Eric Wynalda

Eric Wynalda returns to assist Las Vegas Legends in 2022 US Open Cup

February 25, 2022 by Thomas Viola

Eric Wynalda looks on from the sidelines in the Las Vegas Lights’ Third Round match against Orange County SC in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Lucas Peltier – lucaspeltierphoto.com

UPDATE (3/22/22): Eric Wynalda has clarified that he is not the head coach of the Las Vegas Legends, but is working more behind the scenes with the club, assisting head coach Jose Rivera

National Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda announced on his podcast Wynalda for the Win on Friday that he will be making a return to coaching this season to lead the Las Vegas Legends. The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) side is making it’s tournament debut in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The former US men’s national team star’s announcement marks his first foray into coaching since being appointed to lead Las Vegas’s USL Championship team, the Las Vegas Lights, during their 2019 season. In 36 games as head of the Lights, Wynalda posted a 12-16-8 record before being replaced by Frank Yallop midway through the 2020 season.

After the Lights, Wynalda was hired to coach New Amsterdam FC (NISA) in July of 2020, but stepped down due to personal reasons shortly before the beginning of the season.

The father of six will make his return to Las Vegas soccer this time at the amateur level with the Legends, where he will hope to duplicate the US Open Cup success he had as manager of Cal FC. In 2012, with Wynalda in charge, Cal FC reached the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup in a Cinderella run that saw them defeat both USL Pro side Wilmington Hammerheads 4-0, followed by a stunning road upset of MLS’ Portland Timbers, 1-0 in extra time.

US Open Cup Coaching Win % (Modern Era)
(min. 8 games)

1. Dave Sarachan – 0.789
2. Scott Schweitzer – 0.750
3. Tom Soehn – 0.727
4. Tom Fitzgerald – 0.700
5. ERIC WYNALDA – 0.692

“I like to discover these players who haven’t really had the opportunity to play at the club level … and now through a platform like this, like the Lamar Hunt Open Cup, we can assemble a team that in my opinion, can go toe to toe with any MLS side,” Wynalda said during his podcast.

The victory over the Timbers, who played their regular starting lineup in the match, marked just the sixth time that an amateur team eliminated an MLS team. However, it was the first time an Open Division Local amateur side defeated an MLS team in a non-shootout. It remains not only one of the biggest upsets of the US Open Cup’s Modern Era (1995-present), but one of the biggest in the history of the tournament.

As a player, Wynalda played in just five US Open Cup games, two of them in 1998 with the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes), and three of them in 2001 when he helped the Chicago Fire reach the Semifinals. He has had much more Open Cup success as a head coach for four different clubs (Cal FC, Atlanta Silverbacks, Los Angeles Wolves FC, Las Vegas Lights). Out of all the Modern Era coaches since 1995, Wynalda has the fifth best win percentage (0.692) with a 9-4-0 record. In his four Open Cup runs, he has reached the Third Round every time and his deepest run in the competition came in 2014 when he led the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks to the Quarterfinals. Atlanta was one of five North American Soccer League clubs to ever reach the Quarterfinals.

Wynalda will be looking to help the Legends recapture that magic.

“The reason I came to Las Vegas was to see this city grow, and to capitalize on the talent pool that exists here in Las Vegas,” Wynalda added. “Because at times, in my experience, I would say it is just as good if not better than what I have seen in Los Angeles.”

One advantage that the Legends have going for them is the minimal roster restrictions for Open Division National teams (NPSL, USL League Two). As long as the players that are recruited aren’t cup tied (i.e. played for another team in last fall’s US Open Cup qualifying tournament), and are willing and able to sign an amateur reinstatement form, they can recruit whoever they want.

The Legends were founded in 2012 as an indoor soccer team, splitting home games between the Orleans Arena and the Las Vegas Sports Park until the team’s dissolution in 2016. In 2019, team owner and general manager Meir Cohen announced the team’s return, this time as an outdoor member of the NPSL. After its debut season was cut short due to the pandemic in 2020, the team finished first in the league’s Southwest Division last year. Thanks to the league’s playoff format and a number of other western teams taking 2021 off due to COVID, the Legends high place finish allotted them one of the NPSL’s automatic tournament berths.

