Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

FC New York

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Red Bulls win Big Apple showdown 2-1 over FC New York

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FC New York had been looking forward to this match since they proposed an annual exhibition with the New York Red Bulls during their expansion announcement back on April 1, 2009. The USL Pro side finally got their chance to take on Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls, but this game was much more than a proposed friendly. It was a Third Round match in the 2011 US Open Cup, and although they scored a stunning opening goal, they couldn’t hold on as the Red Bulls won 2-1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

John Rooney strike gave Red Bulls victory Photo: Getty Images

It was an important win for the Red Bulls who are aiming to put their recent Open Cup struggles behind them. This marked the first Open Cup game in their new stadium, and they had not won a game in the tournament since 2006. In fact, they had not tasted victory in front of their home fans in the competition since the 2003 Semifinals.

The Red Bulls controlled much of the first half, peppering FC New York goalkeeper Steve Diaz. However, Diaz held his composure and kept the USL side even. He had a couple good saves in the first half, one coming in the 28th minute as Corey Hertzog hit a shot from the top of the box. Diaz juggled the ball, but eventually held on to make the save.

Later, in the 40th minute, FC New York would get a great chance to take the lead as the team’s leading scorer in the tournament, Jhonny Arteaga, received a cross at the six yard box. He one-timed it toward goal, but Red Bulls keeper Greg Sutton made a point blank save to keep the game scoreless. That scoreline would hold through the remainder of the half.

The second half saw more action from both sides, particularly from the Red Bulls, as they continued to test Diaz in net. In the 53rd minute Austin Da Luz ripped a shot from the top corner of the 18-yard box only to see Diaz make a fantastic save once again to keep the MLS side off the board.

Just three minutes later though, FC New York would break through. Owen Morrison hit a screamer from 30 yards out to give his team a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute. That lead, however, would be very brief.

Just two minutes after that stunner, the Red Bulls would tie it up, capitalizing on a defensive error. A failed clearance led to a header, which directed the ball to Hertzog. He took the ball near the touch line to the left of Diaz and placed it low and inside the near post at a very tough angle to equalize for the Red Bulls.

The MLS club would get its winner in the 65th minute as John Rooney (brother of English star Wayne Rooney) took a shot from 25 yards out, placing it low and inside the left post to give his team a 2-1 edge that they would not relinquish. Tim Ream, in his return from playing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the United States, set up the goal.

The Red Bulls would get more chances to extend their lead later in the match. They might have had a claim to earning a kick from the penalty spot as Juan Agudelo, also back from the Gold Cup, was pulled down inside the penalty area in the 71st minute. They would receive one last great chance in the 85th as the US international received a cross from Marcos Paullo, who was stationed on the right sideline. Agudelo hit a shot mere feet from the goal, but Diaz once again came up with an outstanding save for FC New York, keeping a potential tying goal within reach. That goal would never come, though, as the match finished 2-1 in favor of the Red Bulls.

The New York Red Bulls now hit the road for their Quarterfinal match. They are slated to play the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park on July 12 at 8:30 PM ET in a rematch of the 2003 US Open Cup Final. Chicago won that match 1-0 at Giants Stadium.

TheCup.us Match MVP: John Rooney

Scoring Summary:

FCNY – Owen Morrison (unassisted) 56’
RBNY – Corey Hertzog (Juan Agudelo) 58’
RBNY – John Rooney (Tim Ream) 65’

Misconduct Summary:

FCNY – Mike Aquino 34’ (yellow caution card)
RBNY – Tim Ream 38’ (yellow caution card)
FCNY – Karsten Smith 60’ (yellow caution card)

Lineups:

New York Red Bulls – Greg Sutton, Mike Jones, Tim Ream (Sachir Hot 46’), Stephen Keel, Matt Kassel, Teddy Schneider (Tyler Lassiter 67’), Austin da Luz, John Rooney, Marcos Paullo, Corey Hertzog, Juan Agudelo

