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Illinois

2013 Meet the USASA: RWB Adria part of rich tradition of Chicago soccer since 1959

May 11, 2013 by Scott Fenwick

Photo: Scott Fenwick | OnTheFire.com
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.

Chicago’s soccer roots run deep.

With Britain, Europe, and Japan in shambles after World War II, steel fueled an economic boom throughout the 1950s and 60s in what came to be known as America’s “Rust Belt.” Like many formerly industrialized American cities, the Midwest’s metropolis attracted opportunity seekers from across Europe and Latin America to pursue a better life in the mills.

54 years ago, in a now little-known corner of Chicago – a neighborhood tucked into its southeast side near the heavy industry that once boomed there and in nearby Northwest Indiana – Croatian immigrants formed what would become one of America’s most storied amateur soccer clubs.

History

A member of Chicago’s National Soccer League (one of America’s oldest dating back to the 1920s), Croatian National Soccer Club Red White and Blue Adria, or C.N.S.C. RWB Adria, has operated continuously since 1959. Adria has amassed an impressive number of trophies over the years and is always a contender on the US amateur circuit.

The club has reached the US Open Cup semifinals twice in its history (1978, 1991), and has qualified for the tournament four times during the Modern Pro Era (1996, 2007, 2008, 2013). Recently, in 2011, Adria brought the National Amateur Cup home to Chicago.

According to its manager Ante Loncar, RWB Adria’s philosophy is to always “represent the club, the community, and win.”

Despite its overt Croatian-American ethnic identity, for many years Adria has called players from around the world its own – most notably the legendary Portuguese striker Eusebio, who in the 1970s made his way across North America playing for NASL and amateur teams alike.

RWB Adria's Semir Mesanovic strikes the game-winning strike in extra time against FC Indiana in the USASA Region II tournament. Photo: Chris O'Connor | OnTheFire.com

“Unlike a lot of ethnic teams, once we hit our peak in the late 1970s, we never looked down,” says Loncar.

Indeed, Adria’s sustained on-field prowess can be traced back to its willingness to embrace diversity in its roster decades ago. Today, the club boasts players hailing from more than nine countries across three continents.

At the same time though, Adria has maintained its Croatian heritage when it comes to management and organization. Theirs is a unique, multi-ethnic American soccer success story.

Being RWB Adria

Operating a competitive amateur club is no easy task. It’s a collective effort that requires time, care, and work from volunteers. It also means providing incentives to the men who lace up their boots for Adria.

The club plays many games and enters numerous cup competitions during both the indoor and outdoor seasons each year. Thus due to the number of games it plays and the benefits it is able to afford players, Adria, says Loncar, is “definitely considered semi-pro.”

“To be competitive, you’ve got to find guys who are committed.” The only way to do that, he says, is to offer players benefits such as jobs and mortgage assistance.

In the case of its foreign players, the club also offers to help them settle in and assimilate to their new lives in America.

“You’ve got to be able to do a little bit of everything to make these guys feel comfortable,” says Loncar.

While a few players earn a bit of money, most are afforded other benefits that come with wearing the Adria badge. For example, manager Loncar employs five players, as well as its head coach.

Loncar’s cousin (and main sponsor) employs two players at the Wolcott Group, a Chicago real estate investment company. Wolcott buys the team’s uniforms and provides it with needed financial assistance for meals and travel.

“They really help us. They understand our needs,” says Loncar about Adria’s main benefactor.

Challenges: US Soccer and the US Open Cup

After a five-year absence from US Open Cup competition, Adria is excited to return during the 2013 Centennial year. “It’s an honor for us as amateurs to play any kind of pro team, to be in the Cup. Every amateur team should enjoy it,” Loncar believes.

But underneath his appreciation for the tournament and eagerness to have a shot at beating the pros lies frustration with US Soccer’s organization and administration of one of the world’s oldest domestic cup tournaments.

On Tuesday, May 14, Adria will take on USL Pro’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds in their new soccer-specific stadium in Station Square, a 52-acre entertainment complex located on the south shore of the Monongahela River that snakes through the Steel City. Adria learned of its first-round draw little more than two weeks before game day.