This will be the team’s first season competing in the US Open Cup, which was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, ending the tournament’s run of 106 consecutive years of play.

2017 US Open Cup Round 1: Eric Wynalda leads LA Wolves to opening win over San Diego Zest

May 15, 2017 by Omar Avalos

Head coach Eric Wynalda and his LA Wolves FC got off on the right foot in the club’s opening game of the 2017 US Open Cup with a 4-2 win over the San Diego Zest of the PDL.

With the win, the Wolves advance to the Second Round of the second year in a row and will host San Diego area side Chula Vista FC on May 17.

The Wolves hosted the game at Azusa Pacific University and they were tested early on, with San Diego opting for a rapid, vertical game often times getting their long lobs past defenders. San Diego looked sharper, and the more disciplined unit, in the first 15 minutes, keeping LA Wolves on their heels.

But the Wolves gradually took control and possession and began to generate offense more fluidly, stringing successful passes together, while the Zest could not.

LA’s first goal came in the 37th minute from an attack on the left flank that started with the keeper passing to his left back, who found Miguel Sánchez along the line and connected with him on a long pass. Sánchez then turned, beat his defender and then sent in a long cross to assist Charlie Pitts who scored to make it 1-0 going into halftime.

Wynalda subbed on Pablo Cruz to start the second half due to an injury and his club continued to settle in. The Wolves were taking possession and winning tackles in the midfield, easily dispossessing the Zest.

“We committed one man forward. We had to make an adjustment but Pablo Cruz is the kind of guy you can see,” said Wylanda about his second half sub. “He just possesses beautiful talent, and so when he plays with Paolo Cardozo it’s hard for anybody to figure out how you’re going to defend against those guys.”

LA’s second goal came on a corner kick to the right far post that Miguel Sánchez knocked in during the 61st minute.

The Wolves’ third goal came four minutes later on a flashy combination play and assist between Paolo Cardozo to Pablo Cruz. At this point, LA were commanding the midfield and final third, combining to knock the ball around fluidly.

San Diego got a goal back in the 70th minute from Joseph Fortini, but the Wolves answered back three minutes later to score their fourth on a combination play between Charlie Pitts and Paolo Cardozo. The goal looked to have been scored by Cardozo, but could have been an own goal.

Coach Wynalda attributed a second goal to Pitts, but after match Chris said, “He (Cardozo) put in a cross and I was right there at the ball but the defender got a touch before I did.”

Regardless of how it happened, the goal was generated by that fluid, clever, one-two passing in the box shown by LA.

San Diego got a second goal on a PK caused by a foul by the Wolves keeper near the end of the match. Patrick McGrath stepped to the spot and trimmed the Wolves lead to 4-2, but they would get no closer.

After the game coach Wynalda described the slow start to the game.

“The opening minutes were a little tricky, we saw some nerves on our side,” said Wynalda. “It was important to get this game under our belt so we could really focus on playing what I think these guys are capable of. Those opening minutes were not what we expected.”

Eric Wynalda hired to lead LA Wolves for 2017 US Open Cup run

February 13, 2017 by Josh Hakala

UPDATE (3/1/17): The Los Angeles Wolves have officially qualified for the 2017 US Open Cup after the US Soccer Federation canceled the third round of open division qualifying. DETAILS HERE.

The qualifying round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup rarely has any earth-shattering news, but that changed over the weekend.

The Los Angeles Wolves FC, one of the powerhouses in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), announced they have hired US Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda to be the team’s new head coach. The former U.S. international will take over the team for league play and for the team’s run in the 2017 US Open Cup.

