AV ALTA FC

2026 US Open Cup Round 1: Former MLS player leads Valley 559 to upset win in debut

March 19, 2026 by Colby Bangasser

Players from AV ALTA FC (green) and Valley 559 FC collide during their First Round match in the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: AV ALTA FC

Valley 559 FC pulled off a 1-0 upset against AV ALTA FC on Wednesday night at Lancaster Municipal Stadium to advance to the second round of the US Open Cup in their tournament debut. The teams went back and forth in the first half, looking for that opening goal. Left back Alfredo Ortiz failed to open the scoring for AV ALTA from the penalty spot, which proved fatal in the end. Valley 559 Forward Quincy Amarikwa finally broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a diving header at the back post. Valley 559 held onto the lead for the rest of the game, securing their first-ever win in their first-ever appearance in the US Open Cup.

When it comes to cupsets, AV ALTA FC is no stranger. In their first US Open Cup appearance last year, the Lancaster side notably defeated Orange County SC to advance to the round of 32.

From kickoff, Valley 559 got to business, forcing mistakes from AV ALTA, winning duels, and nearly opening up the scoring. In the 12th minute, Forward Roberto Ordonez saw his header met with a diving save by AV ALTA Goalkeeper Denzil Smith. AV ALTA seemed to wake up, with Forward Godwin Antwi putting one just over the goal a minute later.

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Roberto Ordonez tried his luck from a long-range free kick in the 27th minute. Denzil Smith again stopped his left-footed effort to keep the game scoreless.

For a moment, it seemed the tides were going to turn in favor of AV ALTA. In the 31st minute, Valley 559 Center-Back Aaron Huerta fouled right-back Nick Relerford in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Alfredo Ortiz stepped up to take it for the home side. Ortiz’s left-footed strike hit the upright, letting the visitors off the hook.

Valley 559 remained strong and pushed for the opening goal. In the 36th minute, Midfielder José Carrera-Garcia set up Forward Jose Serrano on the left side of AV ALTA’s box. Serrano struck it high with his left foot, but again Denzil Smith was equal to it.

With time winding down in the first half, AV ALTA charged ahead. In the 43rd minute, Nick Relerford struck one from the top of the box, aiming for the upper right corner. Goalkeeper Mark Gamez got a hand to it to keep Valley 559 in the game.

AV ALTA knew that the semi-pro Valley 559 side was not going to let them walk all over them. By the start of the second half, AV ALTA looked more composed. Just four minutes in, Nick Relerford nearly broke the deadlock from mere yards away, only to be denied by the boot of Mark Gamez. Gamez again was called into action in the 54th minute, denying AV ALTA Midfielder Cesar Bahena’s effort from inside the 18.

Whatever AV ALTA threw forward, Valley 559 threw right back at them. In the 62nd minute, Valley 559 Midfielder Jose Tovar struck one low and hard for the bottom right corner. Denzil Smith parried it away into the path of Jose Serrano. Serrano’s effort deflected out for a corner kick.

With both teams going back and forth, the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute by Valley 559. The ball was flicked on to Forward Michael Gonzalez, who’d only just been subbed on. Gonzalez teased the AV defense before crossing to the back post. Running in and completely unmarked was Forward Quincy Amarikwa. Amarikwa made a diving header to give Valley 559 the lead. A former professional soccer player himself, Amarikwa scored his 4th career goal in the US Open Cup.

AV ALTA were now on the receiving end of a cupset. As the game went on, the home side kept asking questions and Valley 559 were answering them. In the 85th minute, AV Alta’s Steven Ramos made a run into the box, with a chance to tie the game. That’s when Valley 559 Center Back Alex Culwell made a last-ditch tackle to block Ramos’ shot.

AV ALTA’s closest chance to tie the match up came in the first minute of stoppage time. Right-Back Christian Ortiz ran onto a long ball, squaring it to Forward Renden Thomas. With the goalkeeper out of position, Thomas hit it on his left foot. Valley 559 Center-Back Aaron Huerta stuck out a leg and got just enough on it to block a sure goal.

With just 4 more minutes left in added time, AV ALTA just could not break through the Valley 559 defense. The referee blew his whistle, and Valley 559 emerged victorious.

Valley 559 head coach Milton Blanco commented that this was the team’s first win in their first US Open Cup match.