FC New York – Steve Diaz, Troy Cole, Karsten Smith, Kyle Hoffer, Josiah Snelgrove (David Reed 65’), Gary Boughton (Don Smart 55’) , Qwame Holder, Mike Aquino, Tadeu Terra, Bradley Welch (Owen Morrison 46’), Johnny Arteaga

Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero
Referee’s Assistant: Brian Dunn, Thomas Zabloci
Attendance: 2,074

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Bracket A: FC New York at NY Red Bulls; Chicago Fire at Rochester Rhinos

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THIRD ROUND

FC New York at New York Red Bulls
June 28, 8 p.m. ET – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ
Video/Audio: Video: New York Red Bulls; Audio: TBA

Chicago Fire at Rochester Rhinos
June 28, 7:35 p.m. ET  Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.
Video/Audio: Video: USL Live; Radio: Rochester

FC New York

The club is an expansion side playing in USL Pro.

First Round: Western Mass Pioneers (PDL) 0:3 FC New York (USL Pro) The expansion New York side dominated the First Round match Tuesday against Western Mass, with Jhonny Arteaga scoring all three goals in the 3-0 victory. Recap [+]

Second Round: NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA) 0:0 (AET, 5:6 PK) FC New York (USL Pro) The two Big Apple clubs played to a stalemate and needed extra rounds of penalties to decide the tiebreaker. In the seventh round, a shot from the Freedoms rang off the post, sending FC New York through. Recap [+]

Path to the Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

This Month in USL Pro: In a light month for the club, it has been feast or famine in league play, just as it has been in the two rounds of Open Cup play. They opened the month with a 1-1 draw against visiting Charleston June 3 on an equalizer from Graciano Brito. They then blanked Dayton June 10, on tallies from Troy Cole, Jhonny Arteaga and Gary Boughton, before falling 2-0 at home to Richmond. Idle between the opening two rounds of the Open Cup, New York returned to league play at home last Friday with a scoreless draw against Richmond. They are currently in fourth place in the USL Pro National Division with a 3-5-5 overall record.

Open Cup History: First appearance in the tournament.

New York Red Bulls

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: In a continuation of a lengthy road run, the Red Bulls fell 4-2 in Seattle Thursday despite pulling even from a two-goal hole on a Dane Richards strike and own goal. They then traveled to Chicago Sunday and played to a 1-1 draw, with Joel Lindpere tallying the opening goal in the 40th minute. New York came away with a dramatic come-from-behind 3-3 draw at Portland June 19. Down 3-1, Thierry Henry scored in the 73rd minute, but it was a Timbers handball that led to a Dwayne De Rosario penalty kick in second half stoppage time.  They opened the month with a 1-1 draw at home against the Columbus Crew June 4, in which they allowed a 92nd minute equalizer after leading since Mehdi Ballouchy’s ninth-minute strike. They rebounded from the setback a week later on June 10 with a 2-1 victory at home against the New England Revolution. The Red Bulls were the recipient of an own goal and Thierry Henry delivered the second before the Revs answered. Their final game before Round 3 on Sunday saw the Red Bulls nearly pick up their first-ever win at Toyota Park, but Chicago’s Marco Pappa equalized in the 58th minute and both teams had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Joel Lindpere scored the lone goal for New York.
Last Five: D-L-D-W-D | Season record: 5-3-9 (4-1-3 at home), tied for second place in Eastern Conference, sixth overall.

