New York Greek American Atlas

2012 Meet the USASA: Four-time US Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas SC

May 11, 2012 by J.T. Alwin

New York Greek American Atlas SC: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

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.

While the name Greek American Atlas has not been seen in the US Open Cup in seven years, the club is very intertwined with the competition’s history. Founded in 1941, the club from New York City has won the Cup four times, including a three-peat from 1967 to 1969, making them one of four clubs to do so (Fall River/New Bedford 1930-32, Stix, Baer, and Fuller 1933-35, Seattle Sounders FC 2009-11). The club is also successful on the homefront, winning their division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League 10 times since joining in 1994, including this season. The team also captured the Dr. Manning Cup in 2009, the main cup tournament for the Eastern New York Federation.

Atlas’ path to the Open Cup began with a satisfying 4-0 win over archrival New York Pancyprian-Freedoms in the Eastern New York Federation’s Open Cup, ending Pancyprian’s two-year run of USOC qualification. They were also authoritative in the USASA’s Region I qualifying tournament, notching 2-0 wins against Massachusetts’ Battery Park Gunners and eventual qualifier Jersey Shore Boca. This will be the fourth appearance in the Pro Era for Greek American, their other appearances resulting in a 2-0 forfeit to Western Mass Pioneers in 1998, a 4-1 loss to Cape Cod Crusaders in 2004, and a 3-0 loss to Ocean City Barons in 2005.

The club recognizes this history, as General Manager George Mellis explains. “Our clubhouse is like a museum, so that everyone who comes in knows about the honor and tradition when they put on a Greek American jersey.” “We are all honored to be playing for such a great club that is rich in history,” concurs player/manager Michael Todd.

However, the club also has to deal with the present. Some of the players split time between Greek American Atlas and the Long Island Rough Riders, and with both teams participating in the Open Cup, a compromise had to be made. “We let our members who also play for the Rough Riders play with them, and they will let them be available to us for the Amateur Cup…. Our goal has been for the to be the national champion, though realistically we have a better shot in the amateur cup than the professional cup.”

2011-12 NY Greek American Atlas season

Cosmopolitan Soccer League
Sep. 11 ’11 – Win, 4-1 vs. NY Croatia
Sep. 17 ’11 – Win, 3-0 vs. NYC Albania
Sep. 25 ’11 – Win, 3-0 vs. Central Park Rangers Whites
Oct. 2 ’11 – Win, 6-0 vs. Manhattan Kickers
Oct. 9 ’11 – Win, 2-0 vs. Polonia FC
Oct. 16 ’11 – Win, 5-1 vs. United FC
Nov. 6 ’11 – Win, 4-0 vs. Clarkstown FC
Nov. 21 ’11 – Win, 2-0 vs. NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
Nov. 27 ’11 – Tie, 1-1 vs. Lansdowne Bhoys
Dec. 11 ’11 – Win, 3-1 vs. NYAC
Mar. 22 – Tie, 2-2 vs. Polonia FC
Apr. 3 – Win, 2-0 vs. Barnstonworth Rovers
Apr. 17 – Win, 1-0 vs. NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
May 6 – Win, 4-0 vs. NY Croatia
May 8 – Win, 4-1 vs. Manhattan Kickers

USASA Region I Open Cup tournament
Apr. 1 – Win, 2-0 vs. Battery Park Gunners (MA)
Apr. 22 – Win, 2-0 vs. Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)

That does not mean they will be without capable weapons, by any stretch of the imagination. Chris Megaloudis has paced the team in goals through an undefeated regular season this year, and brings experience to the team having played with Red Bull New York. Captain Josh Trott has led the team in goals the past five years until Megaloudis took the crown this year. “Josh is one of the most dominant soccer players on the amateur scene,” states Todd. “His hard work and dedication is one of the platforms for the team’s success.”

Todd also has some history with Greek American Atlas, scoring a goal against his current team while while playing for the Ocean City Barons in 2005. “Our General Manager has not forgot nor forgiven me for it,” Michael recalls. However, Mellis shows that this history doesn’t matter in picking players or managers: “Once we saw Michael play with St. John’s , we knew we wanted him in a Greek jersey, and we finally got our wish. We are very happy to have him here.”

Greek-American Atlas takes on Philadelphia Union-backed Reading United AC at 7 PM on May 15th, but they will not lay down for their opponent, with history on their side, and their minds on the present as well as the future.

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: NY Greek American Atlas, Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks emerge from USASA Region I

April 23, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

UPDATE (4/27/12): The Maryland Bays have withdrawn from the third place match that (for the first time) will act as a “Win & You’re In” match for the US Open Cup. Because of the forfeit, Jersey Shore Boca become the first New Jersey club from the USASA to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Although there was a safety net with a second chance to qualify in the consolation contest next weekend, the USASA Region I Semifinals presented the four remaining clubs with a chance to claim their berths into the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with just one final victory. And experience won out on the day as the veteran Open Cup sides Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks and NY Greek American Atlas both posted 2-0 victories over clubs new looking to advance for the first time.

In a pair of border contests, the DC/Virginia champion Hawks blanked the Maryland Bays at the Maryland Soccerplex and the Greek Americans topped Jersey Shore Boca. Boca and the Bays were scheduled to determine the region’s third Open Cup berth with a third place match the following weekend, but Maryland withdrew due to injuries and lack of player availability. Jersey Shore become the first USASA club from New Jersey to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present).

The Hawks continue to be one of the powers of the region, remaining the only club from Virginia to qualify for the tournament more than once, reaching the Open Cup for the third time now in six years (2007, 2009).

Heavy rains forced a back-and-forth contest between the two sides that proved to hold even until a 40th minute corner kick. Sam Scales found Watson Vaughan Prather for a point-blank header to give the Hawks the lead. It was Prather’s second strike in as many games, tallying the second goal in the Region I First Round contest, a 3-1 victory over West Chester United three weeks ago. Scales previously scored himself in the team’s 3-1 victory over Club Atletico Virginia in the state championship.

Play opened in the second half and both clubs continued to have chances, including Maryland on set pieces that came agonizingly close to equalizing, particularly a ripped 35 yard shot that narrowly missed the post with 15 minutes remaining. As the Hawks began to transition to a conservative posture to hold the advantage, the Maryland pressure continued to increase only for naught.

With six minutes left second-half sub Gui Fonseca secured the victory with a brilliant individual effort. He took the ball 18 yards out and drove past two Maryland defenders before dancing along the end line and poking a shot past the keeper at the near post. Though he was a reserve on the night, Fonseca has been a star for the team in the qualifying campaign. He notched assists on all three goals in the state championship victory and added two more in the win in the Region I opener over West Chester United.

“This is an incredible achievement for us,” said Hawks manager Jon Knight. “We’re a pay-to-play organization and not many teams like us make it this far, so it says a lot about our team. We’re looking to get into the Second Round this year, and I think we’re going to be tough to beat.”