“We have a good group. We have a lot of guys that have played in the Open Cup before, but as a team, this is our first time. So we had a lot of experience, myself included… so I was confident in the group.”

Despite being a semi-pro team going against a professional team, Milton was undeterred.

“We all bleed the same, we all do the same rondos, the same passing drills, the same shooting drills,” he remarked. “I think if anything, it’s more nerve-wracking for them because they have more to lose than us. And I told them, go in there, have fun… fight for each other, sacrifice… and they did that today, and I’m very happy for them.”

Valley 559 truly did fight for each other tonight in Lancaster. With their first Open Cup victory secured, they’ll head back to Fresno with momentum for Round 2.

2025 US Open Cup Round 4: FC Dallas eliminate USOC debutants AV ALTA FC

May 8, 2025 by Adam Uthe

FC Dallas players celebrate after scoring a goal against AV ALTA FC in the Fourth Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Dallas

FC Dallas overcame a brief first half scare on the way to a comfortable 3-1 win over US Open Cup debutantes AV ALTA FC in Round 4 on Wednesday.

Dallas needed just three minutes to get on the scoreboard, but the highlight of the night came when goalkeeper Michael Collodi was caught off his line in the 16th minute and conceded a somewhat embarrassing chip from midfield. His teammates ultimately came through for him though, with goals from Kaick and Bernard Kamungo helping the home side take care of business and advance to the Round of 16.

The loss ends an impressive inaugural Open Cup run for AV ALTA, who are playing in their first full season as members of USL League One. The southern California side notched three wins — including a dramatic penalty shootout victory over USL Championship side Orange County SC — before ultimately bowing out to hosts FC Dallas, who were looking to right the ship after a brutal 5-0 loss to San Diego FC in MLS play over the weekend.

Dallas came out firing from the start and just three minutes in, Shaq Moore found himself in space on the right and drove a low cross into the box, where Lucho Acosta was marked but still waiting to convert for the goal. Alta responded immediately with a shot on goal from Osvaldo Lay that Collodi nearly leaked into his own net at the near post.

Things did not get much better for Collodi though.

In the 16th minute, Lay pounced on a poor Dallas pass inside his own half near midfield and caught Collodi out with a brilliant long range chip that neither player is likely to forget anytime soon, albeit for very different reasons. The two sides traded possession for the rest of the half and it looked like there would be a stalemate at the break until the 43rd minute. Tsiki Ntsabeleng played a deadly through ball into the box from the left side and Kaick was able to get on the end of it and power it through Alta keeper Denzil Smith’s outstretched hand to give the home side a 2-1 lead going into halftime. The goal was Kaick’s first in an FC Dallas uniform.

The second half remained fairly even, with Alta creating several dangerous chances from set pieces to keep themselves in the game. In the 72nd minute, Kamungo finished off a cross from second-half substitute Show and the hosts went on to wear down the lower division side and pick up some momentum heading into an MLS match with Real Salt Lake on Saturday. The goal was Kamungo’s first — in any competition — since October 21, 2023.

Dallas head coach Eric Quill made it clear that he has high expectations for his team in this year’s tournament.

“It’s not like league play where you get to make mistakes and you’ve got a game the next week,” he said. “You get punished in this format. If you lose, you’re out, right? So you have to heighten the concentration, mentality, and effort. All that’s got to be there and you can’t take plays off.”

Next up, FC Dallas will travel to New Jersey to face New York Red Bulls in the Round of 16 later this month.

2025 US Open Cup Round 3: AV ALTA FC earns PK win over Orange County in SoCal classic

April 16, 2025 by Donald Johnson

Alassane Maboumou of AV ALTA FC salutes the crowd at his club match against the Oakland Roots in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: AV ALTA FC

The match between AV ALTA FC and Orange County SC became an instant classic with drama throughout Tuesday night’s Third Round match in the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

After overcoming an early Orange County goal and taking the lead, AV ALTA saw the visitors score an 83rd minute equalizer to send the match into extra time tied at 2-2. The match would be decided by a penalty kick shootout where AV ALTA would bring Denzil Smith off the bench to replace starting goalkeeper Carlos Avilez. The gamble paid off as Smith made a save as the USL League One side advanced to the Fourth Round by the score of 4-2.

