Massachusetts

2016 Meet the Underdogs: Boston area’s Southie FC want to be more than weekend warriors

May 18, 2016 by Brian O'Connell

Like many great success stories in American soccer, the idea of Southie FC started with a couple of college buddies who weren’t quite ready to give up playing the beautiful game after graduation.

Following the completion of their studies – as well as their NCAA soccer careers — at Providence College in 2010, Sean Bakhtiari and Roy Sandeman soon hit a fork in the road.

While Bakhtiari and Sandeman both intended to extend their playing days at the PDL level – Bakhtiari had played for Seacoast United while Sandeman suited up for Western Mass Pioneers – the reality of starting a career in the real world conflicted with that idea.

So they compromised. Initially, both were content with linking up with one of many local amateur sides in Boston. But before long, they both realized they didn’t just want to show up and play every weekend.

“After one year with this local team, we thought it would be fun to start our own team, run it in a semi-professional manner, recruit our own friends and players, and try to surpass the success of local clubs like GPS Omens, Battery Park Gunners and Boston Olympiakos,” Bakhtiari said. “So in the fall of 2012, Southie FC was launched with the vision of playing our first outdoor season in the spring of 2013.”

The duo immediately went to work on their new idea. During the winter of 2012-13, the Providence alums gathered together some of their former Providence Friar teammates and friends and put together a roster.

“We didn’t really ‘recruit’ players,” Bakhtiari said. “We’re basically a group of friends and friends of friends who love the game, played competitively growing up, and demonstrate a ‘team-first’ focus.”

In a sign that the soccer gods were clearly smiling upon the efforts of Bakhtiari and Sandeman, the Boston-based outfit was afforded the
opportunity to take over the spot formerly inhabited by Suchi FC and enter the first division Massachusetts State Soccer League (MSSL)
instead of starting from scratch in the league’s second tier.

GPS Omens and Southie FC square off in 2016 US Open Cup qualifying at Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Mass.

It didn’t take long for the newly-formed outfit to thrive. In its first season in MSSL, the so-called Boys in Neon (for its neon green
kits) finished in second place, one point behind league champion Mass United FC.

Southie’s initial success was no flash in the pan, either. Not long after, the club expanded its reach, fielding three separate teams in
different leagues in Massachusetts, all which have garnered success.

To say that the original squad has set the bar would be an understatement.

Since its debut three years ago, Southie has gone on to win the Massachusetts Amateur Cup (2015), Massachusetts State US Open Cup
(2015), MSSL Division 1 North, (2015), MSSL Cup (2014), and claimed runner-up finishes in the MSSL league (2014) and Massachusetts US
Amateur Cup (2014).

The most recent – and perhaps greatest – success came last week, when Southie pulled off a 2-0 win over Seacoast United Phantoms of the PDL during the First Round of the US Open Cup.

“ was something special for all the guys involved in our club,” Bakhtiari said. “We have about seven guys, including myself, who
played for Seacoast United growing up. Very few teams and players ever get the chance to compete in the most prestigious soccer tournament in the country and we’re very proud to have qualified and represent Massachusetts well.”

While Bakhtiari and his Southie teammates already have plenty to be proud of, they’re certainly not resting on their laurels.

“Right now, we’re focused on May 18th’s US Open Cup match in Rochester ,” Bakhtiari said. “On paper, we are heavy underdogs, but we’re confident in our ability to pull off an upset on the road midweek.”

Whether Southie can pull off another stunner against the defending USL champions remains to be seen.

No matter the outcome of the Second Round clash, Bakhtiari is clearly savoring the spoils of the dream birthed by two college buddies who simply wanted to keep playing competitive soccer after commencement day.

“Our team-first focus has always been our No. 1 motive and, in my opinion, has been the biggest contributor to our club’s success,”
Bakhtiari said. “This means, committing to the team’s goals, understanding certain player selection decisions, having each other’s back on and off the field, and focusing on team play vs. individual play.

“I’m probably most proud of our team-first attitude more than anything with Southie FC. It’s something special.”

Brian O’Connell is a freelance writer who also created and runs the website New England Soccer Today.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: Mass Premier Soccer wins state title, advances to Region I finals

November 24, 2013 by Hank Alexandre

Note: Due to a change in the qualifying deadline, USASA Region I has already determined their two entries for the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (2013 Region I Open Cup champion Icon FC and 2013 Region I Amateur Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas). Therefore, this fall’s Massachusetts champion will advance to the 2014 Region I tournament, which will then determine the region’s entry into the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The fixture was set weeks ago. Two teams, Mass Premier Soccer and Mass United FC, were to meet on a Sunday afternoon in late November to decide who would be Massachusetts Open Cup champion.

As the poet once said, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

The game was set for a 2 p.m. kickoff, but when some fans arrived at Clemente Field in Boston, the game was already under way after the start of the match was moved up to 1:30 p.m. over concerns of running out of daylight. However, the surprising thing about the match wasn’t the early start.

The problem was Mass United FC were not on the field.

Prior to the game, Mass Premier Soccer were informed that Mass United FC were disqualified after fielding an ineligible player in the semifinal. The disqualification resulted in the loser of the semifinal, Valeo Sports, moving on to the final instead.