On Randall’s Island in New York City, the New York Greek American Atlas, who have four US Open Cup titles to their credit (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974), returned to the tournament for the first time since 2005, with their win over Jersey Shore Boca.

The two teams battled to a scoreless draw at the half, but right out of the gate, the Greeks broke through in the 48th minute when Joe Ruesgen’s corner kick was volleyed in by former UMass player Ben Arikian to give the home team the lead.

New York Greek American Atlas: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

Later, around the 70th minute, New York would add a second when Chris Megaloudis, a Puerto Rican international who spent time with the New York Red Bulls, found Paul Shaw to make it 2-0. Shaw sent a through ball to Megaloudis in the corner, who then beat his defender, found space and crossed the ball back to Shaw, who put the ball into the back of the net at the six-yard box.

Shaw, who began his career in England with Arsenal in the early 90s, and playing for a number of European clubs before joining FC New York as a player/manager last year. In January, he accepted an assistant coaching job at Adelphi University.

Boca put on the pressure in the final 20 minutes, but the Greeks’ defense held on the clean sheet, led by former Harrisburg City Islander goalkeeper Tommy Booth, who currently coaches at LIU-Brooklyn.

“We are delighted to be back in the US Open Cup,” said Greek Americans player/manager Michael Todd.

New York advances to the Open Cup for the fourth time (1998, 2004, 2005, 2012) in the Modern Pro Era, and puts an Eastern New York team in the tournament for the third straight year and the sixth time in the last nine seasons (New York Pancyprian Freedoms 2008, 2010, 2011). The Greeks emerged from the Eastern New York tournament, defeating the 4-time defending champion Pancyprian Freedoms in the final by a score of 4-0. New York then defeated Massachusetts champion Battery Park Gunners 2-0 with late goals from Megaloudis and Keith Detelj to reach Sunday’s match against Boca.

NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) 2:0 Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)
NY: Ben Arikian (Joe Ruesgen) – 48th minute
NY: Paul Shaw (Chris Megaloudis) – 70th minute

New York Greek Americans lineup:
Tommy Booth (GK), Danny Kramer, Tom Wharfe, Billy Hole, Joe Ruesgen (Diego Velasquez – 72′), Gary Flood (Michael Todd – 42′), Ben Arikian, Josh Troff, Arman Osooli, Chris Megaloudis, Keith Detelj (Paul Shaw – 65′)

Jersey Shore Boca lineup
Bobby Feeney (GK), Vasili Foukarakis, Andrew Cotrell, Tomas Banionis, John Carrozza (Christian Pontier – 80′), Andrew Hawtin, Dane Hodge, Ryan Sherman, Joe Selitto (Dan Pires – 45′), Simon Muckle (Chris Beekman – 45′), Michael Pezza (Nick Tarquino – 60′)

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks 2:0 Maryland Bays
AH: Watson Vaughan Prather (Sam Scales) 40
AH: Gui Fonseca (Unassisted) 84

Aegean Hawks lineup:
Chris Fenner (GK), Mateus dos Anjos, Pat Selwood, James Kpainay, Devlin Barnes, Michael Goldman, Watson Vaughan Prather (Danny Irizarry – 65th), Sam Scales, Ernesto Marquez (Lonnie Carter – 75′), Scott Larrabee, Matt Ney (Gui Fonseca – 70′)

2012 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament

Round 1 (April 1)
Battery Park Gunners (Mass.) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) [+] Recap
West Chester United Predators (East PA) 1:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA) [+] Recap

Semifinals (April 22)
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) 0:2 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
NY Greek American Atlas, Aegean Hawks both qualify for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Third Place Game (April 29)
Maryland Bays (MD) at Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)
John Patrick Sports Complex – Lakewood, NJ – 2 p.m.
Winner qualifies for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup Qualifying: NY Greek American Atlas dispatch first-timers Battery Park Gunners in Region I opener (Video)

April 4, 2012 by Steven Bayley

Despite a vast difference in the two clubs, it took four-time US Open Cup champion club New York Greek American Atlas 84 minutes before finding two late strikes to knock out upstart Boston-area club Battery Park Gunners Sunday in the opening round of the USASA Region I tournament.

The late New York burst included goals from former Major League Soccer player Chris Megaloudis in the 84th minute and Keith Detelj in the 86th.

The second half was characterized by waves of attack from the Greek Americans. Battery Park moved the ball through midfield capably but was unable to get an organized attack moving into the final third of the field. New York dominated possession in the second half and earned the victory on a cold and blustery field. Game time temperature was 44 and repeated wind gusts in excess of 30 miles per hour were present from the opening kick. Greek American presented an organized attack, building through the back and getting more comfortable as the game wore on.

“Yeah, it was hard work, the Boston team are very hard working, very well organized,” said Greek American manager Michael Todd. “We had plenty of chances we didn’t put away, but we kept playing and eventually we got one of the chances and put it away so I’m very pleased.”

The conditions made the going tough for both teams, especially Battery Park, who appeared less comfortable moving the ball on the ground and whose long balls were continually ineffective in penetrating a solid New York defense.

“I thought we did well – the first half a little stronger – but lost our legs early in the second half,” said BPG’s Brian Griffith. “And (Greek American) clearly played well together tactically, where we weren’t as good moving the ball. We weren’t able to break through.

“It was fun to come and play, they’re a good side and I think we have a strong team to try to keep building on and hopefully be able to put it together a little more tactically and technically moving forward.”

New York Greek American Atlas has won four Open Cup championships (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

For Battery Park, the 2012 entry into the USASA’s Open Cup qualification process was a trial balloon that showed some promise for a club that does not have a dedicated coach or experience playing against this type of competition.

“Yeah, we never even entered the Open Cup; this is our first time playing in it, and definitely it’s a learning experience,” added Griffith. “We want to play competitively, but in order to bring this to the next level we’d have to commit to practicing more, a little more organization. We don’t have a coach. We don’t have a lot of the things of some of these other clubs that have the history.

“I think it’s a learning experience and something to build on, and certainly we know now the competition we are going to be playing against; and that’s why we’re doing it – you know. To see what’s out there, see how we stack up. We’ve collected a good group of guys, have a lot of fun playing, and that’s our main focus – enjoy it and build from there, and hopefully get better results.”

Greek American certainly have the history, with four US Open Cups to their name – three from 1967-69 and a fourth in 1974. The club, more recently, has won five of the last 11 Eastern NY championships, but hasn’t qualified for the Open Cup since 2005. That year, they were eliminated in the opening round by current manager Michael Todd and the Ocean City Barons (now Ocean City Nor’easters) of the PDL.

Looking to the future though, Greek American have their work cut out for them as a home date April 22nd with New Jersey champ Jersey Shore Boca is all that stands between Greek American and a berth in the first round of the US Open Cup.

“Every game at this level is going to be very hard, and were going to have to step it up in the next round I’m sure,” concluded Todd.

