City Soccer FC

2024 US Open Cup Qualifying Final Round: Miami United, “El Equipo Del Pueblo”, back in USOC after win

November 22, 2023 by James Knowles

In the stands in Hialeah, Florida on Sunday, a banner read “EL EQUIPO DEL PUEBLO” (The People’s Team).

No doubt the host Miami United FC faithful enjoyed the performance from their team as fans, family, and friends will now get to watch Miami play in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Proper — and they’ll likely be hoping for another inspired performance from their main man, Robertino Insua. He netted a brace for the home side in a 3-1 win over visiting City Soccer FC.

It was Miami’s 10th straight qualifying win dating back to 2020. United qualified in 2020 (3 wins) but the US Open Cup was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After not entering in 2022 (the club’s NPSL side qualified instead), Miami returned for the 2023 competition and won four games to qualify. Adding the three wins from this year, that gives them 10 straight wins, which is the longest winning streak of the competition’s short history, which began in 2015. Combined with Miami United’s NPSL club, the 2024 US Open Cup will mark the sixth time the club will participate in the United States’ national championship (7th time that they qualified, if you include 2020). It is also the team’s fourth straight qualification to the tournament.

“This is certainly will be the most important Open Cup run given how football has grown, especially in South Florida,” said Miami United CEO Roberto Sacca. “We couldn’t miss the 2024 edition of the US Open Cup as we will try to do our best as the underdog and our dream is to get to play against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF.”

CLINCHED !!! ???????????? https://t.co/6czqG9mGTE

— MIAMI UNITED F.C. (@miamiunitedfc) November 20, 2023

The match between the two United States Soccer League (USSL) rivals started out with Miami controlling much of the possession. Although that didn’t lead to many chances right off the bat, a shot from just past the center circle highlighted the first 10 minutes. Miami United did not maintain its stranglehold on possession for the rest of the first half but they would be the ones to break the deadlock.

In the 26th minute, a mistake at the back led to City Soccer conceding first. A failed clearance led to a deflection which put United’s Insua in on goal. He tucked it past the opposing goalkeeper, close to the near post.

In the 39th minute, Miami United had another good chance to score when a pass found an open man at the edge of the City box. The visitors’ goalkeeper managed to get a strong hand on it and pushed that shot wide. A third good attempt was saved by a defender helping his keeper out when United got a free shot in the 42nd. The tide of the first half was certainly flowing one way.

The second half started with controversy as City Soccer’s Juan Basco received his marching orders following an accumulation of yellow cards. Despite going down a man, City Soccer showed they would not go quietly. Beside two good chances off of corner kicks in the 68th and 72nd minutes, they held firm. Unfortunately, those would prove to be the most dangerous opportunities. Miami United found another breakthrough in the 73rd minute through Josduard Serrano following the set piece to give themselves a 2-0 cushion.

#USOC2024 | @opencup

@miamiunitedfc ⬇️ v. @citysoccer_fc ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kRHx4fsFdZ

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) November 19, 2023

Miami took another step toward putting the game to bed in the 77th minute off yet another set piece. This time, directly from a free kick, Insua stepped up to put an exclamation point on the game. City Soccer’s shot stopper and his wall stood no chance in the face of Insua’s precision.

“Robertino is our Lionel Messi, our “DIEZ”, the undisputed leader of a fantastic group,” said Sacca. “Robertino comes from a family with a football DNA, his brother also plays in the Argentine Serie A and his dad Ruben Dario Insua is the current coach of San Lorenzo.”

According to Sacca, Insua grew up in the San Lorenzo de Almagro and subsequently made his debut in professional football in Ecuador with Liga de Portoviejo and Guayaquil City before arriving in the States with Miami United where he scored 67 goals (16 in the US Open Cup play and 51 goals since Nov. of 2021.). During this competition Insua has scored nine goals in three matches.

City showed a “Never Say Die” attitude throughout the whole game. In the 90th minute it was Miami United’s turn to attempt a clearance which would land in their own net as the ball from a Miami defender smacked into a City Soccer player’s chest and went into the net. The lone goal would be all the visitors had to show for their efforts, however.

“I feel that a great group is being created thanks to the work of the new coach Mr. Claudio Frean,” said Sacca. “Our goal is to try to repeat our magic run from the 2018 US Open Cup where we reached the 4th round and faced Orlando City SC.”

FULL MATCH

2022 US Open Cup Round 1: Late frenzy sees Miami United edge City Soccer FC

March 24, 2022 by Christian Gomez

The Miami United Under-23s huddle up before their 2020 US Open Cup qualifying match against Atletico Miami CF. Photo: Miami United FC

Perfect weather conditions greeted the teams and spectators at Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah, Fla., for this first-round match between host Miami United FC and the new boys on the block, City Soccer FC from the National Soccer League.

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While the first 79 minutes weren’t short of action, they were short of goals. Not so in the final 11 minutes, as the floodgates opened and the teams combined for four goals in quick succession. When the final whistle blew, Miami United FC had ended City Soccer FC’s Lamar Hunt US Open debut with a 3-1 victory.