Mass Premier Soccer would prevail over Valeo Sports in extra time, 2-1, to win their second straight Massachusetts Open Cup title and will move on to next spring’s USASA Region I tournament.

Despite fielding a team of irregulars, Valeo Sports took the lead in the first half with a brilliant piece of individual play from Marillo Zanetti. Zanetti beat the defender by bouncing the ball over his opponent, and bringing it down on to his foot, fired past the MPS Keeper, Jeff Newman.

However, Mass Premier Soccer were able to keep their composure and equalize near the 40 minute mark. MPS pressured their opponents deep into their own half, and former SMU and FC Dallas midfielder Ben Shuleva managed to capitalize by beating the keeper inside a very congested penalty area.

The second half saw both teams struggle against the elements with sub-freezing temperatures, and a swirling wind that whipped down the field and back the other way. Other than the cold and wind, the only constant in the game was the stream of profanity coming from the Valeo coaches sitting in the stands, presumably prohibited from the touchline. The verbal tirade had little effect however, but despite their overall poor play, they were able to hold off an ineffective MPS attack.

Both teams had chances toward the end of full time to go ahead, and Valeo probably deserved a penalty awarded in their favor for a trip near the box, but the referee called no foul as MPS was able to counter. MPS also had a chance in the second half with a free kick from Nick Crestman, who swung it inside the box from 25 yards out on the right side. The ball was flicked on to Shuleva by forward Chuck Romero, but Shuleva’s header was caught by the keeper right on the line.

The game quickly went into extra time as daylight was running out. MPS proved to be the more consistent with the ball and pressed hard for the go ahead goal. It came finally in the second extra time period with about 10 minutes left to play. When a corner kick found its way to MPS forward Tyler MacNee, who was left unmarked, and was able to take a touch in the box, settle, and drive it past the Valeo keeper with his right foot for the go-ahead goal.

Valeo however did not give up and continued to press forward. With under five minutes left, they pushed forward and seemingly had Newman beat, but the shot was cleared off the line by MPS defender Jake Edwards. Time eventually ran out on Valeo and MPS secured a spot in the regional tournament.

2013 Meet the USASA: Former pro players lead Mass Premier Soccer in US Open Cup debut

May 14, 2013 by Christopher Camille

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.

Mass Premier Soccer (MPS) of the Bay State Soccer League (BSSL) will be the first USASA club in five years to represent Massachusetts in the US Open Cup.

That’s quite a lead-in, but then again so are MPS’ achievements on both the state and national level. The club is widely considered one of the most successful and consistent sides from Massachusetts in recent history.

The club, originally established by Williams College graduate Greg Locraft in the late 1990s, was interestingly – perhaps regrettably – called Monsters of the Apocalypse (MOA) in their early years. The club won three straight BSSL league titles from 2005 to 2007. In 2009, after thankfully completing a name change to MPS the previous year, they again won the BSSL title and in 2010 brought home the BSSL Cup.

Team manager and starting left winger Nicholas Christman contributes some of the team’s recent success to the week-in, week-out competition provided through their Greater Boston home league.

“We think the level of play in the BSSL has really improved in the past two to three years,” Team Manager Nicholas Christman said. “Sometimes it’s tough when we play state qualifiers the same weekend as league matches but we wouldn’t stay sharp without the BSSL.”

The team did not start entering national competitions until 2008. That year was something of a landmark for the club. Not only did they begin their time as a regular entrant in the Massachusetts National Cup qualifiers but they established their relationship with MPS (part of the Global Premier Soccer network), a top youth club and development academy in the area that acts as both a sponsor and talent provider.

Mass Premier Soccer: 2011 Massachusetts Open Cup champions — Mass Premier Soccer won the 2011 Massachusetts Open Cup championship

“MPS views us as an extension of their club beyond the college level,” Christman explained. “They sometimes connect us with players who have played with their youth teams and we will often play games at the same venues as their youth teams to connect with them.”

Both Christman, and head coach Dan MacGregor are proud of the talent pipeline that they have established in recent years. Even beyond the MPS connection the club has used their location in the Greater Boston area to great advantage, boasting players who are alumni from some of the top college soccer programs in New England.

“Since there is an abundance of college teams in the area we like to bring in young guys and have them spread word of mouth about our team,” MacGregor said. “Right now we have players from Harvard, Dartmouth, BC, Northeastern, PC, Williams, and Middlebury.”

In more recent years, as the level of talent has grown, the team’s overall roster has gained a bit more consistency and depth. This has allowed MPS to also gain success in national competitions. The pending 2013 US Open Cup run aside, the club also progressed to the USASA Amateur Cup semifinals in 2011, losing to Chicago based club RWB Adria in the same competition that BSSL-rival Battery Park Gunners won in 2012.

“We are lucky to have a core of ten players who have played on our team for four or five years,” Christman said. “Dan and I run the team pretty informally as any of those guys can step up at any time to assume leadership.”

