Buena Park FC

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 3: 10-man Santa Ana Winds rally for OT win

November 21, 2018 by Omar Avalos

Santa Ana Winds FC have a tendency to complicate games for themselves, and on Nov. 17 in Open Cup qualifying vs Buena Park FC (BPFC), the same was true. Winds FC came back to win in extra time by a score of 3-2, after going down to 10 men near the end of the first half due to a foolish elbow by Carlos Torres that struck a BPFC player’s face. Overall, three unanswered goals, with two big ones in overtime by Max Rico and Xavier Corona, was the story of the night for Winds FC.

Buena Park had the numeric advantage for the majority of the match, it was actually Santa Ana that controlled most of the possession. However, the Winds struggled to score goals in regulation.

After Buena Park’s Nate DeRosa took advantage of a defensive miscue and dribbled 40 yards to beat the goalkeeper in the 13th minute, the Winds needed help to find an equalizer. In the 31st minute, Santa Ana gained possession near the Buena Park endline, by the corner flag. The ball was played across the face of the goal and in an attempt to clear the ball, a Buena Park defender put it into his own goal to tie the game.

“We got over confident,” said Corona about Buena Park’s opening goal. “We have a good team and we needed to be scored on to wake us up. Sometimes you need to be down to start playing better.”

Despite playing down a man the majority of regulation, the Winds still had more shots, corner kicks and possession than the visiting Buena Park.

“Coach told us to remain calm at halftime,” said Rico. “We had to play different positions. We played well with 10 men, but that’s the kind of soccer we play.”

Santa Ana turned the tables in the first minute of overtime, on a left-footed blast by defender Max Rico, after a poor clearance by a BPFC defender landed at Rico’s feet in midfield. Minutes later, Xavier Corona almost single-handedly scored in the 107th, darting up in attack from the deep midfield and passing to a player in space who found him in return. Corona then created space for himself on that returned pass and blasted a right-footed shot away from the keeper to seal the three answered goal comeback.

Two golazos in overtime by Max Rico and Xavier Corona got us the win in #USOC2019 qualifying. Watch Max Rico (SAN) score this goal on Santa Ana Winds vs Buena Park FC on @mycujoo https://t.co/k5PRobt52R

— Santa Ana Winds FC (@Winds_FC) November 18, 2018

Most of Buena Park’s scoring opportunities came on long vertical counter attacks, where they occasionally found their striker on the right flank facing Winds FC one-on-one. BPFC did not stray, nor adjust, from this game plan though they had the man advantage. Both teams were left with 10 men after BPFC’s Mustafa Juma was red carded in the 93rd minute. BPFC would add a late goal through Grant Carlson but they were unable to find an equalizer in the final seven minutes of the match.

With the win, Santa Ana advances to the Fourth Round but it is unclear, as of now, whether a Fourth Round, which is tentatively scheduled for March of 2019, will take place. Every professional team in the United States is automatically entered into the US Open Cup, and with the addition of an entirely new professional league with USL League One (Div. 3), and a number of expansion teams in the USL Championship (Div. 2), the format of next year’s tournament has yet to be finalized. Without a finalized format, it’s unclear how many Open Division teams (National Premier Soccer League, USL League Two — formerly Premier Development League — , and all of the Open Division Local teams) will be granted entry into the competition. It’s possible that the Winds will have to play a Fourth Round qualifying match, but they won’t find out until January.

“The first half was mostly mental mistakes on our part,” said Winds head coach José López about his team’s performance. “So motivation was the answer for us, letting them know what was at stake in this game, reminding them of who we are, and what our club’s goals are was our halftime strategy. After that, everything we worked on in practice and in games during the season came out and we pulled through.”

2018 US Open Cup qualifying: LA Wolves dominate Buena Park FC to reach third straight Open Cup

November 21, 2017 by Paul Blackman

Players from the LA Wolves FC and Buena Park FC battle for the ball in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Tmesis FC

The Los Angeles Wolves punched their ticket a third straight Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a dominant 4-0 victory over Buena Park FC at Championship Stadium, at Great Park in Irvine, Calif.

Though Buena Park put up a spirited effort toward the end of the game, the damage had been done. The Wolves’ possession game was uncontested by the Buena Park forwards early on. The Wolves’ center back pair of Carlos Figueroa and Mason Klerks was free to distribute the ball to the midfield where Buena Park were left wanting in their efforts to maintain possession. The Wolves fired on all cylinders from their wing backs Henry Escobar and Joel Ampofo to the speedy Sory Keita playing in defensive midfield position.

Far and away, the most dynamic player in attack was midfielder German Alfaro who reveled in the time and the space the Buena Park midfielders gave, keeping their distance from him, fearing a close contest would result in him playing the ball around them.