Open Cup History: The Red Bulls have come close early in their history, with trips to the Semifinals in 1997, 1998 and 2000, but have never won the US Open Cup. The closest they came was in 2003 when they lost to the Chicago Fire in their only trip to the championship game. Since then, it’s been a series of short runs in the tournament, with a 1-5 record the last five times they have qualified, including a pair of upsets to third division clubs (Crystal Palace Baltimore, Harrisburg City Islanders), and two more to second division teams (Charleston Battery, Rochester Rhinos). New York did not qualify in 2007 or 2009.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 12-12-1 (1-0 in PKs) | 2-2-0 vs. 3rd Division teams

Rochester Rhinos

Founded in 1996, the Rhinos are arguably the most successful professional club outside of Major League Soccer, winning three professional second division titles in six league finals appearances. The club, which has also reached the Open Cup Final twice and won it in 1999, has never failed to qualify for the tournament.

First Round: Phoenix SC (USASA) 1:2 Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro) The Rhinos took the initial lead through JC Banks in the 27th minute of the First Round Tuesday, and Anthony Hamilton doubled the advantage from the spot in the 55th. Visiting Phoenix SC made it a tense finish with a strike midway through the second half to make it 2-1, but Rochester’s defense held on. Recap [+]

Second Round: Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro) 1:0 Harrisburg City Islanders (USL Pro) In a showdown of two league foes, it looked as though the match was headed to overtime before Kendall Jagdeosingh was taken down in the box for a late penalty, which was converted by Tony Donatelli in the 89th minute. Recap [+]

Path to the Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

This Month in USL Pro: Rochester finished unbeaten on the month, with a stoppage time winner from JC Banks against Dayton Saturday evening. Rochester traveled to Pittsburgh last week to blank the Riverhounds 3-0 June 17, on first half goals from Rich Costanzo, Andrew Hoxie and Drew Cost. They opened the month with a two-game visit to Antigua, winning 2-1 June 3 on a pair of Hoxie goals, and nabbing a last-minute 2-2 draw two nights later with equalizers from Donatelli and goalkeeper Neal Kitson. They returned home for a 1-0 victory against Harrisburg June 11 on a strike from Jagdeosingh. The Rhinos are in first place in the National Division with a 7-4-3 record.

Open Cup History: The club is most famous for its 1999 US Open Cup championship run with four victories over MLS clubs (Chicago, Dallas, Columbus, Colorado) after needing overtime to defeat PDL side New York Freedoms 2-1. The Rhinos also reached the final in their debut season in 1996, beating Tampa Bay and Colorado before falling to DC United in the final at RFK Stadium. Rochester also advanced versus MLS opposition in 2004, edging New England in penalties after a 1-1 draw, and 2005, topping New York 3-1. Both games were in the Fourth Round. The Rhinos reached the Semifinals for a third time in 2009, eliminating Columbus via penalties in a Third Round 1-1 draw and downing third division Wilmington 2-1 in the Quarterfinals, before being eliminated 2-1 by DC. Last year Rochester blanked the PDL Dayton Dutch Lions 2-0 and third division Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3-0 before falling 2-1 to the Crew in the Third Round. The Rhinos also have the distinction as the lower division club that has eliminated the most MLS teams with nine. (7-10-4 overall, 2-2 in PKs)
PRO ERA RECORD: 27-12-5 (3-2 in PKs) overall | 18-3-5 vs. pro teams (all as 2nd Division franchise) | 7-10-4 (2-2 in PKs) vs. MLS

Chicago Fire vs. Rochester Rhinos: This will be the third all-time meeting between the Chicago Fire and the Rochester Rhinos in the tournament. In 1999, fresh off their Open Cup title in their inaugural season the year prior, the Fire were stunned by becoming the first of what would be four consecutive MLS upsets by the Rhinos. Yuri Alnutt scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win for the Rhinos in the Third Round, as they would move on to replace the Fire as Open Cup champions that year. In the 2005 Quarterfinals, they would meet again, but this time it was the Fire that would move on.  Samuel Callabrero and Doug Miller traded goals in regulation, but the match would have to be decided by penalty kicks, and the Fire won 5-4.