One of the players Christman was probably referring to is Sam Brill. The 6-foot-2-inch tall center back has an impressive pedigree having played professional in Germany, Sweden and for the New England Revolution. A four-year starter at Boston College, Brill has been integral in MPS’ recent success and will be relied upon heavily in their 2013 US Open Cup campaign.

A slightly less touted, but just as important member of the team is Williams College graduate Charlie Romero. Romero scored two goals in MPS’ 6-0 victory over Newtown Pride SC in the Massachusetts US Open Cup qualifier and is the club’s most dangerous goal threat. He is another player with professional experience having played one season with the Charleston Battery. Having a player like Romero gives MPS confidence going into the Cup.

“We think we can play with any PDL or NPSL team,” MacGregor said. “We think we’re just like one of those teams only a little bit older and a little more experienced.”

MPS start their campaign this Tuesday, May 14^th at 8 PM when they take on another Global Premier Soccer affiliated side GPS Portland Phoenix, the lone Maine entrant in the competition.

“Our goal is to be the last amateur team standing,” said Christman.

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: Mass Premier Soccer wins second Mass. title in three years (video)

December 9, 2012 by Brian O'Connell

Story originally published at New England Soccer Today. Follow them on Twitter @NESoccerToday

Matt Hoff converted the game-winning penalty for a short-handed Mass Premier Soccer squad, which staked a 1-1 (4-2 PKs) victory over East Providence Sports in Saturday’s US Open Cup Massachusetts state final.

It took only 20 seconds for Tyler Macnee to put Mass Premier in the driver’s seat, but the goalscorer was red carded three minutes later. Kyle Teixeira equalized in the 81st minute before penalties were employed to separate the sides.Jimmi Underhill stopped the first Mass Premier penalty, while Jeff Newman stopped East Providence’s second bid, and was helped by the post on the fourth attempt. Seconds later, Hoff struck it true to send his teammates through to the USASA Region I portion of the 100th edition of the US Open Cup tournament.“It was a tough game,” said MPS manager/midfielder Nick Christman. “It wasn’t a flashy game, but I think both sides showed a lot of resilience. Everyone dug in real deep, it went back and forth a lot.”

Christman’s club wasted no time tipping it in their favor. As East Providence cycled the ball inside their half right after the whistle, Mass Premier seized a lazy ball, and Christman sent it Macnee. With only Underhill standing in his way, Macnee slid it through to grab the lead in the first minute.Yet, Macnee’s match was over before the fifth minute for putting his elbow into Gomes’ forehead on a 50/50 ball near center circle. With Gomes sporting a sizable gash on his forehead, the referee issued a straight red card to Macnee.

“You start off and score a goal in the first minute, and we have real good combination play that kind of set the tone of the game,” Christman said. “Then, you get a red card. Obviously, that’s not what you want, especially in the Massachusetts final.”

Gomes returned to action bandaged up moments later, and helped steer his team’s attack against a short-handed opponent.

In the 28th minute, Jimmy Hernandez chased down a pass from Teixeira into the box and was brought down by Newman. A penalty was awarded, and Newman was cautioned before Teixeira lined up his shot. But Newman redeemed himself when he denied the penalty.“We had a great opportunity to take advantage,” East Providence coach Larry Alves said. “Missing that PK was huge. Their goalie came up with a big save. Kyle’s usually pretty good about putting those away. But going forward, a man up, you have to take advantage.”

Instead of dwelling on their misfortune, East Providence only sharpened the attack. Teixeira and Anthony Petrarca each fired dangerous free kicks that curled away from frame at the last moment.

Mass-final-2012 — Photo: Brian O'Connell | NESoccerToday.com

Alves’ squad almost leveled right before halftime when Andres Perdomo found an open look on frame. But the attacking midfielder couldn’t keep his shot down.

The second half opened much like the first 45 closed: with East Providence pressing the issue. Gomes and Joaquim De Pina each put Mass Premier on notice with open headers that came close to frame.

While the luck may have eluded East Providence, Mass Premier relied on its defense to snuff out a host of chances. Former New England Revolution defender Sam Brill helped keep the back four strong by winning a number of aerial chances.

“We attacked well,” Alves said. “We were pretty much in their end for the entire game. But we couldn’t put more balls away. It’s just unlucky.”

“Our defensive line played real, real well,” Christman said. “It’s one of our strengths. We have an unbelievable backline. We don’t give up very many goals.”

The only goal Mass Premier gave up came from a curious sequence in the 81st minute. Teixeira went inside the area and chipped it far post with Hernandez nearby. Realizing he was offside, Hernandez ducked away, and watched the ball crash into the net on its own. Initially, the assistant referee’s flag nullified the goal, but the referee consulted with assistant referee, and East Providence was back in business.

Overtime concluded 10 v. 9 after Andrew Hench and Eddy Lopes were issued red cards in the 97th and 102nd minutes, respectively, for dangerous challenges.

Knotted at one apiece after 120 minutes, each team selected players for penalties. After East Providence missed their second attempt, Hoff stepped to the spot with his club holding a 3-2 advantage, and buried it to send Mass Premier to its second U.S. Open Cup state final triumph in the last three years.

“The guys did a great job. We’re ready to go (to the USASA Region 1 Finals),” Christman joked. “We’ve got knocks, so it’ll be good to take some time off and wait until March for the draw.”

