Corinthians USA

2016 US Open Cup Round 2: San Antonio FC pulls away from Corinthians in first “Alamo Derby”

May 19, 2016 by Kyle Mahnke

San Antonio FC vs. Corinthians FC of San Antonio in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Antonio Morano | San Antonio FC

The first meaningful Alamo Derby was truly a battle from the start, as San Antonio FC defeated Corinthians FC, 3-1.

NPSL club Corinthians FC of San Antonio made their way across town to Toyota Field to take on USL club San Antonio FC. The two clubs have only ever met in a preseason friendly as this is SAFC’s first year in existence. Despite the overcast and “cold” (for Texas) weather, there was a good showing for both clubs. The fans in attendance were very vocal for their sides and kept the stadium loud all night.

The second round bout between the two clubs was the first in the 2016 U.S. Open Cup for both as Corinthians’ first round opponent, North Texas Rayados, was forced to forfeit due to not being active in a USSF league in the most recent season.

The scoring started quickly with San Antonio FC banking their first goal only 2 minutes into the match. Forward Jacuqes Francois, making his first start for SAFC, found the club’s leading scorer Jason Johnson inside the 18 yard box. San Antonio was full tempo for the first 30 minutes, constantly pressuring Corinthians inside the NPSL side’s 18. Corinthians weathered the storm though, holding SAFC to the one goal for the first half.

The second half opened with another quick goal, this time in favor of the away side. Callum Chapman-Page earned his own goal in the 47th. As play continued, the game remained physical and heated. SAFC took the lead again as Francois went box-to-box for his first goal with SAFC in the 70th minute. He bagged his 2nd in the 74th off a Milton Palacios assist. With the home team up by two goals, Corinthians wasn’t able to recover before the final whistle blew.

“All night, the team showed great effort again. And obviously we knew going into the game that this is a tournament that you have to win to survive, and that’s what we did,” SAFC head coach Darren Powell told the media after the victory.

When asked about his mentality going into the game, man of the match Francois replied, “To do what I do best, score goals for my team and for the fans.”

Having passed their cross-town opponent, San Antonio FC will now go on to face another amateur club in the Des Moines Menace in Iowa in the Third Round of the US Open Cup. SAFC would be wise to not overlook the Menace, as the PDL side has upset seven professional teams in their long history.

2016 US Open Cup qualifying: San Nicolas plays friendly despite forfeit win, loses Maykel Galindo to injury

October 31, 2015 by Dennis Pope

San Nicolas FC of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) may have earned a berth in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup open division qualifying tournament next month, but the Chino (Calif.)-based club will likely have to play without its best player for the foreseeable future.

Maykel Galindo, a former Cuban international and MLS stalwart with the now-defunct Chivas USA, was injured early in the first half in an exhibition game against Corinthians USA Academy on Saturday night.

“He’s been with us since he left MLS (and) he’s a very good, talented player,” San Nicolas head coach Juan Hernandez said. “He probably is going to be out for the next game.”

The clubs, scheduled to face off in a US Open Cup opening round qualifier at Rialto High School, played what amounted to a friendly after Corinthians – a first-time tournament entrant — failed to register enough players and were forced to forfeit.

“We only had 10 players register and only six players here tonight,” Corinthians representative Paolo Campos said. “The coach is registered but he’s injured, and we had three players go to Brazil in the last few weeks.”

Galindo took a knock on his right ankle and was substituted for in the 24th minute. His knock quickly swelled to a large lump on the outside of his ankle and he soon changed into street clothes, limping away from the field in the second half.

“We need to keep an eye on him and see if anything needs to be done to get back on the field,” Hernandez said.

San Nicholas moves on to play Real Sociedad inner on Nov. 22.

“We had four starters missing but the will be back for November,” Hernandez said. “We expect an even tougher game.”

Amilcar Lopez scored on a penalty in the 49th minute, and Christian Alvarado added another goal as San Nicolas led, 2-0, over Corinthians before the lights at Rialto High’s stadium shut off abruptly in the 82nd minute. The match was abandoned by the referee.

“We had great expectation for this game but the problems regard timing, registration, made this a difficult moment,” Corinthians coach Robert Almeida said through Campos, who was interpreting.

“Big frustration, big frustration,” Almeida said in English.

2014 US Open Cup qualifying: US Club Soccer’s all-California play-in tournament begins in March

February 13, 2014 by Evan Ream

US Club Soccer has announced the format of their qualification tournament for the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Two California leagues and an open collection of teams that registered will make up the single-elimination tournament.

The NorCal Premier League will be holding a play-in tournament that was open to any team interested in signing up, as long as they are a part of a US Soccer-affiliated league. The winner of that mini-tournament will join the NorCal Premier League single-elimination competition and face No. 6 seed Juventus SC Black 93 to begin play in Mid-March.

The participants and schedule for the play-in competition have yet to be announced.

The top five finishers from last year’s league play, with the exception of 2013 champion Sonoma County Sol who rejoined the NPSL, will make up the remainder of the competition. No. 3 seed Vacaville United Elite will play the winner of the mini-tournament and Juventus SC Black 93, while 4-seed Oakland Ambassadors FC will take on No. 5 San Ramon Soccer Azuri.

Waiting in the semifinals are the two teams that received byes to the final four, DV8 Defenders and Pacific Soccer Academy.

The other league taking part is the SoCal Premier League who are submitting their two teams to the competition. Chivas USA U23s and the Corinthians USA.

“A big reason for setting up the tournament is that we want to grow our adult league,” said NorCal Premier League adult coordinator Mike Kelley. “One of the incentives is if you participate in the fall league, that’s one way to get you into Open Cup qualification.”

The schedule and format for the semifinals have not been finalized, but the first round games are penciled in for Mar. 1 and the championship game that will decide US Club Soccer’s Open Cup entry will take place in a home and away series at the end of April.

2014 will mark the third year that US Club Soccer will take part in the tournament. In 2012, Stanislaus United Turlock Express represented the organization, but fell 2-0 to the Premier Development League’s Fresno Fuego in their opening match. Last year, the Fuego failed to qualify out of the PDL, so they entered and won the US Club Soccer tournament as the “Fresno Fuego Future” and qualified. They lost their opening round game to the NPSL’s FC Hasental 5-3.