Chicago Fire

How They Qualified: Seeded fourth overall, the Fire opened the play-in tournament in the second round of the western bracket of MLS qualifying. They defeated the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids March 30 with a 2-1 victory. Gaston Puerari, who was recently sold to Atlas (Mexico), scored the opening goal moments before the break, with Andre Akpan answering back in early in the second stanza. In the haze remaining from flares set off at the hour mark, defender Jalil Anibaba let loose a shocking 45-yard strike that surprised the keeper and proved to be the winner. Trailing San Jose by two goals in the finale for the bracket, Chicago’s Orr Barouch pulled a goal back in the 61st and Yamith Cuesta leveled terms in the 76th, sending the match to penalties, where two Earthquakes rang shots off the crossbar in a 5-4 decision to send the Fire to the Open Cup.

This Month in MLS: Chicago played to a scoreless draw at home against Real Salt Lake Wednesday in the first of two games on the week. They hosted New York on Sunday, rallying for a 1-1 draw on a strike in the 58th minute from Marco Pappa, who just returned from the Gold Cup. The Fire played its fourth league match of the month June 18, when they traveled to New England and drew the Revolution 1-1, with Dominic Oduro scoring the opening goal. They opened the month with a scoreless draw at home against the Seattle Sounders June 4, and repeated the outcome June 9 against fellow play-in qualifier Sporting Kansas City in the MLS debut of LiveStrong Sporting Park. Sean Johnson recorded both shutouts. The club extended an unbeaten streak to five games with a 1-0 road victory June 12 against the Columbus Crew, with a stoppage time winning goal from Cristian Nazarit and Johnson registering a third consecutive clean sheet. Last Five: D-D-D-W-D | Season Record: 2-4-11 (1-3-5 Away), tied for sixth in Eastern Conference, 15th overall.

Open Cup History: The Fire are one of the most successful Pro Era teams, winning the Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2003, 2006) and finishing runner-up in 2004. The team has qualified for the Open Cup every year since their founding in 1998. However, since the 2006 Cup title, the team has only won one game in the tournament since, going 1-3-1 (0-1 in PKs). Two of those four losses came against third division teams (Wilmington in 2009, Charleston in PKs in 2010), as did their sole win (Cleveland in 2008), with their other losses against MLS’s DC United (2008) and second division Carolina RailHawks (2007). Last year, the team played a scoreless draw against the Charleston Battery in the third round, then couldn’t find the net in a penalty shoot, losing 3-0.
PRO ERA RECORD: 25-8-3 (2-1 in PKs) | 4-1-1 (0-1 in PKs) vs. 3rd Division teams

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Scenarios

NY Red Bulls / FC NY at Chicago Fire
Toyota Park – Bridgeview, Ill. – 8:30 pm ET
OR
NY Red Bulls / FC NY at Rochester Rhinos
Sahlen’s Stadium – Rochester, NY – 7:35 pm ET

2011 US Open Cup Second Round: Shorthanded FC New York survive Pancyprian Freedoms in PK shootout

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For the first time in the professional era, the New York Pancyprian Freedoms were able to keep a professional club off the board in a shutout, but the final result against FC New York was not what they were hoping for. Scoreless after regulation, a shot off the post in the seventh round of penalties sent the first-year USL Pro side through 6-5 in the tiebreaker to a Third Round US Open Cup contest against the New York Red Bulls of MLS.

The penalty shootout was perhaps the most surprising event of the night as the two star players for the Freedoms failed to convert.

Stefan Dimitrov, who scored both goals in last week’s 2-1 win along with two goals (one a penalty) and two assists in qualifying, saw his attempt stuffed on the opening shot of the tiebreaker. The Freedoms were saved, literally, a round later courtesy of their netminder.

FC New York celebrates after advancing via penalties Photo: Nick Laveglia

The two sides would finish out the next three rounds with perfection and find themselves in the seventh round when former two-time USL Pro MVP and Scoring Champion Julio Cesar Dos Santos fired his shot off the left post, sending FC New York through.