Video highlights

2013 Massachusetts Open Cup tournament results

First Round [+] Recap
Battery Park Gunners 2:1 Mass United FC
Boston Olympiakos 0:6 Mass Premier Soccer
Middlesex FC 1:6 East Providence Sports
Strela Negra (BYE)

Semifinals
Battery Park Gunners 3:4 East Providence Sports [+] Recap
Mass Premier Soccer 8:1 Strela Negra

Final

Mass Premier Soccer 1:1 East Providence Sports
MPS wins the championship, 4-2 in PKs

Recent Massachusetts Open Cup champions
2013: Mass Premier Soccer
2012: Battery Park Gunners
2011: Mass Premier Soccer
2010: Emigrantes Das Ilhas
2009: Emigrantes Das Ilhas*
2008: Boston Olympiakos*
2007: Lowell Revolution
2006: Green Briar Rebels
2005: Green Briar Rebels
2004: Boston Olympiakos
2003: Green Briar Rebels
2002: Hellas United

*Qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: Mass Premier Soccer’s one-sided win over Stela Negra earns them ticket to Mass. final, sucker punch

November 18, 2012 by Hank Alexandre

Mass. Premier Soccer advanced to the final round of US Open Cup Qualifying with a resounding 8-1 defeat of Stela Negra, in a game that ended in a sucker punch, a subsequent red card, and the referee letting the clock run down while holding the ball for the final 5 minutes of play.

Stela Negra were extremely frustrated by the time the offending player, #14, ran out of the MPS backfield and sucker punched a MPS defender in the face, just as MPS’ Jake Edwards was scoring their 8th goal in the 82nd minute. The player, whose name was not released, was immediately ejected. The officials spent the next several minutes trying to restore a semblance of order, but ended up being forced to let time run out without resuming play.

MPS opened up the scoring early in the 7th minute, when MPS player/manager Nick Christman found teammate Matt Hoff at the top of the box. Stela Negra were quick to counter, finding the back of the net in the 15th minute with a brilliant header, but Stela forward Kanutu was judged to be offside, erasing the equalizer.

MPS then took over the match with back to back goals from Dan MacGregor and Nick Christman in the 17th and 18th minutes, respectively. MacGregor would again find the back of the net in the 38th minute. Stela Negra found their only goal of the match just before the half ended, with Jibita Sombaros scoring off a corner kick which eluded MPS Keeper Jeff Newman.

Stela Negra’s best chance in the second half came in the 64th minute, with a free kick in the MPS half of the field, but the attempt sailed high over the bar. From that point on, it was all MPS for the remainder of the match. Tyler Macnee opened the onslaught in the 69th minute, and was followed up by goals by Kevin Unger, Nick Christman, and Jake Edwards. Then the mayhem kicked into overdrive.

The Stela players lost all composure as they tried to defend the actions of their teammate, who had just been ejected from the game. The officials did well to let time run out, as it was clear that letting play continue would have resulted in further players being hurt or ejected.

“I expected it to be closer”, said Christman after the game. “We’ve played them in previous years and they’ve always played us tough.”

MPS may find a more challenging opponent in Eastern Providence Sports, the winner of the other Semi-Final on Saturday. “We played them last year in the Open Cup, and it was 3-3 after regulation, 4-4 after extra time, and went deep into penalties. They’ve got some good players.”

For East Providence, who compete in Massachusetts despite being based in Rhode Island, it was their first Open Cup qualifying win, and their reward is another chance for revenge on MPS. In 2011, they lost in the opening round game in the USASA Region I tournament (their last representing the state of Rhode Island). Last year, they drew 4-4 with MPS, but lost in penalty kicks in Round 1 of the Massachusetts tournament.

2013 Massachusetts Open Cup tournament schedule

First Round [+] Recap
Battery Park Gunners 2:1 Mass United FC
Boston Olympiakos 0:6 Mass Premier Soccer
Middlesex FC 1:6 East Providence Sports
Strela Negra (BYE)

Semifinals
Battery Park Gunners 3:4 East Providence Sports [+] Recap
Mass Premier Soccer 8:1 Strela Negra

Final (Date/Time TBA)

Mass Premier Soccer vs. East Providence Sports

Recent Massachusetts Open Cup champions
2013: TBD
2012: Battery Park Gunners
2011: Mass Premier Soccer
2010: Emigrantes Das Ilhas
2009: Emigrantes Das Ilhas*
2008: Boston Olympiakos*
2007: Lowell Revolution
2006: Green Briar Rebels
2005: Green Briar Rebels
2004: Boston Olympiakos
2003: Green Briar Rebels
2002: Hellas United

*Qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: East Providence Sports eliminates Battery Park Gunners to reach Massachusetts final

November 17, 2012 by Brian O'Connell

Story originally published at New England Soccer Today. Follow them on Twitter @NESoccerToday

Armando Gomes and Kyle Teixeira each bagged a brace as East Providence Sports clinched a US Open Cup state final berth following Saturday’s 4-3 win over Battery Park Gunners at Madison Park High School.