Miami United looked the most dangerous early on. They fashioned two good opportunities, the first on Robertino Insua’s free kick in the 6th minute and the second on Ignacio Cubeddu’s run into the box in the 31st, but both chances were stopped by City Soccer FC’s defense. Both goalkeepers had their moments to shine, too, with Robinson Gabriel Barrios of City Soccer FC and Miami United’s Bryant Gammiero making key saves to keep the match 0-0 into halftime.

In the second half, with no goals on the scoreboard and time winding down, extra time was looking like a very real possibility.

But Miami United FC finally drew first blood in the 79th minute, as the NPSL side took the lead on a beautiful free kick by Insua. Just two minutes later, Oscar Escobar Reyes responded for City Soccer FC from inside the box and it was level again at 1-1.

That tie lasted just a minute, as Lucas Espindola of Miami United broke the deadlock in somewhat controversial fashion. There were appeals of a handball from City Soccer FC and upon watching video replay, Insua indeed made contact with the ball with his arm before the goal. However, with no video assistant review in the US Open Cup, the goal stood.

The final blow was dealt in stoppage time when Miami United was awarded a penalty, which Espindola dispatched for his second goal of the night to secure his team’s advancement to the second round — they’ll face USL Championship side Miami FC on April 6 at Florida International University Stadium in Miami.

Espindola was our man of the match after his two-goal performance. “Happy to have been the difference-maker tonight,” he said with a sly grin. “The game was very close, and sometimes luck has to be on your side in these tournaments.”

While Miami FC has started their league season — they will have played four USL Championship matches by the time of the second-round US Open Cup game — Miami United’s NPSL South Region Sunshine Conference schedule hasn’t even been announced yet.

“It was noticeable that we aren’t in season form yet,” Espindola said. “We have two weeks to work on ourselves and be prepared for the next round.”

2022 Meet the Underdogs: City Soccer FC evolves from indoor facility, finds success outdoors

March 22, 2022 by Austin David

City Soccer 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Meet the Underdogs — City Soccer FC players celebrate during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

Wednesday will mark a big day in the 12-year history of City Soccer FC. What started as an indoor facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. has evolved into an outdoor team that has cultivated a soccer community for local players to showcase their talents. Now, those talents will be on the national stage as CSFC prepare to face Miami United in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

For founder and owner Boris Jofre, this has been a long time in the making. In 2010, the Chilean native felt a soccer void in South Florida that needed to be filled, so he invested in an indoor facility.

“The community needed something different with indoor fields,” said Jofre. “For 20 years or more since I got to this country I played indoor, I played friends and we’d get kicked out of parks and indoor places, so I said to myself ‘I got to put the funds together’, and I ended up opening this facility.”

The 75,000 square foot facility has a restaurant, full-service bar and hosts a variety of parties and events throughout the year. That was just the beginning for Jofre and City Soccer.

With the indoor program booming, the community started to take notice. Players from the local area and nearby Division II school Palm Beach Atlantic University started to join leagues and play their offseason indoors. In 2013, Andres Colman was added to the City Soccer marketing team, which led to the creation of a City Soccer Select team. Those local players became staples for the early days of competitions in the South Florida area.

In 2016, the team was entered into a competition called the Football Five World Cup, a five-a-side indoor tournament played across the world, with teams going through qualifying to represent their nations on world’s stage. Though they were eliminated their first year, 2017 saw the side beat all their national competition to win the right to represent the US in Beijing, China.

Not only did City Soccer play up to the competition, but they won the whole thing, becoming the five-a-side champions of the world.

The goalkeeper of that 2017 City Soccer team, Fernando Cortes, now plays for the outdoor team that will take the field on Wednesday night in the Open Cup. Having started with the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic, the 5’8” goalkeeper has stayed with City Soccer through it all.

“The staff, the organization, the one thing that they let us know is we’re just not a team, we’re a family,” Cortes said, “With City Soccer FC, no matter who’s been through, who’s coming, who’s going, City soccer is always gonna be remembered as a family group.”

That core mentality has kept players coming back, even after turning pro or playing elsewhere. The camaraderie and togetherness that exudes from the top-down has led to success both on and off the pitch.

While the indoor team continued to find success in international tournaments, the outdoor team started to be born. In 2016, the 11v11 team was founded, playing in local leagues around the Palm Beach area. Up until 2019, they dominated those local leagues, but there were still bigger aspirations. So, in January of 2020, City Soccer FC joined the UPSL, the step forward to their goals.

Over the next year and a half, the City Soccer FC team dominated both UPSL and the NSL’s Florida divisions, leading them to where they are now, starting their journey as an amateur team in the US Open Cup.