The loser of the April 22nd match will not be eliminated from Open Cup contention however, as the semifinal losers will get to play for the third and final US Open Cup qualifying spot out of the competitive USASA Region I field. The other semifinal pits the DC/VA champion Aegean Hawks against Maryland champion Maryland Bays.

Video: Highlights through 80th minute

2012 USASA Region I Open Cup – First Round
Field 75 – Randall’s Island – 2 p.m.

NY Greek American Atlas 2:0 Battery Park Gunners

NY: Chris Megaloudis 84
NY: Keith Detelj 86

2012 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament

Round 1 (April 1)
Game 1: Battery Park Gunners (Mass.) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Game 2: West Chester United Predators (East PA) 1:3 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)

Semifinals (April 22)
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) at NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
Semifinal winners qualify for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Third Place Game (April 29)
Semifinal loser vs. Semifinal loser
Winner qualifies for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: USASA Region I format set as Massachusetts, New Jersey crown their champions (Updated)

March 20, 2012 by Josh Hakala

UPDATES:
(3/24/12) Dates changed for Region I tournament / Third Place match (3/27/12): Massachusetts and New Jersey crown their champions.

Six teams will take part in the 2012 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament with three entries into the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line in addition to a spot in the USASA National Finals. This year marks the first time in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present) that one of the four USASA regions will submit more than two teams.

In January, the United States Soccer Federation announced the numbers of USASA entries in 2012 would increase from eight to nine, and the USASA decided the ninth team would come from Region I due to the fact that more teams attempt to qualify for the Open Cup from the Northeast than the rest of the regions.

The tournament, which will begin April 1, will feature six teams from six different state associations: Metro DC/Virginia, Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The traditional bracket will feature three rounds with Maryland and New Jersey’s state champions receiving byes to the semifinals. How the two byes were determined is unknown at this time.

Already qualified for the Region I tournament are NY Greek American Atlas (East NY), Maryland Bays (MD), West Chester United Predators (East PA) and Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks.

Regular Open Cup qualification contender Aegean Hawks will host the Predators, first-time Eastern PA title holders, in one of the two First Round contests scheduled for April 1. The winner will advance to the semifinals to face the Maryland Bays, who defeated Charm City FC in the Maryland final. The semifinals are set for April 22.

The other First Round contest will feature the four-time US Open Cup champion NY Greek American Atlas (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974) playing host to the yet-to-be-determined champion from Massachusetts. The winner of that contest will move on to the semifinals to play against the champion from New Jersey.

The Bay State is scheduled to crown a champion on Saturday, March 24 when Mass Premier Soccer squares off with the Battery Park Gunners. Also on March 24, New Jersey’s Open Cup final will pit Go Soccer FC against Jersey Shore Boca.

The two teams who fall short in the semifinals will play each other in a third place match on April 29 to determine the remaining US Open Cup berth.

UPDATE: Jersey Shore Boca captured the New Jersey state title, 5-4 in penalties, after a 1-1 draw and Battery Park Gunners captured the Massachusetts championship with a 2-1 victory.

2012 USASA Region I Open Cup tournament

Round 1 (April 1)
Game 1: Battery Park Gunners (Mass.) at NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Game 2: West Chester United Predators (East PA) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)

Semifinals (April 22)
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) at Game 1 winner
Maryland Bays (MD) at Game 2 winner
Semifinal winners qualify for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Third Place Game (April 29)
Semifinal loser vs. Semifinal loser
Winner qualifies for 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Open Cup qualifying: Greek American Atlas thrash Pancyprian Freedoms to regain Eastern NY crown

December 2, 2011 by Ed Rue

New York Greek American Atlas: 4-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969, 1974)

On a cold November evening , the New York Greek American Atlas, four-time US Open Cup winners, reclaimed their Eastern New York title with a 4-0 win over 3-time Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms. It was their second meeting in nine days, and it took place at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University. The Greeks won the last meeting in league play 2-0 and with the win in the championship game, they have booked a place in next spring’s USASA Region I tournament, with a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the line.

Keith Detelj scored a pair of goals for the Greeks who, with the win, earn their first Eastern NY Open Cup title since 2007, breaking a string of four straight by the Freedoms.

Play became chippy right from the kick off, as it was obvious that these two shared a fierce rivalry. Throughout the first 20 minutes of the contest, the teams had an equal share of possession, with both teams fighting through the midfield, hoping to take a much-wanted lead.

The Pancyprian Freedoms had the first real scoring opportunity when Stefan Dimitrov hit a low cross sent in by Anastasios Polydefkis wide off the mark.

It was the Greek AA who made the first breakthrough about nearly midway through the half. A cross from the left flank found it’s way to Keith Detelj who put it past Freedoms keeper Chad Calderone and gave put the Greek Americans up 1-0 after 22 minutes.

Neither keeper saw much action after Detelj’s goal, but the midfield battle that had begun at the start of the game continued until the ref blew the whistle for halftime, no yellow cards given, though there were plenty of opportunities.

The second half of the contest picked up right where it left off for Greek AA. They held a majority of the possession and created more goal scoring opportunities by consistently winning the ball in the midfield. The game’s first yellow card finally came in the 56th minute, as midfielder John Koutsoundis came in hard on one of the Greek AA players. The Greeks continued to press forward, trying to increase their one-goal lead and they were rewarded. A handball in the box led to a penalty kick and Ben Arikian stepped up to the spot and beat Calderone to the right, as the keeper dove the opposite way to make it 2-0 in the 62nd minute.

Greek AA didn’t have to wait long for their next goal, as Detelj fought off two Freedoms defenders to slot home his second of the night and the third for the Greeks in the 64th minute. Shortly afterward, the Greeks received their first yellow card of the night, as Josh Trott came in with a hard tackle a few yards from the penalty area, but the Greek AA were unable to capitalize.

Down three with a little more than twenty minutes to play, the Freedoms attempted to fight back. In the span of five minutes, Freedoms attacker Julio Cesar Dos Santos struck from about 3 yards from goal, but it was handled by Greek AA keeper Steven Diaz. Dos Santos’ second attempt, a volley from about the same distance as his previous attempt, was also kept out by Diaz with some ease. The Freedoms fought hard in the game’s last minutes, with a header by Dimitrov sent just wide of Diaz’s goal.

The Greeks made the Freedoms pay with a counter attack, with Paul Shaw chipping the ball from a few yards out past Calderone to seal the victory and make it 4-0 Greek AA in the 72nd minute. With that goal came the final whistle, and with it advancement to the USASA Region I tournament. The Greek Americans will continue their quest to return to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2005 as Region I tournament begins in the spring of next year.

“I thought it was a great win tonight, and thought we thoroughly deserved it,” said Michael Todd of the Greek Americans. “We worked incredibly hard, the guys, everyone on the team, especially the guys coming off the bench. I thought we thoroughly deserved the win and I’m glad we’re in the next round of the cup.”

Martinos Kyprianou, coach of the New York Pancyprian Freedoms was disappointed with the result.

