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National Amateur Cup

SC MesoAmerica wins Amateur Cup title, becomes first to qualify for 2024 US Open Cup

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SC MesoAmerica celebrates after winning the 2023 USASA National Amateur Cup championship. Photo: USASA
SC MesoAmerica celebrates after winning the 2023 USASA National Amateur Cup championship. Photo: US Soccer

 

For the first time in nearly three decades, the USASA National Amateur Cup trophy is heading out west.

SC MesoAmerica won the 2023 USASA National Amateur Cup, 2-1, over Newtown Pride FC on Saturday night in Bettendorf, Iowa. The game completed a two-day tournament at the TBK Bank Complex with Meso winning its first-ever national title. By lifting the trophy, MesoAmerica becomes the first official entry into the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Los Angeles, Calif. side is the fifth team to win the title since US Soccer began inviting the champion of the United States Adult Soccer Association’s top tournament to the following year’s Open Cup in 2018. Meso is also the first western team (Region IV) to win a USASA national tournament since the Denver Kickers won the 1995 Amateur Cup.

(Note: The team is also known by “MesoAmerica FC” and “MesoAmerica-San Carlos FC”)

Head coach Jimmy Pineda was overwhelmed following the win. It has been a long road not just from February’s state cup win, which put them in the regional final, but from a third place finish in the 2019 national tournament.

“We’ve been preparing for this for months, and months, and months since we won the state cup,” Pineda said. “I was thinking we have to go all the way to the end. We’ve been preparing, watching players. Trying to make a family, make a group that would last until the final.”

For Newtown Pride the result ends a stellar year for the club. The Connecticut side won the regional amateur cup, state-level league, and The Soccer Tournament (TST) for one million dollars. However they could not win their second National Amateur Cup after going all the way in 2019.

Prior to Saturday, the four amateur champions of the USASA regions descended on Iowa to compete in the national semifinals. Meso reached this point by winning the 2023 Cal South Adult State Cup in February. The team then beat National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) side Napa Valley 1839 FC, 2-0, in the Region IV final last month. Striker German Alfaro said in a postgame interview that his group knew how deep the competition was.

“All these teams are really good (and) organized,” Alfaro said. “We had to match their momentum, their (physicality) even more. It took a lot of us and everyone was in the same symphony. The game shows how prepared (we were).”

The last time MesoAmerica reached the nationals in 2019 the team’s title hopes were crushed by that year’s Region III champion Horizon FC (Texas). In a bit of revenge, the Region IV representatives beat Region III champions Tobacco Road FC (North Carolina), 2-1, on Friday night.

Former Chilean professional player and youth national team player Piero Gárate scored in the first half to give Meso the lead. Bryan Medina doubled the advantage in what would be the game-winning goal before halftime. Tobacco Road’s offense struggled to adjust after scoring over 30 goals in the regional tournament back in Plano, Texas. Eric Chavez cut into the deficit but Tobacco was unable to find an equalizer.

One field over, Newtown Pride FC knocked off two-time national champion RWB Adria (Illinois), 2-1 after extra time, in the night’s other semifinal match. In a 2019 national semifinal rematch Newtown was pushed to the brink by the Croatian powerhouse. Early in the second half, a pull down in the Newtown box sent Milos Vucic to the spot. He converted in the 49th minute to put RWB up, 1-0. Momentum swung back to the Pride, who equalized in the 71st minute. A free kick found Felipe Dutra in the box, where he sent a right footed shot into the netting.

The game entered extra time still tied 1-1. Newtown finally capitalized late in the second half when Gabriel Ganzer made a run on net. A long cross near the right post found him between the goalkeeper. He knocked in his eighth goal of the tournament to win the game.


The National Amateur Cup Final on Saturday was the first meeting ever between MesoAmerica and Newtown. A battle of opposites, with Meso trying to make it to the national spotlight while Newtown tried to return after fate and COVID robbed them of so much. Back in 2019, Newtown became the second club to qualify for the Open Cup as Amateur Cup champions. However, the pandemic eventually cancelled the 2020 tournament, plus the 2021 tournament which the Pride won a random draw to qualify for.