Bobby Linaberry put the Gunners in the 5th minute, but Gomes replied with his first goal in the 22nd minute. He added his second in the 35th minute before Ben Shuleva leveled it in the 40th minute for the Gunners. Teixeira tallied in the 70th and 80th minutes, while Matt Shea brought one back for Battery Park in the 90th minute.

East Providence goalkeeper Jimmi Underhill made a pair of important saves late to preserve the result.

Saturday’s semifinal win sends East Providence to the Massachusetts state final match, where they will face the winner of Sunday’s Mass Premier Soccer-Strela Negra semifinal contest on Sunday. The state final is tentatively scheduled for the weekend of Dec. 9.

In the opening moments, it hardly looked like East Providence would pull away with the win. Battery Park, the defending Massachusetts Open Cup champion, pressed the issue and tested Underhill right from the first chirp of the whistle.

Only five minutes passed when the Gunners, the best amateur side in the country by virtue of their 2012 National Amateur Cup championship, fired the first shot. Ryan McDaniel sent it inside the area, where Linaberry launched it into the net.

Shortly thereafter, the match undertook on a physical tone. Players from both clubs employed aggressive tackles and shoves to impose and intimidate.

Nevertheless, East Providence mounted a dangerous counterattack midway through the first half. Eddy Lopes played a ball forward to Gomes at the left post, where he tapped it through.

Gomes scribbled his name on the scoresheet again in the 35th minute when he collected the remnants of a Jimmy Hernandez cross. After a moment of defensive confusion, Gomes coolly converted near the six.

The lead would not last before the break. Five minutes from halftime, the Gunners exploited the disheveled defense, which allowed Shuleva to score.

Despite a four-goal first half, the second half remained scoreless for 25 minutes. That streak ended moments after Teixeira sauntered down the left and looked for a teammate in the area. His cross hit the arm of a Gunners’ defender, and the referee pointed to the spot, where Teixeira buried it to reclaim the lead.

The creative winger moved up to forward, just in time to find his second strike. On another counterattack, Gomes sent it over to Teixeira in front of the area. From there, Teixeira raced through and chipped it over Philip Nelson ten minutes from time.

Battery Park made it interesting in the 90th minute when Myles Gerraty gave it to Shea, who cut the deficit to one.

However, East Providence held on for five minutes of stoppage time to secure their spot in the state final.

For East Providence, a Rhode Island based club who competes in the Massachusetts tournament because their league is based there, it was their first Open Cup qualifying win. In 2011, they lost to Mass Premier Soccer in their opening round game in the USASA Region I tournament after entering as Rhode Island’s only entry. Last year, they drew 4-4 with MPS but lost in penalty kicks in Round 1 of the Mass. tournament. Those two teams could meet for a third year in a row depending on how Sunday’s other semifinal turns out.

On Sunday, Mass Premier Soccer takes on Strela Negra at Citizens Bank Park Field in Lancaster, Mass. MPS, the 2011 state champion, thumped tournament regular Boston Olympiakos 6-0 in Round 1, while Strela Negra receieved a first round bye. Strela Negra finished as the state’s runner-up in 2008, but have been one-and-done in their last two entries (2009, 2012). Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Lineups:

Battery Park Gunners: Joe Annese, Joe Germanese, Myles Gerraty, Steve Hepburn, Ernest McAlister, Ryan McDaniel, Philip Nelson, Jason Pan, Ben Shuleva, Joe Vitale, Bobby Linberry. SUBSTITUTES: Josiah Marshall, John Orr, Matt Shea

East Providence Sports: Dave DeMelo, Joaquim Depina, Miguel Fortes, Armando Gomes, Jimmy Hernandez, Tristan Lewis, Eddy Lopes, Andres Perdomo, Anthony Petrarca, Kyle Teixeira, Jimmi Underhill. SUBSTITUTES: Peter Maciel

2013 Massachusetts Open Cup tournament schedule

First Round [+] Recap
Battery Park Gunners 2:1 Mass United FC
Boston Olympiakos 0:6 Mass Premier Soccer
Middlesex FC 1:6 East Providence Sports
Strela Negra (BYE)

Semifinals
Battery Park Gunners 3:4 East Providence Sports

Mass Premier Soccer vs. Strela Negra
Sunday, Nov. 18
Citizens Bank Park Field – Lancaster, MA – 11 a.m.

Final (Sunday, Dec. 9)

*Qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2013 US Open Cup qualifying: Massachusetts final four set after high-scoring weekend

November 5, 2012 by Josh Hakala

There was no shortage of scoring in the opening round of the Massachusetts US Open Cup qualifying tournament as the Commonwealth attempts to send their best to regionals in hopes of the state’s first Open Cup berth since 2009.

East Providence Sports (LUSA) and Mass Premier Soccer (BSSL) combined for a dozen goals in their respective first round matches on Sunday to join Saturday winner Battery Park Gunners and Strela Negra, who received a bye, in the state semifinals.

In the Modern Professional Era (1995-present), only two clubs from the Bay State have qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (Emigrantes Das Ilhas in 2009, Boston Olympiakos in 2008)

It was a beautiful New England fall day to watch the beautiful game at Clemente Park in Boston. With the Boston skyline in the background, Boston Olympiakos and Mass Premier Soccer took to the pitch for a 2 p.m. start.