“To beat a team like this, you need to be on top of your game. Clearly tonight we were not,” said Kyprianou. “The effort was there, but we had no concentration. We missed scoring opportunities, they scored on 95% of theirs. And that was the difference of the game.”

The new champions took the toughest road to get to the final, having begun play in the opening round, while the Freedoms earned a bye into the championship game as the winners of the Eastern NY Super Cup tournament in September. After defeating the Manhattan Kickers in the first round 4-2, they narrowly escaped the NY Athletic Club in the next round 1-0, and needed an 89th minute goal from Jamal Neptune in the semifinals to knock off the Barnstonworth Rovers by the same score.

2011 Eastern NY Open Cup championship results
(Winner qualifies for the 2012 USASA Region I tournament)

Round 1
NY Athletic Club 3:1 NY Olympiacos
NY Greek American Atlas 4:2 Manhattan Kickers

Round 2
Barnstonworth Rovers 2:1 NYC Albania
NY Athletic Club 0:1 NY Greek American Atlas

Semifinal (winner plays NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the championship game)
Barnstonworth Rovers 0:1 NY Greek American Atlas

Final
NY Greek American Atlas 4:0 NY Pancyprian Freedoms

Past Eastern NY Open Cup champions (US Open Cup finish)
2003: Greek American Atlas (Did not qualify)
2004: Greek American Atlas (US Open Cup Round 1)
2005: Greek American Atlas (US Open Cup Round 1)
2006: Pancyprian Freedoms (Did not qualify)
2007: Greek American Atlas (Did not qualify)
2008: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 1)
2009: Pancyprian Freedoms (Did not qualify)
2010: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 1)
2011: Pancyprian Freedoms (US Open Cup Round 2)
2012: Greek American Atlas (?)

2011 US Open Cup Final: Seattle Sounders smother Fire, earn historic three-peat in front of record crowd

October 5, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

Three-peat. That special status is something new in Major League Soccer circles. The Seattle Sounders Tuesday night at CenturyLink Field defeated the Chicago Fire 2-0 on a pair of late goals from Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso to become the first team since 1969 to conclude a third straight US Open Cup championship. They also became the first team in MLS history to win three consecutive titles in any event, including MLS Cup.

A year ago Seattle became the first MLS club to defend a championship in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, an event named after one of the league’s founders, downing the Columbus Crew, 2-1, in front of a then record crowd of 31,311 fans. They topped themselves for a new record attendance by opening more of the stadium, reaching 35,615 – a total that also surpasses eight of the 15 MLS Cup Finals.

In MLS play there has been two Supporters’ Shield repeats and only two teams have won back-to-back MLS Cups. Like MLS newcomers Seattle, DC United famously won the first two MLS Cup trophies in league history in 1996 and 1997 before falling to the Chicago Fire in the third consecutive championship appearance in 1998. DC is also one of the two clubs to win two Shields in a row, claiming the league’s regular season title in 2006 and 2007. Columbus followed them with the next two. The Houston Dynamo won two MLS Cups in a row in 2005-06.

“We always wanted to be the first. Sigi talked about it a lot,” said General Manager Adrian Hanauer after the match before a jubilant crowd about becoming the first MLS side to win three straight Open Cup titles.

“Three in a row is a tremendous accomplishment, and to have two of them here at home – unbelievable. Another record crowd here at CenturyLink Field, which we are kind of getting used to that,” said Kasey Keller, who is retiring after the season with a historic finish to his career.

But after the game tonight, history did not seem to be enough for a Sounders squad that still has three regular season games, the MLS Cup playoffs and CONCACAF Champions League, which resumes with Quarterfinals next spring after one more group contest, remaining.

“We still got more to come. You know, we got one more cup to win this year,” added Keller, who has missed out on winning the league championship since returning to the United States to play.

Defender Jeff Parke picked up on that sentiment. “We’re here and we are ready to go,” he said in reference to other MLS playoff teams looking their way. We still have some things to work on. Tonight is just a great night,” he said, adding that after a day off Wednesday the team will be right back at preparing for the postseason.

“This is my second year here. The team now has been knocked out in the first round the past two years and we want to do something special here. We want to win the cup and make it past the first round obviously. These guys are finding it inside them and they are willing to do whatever it takes and it’s starting to show on the field. We are gearing up for the MLS Cup hopefully.”

An MLS Cup title would further the team’s history-making campaign as only three other clubs have captured the double in the MLS era. DC accomplished the feat in the inaugural MLS season, Chicago won both in its expansion 1998 outing and the Galaxy were the last to do so in 2005.

History took quite some time to make though. Despite a frenzied start, both teams had good free kick chances in the first two minutes, starting a back-and-forth affair with many eye-opening moments. There was certainly no typical feeling out period that often comes in the sport, especially in momentous occasions.

After a frenetic first 10 minutes, the match began to turn physical, resulting in a Patrick Nyarko yellow card for a tough tackle along the touchline on Alonso. After the first half-hour though, the balance of play swayed in favor of the home club, as the Sounders began to take control of possession and slow the match down slightly.

The first moment that those in attendance will remember on the historic night came just as the first half was coming to a close. Montero, who scored the lone g

Montero with Cup — Fredy Montero raises the Open Cup trophy amidst the post-game celebrations

oal in the Semifinal win versus FC Dallas, acquired the ball and beat Parvel Pardo while driving in toward the penalty arc. He would let loose a 20-yard effort that whispered past the fingertips of a diving Sean Johnson, only to smack squarely into the left post. The immense crowd was still in disbelief moments later when the whistle sounded for the break.

Eight minutes into the second half it looked again as though history was about to happen when Erik Friberg, on the left side, headed the ball in to Mike Fucito, who flicked the ball over Johnson on an acute angle. The ball bounced several times along the goalline with defenders chasing, bouncing off the inside of the far post and out.

The on-field silence – since there was still plenty of noise from a stadium filled with a raucous crowd – was broken in the 78th minute. Friberg delivered a corner into the box that found the head of Parke, who nodded it straight down and forced Johnson to drop to the ground to make the save. The instant play prevented the keeper from holding the ball, allowing it to rebound out directly to an awaiting Montero, who buried it for his fifth game-winning goal in all competitions dating back to the Semifinal victory. It was his second tally in Open Cup Final, history having scored the opening goal in the 2009 championship as well, a 2-1 victory over DC United.

The strike was the latest opening goal in the modern professional era for a game decided in regulation. Two contests went to overtime scoreless, with the 1997 Final finishing in a scoreless stalemate taken in penalties by DC, and the 2004 Final finishing with a dramatic golden goal from Kansas City against the Fire (the last FIFA championship decided in that fashion).

The match came to a fitting finish, as Alonso dribbled through the Fire defense at the edge of the box, creating an open goal for a euphoric conclusion. Alonso, a refugee from the Cuban national team in June of 2007, was playing in his fourth consecutive Open Cup Final, having played for the Charleston Battery in the 2008 championship against DC United. He has yet to miss the tournament’s championship contest in his professional career in the United States.