In a wild opening 180 seconds, both teams found the back of the net. After Newtown kicked off, MesoAmerica immediately began pressing them in their own end. A backpass hit off a Pride defender and fell at the feet of Alfaro. He passed up to Bryan Medina on a run, onside but past the backline in the box. Newtown keeper Ryan Langkafel was too late in jumping on the ball and Medina slotted the shot in. His second goal in as many days put his team ahead, 1-0, in the first minute.

After nearly a minute of resetting, Newtown kicked off again. An attack formulated up the right side with a cross going into Meso’s box. Ganzer headed the shot on target, low and to the left, but a diving save by keeper Jesus Dautt kept it out. Quick reflexes by Erik Lorent on the rebound were enough to punch in the loose ball and make it 1-1.

The half ended with both teams getting chances but failing to score, leaving the match deadlocked.



Much like the first half, the second 45 minutes heated up quickly. After kicking off, MesoAmerica prodded the rested Newtown defense. Moises Vazquez launched a long pass to Alfaro on the left side of the box with the forward clear of any defenders. His left footed strike struck off keeper Langkafel and bounced into the net to make it 2-1.

This was Alfaro’s fourth time playing in the national finals. A 2018 semifinals appearance with San Nicolas FC, a third place finish with Meso in 2019, and a runner-up performance in 2021 with Cal FC all led the striker up to this point.

“It’s everything for me. It’s my fourth one so they had to give it to me,” Alfaro joked after the game. “ I’m glad we were able to do it today and very happy with the team’s effort. And everyone who supports us off the pitch. I’m very happy”

Newtown’s offense tried to find an equalizer but the Pride seemed exhausted from the previous day’s 120 minute match. Yellow cards flew in both directions before Tavoy Morgan, a goal scorer from 2019’s title game, was sent off. An attack up the right side saw Morgan pass the ball off before cutting in. He elbowed a Meso player in the head while passing him, earning a second yellow and a send off in the 90th minute. 

Substitute Khalid Rose was also shown a second yellow in the 90+13th minute of stoppage for a hard foul during a MesoAmerica attack.

For their win, MesoAmerica wins $8,000 in prize money along with the Open Cup berth and trophy. Newtown Pride takes home $7,000 as the runner-up. Both Tobacco Road and RWB Adria were awarded $3,500 each for reaching the national semifinals.

Pineda knows his team is bound for the Open Cup next year and says Saturday’s win is “the best feeling” he’s ever had.

“I’m very proud of these guys,” the coach said. “We’ve been (practicing) for months and preparing like I said before. They act like a real family. They put all they have, all their power, all their energy to make this happen.”

2023 National Amateur Cup Final Broadcast

NoVa FC, Bavarian SC advance to Sunday’s Amateur Cup Final in Milwaukee

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Fans at Heartland Value Fund Stadium cheer following the Milwaukee Bavarian’s win over LA Strikers in the USASA National Amateur Cup semifinals (Credit: Ty Stulo)

The USASA National Amateur Cup Finals kicked off with the semifinals on Saturday Aug. 6 at Heartland Value Fund Stadium in Glendale, Wisconsin. Winners from each of the four regions gathered to compete for a spot in the USASA National Amateur Final on Sunday. Two quality contests saw Northern Virginia FC and hosts Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club inch one step closer to a 2023 US Open Cup spot.

The first semifinal between Region 1 champions Northern Virginia FC (NoVa FC), led by head coach Kareem Sheta and Region 3 champions ASC New Stars (TX), led by head coach Lucas Simon, finished regulation at 2-2. Two team’s with previous US Open Cup experience looked prime to head for penalties as fatigue took over. The scorching 90 degree weather slowed the game down and during extra time neither team had any quality chances to score. After a 2-2 draw after extra time, NoVa FC punched their ticket to Sunday’s final with a 3-1 result in penalties. Northern Virginia will face the Bavarians on their home field in the championship game, who blanked the Los Angeles Strikers 2-0.

The first 20 minutes were evenly matched with possession. ASC continued to press the backline of NoVa, getting called for four offside calls in the first half hour. Despite ASC looking like the more threatening team, their opponent was the first to get on the board. In the 32nd minute, NoVa’s Johnny DeSouza bent in a corner with the inswing of his left foot. Lias Laghjibi got his head to it and gave NoVa the lead, 1-0.