With this current iteration of the team, there are three players to watch out for this Wednesday: Auner Escobar, who plays on the right wing, is a technical player that loves going 1-v-1 against defenders, while the team’s striker Ricardo Tapia is a big, strong player up top that gets in good positions. The captain, Juan Vasco, is the team’s general in the midfield, winning the ball, playing quickly, and has a presence in the midfield that helps the team overall.

“We’re at this level now and it’s a huge stage for us,” Jofre said, “We’re really excited about it. And now, I hope we have a good result after Wednesday. I think it’s it’s a very important game and anything could happen, but we’re definitely prepared for it.”

City Soccer FC will travel just an hour south to Ted Hendricks Park in Hialeah, this Wednesday for their match against the NPSL’s Miami United FC. The winner will play on the road against Miami FC (USL Championship) in Round 2. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: City Soccer qualify with shutout of Florida Soccer Soldiers

December 26, 2021 by Michael Battista

City Soccer FC stepped up and cruised to a 4-0 win on Saturday night against Florida Soccer Soldiers in a Fourth Round “Win & You’re In” qualifier. The club, founded in 2011, can celebrate it’s ten year anniversary knowing it will compete in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament beginning next March.

“Our weekend result wasn’t a surprise, it was the ultimate reward for the hard work put in by players, coaches and owners, throughout the whole year,” City co-owner Andres Colman told TheCup.us. “A great year, for sure, for the organization. We’ve made club history this past weekend, getting our name out there. We will keep working hard, stay humble and prepare for what’s next, this is only the beginning.”

City Soccer FC goalkeeper Fernando Cortes Jr. makes a save during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

Coming into the match City knew their opponent well. Both teams compete in the United Premier Soccer League’s (UPSL) Southeast Conference Florida South Division (Premier Division). The two sides tied in their first-ever league meeting last fall, 2-2, during the Fall 2020 season. However, this past Spring may have been an indicator of things to come. City swept the winless Soldiers with two clean sheets, 2-0 and 3-0, en route to a loss in the first round of the division playoffs.

(Note: City Soccer FC entered US Open Cup Qualifying as a member of the National Soccer League, which it also currently fields a team in)

In Saturday’s match, the two teams followed a similar script. The first half looked competitive with the Soldiers’ offense producing chances but City looked in control. The breaking point came in the 32nd minute when a City throw-in was slightly chipped into Florida’s box. Two defenders, not realizing either how far away the goalkeeper was, or how close the attackers were, put their hands up and encircled the ball. The advancing keeper was out of place allowing a City player to break in from behind. His kick went right toward the keeper, who faintly tried to clear it but landed the ball at Kevin Velasquez’s feet on the right side of the box. The City player slammed the ball into the back of the net to put his team up, 1-0.

The Soldiers’ best chances of the half came in it’s middle and final minutes. A run down the right side in the 26th minute set up a cross one-on-one with the City goalkeeper Fernando Cortes Jr. A fantastic save was the only thing keeping the home side from taking the lead. Then in the first minute of stoppage time, a long pass from the left side produced an extravagant back heel score that was called off by the linesman for offside.

The final 45 minutes were dominated by City Soccer. Ricardo Tapia scored twice in the first ten minutes of the half to give City a sizable cushion. The first came just over 60 seconds in when Auner Escobar set up the striker to double his team’s lead. Later on, in the 55th minute, after just failing to convert on a rebound off the keeper, Tapia essentially sealed the game. A long pass from Jesus Escobar from midfield gave Tapia space for a run on the right side of the box. He slotted a shot just to the keeper’s right, where the momentum pushed the ball into the goal.

City Soccer FC players celebrate during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

For their part, the Soldiers attempted to congest the midfield and pushed up players to try and get back into the game, possibly hoping to capitalize on the momentum from the nullified equalizer. However this left too much space open whenever a City player got through. That, in turn, allowed the visitors to score three goals in a 15 minute span while Florida struggled to make deep possessions into the opposite end.

City added a fourth goal a few minutes later in the 60th minute, when Escobar’s free kick from the right side, near the touchline, was headed down by defender Christopher Llorente before trickling into the back of the net. Llorente, a Cuban international in his third season with City, previously spent time with professional side Cienfuegos FC in his home country.

City will now await the First Round draw on Jan. 19, 2022 to see which Open Division team they face in the competition proper.

Florida Soccer Soldiers has been a regular in Open Cup qualifying the past few years. After finally making the tournament in 2019, the team made a run to the Third Round upsetting Miami FC (then defending National Premier Soccer League champions) and USL Championship side Charlotte Independence. Two members of that roster, Valentin Sabella and Bryant Martin Gammiero, went on to sign with Charlotte and Miami respectively.

The Florida Soccer Soldiers were the third UPSL team that City Soccer FC defeated to qualify for the 2022 US Open Cup. City began their qualifying run the Second Round where they edged Miami Sun FC, 3-2, and followed that up with a 7-2 win over International Soccer Association. By punching their ticket, CSFC join Orlando FC Wolves as the only two teams from the United States Specialty Sports Association’s National Soccer League to qualify for next year’s tournament.

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