2011 – Chicago Fire (MLS) 0:2 Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
10/4/11 | CenturyLink Field – Seattle, Washington

Scoring Summary
Seattle: Fredy Montero (Jeff Parke) – 77th min.
Seattle: Osvaldo Alonso (Unassisted) – 90th+ min.

Seattle Sounders: GK Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jeff Parke, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez, Alvaro Fernandez (Erik Freiberg 46th), Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Lamar Neagle, Michael Fucito (Roger Levesque 90th+1), Fredy Montero

Cautions – Alonso 90th, Montero 90th

Chicago Fire: GK Sean Johnson; Gonzalo Segares, Cory Gibbs, Josip Mikulic (Jalil Anibaba 61st), Dan Gargan (Sebastien Grazzini 84th); Marco Pappa, Pavel Pardo, Logan Pause, Daniel Paladini (Diego Chaves 80th); Dominic Oduro, Patrick Nyarko

Cautions – Nyarko 27th, Paladini 39th, Anibaba 90th

Match Stats
Shots – Seattle 27:8 Chicago
On Goal – Seattle 7:4 Chicago
Saves – Seattle 4:5 Chicago
Fouls – Seattle 12:17 Chicago
Corners – Seattle 10:6 Chicago
Offsides – Seattle 0:3 Chicago

Attendance: 35,615 | Referee – Alex Prus | Linesmen – Steven Taylor; Eric Boria | 4th Official – Josh Wilkens
Weather: Rain, 58 degrees

The “Three-Peat” US Open Cup winners

October 3, 2011 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

In 2011, the Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) became the fourth club in history to win three straight Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (formerly known as the National Challenge Cup) championships. TheCup.us takes a look back at the three clubs who did it before the Sounders and how they pulled off the three-peat.

Fall River Marksmen (1930, 1931, 1932)
Won 1931 Cup after merger with New York Soccer Club (as New York Yankees)
Won 1932 Cup after merger with Fall River FC (as New Bedford Whalers)

1931 Fall River Marksmen — The Fall River Marksmen are presented with the Dewar Trophy after winning the 1931 National Challenge Cup. Photo: National Soccer Hall of Fame

Citing the Fall River Marksmen as a winner of three titles in a row is a bit tricky, considering by the time they lifted the cup as the New Bedford Whalers in 1932, they were in their third city in as many years.

After skipping the 1929 National Challenge Cup due to the “Soccer War,” the Marksmen began their 1930 Cup run with a pair of easy wins over Lusitania Recreation (5-0) and Pawtucket Rangers (5-2). This put Sam Mark’s club in the Semifinals against their old nemesis, Bethlehem Steel. After a 1-1 draw at the Polo Grounds in New York, the teams reconvened at Battery Park in New Bedford.

With Fall River leading 1-0 with 25 minutes remaining, the teams combined for four goals in an eight minute span. After Archie Stark brought the Steelmen level in the 64th minute, Dave Priestley took the lead back for Fall River three minutes later. Just six minutes after his first goal, Stark struck again to tie the game 2-2. Just one minute later, Bobby Ballantyne gave the Marksmen the lead for good. It turned out to be Bethlehem’s last game as the steel company that sponsored them discontinued the team, in part, due to the effects of the Great Depression.

After such a thrilling semifinal affair, the Final was quite anti-climatic. Facing Bruell Insurance from Cleveland in the first leg at the Polo Grounds, the Marksmen jumped out to a 7-0 halftime lead and would win 7-2. The second leg in Cleveland became a mere formality, as Fall River’s 2-1 win gave them a 9-3 aggregate tally and the championship.

The 1931 championship was different in a couple of ways. For the first time ever, the American Soccer League clubs would play round robin matches to determine who would advance to the Eastern semifinals. The clubs outside the ASL would play off in the traditional cup manner to determine the other two semifinals teams.

Touted by the ASL as a way to make sure the best teams play in the Eastern Semifinals, skeptics saw it as a way for the team owners to get more revenue from games. The ASL teams were split into two groups, one for the New York clubs, and the other for the New England teams.

The Marksmen easily won their round robin series, finishing four points ahead of Providence and New Bedford. It turned out the round robin games may have been the tougher obstacle for the Marksmen, as they trounced New York’s Galicia 6-1 in the Eastern semifinals, and ran away 6-1 winners in the Eastern Final over the Newark Americans, the lone ASL team to not partake in the round robin games.

A funny thing happened on the way to the game with Newark, however. Before the Spring ASL season started in 1931, owner Sam Mark decided New York would be a more lucrative location for his club. Having merged with the New York Soccer Club, the Marksmen were now the New York Yankees. However, since they began the 1931 Cup competition as the Marksmen, they were required to compete under that name, all while wearing Yankees jerseys in New York.

With the 1932 Challenge Cup came yet another location change for the club. With the move to New York not reaping the rewards he expected, Mark merged his Yankees with Fall River FC to become the New Bedford Whalers, the third such incarnation of that name since 1914. In a bit of irony, the second Whalers team that played in the ASL from 1924-1931 merged into Fall River FC in April 1931. The ’24-’31 Whalers were also fierce rivals with the Marksmen during that time, making the choice of New Bedford even more ironic.

After an easy 5-1 win over the Boston Bears, New Bedford were rescued by Billy Gonsalves’s 86th minute goal to push the Whalers past the Pawtucket Rangers 1-0 in the Eastern Quarterfinals. In their Eastern Semifinal game with Hakoah All Stars, the Whalers left it late again, with another 1-0 victory coming from a Johnny Caldwell goal with two minutes remaining. The Eastern Final against the New York Giants was a bit more relaxing with the Whalers jumping to a 3-0 halftime lead on their way to a 5-2 victory.

The 1932 Final was a crossroads of sorts, pitting the Whalers against the next team to dominate the Open Cup, Stix, Baer & Fuller of St. Louis. The first leg in St. Louis finished in a 3-3 extra time draw, which saw both teams score in extra time. The second leg was also played in St. Louis, and New Bedford dominated the game, out shooting Stix 27-6 on their way to a 5-2 victory.

There would be no chance for a fourth straight Open cup title. The effects of the Great Depression caught up with the club and the team folded just six games into the ASL’s fall season in 1932. The core of the team moved west to continue playing for Stix, Baer & Fuller, and would start another Open Cup dynasty there.