“I wish they’d give us more preparation time. For example, it’s very hard to organize twenty guys to get to Pittsburgh. It’s hundreds of miles away. You can’t drive, because guys would miss a lot of work. It’s really difficult. US Soccer must find a way to give teams like us at least three weeks’ notice before our first game.”

Loncar offers further insight into the hardships amateur and semi-pro teams face during the Open Cup:

“If we win – and that’s a big ‘if’ – we’ve only six days to organize ourselves for the second-round game. It’s a lot of work for an amateur team. The pros have paid staffs to handle these things, so it’s easier for them – especially the MLS teams.

“It’s expensive,” Loncar reveals. “You’ve got to pay roughly $10,000 up front (airfare, cars, hotel, per deim money, etc.) and then you get your money back from US Soccer, so you’ve really got to be financially prepared and stable to play in the US Open Cup. Again, if you win, you’ve got to front another $10,000, and so on. This is why we’ve seen NPSL teams drop out of the field. It’s because of the money.”

What lies ahead?

With decades of sustained success at the amateur level, would RWB Adria ever look to make the jump to a higher tier of US Soccer?

“Every year, we talk about joining NPSL or PDL,” says Loncar. But he claims it’s expensive to join the PDL and, moreover, equates it to a “glorified college summer league.”

Although the club has the funds to join NPSL, according to Loncar, the fourth-tier league is regarded by some in its ranks as “little more than an organized amateur league” similar to the one Adria already resides in (Chicago’s National Soccer League).

Loncar adds that joining USL Pro (third-tier) would be difficult. “Realistically, we’ll probably keep doing what we do. A lot of our guys like the indoor game, so our community might be able to support a move to PASL Premier, but we’re not fit for a move to USL Pro.”

Interestingly, Loncar implied that keeping the club’s ethnic name and identity might prove problematic with a move up US Soccer’s ladder. Adria’s manager thinks his club’s Croatianness might prove odd and unattractive to the casual soccer fan who might otherwise support a more conventional-looking club.

Nevertheless, Adria will not forego its heritage, name, badge, and colors for the sake of posterity. As long as its unique, tight-knit community has any say in the matter, RWB Adria will forever reflect its founders’ American and Croatian pride.

Filed Under: Meet the Underdogs, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Qualifying Tagged With: 2013 Meet The USASA, Illinois, Meet the USASA, RWB Adria, USASA Region II

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: RWB Adria from Illinois becomes first regional entry

October 24, 2012 by Josh Hakala

RWB Adria pose for a team photo after winning the 2011 Illinois Open Cup championship. Photo: Ninos Alexander

Qualifying for the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has technically begun, as the registration deadline for the Illinois state tournament has passed. RWB Adria, the Illinois champion four of the last six years, is the lone entry from the state this year and will receive an automatic berth into the 2013 USASA Region II Finals.

RWB Adria, the Chicago-based club that was founded in 1959, has been a regular entry into Open Cup qualifying since the 1990s. They have qualified for the tournament three times (1996, 2007, 2008) during the Modern Professional Era (1995-present), but have failed to win a game each time.

In their last trip to the tournament in 2008, they traveled to Rochester and took the Rhinos of the USL First Division (Division 2) to extra time before falling 2-1. Since then, they have fallen one win short of qualifying, losing in the Region II Semifinals in 2009 and 2011.

The best finish for the club came in 1991 when they reached the Semifinals, only to be disqualified for the use of an ineligible player.

Despite several strong clubs in the Chicago-area, and a strong history of participation in the Land of Lincoln in years past, very few teams have entered the tournament recently.

Eight teams took part in 2005, followed by two in 2006, four in 2007 and 2008, and just one (RWB Adria) in 2009. The last three years, RWB and AAC Eagles have been the only two teams to compete with Adria winning the last two.

