.

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