Wynalda’s head coaching experience has been limited, but both jobs have been history-making ones. In 2012, he led Southern California-based amateur club Cal FC to a pair of upsets of professional teams, including a 1-0 road win over Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers. It was not only the first time a USASA team had defeated a MLS team in regulation (the only other upset by Dallas Roma FC over Chivas USA in 2006 was by penalty kicks), it was also the first time a USASA team had scored a goal against a MLS team. At the time, Cal FC was one of six amateur teams in the Modern Era (1995-present) to reach the Fourth Round, where they lost to the Seattle Sounders FC, 5-0.

Wynalda later joined the Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2014, and helped them make history as well. He led the Silverbacks to the best cup run in club history. Atlanta upset a pair of MLS teams (Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids), marking the first time the Silverbacks had ever eliminated a top-tier side. The run would end in the Quarterfinals with a 3-1 home loss to the Chicago Fire.

The story of Wynalda’s new job has spread all over the soccer media from Soccer America to outlets that rarely report on amateur soccer. But what has been missed by some of the reporting is that the Wolves have yet to qualify for the 2017 competition. The Wolves have cruised to back-to-back wins in this year’s open division qualifying tournament (4-1 over Real Sociedad Royals and a 9-2 win over Inland Empire FC), but there’s still at least one more step to take before they qualify for the 104th edition of the tournament.

The third round of the competition was postponed until March of 2017, and according to the US Soccer Federation website, the draw for the third round was supposed to be announced in “mid-January.” The Wolves are still waiting to find out who they will face. And if they survive Round 3, there could be a fourth round of qualifying, which is scheduled to take place the weekend of April 8-9.

There is also the possibility that the third round of the open division qualifying tournament could be canceled, like it was last year, which would likely send all of the remaining clubs (with the exception of Minneapolis City SC, who are expected to be disqualified) into the tournament proper.

Wynalda inherits a quality Wolves roster. LA has won the UPSL Western Division in each of the last two seasons, including a perfect 16-0-0 finish during the Fall season. However, the Wolves have fallen short in each of their first two playoff runs, losing in the Spring championship game and suffering a first round upset in the Fall.

Full circle – @lawolves pic.twitter.com/vOaBsc1i5t

— Eric Wynalda (@EricWynalda) February 13, 2017

The Wolves made waves in their their US Open Cup debut last year. After a 2-1 win over fellow UPSL side Del Rey City, the Wolves defeated Cal FC by the same scoreline to qualify for the tournament. Once they got in, they got a free pass into Round 2 after the Ventura County Fusion (PDL) forfeited. Next, they upset their first professional team by holding the USL’s Orange County Blues to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes and winning the penalty kick shootout 4-2. Their cup run would end at the hands of 2016’s Open Cup darling La Maquina, another UPSL rival, by the score of 2-0.

Wynalda is expected to continue his work as a broadcaster where he works as an analyst for Fox Sports and hosts a show with SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

2012 US Open Cup Round 3: Cal FC gets world’s attention with historic upset of Portland Timbers

May 31, 2012 by Michael Orr

Timbers.CalFC.LP004 — Cal FC celebrate their goal in the first period of extra time. Photo: L.M. Parr | Portland Timbers

By the end of the 120 minutes (1:15 am ET), a team that nobody knew about two weeks ago was trending worldwide on Twitter. Cal FC became not only the first US Adult Soccer Association team to score against a Major League Soccer opponent, but became the first to advance via a victory, downing the Portland Timbers, 1-0 in overtime, on the road at Jeld-Wen Field Wednesday evening in the Third Round of the US Open Cup.

“I don’t remember anything, I just know that I chipped it,” said ArturAghasyan, beaming as he tried to recount his famous goal for Cal FC. The California-based amateur side, coached by Eric Wynalda, are unlikely to ever forget what transpired on Wednesday night, May 30, 2012. Though it took 120 minutes and withstanding forty-three Portland Timbers shots, Cal FC emerged victorious.