“I think fewer teams are entering because they depend so much on college players and those players aren’t available when qualifying is going on ,” said Ante Loncar of RWB Adria. “We just love the tournament because it’s the only way we can play teams that we wouldn’t normally play, like Bavarian SC or Detroit United. Plus, we just love to travel.”

RWB Adria recent qualifying results
2007 – Won Illinois championship (qualified for US Open Cup)
2008 – Won Illinois championship (qualified for US Open Cup)
2009 – Only Illinois entry (Lost in Region II Semis)
2010 – Lost in Illinois Final ( 2-0 vs. AAC Eagles)
2011 – Won Illinois championship (Lost to AAC Eagles in Region II Semis)
2012 – Won Illinois championship (Lost in Region II First Round)

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2013 US Open Cup, 2013 US Open Cup qualifying, Illinois, RWB Adria, USASA

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: RWB Adria first to qualify for USASA regionals, defeat AAC Eagles in Illinois final

October 25, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

RWB Adria - 2011 Illinois Open Cup champions. Photo: Ninos Alexander

Sixteen days after the Seattle Sounders were crowned Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champions for a third consecutive year, qualifying for the 2012 tournament kicked off in earnest with the Illinois State Final. In a meeting of two well-known clubs, RWB Adria became the first team to advance to a USASA regional tournament, posting a 2-0 victory over rival AAC Eagles Thursday in front of a reported crowd of 400-plus.

The Chicago duo of RWB Adria and AAC Eagles have long been powers in the region, representing USASA Region II in the US Open Cup on eight occasions during the modern professional era (1995-present). While the Eagles have been the more successful club in advancing to the US Open Cup by qualifying five times since 1995, RWB was the dominant side of the two in the Illinois championship.

Two years ago, the Eagles snapped a three-year streak of RWB winning the state crown, winning the Illinois Final, 2-0, to reach the regional tournament. AAC then blitzed Minnesota’s Fire SC, 8-3, before being edged out in the ‘Win and You’re In’ semifinal via penalties, 5-3, after a 3-3 road draw against KC Athletics.

After coming so close to reaching the 2010 tournament, the Eagles dominated in the Region II first round last year with a 7-2 win over FC Indiana that was just short of earning the first berth, setting up a Illinois showdown with RWB, who won a 6-4 overtime road thriller against Detroit United. After falling behind on an early seventh minute Boris Smoljan strike, AAC answered back via a surprise player – center back Piotr Kolasinski. He nodded home the equalizer in the 14th with Mark Golik giving the club the lead before the break. Kolasinski would convert from the spot in the 55th to double the advantage and locked up the match on a curling 19 yard free kick in the 75th minute for a hat-trick to give AAC Eagles a 4-1 victory and a spot in the 2011 US Open Cup.

This year though, the Eagles will need a second chance via an invitation to the regional tournament after falling to RWB Thursday. One of the changes that may have turned the table was the move of the standout Kolasinski, who helped lead RWB to the victory this year.

Igor Stijepic was the key figure in giving RWB the advantage in the match, collecting a throw-in on the right wing and driving up the flank before crossing the ball in to Charlie Trout for the finish in the 20th minute.

The contest livened up with a pair of penalty kicks in about a five minute span in the late stages of the match. The AAC netminder and his left back collided with an RWB attacker, sending Adria to the spot. Semir Mesanovic would convert the penalty to give RWB a two-goal command with 20 minutes remaining.

Five minutes later, a handball gave the Eagles a chance to start a rally, but Pawel Otachel’s attempt right at the keeper was stopped by Igor Dimov, smothering AAC’s hopes of a comeback.

RWB Adria pose for a team photo after winning the 2011 Illinois Open Cup championship. Photo: Ninos Alexander

While Illinois is the first to finish its 2012 US Open Cup qualifying, several other states are also under way. In Region I, Eastern Pennsylvania and Eastern New York started their tournaments over the weekend and the semifinal of the Wisconsin state tournament is already complete.