(READ ALSO: 2022 Meet the Underdogs: Northern Virginia FC back in US Open Cup after two decades)

The momentum of the match shifted from there as two minutes later. After a ball was served into the box, ASC’s Miguel Repata gained control of both it and the game, placing it in the net’s corner. The game was tied, 1-1.

The hectic scoring wasn’t over. In the 42nd minute, NoVa’s Vagner Marques sent a shot high into the net from the six yard box. Brandon Williamson beat two defenders and passed it off for the assist.

The game headed into halftime with a 2-1 NoVa Fc lead, and as the second half began both teams were fighting for the position as the defensive pressure intensified between each side. A chippy tone fell over the game, combined with the heat affecting team’s rhythm. Despite that the referee only gave out his first yellow card in the 52nd minute to Aaron Etienne of NoVa FC.

Shortly after, in the 61st minute Mohammad Hanif assisted Carl Rasmus Forsten to tie the game, 2-2. A quick restart off a free kick allowed ASC to move the ball around the NoVa backline. Eventually it fell to the right side where it was crossed in towards the opposite post. Hanif headed the ball there back towards the right post, where Forsten slide on the ball to knock it in.

(READ ALSO: 2012 Meet The USASA: ASC New Stars from Houston, TX)

After this the match quickly became defensively-oriented, as each team played a 4-4-2. In this mindset the NoVa side made an emphasis to have a defensive midfielder in front of their backline. Center backs on each side Eric Robertson (ASG) and Franki De Souza (NoVa) had key clearances both laying out their bodies to stop close opportunities.

The final 30 minutes of regulation was filled with stiff defensive emphasis. The end of regulation finished with a prime opportunity for ASC with a 1-v-1 opportunity from Emmanuel Usen that NoVa FC keeper Emmanuel Vargas pushed wide.

After a slow end to regulation, extra time had a five minute span that threatened ASC, after creating two corner kicks in the 94th and 95th minutes. Virginia’s Jean Ayolmjong had the best chance of overtime getting his head on a corner that was saved by Solomon Moctezuma. There were no other shots on goal or scoring opportunities for either side. Right before extra time ended ASG substituted Solomon Moctezuma out and replaced him with Emmanuel Frias for penalty shootout considerations.

The penalty shootout showed its fate quickly.

First was Miguel Repata, the only player from ASC who converted their kick from the spot, opened up the spectacle. Things went downhill after that when Eric Robertson’s penalty was saved by Vargas before Bryan Celis’s attempt went high. On the other side NoVa was clinical. Brandon Williams placed his shot in the bottom left to open the shootout. Both Jonathan Arguta and William Zarco subsequently converted their attempts as well making it 3-1 after three rounds.

Needing to make his Jose Alvarez skied his shot over both the crossbar and field’s fense to give NoVa the win.

”Our guys did great and fought as much as they could, our opponent gave us a run for our money,” said New Stars head coach Lucas Simon. “Losing in penalty kicks is always tough. We wish them the best.”

NoVa FC moves on to the Final after winning all of their USASA Region I tournament games in penalty kick fashion.

”Honestly we didn’t play our best game today, we just needed to keep the ball, it was hot, hot, hot,” said NoVa FC’s Brandon Williamson, who assisted on the team’s first goal and was a vital part of the success in the midfield. “We were running a lot, create chances and not giving up the ball, we were giving it away a lot toward the end. My emotions the whole time even before penalties, I told everybody to chill out, Eman is going to do this thing he’ll save or two and all we have to do is put it in the back of the net, and it’s game.

Williamson added: “We started progressively getting better and I wish we could have gotten out at the beginning a lot better today. The message to the team for tomorrow but is to hold the team accountable, it’s a final right? The team is going to be better, it’s the final. It’s going to be a big game but we have to get the dub.”

The second Semifinal match between hosts and Region 2 champions Bavarian Soccer Club, coached by Tom Zaiss, and the Region 4 winners Los Ángeles Strikers (CA), coached by Victor Lorenzo, finished 2-0 in favor of the home team. The Bavarians came out victorious with a solid group effort to defend their home soil.