The USL Pro club will travel to nearby Harrison, NJ for a Big Apple showdown with the New York Red Bulls next Tuesday evening at 8:00 pm ET.

The professional side found themselves on their heels early as the Freedoms took it to them in the early going,  forcing a one-on-one save against Anastasios Polydefkis from Steven Diaz just nine minutes in. Four minutes later Diaz made another fine save on a volley one-timed by Stefan Dimitrov from 25 yards out.

FC New York then found themselves further rationale for playing on the ledge, falling down a man when Sam Stockley was sent off in the 24th minute for catching Dimitrov from behind as he split through the two center backs on a dangerous run.

With three minutes before the break, the Freedoms had another excellent chance only to see the cross headed wide of goal.

Four minutes into the second half FC New York showed a little life with Tadeu Terra springing David Reed to a one-on-one with the keeper only to see the shot parried away by Chad Calderone.

A minute later, last week’s hat-trick hero for FC New York, Jhonny Arteaga put another shot on target to force another stop.

The game settled in with the host USL club, adorned in warm-up shirts and numbered pinnies, minimizing the opportunities it was giving the amateur side comprised of numerous former veteran professionals while looking for the right chance to strike themselves.

A free kick just outside the box in the 81st minute looked to be that opportunity, but Arteaga’s attempt flew through the area and wide of goal, allowing the stalemate to slip into overtime.

Moments into the extra frame Arteaga again had an opportunity, nutmegging a defender in the corner and sending the ball into the box to Gary Boughton, whose shot was denied by the keeper.

The Freedoms would get their first chance for glory in the 96th minute on a free kick 30 yards out only to be left in disappointment. Another Dimitrov attempt on a rocket in the 114th opened eyes wide as it sailed just a foot over the crossbar, dooming the match to the penalty spot to break the tie.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Steven Diaz

Scoring:
None

Penalties:
FCNY: Troy Cole – goal, Jhonny Arteaga – goal, Josiah Snelgrove – saved, John Morrison – goal, Tadeu Terra – goal,
Mike Aquino – goal, Karsten Smith – goal
NYPF: Stefan Dimitrov – saved, John Koutsounadis – goal, Jon Simos – goal, Christos Zisimatos – goal, Panagiotis Halkidis – goal, Matia Damiani – goal, Julio Cesar Dos Santos – miss (left post)

Lineups
FCNY: Steven Diaz; Kyle Hoffer, Karsten Smith, Sam Stockley, Josiah Snelgrove; Gary Boughton (John Morrison 109), Stephen Roche  (Don Smart 58), Troy Cole, Mike Aquino; Tadeu Terra (Joseph Tavernese 89), Jhonny Arteaga
NYPF: Chad Calderone; Stelios Andreou, Nickos Katsanos, Stefan Dimitrov, Christos Zisimatos; Jeff Matteo (Panagiotis Halkidis 96), Matia Damiani, John Koutsounadis, Mahamadou Simpara (Athanasios Vlahos 81); Anastasios Polydefkis, Julio Cesar Dos Santos – unknown sub exit (Jon Simos 1)

Cautions
NYPF: Zisimatos 45
FCNY: Roche 56
FCNY: Smith 66
NYPF: Matteo 91
FCNY: Aquino 95

Ejections:
FCNY: Stockley 22

Attendance: NA

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2011 US Open Cup New York Red Bulls bracket preview: FC New York at NY Pancyprian Freedoms

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SECOND ROUND

FC New York at NY Pancyprian Freedoms
Belson Stadium – Queens, NY – 7:30 p.m.
Broadcast: None

THIRD ROUND

FC New York / NY Pancyprian Freedoms at New York Red Bulls
June 28, 8 p.m. ET – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ

NY Pancyprian Freedoms

Founded in 1974, the club has been a long-time member of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. The Freedoms also played under the USL auspices for several years, launching in the PDL in 1999 and moving up to the professional third division league for two seasons before leaving USL. Meet the USASA Feature [+]