Scoring Summary

RWB: Charlie Trout (Igor Stijepic) 20
RWB: Semir Mesanovic (penalty) 70

Lineups
RWB – Igor Dimov; Robert Younger, Charlie Trout, Joey Carver, Piotr Kolasinski, Admir Ljeljak, Igor Stijepic, Vlad Baciu (Alex Loncar 85), Taylor Bond (Ifeanyi Okorie 45), Semir Mesanovic, Jani Galik (Boris Smoljan 60)
AAC – Not available

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, 2012 US Open Cup, 2012 US Open Cup qualifying, 2012 USASA Qualifying, AAC Eagles, Illinois, Piotr Kolasinski, RWB Adria, USASA Region II

2011 Meet the USASA: 1990 US Open Cup champions, AAC Eagles from Chicago

June 10, 2011 by David Gubala

AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles

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. Click here for more Meet the USASA stories.

AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles
AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles

The predominantly Polish side from Chicago has much to say about the US Open Cup.  Contestants AAC Eagles have won the entire tournament in 1990 and had a number of strong showings in years following.

2011 will mark the Eagles’ fifth Modern Era (1995-present) appearance (1995, 2002, 2005, 2008), and they will travel to Madison, Wis. for their First Round match-up with the NPSL’s Madison 56ers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST. The winner of that match will play the winner of the Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) and Iowa Menace (USASA ) in Round 2.

The club returned to prominence a year ago when they ended state rival RWB Adria’s three-year reign as Illinois state champions. The Eagles defeated RWB Adria 2-0 in the Illinois state qualifier the previous November before knocking out Minnesota entrant Fire SC in the Region II Quarterfinals, 8-3. The side was then eliminated in the Final Four via penalties 4-2 by KC Athletics after a 3-3 draw. The two matches took place at MLS venues, playing at Toyota Park’s training field and in a doubleheader with the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

This year, AAC Eagles were seeded as host of the Illinois Final as defending champion, and defeated Viking AA 2-1 to retain the state crown. They earned a date with FC Indiana in the opening round of the Region II tournament and dispatched them 7-2 thanks to four goals by Jakub Piotrowski. It then came down to a “Win & You’re In” match between the Eagles and RWB Adria (who replaced Viking AA after they withdrew from the tournament), which the Eagles won 4-1 with Piotrowski leading the way with three goals. `

CLUB HISTORY

AAC Eagles were formed in the year 1940 by a number of Polish immigrants. The club underwent a number of rebrandings over the years from then on. Until the 1950s, Eagles were originally known as the Polish American Athletic Club (PAAC Eagles).

The team also played its inaugural season in the National Soccer League of Chicago.

After the 1950s, the team rebranded to the Chicago Eagles. Since then, the club has interchanged between a couple of other names. Having won the cup in 1990, the club had finally settled on the AAC Eagles moniker for years to come.

The Eagles currently play in the Metropolitan Soccer League, where it has won 11 Major Division championships.

HISTORY IN THE CUP

AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles
AAC Eagles celebrate their 1990 US Open Cup championship. Photo: Renee Bechtoldt | AAC Eagles

The club has a number of successes worth mentioning. It reached the final in 1945 and 1948 before winning the Open Cup in 1990. The Eagles defeated the Brooklyn Italians, who have also qualified for the 2011 competition, 2-1 in the championship game with goals from Jan Kiaca and Peter Modrzejewski at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. , six years before MLS would be launched.

As is the case for the current tournament, back in 1990, the Eagles’ famous US Open Cup victory gave them a berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (now called the Champions League). The club lost on aggregate 4-1 to Bermudian side PHC Zebras in early stages of the tournament, but had already accomplished the impossible getting there.

The team first entered the Cup in 1948 and won their first-ever tournament match, 6-4, over Hansa SC on Nov. 16, 1947. In the ’48 Cup they reached the Illinois Final, where they lost to Sparta A & BA 3-2 after extra time.

In 1949, they made it all the way to the Western Final (National Semifinals), losing to Pittsburgh’s Morgan Strasser 4-3 on aggregate over two legs. Strasser went on to win the title that year.