MPS were the aggressors from the first whistle led by their player/coach Dan MacGregor, a tough two-way central midfielder. MPS’s continued pressure paid off in the 24th minute when Tyler MacNee took advantage of the keeper coming 25 yards off his line only to mishandle the ball, allowing MacNee to skillfully tap in the half volley off the turf. Olympiakos settled down after that and were keeping possession but that didn’t last long. Five minutes before the half MacGregor’s hustle paid off finishing off a deflection on a free kick right in front of the net. Nicholas Christman added another a minute later off a long cross as MPS went into the half up 3-0.

At the start of the second half, Olympiakos looked the part of a beaten club. The two Mac’s came out firing, first MacGregor scored in the 48th minute, and soon after MacNee added his second from the left wing as he fired a shot from distance over the outstretched keeper.

MPS were firing on all cylinders the back line of Edwards, Brill, O’Relly were a organized trio who frustrated the lone striker for Boston, Yusuf Wahab, all day. The speedy Wahib already sitting on a yellow lost the plot late in the game as he came crashing into goalkeeper Jeff Newman and was shown his second yellow for dissent. MPS continued the pressure after that. TJ Thompson capped off the scoring finishing off a three-on-one break to finish the scoring at 6-0.

The only thing left to do was to keep the shutout and Newman made sure of that stopping the few shots that made it by the MPS backline. As the sun was setting on the Boston skyline so did Olympiakos’ dreams of advancing next round of the Open Cup.

With the win, Mass Premier, who was the state runner-up last year, moves on to the semifinals where they will face Strela Negra (NELASA), who were given a first-round bye, on Nov. 18.

In Dorchester, East Providence grabbed a 6-1 win over Middlesex FC (BSSL) at Dorchester High School. The LUSA Cup champions earned a 2-1 halftime lead before opening it up with four goals in the second frame. Jimmy Hernandez and Nick Tavares each bagged a brace, while Armando Gomes and Kyle Teixeira each added a goal for the Red and White.

The victory puts East Providence into the semis against the defending Massachusetts Open Cup champion Battery Park Gunners, who defeated Mass United FC, 2-1, the day before with first half goals from Ben Shuleva and Joe Annese.

2013 Massachusetts Open Cup tournament schedule

First Round
Battery Park Gunners 2:1 Mass United FC
Boston Olympiakos 0:6 Mass Premier Soccer
Middlesex FC 1:6 East Providence Sports
Strela Negra (BYE)

Semifinals
Mass Premier Soccer vs. Strela Negra
Sunday, Nov. 18
Citizens Bank Park Field – Lancaster, MA – 11 a.m.

Battery Park Gunners vs. East Providence Sports
Saturday, Nov. 17
Madison Park High School – Roxbury, MA – 12 p.m.

Final (Sunday, Dec. 9)

*Qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Massachusetts, New Jersey crown USASA state champions Saturday

March 23, 2012 by Steven Bayley

In Region I qualifying action this weekend, the Massachusetts USASA US Open Cup final is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at Dilboy Field in Somerville, where 2011 Region I tournament qualifier and defending Massachusetts champion Mass Premier Soccer will take on the Battery Park Gunners. New Jersey is also hosting its state final Saturday. Go Soccer FC and Jersey Shore Boca will meet at the John F. Patrick Sports Complex in Lakewood, NJ. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30.

The two clubs in Massachusetts are very familiar with each other, both competing in the Bay State Soccer League Division 1. Battery Park Gunners are defending 2011 League champs, posting a 15-1-2 record last year, while MPS finished third in the table at 14-3-1.

This is the first of four potential meetings for the local rivals in 2012. In addition to USOC play, the teams will meet home and home on June 30 and Aug. 25 respectively, and appear to be on a collision course for a possible May 19 match up in the second round of the BSSL’s McKenzie Cup competition.

Expect a high level of play in this match, though it’s a shame it is scheduled for the same day as the New England Revolution’s home opener, a doubleheader that also features an international women’s friendly between Canada and Brazil.

The winner of the match will face nearly immediate competition in the USASA Region I tournament with a road trip April 1 to play NY Greek American Atlas, champions out of Eastern New York.

In the Garden State, Go Soccer FC is looking to qualify for the US Open Cup in 2012 after coming up one game short at the regional tournament in 2011. The defending New Jersey state champs beat FC Fort United 1-0 on a frozen field in Bridgewater last March to claim their spot on the Region I tournament.

They went on to beat Club Atletico VA, the 2011 DC/VA champs, by a score of 2-1 in the first round but failed to secure a place in the Open Cup after falling to Eastern Pennsylvania champ Phoenix SC, 3-0, in a game in which they gave up a penalty kick and an own goal.

Four teams took part in the New Jersey qualifying tournament this year with Go Soccer defeating Soccer Dreams 5-1 and Saturday’s opponent, Jersey Shore Boca, had no trouble in their opening match, crushing Santorini 10-0.