Perhaps the signs were available early as Jesus Gonzalez forced a fingertip save from Troy Perkins in the 6th minute. Yet it was the Timbers who were the aggressors in the early going, clearly trying to create a comfortable space on the shore sheet. Pressing in defense and sending in myriad crosses, Portland certainly hassled Cal FC, but not enough to actually find that ever-elusive goal.

Meanwhile, Cal tried to play its game. “We love to categorize ourselves as a possession team. Which probably wasn’t the case tonight,” explained Wynalda afterward. As the young visitors tried to find time and space, the Timbers continued their assault on goalkeeper Darby Carrillo. KalifAlhassan, Brent Richards (twice) and Jorge Perlaza each missed shots or had them saved in a seven minute stretch after the hour. When Cal did finally break toward goal, in a fantastic interplay between Danny Barrera and Richard Manjivar, the former made one too many passes, seemingly taking Wynalda’s possession style a bit too far.

Portland’s misses got worse as the second half dragged on, each bringing more exasperated groans from the crowd of just over five thousand. Finally, the Timbers got a stroke of luck when Manjivar handled a Richards cross in the box, setting up a Kris Boyd penalty in the 80th minute. Which is precisely when the game turned on its head.

The Scottish Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, skied his spot kick, dropped his head and walked away from the North End amid a cascade of boos.Said Wynalda, “I was already thinking it wasn’t their night. But you don’t see that every day, a player like Kris Boyd missing a penalty kick.”Several late chances went begging for Portland and the two weary sides entered overtime.

Boyd subbed off after an injury and the Timbers shifted players to accommodate the final available change. With cramps setting in, and the team constantly rotating players to keep all eleven players as spry as possible, Cal FC seemed on the verge of simply wearing out before all 120 minutes were done. Then the impossible happened.

In the 95th minute, Aghasyan streaked down the middle of the field, easily beating a lopsided offside trap, collected a well placed through ball and calmly chipped Perkins. As his teammates mobbed him in the northeast corner of the stadium, the crowd fell silent – a rarity in a ground known for its boisterous atmosphere. While the pause was only momentary, the gravity of the goal was clear.

timbers.vsCalFC 021 — Somewhere in that celebration is the goalscorer, and TheCup.us Player of the Round, Artur Aghasyan. Photo: Ethan Erickson | Portland Timbers

As the first period of overtime ended and the second began, Portland furiously poured players forward in search of an equalizer. Freddie Braun, Jack Jewsbury, Perlaza, Alhassan and Richards all had clear chances to beat Carrillo, yet none could do better than send the ball directly into the goalkeeper’s waiting gloves. Carrillo’s save on Perlaza’s 109th minute header was his best of a night filled with close calls.

With Portland nearing a calamitous result, Cal FC poked the ball clear for several counter attacks late in the second overtime. Paulo Ferreira-Mendez’s header beat Perkins but also – barely – the left post in the 110th. Aghasyan then nearly added a second goal when his shot skimmed the crossbar from an acute angle in the 114th.

After Perlaza put one into the side netting, Darlington Nagbe curled a shot just wide of the right post and Alhassan sent one more soft cross into the box, Cal FC needed just one more stop to escape with the upset. Referee William Niccolls inexplicably allowed a bloody Jewsbury to received treatment and a change of shirt before Portland’s final attempt, a corner in the 120^th minute. The amateurs cleared the ball, Niccolls blew his whistle and Cal FC left the field with one of the biggest upsets in US Open Cup history.

“One thing we should be very proud of is that Portland brought their team. That was their guys…Once we saw the line-up, everything settled in for our guys. This is what we wanted,” Wynalda added. Indeed, the starting XI for the Timbers was the best possible line-up, given several injuries and absences due to international duty.

That will make the loss linger even longer in Portland as the Timbers miss out on a chance to host rivals Seattle Sounders in the fourth round and will have eighteen days without a game to figure out how exactly they lost at home to Cal FC.