Oldest teams to qualify in US Open Cup
Modern Era (1995-present)*
1910 – United German Hungarians (Oakford, PA)
1922 – Croatian Eagles (Milwaukee, WI)
1926 – Phoenix SC (Feasterville, PA)
1927 – SAC Wisla (Chicago, IL)
1929 – Bavarian SC (Milwaukee, WI)
1931 – Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Warminster, PA)
1940 – AAC Eagles (Chicago, IL)
1941 – Greek American Atlas (Queens, NY)
1959 – RWB Adria (Chicago, IL)*Year club was founded, not their first USOC appearance

In 1950 they reached the Western Semifinals where they lost to another eventual champion, St. Louis’ Simpkins Ford 5-0. Along the way they thrashed Hakoah Center 11-0 in the Illinois quarterfinals.

In 1953 a group of players who felt they were not being given a fair shot for playing time left the club and founded the Falcons SC, and that newly-formed club went on to win the Open Cup in their first attempt.

In their four previous Modern Era appearances, the club has failed to win a game in the competition. In fact, in their last three appearances, the Eagles have been eliminated by a team that has also qualified for the 2011 Open Cup. In 2002, they lost 1-0 on a golden goal by the New York Freedoms (now the NY Pancyprian Freedoms), who were a member of the PDL that year. They fell to the Chicago Fire Premier in 2005 by a score of 4-1, and in their last appearance they hosted the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, losing 4-0.

Adding to their list of achievements, AAC Eagles won the USASA Open Cup in 1989 and 2002.

MEET THE PLAYER: PETER BIELECKI

Peter Bielecki is a 6’1” left back playing a pivotal role for the Eagles, especially this season. Bielecki earned his spot through the youth ranks of Eagles as well as playing for Lane Tech High School in his earlier days.

Can you talk about the current atmosphere in the team and how you personally prepare for this tournament?

The AAC Eagles celebrate qualifying for the 2011 US Open Cup at the practice field outside the Chicago Fire’s Toyota Park

PB: Overall, we have strong team chemistry. Everyone backs each other up, where everyone seems to get along in both a professional and casual way. Our outlook is very serious, where everyone believes we can make it very far in the tournament. There is very little room for slacking, because a 27+man roster leaves a lot of room for competition on our team.

What does the US Open Cup mean for yourself and the Eagles?

PB: The US Open Cup is one of the biggest tests for an amateur men’s team. Within our league, we are always looking for a challenge. The US Open Cup offers everyone on our team a chance to give it their all and compete on higher levels. Many of our players are college level quality, but very few have broken into the professional levels, in which this tournament provides many opportunities to seize.

Who are some of the key players on the Eagles roster? Who are the veterans or someone you look up to?

PB: We have a lot of underrated talent. “Kuba” Piotrowski, for example, is an incredible “amateur” talent that has plenty of ability to score goals with speed comparable to many of the fastest strikers. Piotr Kolasinski is a central defender that has an incredible touch and makes plays in all areas of the field. He also has the ability to strike the ball from set pieces, leaving us with a serious weapon, no matter what team we play. Jacek Lechowicz and Sebastian Skital provide our team with years of experience from higher levels, while Miroslaw Modzelewski brings in experience from some of the highest levels of football, playing teams such as Manchester United in his Polish football career .

Can you tell fans a little about yourself and your relationship with the Eagles?

PB: As a youngster, I was constantly looking for chances to break into this “veteran” squad. I am a left back, standing at 6’1″ and 185 lbs, but I am still finding it difficult to capture my spot on this team. We have plenty of players to choose from, which is surprising for the level we play at. We are going to leave higher level teams with quite a challenge during these next few US open Cup games. It will be important for other teams not to underestimate us, because we train with the mindset of a professional squad.

The AAC Eagles are always trying to improve their reputation as an amateur soccer team. The US Open Cup is just another opportunity for us to make a statement and advance as far as possible. No matter what, our team will leave the tournament with no regrets, knowing that we have given our best performance and have showcased the best football that we can provide.