In the 13th minute, Orange County opened the scoring from a corner kick with a quick pass back to Ousmane Sylla who dribbled down the end line and drilled the ball above goalkeeper Carlos Avilez and into the roof of the net.

At the 25-minute mark, right back Miguel Pajaro slid and was hit in the head, which sidelined him. He would return to the match four minutes later with his head taped up.

In the second half, AV ALTA started asking questions of the OC defense, attacking the right side of the pitch. After a few corners the home team was able to get on the board from a header from Luca Mastrantonio in the 67th minute. The ball was curled in by Walmere Martinez and met the head of Mastrantonino inside the six-yard-box.

A few minutes later, ,AV ALTA would complete the comeback with a go-ahead goal from Emmanuel Alaribe. With the home crowd behind them, AV ALTA would find themselves on a run into the Orange County box. Mastrantonio would center the ball to Alaribe who managed to get a foot to the ball after it was deflected by a defender and he beat the keeper in the 75th minute.

Just as AV ALTA appeared to be in control of the game, OCSC snatched it back with the tying goal in the 83rd minute. Ousmane Sylla delivered a ball to the head of Mouhamadou War who tied the game. After a stalemate in extra time, the game will be decided in penalties.

AV ALTA would make the rare goalkeeper change just before the end of extra time but it wouldn’t pay off until the third round. After both teams scored their first two attempts, Orange County’s Kyle Scott had his attempt blocked by the subsitute goalkeeper, which brought the crowd to a frenzy. Sebastian Cruz would convert to put the home team up 3-2 and he signaled to the crowd to calm down. Moments later, Nico Benalcázar would send his attempt over the top right of the goal to give AV ALTA FC to seal the game with another goal. The captain, Miguel Pajaro, with his head still taped, calmly went to the spot and sunk the final penalty to send AV ALTA to the Fourth Round in the club’s inaugural Open Cup run.

After the game, AV ALTA FC head coach Brian Kleiban said his team is building to try to get better.

“Every game, being down we reacted and find ways to get the win,” said Kleiban, who was thankful to the strong fan support and the community in the Antelope Valley. “We are very excited to be playing MLS teams for this Cup.”

All 16 eligible teams from Major League Soccer will enter tournament next round. The draw for Round 4 is scheduled to take place on Thursday.

It was the third time advancing for the USL League One side with all three of those games being played at home in front of a vocal crowd at Lancaster Memorial Stadium in Lancaster, Calif.

“Keeping the momentum going at home with the fan support drives us to win,” said AV ALTA FC goalkeeper Carlos Avilez. “It definitely helped in this game.”

2025 US Open Cup Round 2: AV ALTA FC last minute OT goal eliminates LAFC 2

April 2, 2025 by Connor Bunnell

Players from AV ALTA FC celebrate with their fans after defeating LAFC2 2-1 after extra time in the Second Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: AV ALTA FC

In a Southern California showdown as dramatic as it was physical, USL League One side AV ALTA FC bested MLS NEXT Pro’s Los Angeles FC 2, 2-1, in extra time.

Tuesday night’s final showdown pitted two third-division sides from rival leagues against each other on a chilly night at Lancaster Municipal Stadium, and LAFC 2 got the better jump out of the starting gate. While neither team scored in the opening 45, los Halconcitos led practically every other metric in that stretch, out-possessing and out-shooting the Antelope Valley hosts. However, in a taste of things to come, LA also had to make an extremely early injury sub when right back Josh Santiago went down in just the ninth minute of play.

After a halftime stadium light show set to the sweet sounds of Steve Aoki and Maná, the visitors’ health woes continued into the second half, starting with center back Kenny Nielsen. Arguably LA’s best player up to that point, his injury sub made it two starting defenders down in 55 minutes. All the while, the attack kept clicking at the other end of the pitch, and it would soon finally add up to something major. In the 64th minute, winger Sebastian Nava made a nice pass to midfielder DeCarlo Guerra, who smashed it home with a right-footed strike to give Los Angeles the all-important lead.

With LA’s defense getting more crucial by the minute, disaster struck their back line once again. ALTA striker Emmanuel Alaribe had already shown a willingness to go for Puskas nominees, including an overhead kick that sailed high right before Guerra’s goal. However, in a chaotic 70th-minute scramble right in front of the LAFC 2 net, Alaribe’s bicycle kick missed the ball entirely and instead got all of Christian Díaz’s head. It wasn’t malicious, but it had to be a yellow card, and while the concussion sub effectively gave the visitors bonus swaps in the long run, it came at the cost of not having either of their starting center backs available for the final stretch.