Path to Open Cup: The Region I tournament kicked off May 1 with the Freedoms dominating former Open Cup qualifier Danbury United, 4-0, with two goals from Julio Cesar Dos Santos. Three weeks later in the Semifinal May 22, New York traveled to Massachusetts for a “Win & You’re In” match and defeated Mass Premier Soccer, rallying from a two-goal deficit at halftime with a pair of goals each from Dos Santos and Stefan Dimitrov to post a 4-2 victory. Region I Semifinal Recap [+]

First Round: Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA) 2:1 Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)
In a showdown of longtime local and Open Cup rivals with five Cup titles between them, the Freedoms and Italians were in a stalemate in the First Round until Stefan Dimitrov gave the Freedoms the lead in the 65th minute. Brooklyn answered back in the 80th only to see Dimitrov immediately reply a minute later with the 2-1 winner. Full recap[+]

League form: The Freedoms are idle in league play. They captured the Cosmopolitan Soccer League First Division championship June 5, rallying from a two-goal deficit to tie NY Athletic Club 2-2 with a penalty from Stefan Dimitrov (55) and goal from Julio Cesar Dos Santos (71) en route to claiming the title via penalties 4-2.

Open Cup History: One of the most successful clubs in the history of the tournament, it is one of the few current long-time participants that have played in the tournament in four decades and one of seven clubs all-time to win the tournament at least three times. The three-time champions won their titles in 1980, 1982 and 1983 when the tournament was an all-amateur event. The third title led to an appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup where they upset Mexican side Puebla via penalties and Vida from Honduras, but were disqualified in the final stage for the North/Central America Zone, along with opponent Guadalajara, when they failed to agree on match dates, giving the Caribbean winner Violette AC the title by default. The Freedoms were the last US club to reach the equivalent of the semifinals in the competition until the Seattle Sounders reached the four-team group stage Final in 1996.

The club also reached the Open Cup semifinals in 1988 and the quarterfinals in 1993 before professional teams began to enter in 1995. The club launched a PDL team in 1999 that would qualify and upset professional third division club Cape Cod Crusaders in their debut campaign before falling in a narrow 2-1 overtime defeat in Rochester to the defending second division champion and eventual US Open Cup champion Rhinos. The team played four more seasons, two in the third division, before leaving the USL. They continued to compete in the CSL, qualifying for the tournament through the USASA in 2008. The new Freedoms lost to USL Second Division’s Real Maryland 3-2 in overtime in the First Round. Last year they were also knocked out in the opening round, 2-0, by the PDL Long Island Rough Riders.
PRO ERA RECORD: 3-4-0 overall | 0-1-0 vs. professional teams (0-1-0 vs. 2nd Division)

FC New York

The club is an expansion side playing in USL Pro.

Path to the Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

First Round: FC New York (USL Pro) 3:0 Western Mass Pioneers (PDL)
The expansion New York side dominated the First Round match Tuesday against Western Mass with Jhonny Arteaga scoring all three goals in the 3-0 victory. Recap [+]

League Form: The club is idle in league play this week. The team has only lost once in the last five games (2-1-2) and are in fourth place in the USL Pro National Division with a 3-5-4 overall record.

Open Cup History: First appearance in the tournament. PRO ERA RECORDS: 1-0-0 overall | 1-0-0 vs. amateur teams

New York Red Bulls

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: The Red Bulls came away with a dramatic come-from-behind 3-3 draw at Portland on Sunday. Down 3-1, Thierry Henry scored in the 73rd minute, but it was a Timbers handball that led to a Dwayne De Rosario penalty kick in second half stoppage time. They have two more games to play before their Third Round matchup. They will make trips to Seattle on Thursday, June 23 and to Chicago on June 26 before returning home two days later for the Open Cup. They opened the month with a 1-1 draw at home against the Columbus Crew June 4 in which they allowed a 92nd minute equalizer after leading since Mehdi Ballouchy’s ninth-minute strike. They rebounded from the setback a week later on June 10 with a 2-1 victory at home against the New England Revolution. The Red Bulls were the recipient of an own goal and Thierry Henry delivered the second before the Revs answered.
Last Five: D-W-D-D-D | Season record: 5-2-8 (4-1-3 at home), first place in Eastern Conference, fourth overall.