The New Jersey champ this year books themselves a bye in the Region I tournament and will await the winner of the April 1 match between NY Greek American Atlas and the Massachusetts winner. That game is tentatively scheduled for April 22.

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Mass Premier Soccer thriller highlights opening round of Massachusetts tournament

December 8, 2011 by Josh Hakala

Four teams have advanced to the semifinals of the Massachusetts Open Cup qualifying tournament, with the goal of moving on to regionals.

Boston Olympiakos needed overtime, while Mass Premier Soccer survived an eight-goal thriller that required penalty kicks to punch their ticket to the final four. Meanwhile, Battery Park Gunners had no trouble with Strela Negra, hammering them 7-0, while Mass United FC got a free pass when CF Canon Sportif were unable to field a full squad and forfeited.

Olympiakos faced a stingy defense in Boston Cambridge Somerville Eleven (BCS XI), but they came away with a 1-0 extra time victory. According to the Olympiakos website, they launched 73 shots at the BCS XI goalkeeper with 32 of them on goal, and only one found the back of the net. The breakthrough came in the 8th minute of extra time when Quievon Correia served a cross into the penalty area and found Samuel Appiah for the game-winning goal.

Boston Olympiakos are looking to return to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2008. Last year, they won the Massachusetts Open Cup championship, but lost to Danbury United (Connecticut) 2-1 in the opening round of the Region I tournament. The year before, they lost to Emigrantes Das Ilhas in the Massachusetts Open Cup final. In 2008, they qualified for the Open Cup but lost to the Western Pass Pioneers (USL-2 , Third Division professional) 2-0 in the First Round.

Olympiakos will face off with the Battery Park Gunners in the semifinals, a team that cruised through their opening round match with Strela Negra, 7-0. The two will play at Madison Park High School in Roxbury, Mass. at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 with a spot in the state championship game on the line.

The other semifinal will take place at the same field and on the same day at 11:30 a.m. It will feature Mass United FC, the beneficiaries of a first round forfeit by CF Canon Sportif, and Mass Premier Soccer.

Mass Premier Soccer reached the final four in thrilling fashion, defeating East Providence Sports in the eighth round of penalty kicks, 7-6, after finishing extra time tied at 4-4. The contest was a rematch of last year’s Region I opening round contest in which MPS advanced, 4-1, to the semifinals. East Providence advanced to the regionals a year ago as the lone entry from Rhode Island, but were placed into the Massachusetts qualifying tournament this year due to the club’s participation in a league based in the neighboring state.

Most of the action took place in back-and-forth seven-goal second half after the first 45 minutes finished with MPS clinging to a 1-0 lead. Matt Hoff scored the lone first half goal on a bending ball from the left wing.

That lead didn’t last long as East Providence countered a couple of minutes into the second half by sending a ball across the box to the onrushing Anthony Petrarca. The former Cape Cod Crusader (PDL) and Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2) midfielder tracked it down and volleyed it into the back of the net with an acrobatic scissor kick. Shortly after, Hoff gave MPS the lead once again when his low cross was redirected by a defender and ended up beating his goalkeeper for an own goal. About 10 minutes later, East Providence leveled the match when MPS defender Derek Nobrega took down Kyle Teixeira in the penalty area and the spot kick was awarded. Teixeira, another former USL-2 Pioneer, converted the penalty kick to make it 2-2.

For the remaining 30 minutes of the match, East Providence pushed several players into the attack, trying to go for the win, but the MPS defense held strong and the game went into overtime. Key in the effort was goalkeeper Nick Armington, who made a fantastic diving save in the final minutes of regulation.

As if the opening 90 did not have enough drama, the visitors from Rhode Island amped up tension with a strike two minutes into extra time. Teixeira schooled the MPS defenders, popping the ball over the midfield before touching it around the centerback and firing a volley past Armington.

Approximately eight minutes later Nick Christman put the match on level terms again when he drew a penalty created by an excellent individual effort when he snared the ball while speeding by a defender attempting to shield the ball out of play. Christman would have to wait for the celebration as the East Providence goalkeeper made a dramatic save, but followed up the attempt and put in the rebound. Three minutes later, Yoshio Kaneko picked up the ball at the top of the box and sent a floating cross to the back post where Nick Figueredo buried a volley for a 4-3 MPS advantage two minutes before the two clubs switched sides for the final 15.

With both sides exhausted, MPS was looking to keep East Providence from creating more fireworks. But the December evening continued to resemble the Fourth of July. With five minutes remaining, hearts skipped a beat on the MPS bench when a shot rang off Armington’s post. Two minutes later, however, another mistake proved costly as Teixeira got another crack from the spot when Pumelele Magubela took down an East Providence striker dribbling through the box. Teixeira completed his hat-trick by slamming the ball into the roof of the net, sending the contest onto penalties.

Neither goalkeeper had much luck in the early stages of the tiebreaker, though Nobrega’s attempt went in off the underside of the crossbar in the fourth round and Cross’ shot trickled in over the netminder’s hand in the fifth. Still tied, Magubela was first up for MPS in sudden death, but his chance at redemption went horribly wrong when he attempted an unusual stutter-step attempt and missed the goal three yards wide. East Providence, however, failed to take advantage as the next shooter missed high.