HIGHLIGHTS: CAL FC at PORTLAND TIMBERS

FULL MATCH REPLAY: CAL FC at PORTLAND TIMBERS

POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE: JOHN SPENCER

POST-GAME INTERVIEW: ERIC WYNALDA

USASA Advancements vs Pro League Clubs
Bavarian SC 2000: 1-0 vs Reading Rage (third division – USL)
Bavarian SC 2007: 1-0 vs Cincinnati Kings (third division – USL)
Bridgeport Italians 1997: 3-2 vs Rhode Island Stingrays (third division – USL)
Cal FC 2012: 4-0 vs Wilmington Hammerheads (third division – USL)
Cal FC 2012: 1-0 AET vs Portland Timbers (first division – MLS)
CASL Elite 2002: 5-2 vs Carolina Dynamo (third division – USL)
Dallas Roma 2006: 1-0 vs Miami FC (second division – USL)
Dallas Roma 2006: 0-0 (4-2 pk) vs Chivas USA (first division – MLS)
Hollywood United 2008: 3-2 vs Portland Timbers (second division – USL)
Reggae Boyz 2005: 4-2 vs Cincinnati Kings (third division – USL)
San Jose Oaks 1996: 3-2 vs California Jaguars (third division – USL)
United German Hungarians 1999: 2-1 vs New Jersey Stallions (third division – USL)

MLS Eliminations by Amateur League Teams
Cal FC 2012: 1-0 AET vs Portland Timbers
Michigan Bucks 2012: 3-2 AET vs Chicago Fire
Michigan Bucks 2000: 1-0 vs New England Revolution
Chicago Sockers 2000: 0-0 (7-6 PK) vs Kansas City Wizards
Dallas Roma 2006: 0-0 (4-2 PK) vs Chivas USA

MLS versus USASA Clubs
2012: Portland Timbers 0-1 AET Cal FC
2006: Chivas USASA 0-0 (2-4 PK) Dallas Roma
2006: LA Galaxy 2-0 Dallas Roma
2000: Tampa Bay Mutiny 1-0 ASDET Uruguay SC
2001: Miami Fusion 4-0 Uruguay SC

2012 Meet The USASA: Eric Wynalda’s Cal FC from Thousand Oaks, CA

May 15, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

Welcome to our continuing series of Meet the USASA features where we annually profile the clubs representing the United States Adult Soccer Association in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Advancing from the four regional tournaments, these often unknown clubs have great stories to tell and each year, our goal is to allow fans to get to know them as they attempt to become this year’s Cinderella story.

On Tuesday evening, the well-established reigning USL Premier Development League champion Kitsap Pumas will play host to an unknown club built by a famous face, a team about second chances. That team is Cal FC.

A lot of American soccer fans may picture Eric Wynalda as a brash, outspoken former US international star striker turned television personality. But in reality, he is a busy man these days.

Just take two weekends ago. On Friday and Saturday he was coaching the club team, Cal FC, that he has built over the past year as it was making its debut at the USASA Region IV tournament. On Sunday he had to turn the reigns over to his friend and assistant coach Nick Webster for the Final while he saw to his broadcast responsibilities.

When TheCup.us caught up with him Friday to discuss the development of Cal FC, he was in a cab, having just landed in Houston for the Dynamo stadium opening. On Tuesday, he will miss his club’s opening match of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup due to travel to Germany for the Champions League.

It’s not something you would expect from a head coach of elite caliber team or club, but Cal FC is not about the career of Eric Wynalda. The club is about finding and developing local talent, giving players that have been missed by the system a first chance or giving a select few a second or third opportunity to prove themselves. You could almost compare it to a handful of the reality talent competition shows on network television.

“If we get to August and all of these guys are still playing for me, I did something wrong,” he said.

Based out of Thousand Oaks, Calif. and playing in La Gran Liga (Oxnard), the club has been operational for about a year and things are going well, to say the least.

“We are doing pretty good. We went into the playoffs and fared well,” said the club’s President and manager Michael Friedman about the team’s league performance prior to the Region IV tournament. For the Open Cup process though, it is “a whole different squad, an ongoing process.