1930 Results
5-0 Lusitania Recreation (Eastern 1R 2/2/30)
5-2 New Bedford Whalers (Eastern QF 2/22/30)
5-2 Pawtucket Rangers (Eastern SF 3/2/30)
1-1 Bethlehem Steel (Eastern Final 3/16/30)
3-2 Bethlehem Steel (Eastern Final Replay 3/23/30)
7-2 Bruell Insurance (Cle.) (Final, First Leg 3/30/30)
2-1 Bruell Insurance (Final, Second Leg 4/6/30)

1931 Results
Won round robin qualifying with 4-0-2 record against
Providence Gold Bugs, New Bedford Whalers and Pawtucket Rangers
6-2 Galicia (NYC) (Eastern SF 2/23/31)
6-1 Newark Americans (Eastern Final 3/22/31)
6-2 Bricklayers (Chi.) Final, First Leg 4/5/31)
1-1 Bricklayers (Final, Second Leg 4/12/31)
2-0 Bricklayers (Final, Third Leg 4/19/31)

1932 Results
5-1 Boston Bears (Eastern 1R 1/17/32)
1-0 Pawtucket Rangers (Eastern QF 1/23/32)
1-0 Hakoah All Stars (NYC) (Eastern SF 2/14/32)
5-2 New York Giants (Eastern Final 2/12/32)
3-3 Stix, Baer & Fuller (St. L) (Final, First Leg 3/26/32
5-2 Stix, baer & Fuller (Final, Second Leg 4/2/32)

The core of the Stix, Baer & Fuller dynasty (left to right) Alec McNab, Billy Gonsalves, Werner Nilsen, Jimmy Roe, Willie McLean. Photo: St. Louis Post DispatchStix Baer & Fuller (1933, 1934, 1935)
1936 & 1937 runners-up

As with the Fall River Marksmen, Stix, Baer & Fuller would win their Open Cup championships under several different names, but for a different reason. Teams in St. Louis often took the name of whoever was sponsoring them for the season, often resulting in teams carrying multiple names during their life span. The Stix club actually began in 1929 under the sponsorship of the Hellrung & Grimm House Finishing Company, and the team was called the Hellrungs. This lasted until 1931 when team sponsorship switched to one of the largest department stores in St. Louis: Stix, Baer & Fuller.

Stix benefited the most from the demise of the New Bedford Whalers in the Fall of 1932, as four of their standout future Hall of Fame players moved to the Gateway City to ply their soccer trade. When it was all said and done, Bill McPherson would go on to win five straight Open Cup championships while Alec McNab and Billy Gonsalves would take home six straight Cup titles with Nilsen missing out on the 1935 title. On top of that, McNab and Gonsalves would appear in eight straight Open Cup Finals from 1930-1937, a feat that may never come close to being matched.

As was the case with the Marksmen, the early rounds of the 1933 Cup came easy for Stix. A 5-1 win over St. Louis amateur club Kavanaugh was followed up by a 10-1 demolition of Chicago’s Jugoslavs. Their run seemed to be over when they dropped a 2-1 decision to fellow St. Louis League club Anderson SC, but a protest from Stix was successful, and they won the replay by a 4-1 score. The Western semifinal against Chicago’s Sparta A & BA proved to be no contest as Stix swept aside their Windy City challengers on an 8-3 aggregate over two legs.

In the first leg of the 1933 Final against the New York Americans, Willie McLean, a holdover from the team that reached the Final in 1932, scored the lone goal to give Stix a 1-0 advantage heading into the return leg in New York. A week later at Starlight Park, McLean scored again in the 15th minute for a 1-0 lead, but the Americans knotted the score with a goal just five minutes later. With seven minutes remaining, Nilsen ended all doubt by scoring on an assist from McLean.

The 1934 Cup started the way the previous one had, with a lot of lopsided games for Stix. Victories over St. Louis’ Minit Rubs (6-1), Detroit’s Sons of Malta (3-0), and Pittsburgh’s Curry SC (4-0) led to a Western Semifinal showdown with the Wiebolt Wonderbolts of Chicago.

Wieboldt were the former Bricklayers FC, having become sponsored by a Chicago area store. Stix won the first leg in St. Louis 5-3 on extra time goals from Nilsen and McNab, but Wieboldt took the second leg 1-0 in Chicago. Back in St. Louis for the third and deciding game, Willie McLean powered Stix with two first half goals to help Stix earn a 2-0 victory.

The Final versus the Pawtucket Rangers was also a three-leg affair. The first game was set for St. Louis, and Stix pulled out a 4-2 extra time victory with Werner Nilsen scoring both extra time goals for the home side. As happened in the Wiebolt series, the Stix team once again lost the second game. Pawtucket’s Jimmy McAuley scored with seven minutes remaining to give the Rangers a 3-2 win. In the third and deciding game back in St. Louis, Stix out shot Pawtucket 20-4 and turned a 1-0 halftime lead into a 5-0 rout. Nilsen scored twice and Gonsalves tallied in each half. Eight of the eleven goals scored by Stix in the final were from Nilsen and Gonsalves.

By the fall of 1934 the Stix, Baer & Fuller dropped their sponsorship of the team, a void that was quickly filled by Central Breweries. The path to the Western Final was once again, for the most part, unchallenging. The only real “scare” was a 1-0 win over Cleveland’s Bartunek Slavia in the Western Quarterfinals.

The Western Finals once again was a showdown against Wiebolt Wonderbolts, and it would turn out to be one for the ages. One major difference would be that Werner Nilsen was now playing for Wiebolt instead of against them. Just as the previous year’s Western Final, the teams would play a best of three series to determine who would move to the Grand Final. Central took the first game 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to goals from Willie McLean.

The second game in Chicago finished in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Since the series winner was determined by games won and not aggregate goals, the game would be replayed in St. Louis a week later. The replay ended in a 3-3 draw after extra time, meaning yet another replay would be set for Chicago the next week. Down 2-0 at halftime, Wiebolt rallied back to tie the game 2-2, and would go on to win in extra time 3-2. The final game in St. Louis was another close affair, with Bert Patenaude scoring the only goal in Central’s 1-0 win to advance to the Open Cup Final.

In the Final, Central Breweries ran into another familiar foe, the Pawtucket Rangers. In the first game in St. Louis, Central led 1-0 at halftime but powered their way to a 5-2 victory on a pair of braces from Gonnsalves and Patenaude. The second leg in Pawtucket finished in a 1-1 extra time draw, but Central were still comfortably ahead on aggregate 6-3. The final leg was played on a neutral field in Newark, New Jersey, and Central pushed their aggregate lead to 7-3 by halftime. Pawtucket staged a furious rally by scoring three goals in the second half, but ultimately fell short by a count of 7-6.

The Finals appearances, and name changes, did not stop for the St. Louis club. Now known as the Shamrocks, the St. Louis club reached the Final in 1936 and 1937, losing to Philly’s German American SC and the New York Americans respectively. Werner Nilsen rejoined the club in 1936 after missing out on the 1935 championship.

As the 1937-38 St. Louis season drew near, several players left to play for another club in St. Louis, St. Patricks. A player tampering lawsuit by Shamrocks did not hold up, and the club disbanded with the rest of the roster, including Alec McNab and Werner Nilsen, joining the South Side Radio team. Billy Gonsalves wasn’t finished making Open Cup Finals appearances. He turned up once again with Chicago’s Manhattan Beer in the 1939 Final, and won two more Cup championships with Brooklyn Hispano in 1942 and 1943.