That made things all the easier for ALTA, who’d played a significantly more animated and effective game since returning from halftime, but LA goalie Cabral Carter had risen just as eagerly to this challenge, looking unbeatable in open play. It would take some combination of smart play and dumb luck to get past him, and in the 80th minute, that exact mix arrived. In a post-free kick storm of chaos, Emmanuel Alaribe found his redemption, taking a bounce from Osvaldo Lay and tapping it in for the equalizer. With neither side satisfied, they both kept throwing haymakers in an attempt to end this in regulation, but no one found their mark — and as is seemingly tradition in this tournament, the last match of the day went to extra time.

Surprisingly little action ensued in the first bonus half. The biggest highlight was when ALTA substitute Joaquin Acuña attempted a diving header and wound up headbutting the post instead. Fortunately, he was unhurt, and his team remained the less battered of the two, but despite possessing the ball for 68% of that 15-minute stretch, the hosts did little with it.

After a bizarre miscommunication at the start of extra time’s second half effectively let LAFC 2 steal the kickoff, the final 15 proved a more dramatic affair, with the two sides each taking swings at glory. In a microcosm of the earlier regulation, los Halconcitos’ strong start faded into more and more ALTA momentum, but as penalties loomed, the hosts appeared to take a massive blow. In the 119th minute, ALTA manager Brian Kleiban said something to a referee that was apparently so offensive it merited a red card, a decision the home crowd loudly disapproved of.

However, this would prove to mean little. As the final seconds ticked down, ALTA had another corner on their hands. Though Carter made the initial save, Jimmie Villalobos grabbed the rebound, and with a left-footed blast at point-blank range, the ALTA substitute completed the comeback for his side, then took a second yellow for taking off his shirt and had to leave with his manager. Being short handed wasn’t a problem, though, as AV thwarted LA’s last gasps to take the victory.

With this win, AV ALTA are now 2-0-0 all-time in the Open Cup. They continue to sit in the strange position of being undefeated in the tournament where they debuted, but winless everywhere else. With USL-1 matches against Westchester SC and Chattanooga Red Wolves on the horizon, ALTA will hope to shake that status before the Third Round, which is set for April 15 and 16.

2025 US Open Cup Round 1: AV ALTA FC beat Ventura County Fusion in club’s inaugural match

March 20, 2025 by Spencer Johnson

Sebastian Cruz of AV ALTA FC fires a shot against Ventura County FC in the First Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: AV ALTA FC

It was a frigid night of firsts for AV ALTA FC as they defeated Ventura County Fusion FC 3-1 Tuesday night in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Fans were bouncing, excited to see AV ALTA in the newly remodeled Lancaster Municipal Stadium. The first goal in club history came from Jerry Desundes, who recorded a brace. AV ALTA’s first US Open Cup saw them win 62% possession and pour on 19 shots, 10 of which were on target.

From the beginning, AV ALTA sought to retain possession through simple and effective passing. After probing the Ventura County defense, a breakthrough came in the 28^th minute after physical hold up play by Joaquin Acuna allowed Desundes to find some space and smash the ball in the back of the net.

Ventura County equalized after a long ball was sent to a streaking Buba Fofanah behind AV ALTA’s defense in the 42^nd minute. The celebrations were halted before half time when AV ALTA was awarded a penalty in the third minute of stoppage time after a poor tackle from Dorian Drucks. Desundes’ slow approach led to a powerful penalty shot which put AV ALTA up going into half time.

The second half continued to focus on effective passes and putting pressure on the defense. It paid off early in the second half as c dashed towards goal and beat Drucks to make it 3-1.

A penalty was awarded in the 75th minute after Jerry Desundes was taken down in the box. As Desundes stepped to the spot the crowd chanted “Jerry, Jerry” a la the Jerry Springer show. This time, Drucks stretched to save the penalty. ALTA ensured Ventura County had little time on the ball for the rest of the match, earning the club a 3-1 win, the first in club history

After the match, Desundes said the team wanted to give the supporters a good showing after the last match.

“Losing the first match made us work harder as a team. We wanted to give the fans things to cheer for”.