Open Cup History: The Red Bulls have come close early in their history with trips to the Semifinals in 1997, 1998 and 2000, but have never won the US Open Cup. The closest they came was in 2003 when they lost to the Chicago Fire in their only trip to the championship game. Since then, it’s been a series of short runs in the tournament with a 1-5 record the last five times they have qualified, including a pair of upsets to third division clubs (Crystal Palace Baltimore, Harrisburg City Islanders) and two more to second division teams (Charleston Battery, Rochester Rhinos). New York did not qualify in 2007 or 2009.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 12-12-1 (1-0 in PKs)

FIRST ROUND

Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) 1:2 N.Y. Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA – East NY)
Belson Stadium, St. Johns University – Queens, N.Y. – 7:30 p.m.
Full Recap[+]

Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) 0:3 FC New York (USL PRO)
Met Oval – Queens, N.Y. – 7 p.m.
Full Recap [+]

ELIMINATED TEAMS

Brooklyn Italians

Founded in 1949, the club played in the Metropolitan Soccer League and later the American Soccer League through 1964. Since then, the club has played in the amateur ranks, recently joining the National Premier Soccer League in 2010.

Path to the Open Cup: The club was one of three teams in the NPSL Northeast that entered the qualifying competition. Brooklyn played host to FC Buffalo in the opening game, defeating the Western New York side by a narrow 1-0 margin on a 25th minute goal from Jorge Joseph. The club advanced to face the defending league champions Sonic Lehigh Valley, winning on the road 2-1.

June News Updates: Drew 2-2 against Morris County, rallying from two down on goals from Don Smart and Kordel Samuels.

Open Cup History: One of the 21 clubs to have won the US Open Cup on two occasions, it also one of the few current long-time participants that has played in the tournament in four decades. Brooklyn won the championship as the “Dodgers” in 1979 with a runners-up finish two years later. During that run to the Final in 1981, they defeated the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in the Semifinals to deny them a shot at repeating as champions.

Brooklyn returned to Open Cup prominence as runners-up in 1990 (falling to 2011 qualifier AAC Eagles from Chicago) before winning the championship a second time the following year. They won their 1991 title 1-0 over Houston’s Richardson Rockets on a sixth minute goal by Ernest Inneh. The club, however, did not return to the tournament until last year, falling 4-2 in overtime to the USL Second Division’s Harrisburg City Islanders despite taking the lead twice in regulation. Read more about the Freedoms/Italians rivalry [+]
PRO ERA RECORD: 0-1-0 overall | 0-0-0 vs. USASA

Western Mass Pioneers

Founded in 1998, the club was a long-time member of the professional third division league in USL prior to moving to the PDL in 2010. The team has made the playoffs only six times in 13 previous seasons, but reached the final twice (1999, 2005) and winning the 1999 championship.

Path to the Open Cup: Playing in the smallest of the nine PDL groups, the Pioneers’ campaign came down to the final game against MPS Portland Phoenix. Western Mass opened with a 2-1 win in New Hampshire and then defeated the Phantoms in the return match 4-2. They then played to a scoreless stalemate in Vermont, leaving them at 2-0-1 and needing at least a draw against the 2-1-0 visitors from Maine in the finale. Chris Roswess scored the winning goal in the 71st for the 1-0 win. Kyle Clancy was the lone player with multiple games in the campaign, scoring in both matches against the Phantoms. PDL East Qualifying [+]

June News Updates: The Pioneers fell at home 2-1 June 11 to Vermont with TJ Popolizio scoring an equalizer in the 65th minute while following up with a 1-0 win at Ottawa on June 4 that snapped the Fury’s 26-game regular season home unbeaten streak on a 56th-minute James Mooney strike. Their June 1 match versus Vermont was postponed.