1933 Results
4-1 Kavanaugh SC (St. Louis) (Western 1R, 1/22/33)
10-1 Jugoslavs (Chicago) (Western QF, 2/12/33)
1-2* Anderson SC (St. Louis) (Western SF, 2/26/33)
*Stix protest of match upheld, replay ordered
4-1 Anderson SC (Westerrn SF Replay, 3/12/33)
7-2 Sparta A & BA (Chicago) (Western Final, 1st Leg, 3/18/33)
1-0 Sparta A & BA (Western Final, 2nd Leg, 3/26/33)
1-0 New York Americans (Final, 1st Leg, 4/16/33)
2-1 New York Americans (Final, 2nd leg, 4/23/33)

1934 Results
6-1 Minit Rubs (St. Louis) (Western 1R, 1/14/34)
3-0 Sons of Malta (Detroit) (Western QF, 2/4/34)
4-0 Curry (W. Pennsylvania) (Western SF, 2/18/34)
5-3 (AET) Wiebolt Wodnerbolts (Chicago) (Western Final, 1st Leg, 3/11/34)
0-1 Wiebolt Wonderbolts (Western Final, 2nd Leg, 3/18/34)
2-0 Wiebolt Wonderbolts (Western Final, 3rd Leg, 3/25/34)
4-2 (AET) Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 1st Leg, 4/1/34)
2-3 Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 2nd Leg, 4/8/34)
5-0 Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 3rd Leg, 4/16/34)

1935 Results
9-1 Ben Miller SC (St. Louis) (Western 1R, 1/20/35)
1-0 Bartunek Slavia (Cleveland) (Western QF, 2/24/35)
5-0 Vienna AC (Milwaukee) (Western SF, 3/3/35)
2-1 Wiebolt Wodnersbolts (Chicago) (Western Fina, 1st Leg, 3/24/35)
1-1 (AET) Wiebolt Wonderbolts (Western Final, 2nd Leg, 3/31/35)
3-3 (AET) Wiebolt Wonderbolts (Western Final, 2nd Leg Replay, 4/6/35)
2-3 (AET) Wiebolt Wonderbolts (Western Final, 2nd Leg Replay, 4/14/35)
1-0 Wiebolt Wodnerbolts (Western Final, 3rd Leg, 4/21/35)
5-2 Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 2st Leg, 4/28/35)
1-1 (AET) Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 2nd Leg, 5/6/35)
1-3 Pawtucket Rangers (Final, 3rd Leg, 5/12/35)

Greek American SC team in 1969. Photo: Bill Graham Guide | National Soccer Hall of FameGreek American SC (1967, 1968, 1969)

Unlike the Marksmen and Stix, Baer & Fuller, the Greek American SC (they wouldn’t add “Atlas” to the name until the 1980s) didn’t have the luxury of having a core of future Hall of Famers power their team. Instead, their team was made up of former Greek professional players, and was led by Alkis Panagoulias, who would later go on to manage the United States national team from 1983-1985. He would also have three stints as the manager for Greece, including leading them to their first-ever World Cup Finals appearance in 1994.

In the days of the Marksmen and Stix, a dozen of the top teams in the East and West were given byes into the first round proper, while the other clubs, mostly amateur sides, would play qualifying matches to fill the other four spots. By the late 1940s things had changed and all teams were required to start at the beginning. This turned out to be not much of a disadvantage for the Greek American SC, since the Southern New York final was often only a couple games away from the Open Cup final.

A preview of the Greeks’ success could be seen in the 1966 Open Cup, when they made it to the final eight before falling 2-1 to fellow New Yorkers Ukrainian SC. In 1967, the Greek Americans started their tournament with a pair of shutout wins, 2-0 against German American SC and 3-0 versus Eintracht SC. This led to the Southern New York Final showdown, the equivalent of an Eastern semifinal, with German American League rivals Blue Star, which the Greeks prevailed 3-2. The Greeks threw another pair of shutouts in the two-leg Final against Paterson Roma, 2-0 and 1-0. In the Final at Eintracht Oval in Queens, the GASC topped Orange County SC from Los Angeles 4-2 with John Kosmides scoring two goals.

The GASC’s run in the 1968 Open Cup featured much closer games than the year before. A 90th minute goal from Kosmides boosted the team to a 3-2 win over Blau Weiss Gottschee in the Southern New York quarterfinals, and a 1-0 replay win was needed to dispatch the Ukrainian Nationals from Philadelphia after a 2-2 draw in the Eastern Final. The Open Cup final against Chicago’s Olympic SC was played over two legs with the first ending in a 1-1 draw in Chicago when the home side pulled even on an 89th minute goal. The return leg at Eintracht Oval in New York was won by the Greek Americans 1-0, giving them a 2-1 aggregate victory for the trophy. Crowd trouble caused the match to be halted for 24 minutes when fans rushed the field after an altercation between players from each team.

The drive for the third successive title was nearly stopped at the Southern New York Semifinals, when the Ukrainian SC held the Greek Americans to a 1-1 extra time draw. In the replay, the GASC showed no mercy, whipping the Ukrainians 5-0. A 3-0 win over Hellenic SC in the Southern New York Final led to a 8-2 aggregate pounding of Paterson Roma in the Eastern Final, in which Denis Nanos netted a hat trick in the first leg. The Open Cup Final was once again a single-game affair, and a trip to Los Angeles to face the Armenian SC was in order. Just as extra time seemed unavoidable, Nanos scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute for a 1-0 victory.

The Greek American juggernaut was finally stopped on March 1, 1970 when Blau Weiss Gottschee managed a 1-0 extra time victory over the Greek Americans in the Southern New York Semifinals, ending the quest for four consecutive Open Cup titles.

All told, in 22 matches over three years the Greek American SC side traveled outside of the New York/New Jersey area just twice, visiting Chicago in 1968 and Los Angeles in 1969. Both times were for the Open Cup Final.

1967 Results
2-0 German American SC (NYC) (Southern NY 1st Round 11/6/66)
3-0 Eintracht SC (NYC) (Southern NY SF 12/4/66)
3-2 Blue Star (NYC) (Southern NY Final 4/2/67)
2-0 Paterson Roma (NJ) (Eastern Final, 1st Leg 5/14/67)
1-0 Paterson Roma (Eastern Final, 2nd Leg 5/28/67)
4-2 Orange County (LA) (Final 7/23/67)

1968 Results
1-0 Fiorentina (Southern NY 1st Round 11/26/67)
3-2 Blau Weiss Gottschee (NYC) (Southern NY QF 12/10/67)
2-1 Blue Star (NYC) (Southern NY Semifinal 3/10/68)
3-0 Ukrainian SC (NYC) (Southern NY Final 3/24/68)
2-2 Ukrainian Nationals (Philadelphia) (Eastern Final, 1st Leg 5/12/68)
1-0 Ukrainian Nationals (Eastern Final, 2nd Leg 5/19/68)
1-1 Olympic SC (Chicago) (Open Cup Final, 1st Leg 7/21/68)
1-0 Olympic SC (Open Cup Final, 2nd Leg 7/28/68)

