Matt Scheer

2011 US Open Cup qualifying: Atletico Virginia smokes Englewood Jack, will represent DC/VA at regionals

March 15, 2011 by Josh Hakala

mdcvasa — Metro DC / Virginia Soccer Association

For the second year in a row, Club Atletico Virginia (CAV) will represent the Metro DC / Virginia State Soccer Association in the Region I US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Last year, they snapped the Aegean Hawks’ run of four straight DC/VA Open Cup titles, and with the Hawks competing in Maryland qualifying this year, Atletico Virginia needed only to defeat Englewood Jack FC to move on to the regional finals. CAV would take care of Englewood, 7-2.

In a game played at Catholic University in Washington D.C. on March 13, it started out with Englewood Jack getting on the scoresheet first. A free kick near midfield was floated into the penalty area, flicked to the back post and an Englewood player finished it to put them up 1-0.

Atletico put on the pressure and found an equalizer in the form of a penalty kick, awarded due to an Englewood handball just inside the area. John Carson of CAV would convert to make it 1-1, and minutes later would give his club the lead on a ball played across the top of the box, which he redirected into the back of the net.

After the halftime break, CAV took control with a pair of goals from Victor Krasij and a bending shot off the inside of the back post from Ryan Rich to give the defending champs a 5-1 lead. Englewood would pull one back on a scramble in front of the goal, but Atletico would add two more to put the game away with John Carson completing his hat trick and Bryant Meckley scoring the seventh and final goal.

Atletico Virginia was founded in 2003, and this will be their second appearance in the Region I Open Cup qualifying tournament in club history. They will take on the champion from New Jersey (Either Go Soccer FC or FC Fort United) in the opening round of the competition. The winner of that match will play the winner of Phoenix SC (Eastern PA) and the Maryland champion for the right to advance to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Last year, CAV lost in the first round of the Region I tournament to the United German Hungarians (Eastern PA) in a penalty kick shootout (4-1) after finishing extra time tied 2-2.

Club Atletico Virginia lineup: Matt Scheer (GK), Dave Leon, Matt Davis, Phil Purdy, Javier Castro (Ben Mortimer – 60th), Matt Miller (Bryant Meckley – 65th), Victor Krasij, John Carson, Fabio Andrade (Nico Ojeda – 45th), Andrew Richardson (Alger Fredericks 70th), Ryan Rich

Scoring Summary (Note: Assists unknown)
ENG: Unknown goalscorer
CAV: John Carson (PK)
CAV: John Carson
CAV: Victor Krasij
CAV: Victor Krasij
CAV: Ryan Rich
ENG: Unknown goalscorer
CAV: John Carson
CAV: Bryant Meckley

Atletico Virginia denies Aegean Hawks a 5th straight DC/VA Open Cup title

January 20, 2010 by

For the first time in nine tries, Club Atletico Virginia (CAV) finally broke through against their Washington Premier League (WPL) rivals, the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks. And they couldn’t have picked a better time to do it. At George Mason High School in Falls Church, Va., CAV defeated the Aegean Hawks 2-0 in a rain-soaked DC/Virginia Open Cup Final to punch their ticket to the USASA Region I tournament.

The two teams last met in league play almost two months ago, in a game that finished in a 1-1 draw. Coming into the match, the Hawks had won the last four DC/VA Open Cup championships and held a 6-0-2 advantage in the all-time series, outscoring Virginia 28-7 in those matches. However, it was clear that CAV brought a stronger team to the rematch of last year’s one-sided Open Cup Final (Aegean Hawks won 9-0).

The opening 30 minutes was a battle with each team creating solid chances.

In the 11th minute, the Hawks looked to test the Atletico defense by establishing the long range shot. Center back Alan Golden’s 30 yard strike ricocheted off an Atletico defender and into the path of Hawks holding mid Michael Goldman, whose booming shot sailed ten feet over the crossbar from 20 yards out.

2010 DC/VA Open Cup Final Video Highlights
Club Atletico Virginia vs. Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks
(Video courtesy of Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks)

Atletico pressured in the 15th minute when outside midfielder Matt Miller’s cross was headed down into the penalty area to midfielder John Carson, whose running half-volley header lacked the snap to pose much of a challenge to Hawks goalkeeper, Alex Fatovic.

The deadlock would be broken in the 30th minute when Atletico defender Ben Mortimer struck a dangerous 20-yard volley destined for the upper corner that was somehow kept out with an outstanding save by Fatovic. On the corner kick that followed, midfielder John Carson lofted an accurate ball to the far post that was met by a clinical header by Victor Krasij that beat the diving keeper from close range.

Now with a 1-0 deficit to overcome, the Hawks stepped up the possession and the pressure, and came close to equalizing when midfielder Watson Prather’s shot hit the crossbar from 30 yards out. The rebound fell to Hawks striker Ricky Schramm, who chested the ball forward and off the arm of Atletico center back Tremaine Chinapoo before being cleared to safety. The center referee John Schmitz did not see the infraction and the game continued.

With two minutes left before the halftime break, CAV doubled their lead. Following an interception in midfield, Carson received the ball with some space and played a perfectly weighted pass to striker Billy Whittington. Hawks defender Alan Golden then brought Whittington down in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Carson coolly deposited the spot-kick in the lower right corner to give CAV a 2-0 advantage going into halftime.

Any attempt for the Hawks to get back into the game was dealt a major blow in the 53rd minute when midfielder Michael Goldman was shown a straight red card. Goldman was sent off for a late knee-high tackle on Dave Leon, leaving the defending champs down to 10 men for the remainder of the match.

The CAV defense, led by goalkeeper Matt Scheer, were able to keep the shorthanded Hawks off the scoresheet and snap their eight-game winless streak against them.

With the win, Club Atletico Virginia qualifies for the USASA Region I Finals, which, if they emerge victorious, will advance to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks Lineup:
GK: Alex Fatovic, Alan Golden, John Stephens, Devlin Barnes, Corey Curnutte, Watson Prather, Mike Goldman, Nidhal Charfi (Nate Bukey – 60′), William Fierro (Anders Kelto – 55′), Erwin Diaz, Ricky Schramm
Subs Not Used: Jon Knight

Club Atletico Virginia Lineup:
GK: Matthew Scheer RB: Benjamin Mortimer CB: Tremaine Chinapoo CB: Cooper Bryant LB: Phillip Purdy (Jordan Cullinane ‘65) RM: Andrew Richardson DCM: Matthew Davis (Matthew Carlson ’45) DCM: Victor Krasij LM: Matthew Miller (David Leon ’45) AM: John Carson STR: Billy Wittington (Nico Ojeda ’85)