“We have a number of players that have been in the camps of MLS squads and Eric has been able to corral them into this squad and put together a pretty good team.”

And Friedman was not kidding. Among the notable names that traveled to Ontario for the USASA tournament included Pablo Cruz, Eder Arreola, Artur Aghasyan, Mike Randolph and the Barrera brothers Diego and Danny.

Cruz and the Barreras accounted for all four goals in the team’s most important win in the regional tournament, a 4-3 event-opening victory over the defending Region IV champion Doxa Italia, the only other competitive side in what turned out to be a three-team group with the fourth not arriving. Cal FC notched a 7-0 win and Doxa an 8-0 victory against The Internationalists.

A missed penalty kick and a Randolph red card started the club’s descent in the final, which was compounded by the injuries the side was taking on.

“I made a couple mistakes as a manager; I did not bring enough guys,” said Wynalda. “We took some injuries and ran out of gas. We played against Doxa tight, and it was a pretty good game.

“It was good for the guys; they felt what a loss feels likes it,” he added about the Final, a 2-0 defeat to PSA Elite, another area club with former professionals on the roster. “It was difficult. Not enough guys, key injuries; it is a testament that they qualified.”

“We still haven’t got everyone on the team that we want,” added Wynalda. “Even if we lose, we are gonna continue to move forward.”

And by that, Wynalda is referring to its role of creating opportunities for players.

“The club started because Eric and I thought a few years back there could be something better,” said Friedman. “This team is mainly formed from this local area – Thousand Oaks – that went to college and came back. Then we held a tryout recently and the players that came out surprised us. The talent is really high. Eric put all of his resources to work to put this together.”

One of those resources is his other day job. Wynalda became the President of International Operations for Mexican club Murcielago (Spanish for bats), making him the technical director and chief scout looking for Mexican-American talent between Santa Barbara and San Diego. The club, formally known as Deportivo Guamuchil FC, was founded in 2008 and plays in the third-tier Segunda Division.

“This team defines the term unique,” said Wynalda.

“I basically called numerous high schools in the area and asked, ‘who’s your local legend?” They all knew of someone, but the hard part was finding them and trying to get them on a soccer field. Everyone has difficult challenges in life, some more than others. My challenge has been to discover these kids and invite them in and see what they’ve got. The process started a few years ago, and I am still tracking kids.

“During that process I brought in other players I was very well aware of, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out for them. Guys who tried out for Chivas or Galaxy and did not fit the mold. And, I guess I am the second chance for these guys.”

eric-wynalda-fox-soccer — Eric Wynalda is an analyst for Fox when he's not coaching. Photo: Fox Soccer

And in a way, those players owe their second opportunities to Wynalda’s search for his own second chance after being rejected in bids to become the head coaches for the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA.

“I wanted the Fire and Chivas jobs, and didn’t get either. Partly, it was because I was not an assistant somewhere, but I felt I didn’t need to be an assistant anywhere.”

Wynalda had already experimented with the coaching life early after retiring, taking a position with the PDL Bakersfield Brigade, a club run by a longtime friend, in 2005. “I was aspiring to be a coach, and we talked about a lot of things. I just wanted to get my feet wet, but the television part of my life kind of took things over. I haven’t stopped coaching or being a part of the game.”

Although he will be halfway around the world when his team takes the field Tuesday evening in Bremerton, Wash. against the professional Kitsap Pumas, the reigning PDL champions, they still owe the opportunity to the National Soccer Hall of Famer.

“The ability and talent they have shown is pretty outstanding. I don’t know how far we’ll take it.” At this point for the team he says, “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, just have fun.”

“We are really fired up about playing Kitsap. It will be a good test,” said Wynalda, who is a proponent of the tournament.

“As much as a coveted cup it has become, it could be better. As a tribute to Lamar Hunt and what that means – as a friend, – it means a lot,” commenting that it is a deserving recognition of the man’s contribution to the sport and that the tournament should keep his name forever synonymous with the event.