“We have an advantage playing at home, but also a disadvantage because of a loose team environment,” said Bavarians head coach Tom Zaiss before the game. “The first 10-15 minutes are the most important because this is a team we have never played. Handling the emotional impact first and realizing it is win or go home, we have to execute.”

The first half proved to be a feeling out process between the two cross country sides with no shots on goal through 35 minutes played.

The Strikers came out in a 4-4-2 with heavy rotations between their midfielders attempting to find channels through the middle. They held a majority of possession through the first 25 with Axel Mendez, Jonathan Grado, and Jordan Lopez controlling possession and attempting to find scoring opportunities. The Bavarians in their 4-3-3, with their wingers mainly tucked in providing a solid defensive unit, was difficult for the Strikers to penetrate. Bavarian Logan Andryk was crucial in the counter efforts moving forward early in the match. His willingness to take defenders on and make passes through the channels made the Bavarians threatening in the final 3rd. After three yellow cards getting shown to the Bavarian side in the first half (Dogara Zamani 8′, Alex Mirsberger 21′, Logan Andryk 41′) halftime came with a goal scoring chance from BSC’s Patrick Coleman. Dogara Zamani passed it off to Coleman on a 3v2 as his shot went high and wide.

The Bavarians started the second half with urgency as they began pressing the backline of the Strikers looking for scoring opportunities. They finally broke through in the 49th minute with a ball to Nick Wilson near the half line. He turned and played a perfectly weighted ball 40 yards to Zamani who found Wilson again. He sprinted from midfield and placed the ball in the bottom left up the net to go up, 1-0.

“I found the ball in the middle of the park, they gave me a lot of space I was trying to find an option and touch a touch found him on the long ball,” Wilson said after the game. “(Dogara) did a great job facing the guy up, I was screaming for the ball he found me and I slotted it back post. It was instinct, as a striker I have to get involved in that play.”

Coach Zaiss from Bavarian started substituting quickly after the first goal. Players like Braden Andryk and Gutierrez replaced the offensive threats Wilson and Zamani. As frustration built for the Strikers Jorge Contreras was shown a yellow card in the 56th minute. After that foul, Alejandro Pacheco placed a freekick back post where Alex Mirsberger headed it home in the 56th minute to make it 2-0.

Los Ángeles responded with a 15 minute window where they continued to stay aggressive, creating chances and holding possession. Larry Lopez shot on goal in the 64th minute but wasn’t able to convert. They continued to swing balls in the middle of the field where the veteran BSC backline of Jake Streicher and Captain Brett Dietz cleared the ball. This combined with excellent goalkeeping by Augie Rey who displayed a perfect clean sheet performance in the evening.

In the 73rd minute the Strikers were still pushing aggressively as Jordan Lopez headed a swinger on frame but was saved by Rey. The game got chippy as the LA side’s frustration poured, drawing a couple corners through the 70th – 76th minutes but all were all cleared by the Bavarians. This culminated with a Strikers’ bench player being shown a red card for verbal altercations.

he backline of Bavarians and tactical approach wore down the Strikers and proved to pay dividends as the final whistle rang out. The hosts advance, 2-0, to Sunday’s final. They look to become the first team to qualify for the US Open Cup as National Amateur Cup champions on two seperate occasions. They were the first team qualify for the tournament as champions after winning the 2018 edition.

The USASA National Amateur Final between NoVa Fc vs Bavarian United is scheduled for Sunday, August 7th at 2:00 p.m Central time. Fans not able to attend in person can watch it live on Eleven Sports. It will be a high level matchup between two of the nations most dominant clubs. High level players on both sides with experience backgrounds and both sides are very well coached between Tom Zaiss and Kareem Sheta.

FULL MATCH BROADCASTS:

Lansdowne Yonkers wins second National Amateur Cup, qualifies for 2022 US Open Cup

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Lansdowne Yonkers FC players, staff, and family pose with the National Amateur Cup following a 2-1 win over Cal FC in Bridgeview, IL on August 7, 2021. Photo: Patrick Murphy

(This story was originally published by Once A Metro on Aug. 12, 2021)

This is the second time the team has won the cup after a 2017 triumph. The win secures Yonkers a spot in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and $7,000 in prize money.

Speaking to Once A Metro, club president William McGrory said this trophy has been a long time coming. Long before the pandemic, the work started on a field in Glendale, Wisconsin after the team’s previous title.