All four Wolves goals were scored in open play. Cesar Rivera started off with a pair of goals. He struck first in the 12th minute off of a Dimitry Zhuravlev assist and again in the 21st minute after an errant parry from Buena Park keeper David Padilla, giving the Wolves a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Players from the LA Wolves FC and Buena Park FC go up for a header in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Tmesis FC

Alfaro came out fast in the second half, engineering a breakaway before receiving a sideways assist and beating the keeper. Zhuravlev scored their last in the 89th minute.

The Wolves’ shutout was nearly spoiled in the 82nd minute when Buena Park’s Nathan Darosa was fouled in the penalty area. A Grant Carlson penalty kick was turned away by Wolves goalkeeper Cesar Ortega who leaped to his right with arms outstretched. He parried the ball out of danger to maintain the clean sheet.

Throughout the match, Buena Park’s passing was disjointed, their forwards never quite fast enough to pursue a long ball option. Their attacking runs usually consisted of midfielder Darosa running into any space on the field which was covered effectively by the Wolves’ back four, preventing one-on-ones with Ortega.

Buena Park coach Arturo Gutierrez was not disappointed with his team’s performance, saying he was glad to have made it to the third round having beaten UPSL’s Santa Clarita Storm in the previous round.

For the Wolves, however, it was another day at the office. The organization can rightly be proud that they consistently perform well, and the players have nothing but time to hone their game and make another positive impression when the First Round of the Cup resumes next spring. The Wolves have reached the Third Round in each of the last two years and will hope to take the next step.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying – Win & You’re In
Buena Park FC 0:4 LA Wolves

Scoring Summary
Cesar Rivera – 12th min.
Cesar Rivera – 21st min.
German Alfaro – Early 2nd half
Dimitry Zhuravlev – 89th min.

Shots
BPFC 6:9 LA

Booking Summary
BPFC: Valdemar Vera 67th min.
BPFC: Scott Locken 75th min.
BPFC: Jesse Funes 77th min.

Referee: Osvaldo Delgado
Assistant Referees: Alex Luttman, Maria Magana.
Fourth Official: David Ramirez

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Justin Funes hat trick leads Buena Park FC past Santa Clarita Storm

October 26, 2017 by Omar Avalos

Buena Park FC poses for a team photo ahead of their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against the Santa Clarita Storm. Photo: Buena Park FC

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

The sun pelted all in attendance during the Buena Park FC’s Second Round 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying match against FC Santa Clarita on Sunday, Oct. 22. It was 94 degrees at kickoff at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calif. in what turned out to be a rugged, scrappy match for both sides. But it was the home side Buena Park FC of the So Cal Premier League that defended their rugged, natural grass pitch most effectively, grinding out a 3-1 win over the UPSL side.

The hero for Buena Park was Justin Funes who scored all three goals for the home side to send the club into the final round of qualifying for the first time. This is a nice redemption for a club that in the pervious two qualifying tournaments crashed out in the opening round in both years. Both of those games were played on their same home field (JFK High School), both to the same opponent (Outbreak SC), and both with one-sided scorelines (5-1, 5-0).

Now, after back-to-back home wins in this year’s competition, BPFC are one win away from punching their ticket to the US Open Cup.

Buena Park got on the board in the 19th minute when Grant Carlson snuck behind the backline on a throw-in. Carlson collected the ball and sent in a cross that was redirected by Funes into the back of the net. About 10 minutes later the game was tied thanks to an individualistic effort by FCSC midfielder Brandon Cando. It would be all the UPSL side would get given the scrappy Buena Park defense that fought off every FCSC onslaught, header and breakaway. BPFC was absolutely resolute in their box.

Buena Park went up 2-1 in the 40th minute when Scotty Locken split the defense and fed the ball to Funes who put the ball between the keeper’s legs for his second goal. FCSC didn’t quit before the halftime break as they battled back to hit the post before time expired.

Just like his first two goals, Funes completed his hat trick thanks to some good ball movement from his teammates. Jonathan Rojas beat a pair of defenders on the right wing and crossed the ball to Nathan Da Rosa who trapped the ball and fed Funes, who hit a one-timer with his left foot to beat the keeper in the 62nd minute.

FCSC continued to fight to get back in the game. The Storm missed two really clear chances including a late missed penalty kick and a direct shot on goal. FCSC was also denied a free kick goal on a great, outstretched stop by Buena Park goalkeeper David Padilla, late in the game.

Buena Park FC weathered all the elements thrown at them, resolutely, from the pelting heat, a rugged pitch and a battling opponent to emerge victorious and move on to the Third Round of 2018 US Open Cup qualifying.