Open Cup History: The Pioneers qualified for the tournament in its inaugural campaign in 1998 and advanced to the second round via a forfeit by USASA entry NY Greek American Atlas. Their run would end with a 3-1 loss to the second division Rochester Rhinos 3-1. They did not return until the 2004 tournament, the first of five appearances over the next six seasons. The club reached the Third Round only once, and that came in the 2005 season when they defeated Reggae Boyz FC (USASA) in their opening second round match 5-0 before falling 3-1 to the Chicago Fire. The club’s five tournament wins have all come against USASA opponents. The Pioneers last qualified in 2009 and were eliminated via penalties by league rival Harrisburg after a scoreless draw.

While Tuesday’s game is being held in New York, Open Cup soccer in the Pioneers’ home of Ludlow, Mass. goes back to 1937, when the Gremio Lusitano club began Cup play. The team continued through the 50s and 60s, and often called Lustiano Stadium their home, the same place the Pioneers play their home games. In 1956, Gremio Lusitano reached the Quarterfinals, but were stopped by a Big Apple team, New York Hakoah. After a 2-2 extra time draw at Zerega Oval in the Bronx, on Feb. 26, 1956, Hakoah won the replay 1-0 on the same field two weeks later.
PRO ERA RECORD: 5-4-1 (0-1 in PKs) overall | 0-1-1 (0-1 in PKs) vs. 3rd Division


2011 US Open Cup First Round: Arteaga hat trick against former club leads FC New York over Western Mass Pioneers

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The expansion USL Pro side FC New York registered a memorable 3-0 victory in the club’s US Open Cup debut with Jhonny Arteaga recording a hat trick for the first time in his professional career. It was bad news for the Western Mass Pioneers, who were unable to find the same production from the Colombian three years ago.

Arteaga scored three against his former club

The Pioneers were also making a tournament debut of sorts, reaching the Open Cup for the first time since joining the PDL in 2010 after playing in what is now USL Pro since its founding in 1998.

The result left Western Mass scoreless in its last two outings after suffering their first two years ago in a scoreless draw against league rival Harrisburg City Islanders, who knocked the Pioneers out on penalties. The second round stalemate in 2009 ended a run of 10 games with a goal in six appearances for Western Mass, including one contest against the Chicago Fire (3-1 loss) in the 2005 Third Round and two against USL First Division opponents.

Arteaga tallied the opener in the first half and added two more in the second, surpassing his goal total of two in nine regular season appearances for the first-year franchise. Only Graciano Brito has more goals on the squad (4) for the season for FC New York, who sits fourth in the National Division with a 3-5-4 record.

Western Mass Pioneers (PDL)
0:3
FC New York (USL PRO)
Met Oval – Queens, NY – 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary
NY: Jhonny Arteaga
NY: Jhonny Arteaga
NY: Jhonny Arteaga

Born in Cali, Colombia, Arteaga grew up in nearby Stamford, Connecticut and was an award-winning striker at Dominican College located just 17 miles outside New York City in Orangeburg. Prior to graduating, he played in the PDL with the Albany BWP Highlanders in 2007, scoring only twice in 12 appearances.

Arteaga then moved onto the Pioneers in 2008, but failed to crack into the club’s starting lineup, logging only 75 minutes of play and no goals in nine appearances for the mid-table campaign. He would return to New York a year later, but only played three matches for the Westchester Flames in the PDL.

A trip to Poland though looks to have been what Arteaga needed to transition to the professional level. After a trial with top-flight Lechia Gdansk in early 2010 he signed on with LKS Lomza of the third division where he notched eight goals in 14 games.

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