“It’s an amazing achievement considering what we have won already this season,” he said. “It’s something we have aspired to do since our first one in 2017. This is not an accident. There is a plan implemented and an enormous amount of hard work required by the coaches and players.”

The championship came after a grueling two game weekend at SeatGeek Stadium’s turf fields. Lansdowne, representing Region I of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), entered alongside Springfield FC (IL, Region II), Nashville United (TN, Region III), and Cal FC (CA, Region IV).

Against Nashville in Friday’s semifinal Lansdowne quickly learned the team from the volunteer state was stacked. The same team has recently seen former New York City FC star Kwadwo Poku and Tampa Bay Rowdies all-time leading scorer Georgi Hristov in its ranks and they came to play with other ex-pros according to McGrory.

Ten minutes into the match former College of the Holy Cross soccer star Joseph DeVivo scored the match’s only goal when his shot deflected off a Nashville player and into the net. Despite constant back and forth, including Nashville owning possession to start the second half, the team pulled through for the narrow win. Meanwhile Cal beat Springfield, 4-2, to set-up a classic LA vs NY final.

Cal, who are best known for beating the Portland Timbers in the Open Cup back in 2012 under USMNT Eric Wynalda, are a major power out west. The team had only been eliminated from the UPSL national quarterfinals two weeks prior and were one of the amateur teams snubbed after they qualified for the 2020 Open Cup.

With under 24 hours to rest for both finalists the match was never going to be pretty. After taking the early game to feel eachother out, Cal struck first in the 30th minute. A cut-in from the right side and quick 180 reversal by forward German Alfaro gave him enough space at the top of the box. The low bouncer to the opposite net got past the diving Kabo Danso and Lansdown trailed heading into the half.

Whatever head coach Sean Kelly told his team during the break struck a nerve because it only took 40 seconds to tie the game. A long cross to the right side was headed by Shamir Mullings towards the opposite post. Former Richmond Kicker trialist Patrick McCann jumped up and popped another header over the keeper’s head. The Bhoys didn’t stop and in the 61st minute were awarded a penalty kick after a McCann shot attempt came off a Cal defender’s hand inside the area. DeVivo’s low conversion from the spot made it two goals in as many games for him.

The rest of the match was hectic as both teams fought valiantly. Cal earned a late spark when DeVivo earned a second yellow in extra time for decent (aka talking mad shit to the referee). The west coast side had two chances against the ten remaining New Yorkers but as the final one trickled wide right the final whistle blew.

“The entire team was superb,” McGrory said. “Johan Mauritzon, Bala Danso and Kabo Danso (were) outstanding, supported by Sean Reilly and Stephen Elias. Veterans Pat McCann and Daryl Kavanagh did well. Shamir Mullings was carrying an injury but did well when he was involved.

Huge team performance and from our two young first year coaches Sean Kelly and Craig Purcell.”

(Fun note: After the match Cal went on Twitter and called out USASA’s president by claiming the match was rigged against them)

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Lansdowne Yonkers FC’s haul of trophies won during 2021, including the National Amateur Cup (third from left). Photo: Lansdowne Yonkers FC

The team previously known Lansdowne Bhoys FC will be making their third appearance in the tournament in 2022 (which has been officially confirmed by US Soccer). In both of their previous tournaments the team has one at least one game, including a professional upset over Pittsburgh River Hounds SC of USL in 2016. During that match keeper Abdoukarim “Kabo” Danso helped his team earn the 3-1 win and earned himself Player of the Round honors.

Despite being five years older the native Gambian has not lost a step, helping lead his team to an Eastern Premier Soccer League title while only allowing 15 goals all season. During the National Amateur Cup, from state to the national finals, the team still only allowed seven goals through nine games.

2021 has also been a highly productive year for Lansdowne. Winning multiple major trophies is hard enough but Yonkers won eight during the calendar year. This included the Eastern New York State Soccer Association Amateur Cup (not pictured above), EPSL regular season & league titles, and the 2021 Werner Fricker Open Cup. The later national title is also important since Yonkers is the first team to win both the Amateur Cup and Fricker both in the same year on two separate occasions (previously won in 2017).

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