Filed Under: Meet the Underdogs, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Qualifying Tagged With: 2011 Meet the USASA, 2011 US Open Cup, AAC Eagles, Illinois, Meet the USASA, USASA Region II

2011 US Open Cup qualifying: AAC Eagles back in Open Cup after Kolasinski hat trick

May 15, 2011 by David Gubala

Special thanks to David Gubala (@DavidGubala) from Goal.com for live updates and match report.

BRIDGEVIEW, IL – On a cold, rainy, Saturday afternoon, AAC Eagles came away with a satisfying 4-1 victory over RWB Adria at the Toyota Park practice field in Bridgeview, Illinois. The match was the final USASA Region II play-in match for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the region’s second berth. Piotr Kolasinski as the man of the match with a hat-trick on the day.

AAC Eagles now progress to the US Open Cup along with previous Region II qualifier Iowa Menace, who advanced with a 7-1 victory in the First Round. The AAC Eagles came up came up short on the goal differential format utilized to determine a qualifier from three contests, winning 7-2 against FC Indiana while RWB Adria downed Detroit United 6-4 in overtime.

Knowing what was at stake, both teams threw in everything they had from the get-go. Adria broke the deadlock in the early minutes of the game when Boris Smoljan slotted the ball home in the seventh minute off a well-played through ball.

Not much later, the Eagles struck back. Forward Mariusz Napiorkowski crossed a well-driven ball to Kolasinski, who headed past the keeper to level terms in the 14th minute.

The AAC Eagles celebrate at the practice field outside Chicago Fire's Toyota Park

Midway through the first half Mark Golik broke away to see him one-on-one with the keeper. The captain did well for himself and slotted it inside Adria’s far post to take the lead in the 38th minute.

After the break, things started to get a little hectic and controversial. Adria goalkeeper handled the ball with his hands outside the box and was given a straight red. However, after much debate, the referee negated the call, rescinding the red card.

This sparked high emotions off the Eagles’ bench. With a plethora of attacking play, the Eagles would eventually earn a penalty kick. Kolasinski put it away, giving the Polish side a 3-1 lead 10 minutes into the second stanza.

Nearing the end, the Eagles were given a free kick just outside the box and the local hero of the night, Kolasinski, was perfect in the spotlight yet again in the 75th. He managed to curl it past the Adria keeper for a hat-trick, giving his club a resounding 4-1 lead.

“We played good, organized football,” said Eagles manager Mike Bechtold. “We didn’t give up any silly fouls and were able to play according to our plan.”

About the AAC Eagles

A Polish club from the Metropolitan Soccer League, the AAC Eagles returned to prominence a year ago when they ended state rival RWB Adria’s three-year reign as champions. The 1990 US Open Cup champions defeated RWB Adria 2-0 in the Illinois state qualifier the previous November before knocking out Minnesota entrant Fire SC in the Region II Quarterfinals, 8-3. The side was then eliminated in the Final Four via penalties 4-2 by KC Athletics after a 3-3 draw. The two matches took place at MLS venues, playing at Toyota Park’s training field and in a doubleheader with the Kansas City Wizards. This year, AAC Eagles were seeded as host of the Illinois Final as defending champion, and defeated Viking AA 2-1 to retain the state crown.

The Eagles have qualified for the tournament four times (1995, 2002, 2005, 2008) in the Professional Era (1995-present), but have fallen in the opening round all four times. Three of the four games have been against professional opponents.