With both converting in the seventh round and Bedig tallying for MPS in the eighth, Armington made the final statement of the night with his head, literally, as his save sent the ball ricocheting off his head and away from the goal.

2010 Qualifying: Emigrantes Das Ilhas to represent Massachusetts in Region I Finals

December 2, 2009 by

Emigrantes Das Ilhas will make their second straight appearance in the USASA Region I Finals

2009 Massachusetts State Cup Champions Emigrantes Das Ilbarhas booked their place in the USASA Region I Open Cup tournament next Spring by defeating Boston Olympiakos (2007 National Amateur Cup champions) 4-2 on penalty kicks on a rainy evening in East Boston. The build up to the game needed no extra incentives as the two teams had just met 48 hours earlier in a fiercely contested US Amateur Cup game in Brockton. The game ended in a 2-2 tie with Emigrantes advancing to the group finals ahead of Olympiakos on goal difference.

The game would prove no different. Emigrantes were first out of the blocks and on the scoresheet within the first eight minutes of play after some delightful skill by Edens Chery down the left flank. His cross into the box was met by Almir Barbosa whose shot was superbly saved by the Olympiakos keeper, but the rebound kindly fell to Cherry who needed no second invitation to shoot and score. It was a fantastic start for Emigrantes considering they began the game without a goalkeeper or any substitutes as many of their players and fans were stuck in the city of Boston’s notorious rush hour traffic.

By the 25th minute Emigrantes were down to 10 men when Jose Veiga picked up a foot injury in a challenge with the Olympiakos keeper. Fortunately their missing players began to arrive and Emigrantes were back to full strength with goalkeeper Jordan Mota coming on for injured Veiga and replacing Aderito Pina in goal who then took up his normal position in defense.

Instead of pushing for a second goal, Emigrantes eased off and Olympiakos began to make a push for an equalizer through playmakers DaSilva and Walker. But the execution of their final pass was poor. Frustration began to mount for twin strikers Jessey and Justin Fernandes as they couldn’t muster any chances against a solid Emigrantes defense. They settled for long range shots which were handled comfortably by Mota. With the evening temperature dropping and rain falling, both teams seemed to be looking forward to the halftime whistle which came after four minutes of injury time.

The second half started with Emigrantes forming an assault on the Olympiakos goal. Wave after wave they attacked. First with Barbosa coming close after some nice work by Daniel Xavier down the right. Then it was Zico Veiga to carve out a decent shot that sent the Boston keeper sprawling to his left. And before he could get on his feet, Iuca was there to rattle his crossbar. It seemed like only a matter of time before Emigrantes would score. But credit to Boston Olympiakos who somehow found a way to weather the storm. Those opening 20 minutes of the the second half must have felt like two hours to them.

Their fortunes would get better as Carlos Amado of Emigrantes pulled a hamstring and had to be replaced by Ernesto Lopes. With only one substitution available, Emigrantes were forced to shuffle their midfield by moving Carlos Semedo to left back. This would become his third position of the night after filling in at center back and midfield. This opened up the center of the park and Olympiakos began to find some space. As time ticked closer to the 90-minute mark, Olympiakos began throwing numbers forward forcing the Emigrantes defense to drop deeper onto their own 18-yard box. Two minutes into stoppage time, a failed clearance fell to the feet of Justin Fernandes who scored the equalizer to send the game into extra time.

It was tough blow to Emigrantes as Olympiakos created a limited number of scoring chances. With overtime looming and Emigrantes dejected, Olympiakos now felt they could win it. Within the 2nd minute of overtime, they used their momentum to go up 2-1 thanks to a cracker of a free kick from 25 yards out by Joshua Grenier. Mota had no chance.

Now Emigrantes were left to chase the game. With time winding down in the second half of extra time, they would find an opening through Chery, who put together a ‘man of the match’ level performance. He made a run down the left wing and sent a cross into the box that was met and turned in by Barbosa to bring the game level. Following the tying goal, each team took a defensive approach into the final minutes, sending the match into a penalty kick shootout to decide the Massaschusetts state championship.

Emigrantes won the toss and opted to shoot first. The defending champs scored on their first three attempts with Lopes, Chery and Daniel Xavier beating the goalkeeper. Olympiakos scored on their first two, but Mota guessed correctly and saved the third try by Geoffrey Walker. Following the save, Zico Veiga stepped to the spot and sent the ball into the back of the net putting the pressure on Jessey Fernandes to score or go home. Once again, Mota dove the right way and made the save to give Emigrantes their second straight Massachusetts Open Cup championship.

Emigrantes Das Ilhas will represent the state at the USASA Region I Finals, which will take place next Spring.

Emigrantes Das Ilhas lineup:

GK: Aderito De Pina(normally central defender and later went back to his regular position replaced by #1 Keeper Jordan Mota)
RB: Carlos Amado(came off injured replaced by Ernesto Lopes)
CB: Carlos Semedo, Carlos Semedo
LB: Sandro Pina
LW: Edens Cherry
CM: Claudino Barros, Zico Veiga
RW: Ze Veiga
ST: Almir Barsosa, Daniel Xavier