Scoring Summary:

RBW Adria: Boris Smoljan – 7
AAC Eagles: Piotr Kolasinski – 14
AAC Eagles: Mark Golik – 38
AAC Eagles: Piotr Kolasinski – pen. 55
AAC Eagles: Piotr Kolasinski – 75

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2011 US Open Cup qualifying, 2011 USASA Qualifying, AAC Eagles, Illinois, Iowa Menace, Piotr Kolasinski, RWB Adria, USASA Region II

2010 Qualifying: AAC Eagles end RWB Adria’s reign over Illinois

November 6, 2009 by Josh Hakala

The AAC Eagles of the National Soccer League pose for a team photo after winning the 2010 Illinois Open Cup Final. Their first Open Cup title since 2003. Photo: Judith McLean | Illinois SSA
The AAC Eagles of the National Soccer League pose for a team photo after winning the 2010 Illinois Open Cup Final. Their first Open Cup title since 2003. Photo: Judith McLean | Illinois SSA

Perennial rivals AAC Eagles and RWB Adria squared off in the 2010 Illinois Open Cup Final to determine who would take the next step toward qualifying for next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. It was a battle of the Eagles, a Polish club from the Metropolitan Soccer League against RWB, a Croatian club from the National Soccer League, with a spot in the USASA Region II Finals hanging in the balance.

The AAC Eagles, the 1990 US Open Cup champions, were victorious, 2-0 over RWB, ending a streak of three straight years of the Croatian club representing the state at the Region II Finals. After several years of domination by Adria it was the Eagles’ turn to excel and for most of the game they did exactly that.

AAC Eagles: 1990 Open Cup champions
AAC Eagles: 1990 Open Cup champions

In a game played at Carbajal Field in Hawthorn Park in the western Chicago suburb of Cicero, Ill., the Eagles opened the scoring early in the first half. A scramble at the Adria 6-yard box resulted in the first Eagles goal awarded to Rafal Popko in the 18th minute.

Midway through the same half, an excellent strike by Adria was thwarted by goalkeeper Marek Los and instead of celebrating an equalizer, Adria succumbed to a second goal a few minutes later. Jakub Piotrowski’s solid strike put the Eagles up 2-0 in the 37th minute.

Going into the second half with a two-goal lead, the Eagles sat back and defended, allowing Adria back into the game. For a while, it was the Eagles who were under siege, but time and again either the Eagles’ defense held tough or Adria missed the target. There were chances at both ends as the game came to a close and at the final whistle, Adria graciously accepted defeat and the Polish side celebrated their first Illinois Open Cup title since 2003.

With the win, the AAC Eagles will play in the Region II Finals which will be held next spring with the champions and representatives of the other Midwestern states.

If the format remains the same from recent years, the two teams reaching the Region II championship game will clinch a berth in the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Eagles will attempt to qualify for the national tournament for the second time in three years and add to an already-impressive resume that includes six appearances and one championship in the last 20 years (1989, 1990, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2008).

TheCup.us would like to thank Judith McLean of the Illinois State Soccer Association (ISSA) for her contributions to this story. You can find more information about the ISSA on their official website at www.illinoissoccer.org.

Lineups

AAC Eagles (Metropolitan Soccer League)
1 Marek Los
4 Darek Szewczyk
5 Miroslaw Modzelewski
6 Piotr Kolasinski
8 David Otachel
9 Jacek Zezhowski
10 Rafal Popko
11 Jakub Piotrowski
14 Adrian Skital
15 Marcin Pieniazek
16 Matthew Kochowwicz

Subs
7 Mariusz Misiaszek
17 Kamil Szczepanski
21 Marcin Simson
3 Christopher Gasiorek

Subs not used
19 Alekander Dianocki
13 Marek Golik
18 Pavel Polight

Coach: Joe Opiola

RWB Adria (National Soccer League)
0 Igor Dimov
4 Joey Carver
6 Eduardo Rodriguez
8 Admir Ljeljak
9 Elmedin Zukic
10 Semir Mesanovic
11 Igor Stjepic
14 Mark Merkowski
18 Mario Pinon
20 Awadallah Morad
23 Daniel Ayegbusi

Subs
7 Elfid Kovacevic
12 Eric Duda
99 Rafael Zaniol

Coach: Sinisa Alebic

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2010 USASA Qualifying, AAC Eagles, Igor Dimov, Illinois, Jakub Piotrowski, Marek Los, Rafal Popko, RWB Adria, USASA Region II

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  • San Francisco Bay Seals, the ‘amateur’ pro team that reached 1997 US Open Cup Semifinals

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