1969 Results
4-1 Fiorentina (NYC) (Southern NY 2nd Round 12/1/68)
2-0 New York Hota (Southern NY QF 12/9/68)
1-1 (AET) Ukrainian SC (NYC) (Southern NY SF 3/16/69)
5-0 Ukrainian SC (Southern NY SF Replay 3/23/69)
3-0 Hellenic (NYC) (Southern NY Final 3/30/69)
7-2 Paterson Roma (NJ) (Eastern Final, 1st Leg 6/15/69)
1-0 Paterson Roma (Eastern Final, 2nd Leg 6/22/69)
1-0 Armenian SC (LA) (Open Cup Final 6/29/69)

Fenerbahce USA in Eastern NY Final after Greek American Atlas forfeit

December 15, 2009 by

Following their 4-1 win over Fenerbahce USA in the Semifinals of the Eastern New York Open Cup tournament, New York Greek American Atlas has been disqualified. Following the match, Fenerbahce filed a protest with the Eastern New York Amateur Soccer Association (ENYASA) accusing the Greek Americans of fielding an ineligible player. After the review was complete, the ENYASA ruled that the Greeks had broken the rules.

According to Gus Xikis of the ENYASA, there were two rules violations.

First, former New York Red Bulls forward Abbe Ibrahim was listed on the Greek Americans’ lineup sheet submitted to the referee. This was an odd mistake considering that Ibrahim is currently playing for Romanian club FC Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt. Even though Ibrahim did not participate in the match, listing a professional player on the lineup card of an amateur team, according to Xikis, is against the rules and is worthy of a match being forfeited.

Ibrahim made his MLS debut for the Metrostars (now the New York Red Bulls) of Major League Soccer back in 2005, scoring two goals in 15 matches and most recently played for Toronto FC in 2007. He played two games for the Greek Americans in late September, but George Mellis, the long-time general manager for the Greek Americans, claims that he was unaware that Ibrahim was a professional player, and wasn’t even aware that Ibrahim was playing in Romania.

Abbe Ibrahim scored the opening goal of the game in a losing effort for his
Romanian club a few days after the Eastern NY Semifinal took place.

“The reason our coach Lucio Russo put on the lineup form was because on the date of the game, our players were running late, and the game had already started,” said Mellis. “We put him in there, in case we had to start the game with less than 10 players.”

The players running late arrived at the match in time, but Ibrahim’s name remained on the lineup sheet.

The second violation that was discovered by the ENYASA was that Michael Todd, who spent time with the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division in 2007 and also played for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League, was listed as a professional player and did not submit the proper paperwork to be re-instated as an amateur athlete.

Todd, who has played for the Greek Americans for the last three seasons, spent this past summer playing for the Long Island Rough Riders of the Premier Development League (PDL). The Rough Riders are an amateur club, but it is possible to be signed to a PDL club on a $0 professional contract. According to the ENYASA, Todd had signed a pay-free professional contract with the Rough Riders, however, a source with the United Soccer Leagues says that according to their records, he was registered as an amateur player.

Regardless of Todd’s status, the violation involving Ibrahim was enough to disqualify the three-time US Open Cup champions.

Mellis, who has worked for the Greek Americans for the last 40 years, takes full responsibility for the errors. He says that not only did he not know that Ibrahim was a professional, but he wasn’t aware that he had left the country to play in Romania. As for Todd, he says that he did not re-instate him as an amateur because he didn’t think it was necessary since he had just finished playing for an amateur PDL club.

This isn’t the first time that the club has been involved in a situation like this. In 1998, after upsetting the Western Mass Pioneers of the USL D3 Pro League (now USL Second Division) in the opening round of the US Open Cup, it was determined that they used as many as six ineligible players and were disqualified and denied a Second Round match with the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League.

Fenerbahce USA will now replace the Greek Americans in the Eastern New York Open Cup Final and will face the New York Pancyprian Freedoms on Wednesday, December 16 at 7:30 at Central Island Beach Field in Bayville, NY.

2010 Qualifying: Greek American Atlas top Fenerbahce, reach Eastern NY Final

December 7, 2009 by

New York Greek American Atlas: 3-time Open Cup champions (1967, 1968, 1969)

It was a situation of in with the old and out with the new in the Eastern New York Semifinals as the New York Greek American Atlas defeated Fenerbahce USA 4-1 For the fourth time in the last five years, the New York Greek American Atlas will face the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in the state’s Open Cup championship.

The Semifinal game, which took place at Center Island Beach Field in Bayville, NY, was a matchup of one of the newest teams in the Eastern NY region in Fenerbahce and Greek American Atlas who has been playing since 1946.

A week earlier, Fenerbahce USA eliminated New York in the US Amateur Cup tournament. The match finished tied 2-2, but Fenerbahce advanced on penalty kicks.

The Greek Americans jumped out to an early lead on this cold and rainy night, thanks to left back Diego Velasquez who scored on a free kick about 10 minutes into the game. 10 minutes later, another set piece put them up 2-0 when Patrick Figueiredo’s corner kick found the head of Javier Gonzales.

They continued to pressure the Fenerbahce goal, but former Greek American goalkeeper EJ Xikis made two exceptional saves. One of them on a shot from distance by Michael Todd and the other by forward Josh Trott.

New York, who was already in control of the match, received an additional advantage early in the second half when Fenerbahce’s sweeper was shown a red card when he tackled Trott from behind.

With the extra man, the Greek Americans struck again in the 75th minute when Trott sent a through ball to former DC United and Houston Dynamo forward Guy Kpene, who dribbled through the defense and slipped the ball past Xikis.

Fenerbahce USA, associated with the Turkish club, began playing in New York in 2008

Fenerbahce would pull one back about five minutes later when a poor tackle in the penalty area awarded them with a PK. After the spot kick was converted, five minutes later, the Greek Americans put any hope of a comeback to bed with their fourth goal.

The final goal came as a result of another through ball from midfield, which found the feet of Trott, who split the two central defenders and collided with Xikis who tried to make the save. The ball took a deflection and Trott was able to recover and beat the keeper to the ball and tapped it into the empty net.

The Greek Americans, who have won the Open Cup three times (1967, 1968, 1969), are attempting to qualify for the tournament for the fourth time in the Professional Era (1995-present). In each of their three Pro Era appearances (1998, 2004, 2005), they lost in the opening round.

UPDATE: After the match, Fenerbahce USA protested the match, claiming that the Greek Americans used an ineligible player.

New York Greek American Atlas lineup

GK: Steven Diaz RB: Chris Cox, LB: Diego Velasquez, CB: Javier Gonzales, Arman Osooli CM: Kevin Meyer (75′ Alexandru Grigorita), Michael Todd, RM: Patrick Figueiredo (85′ Felix Flugo), LM: Adrien Papaluca, ST: Josh Trott, Guy Kpene (75′ Ricardo Ordain)

New York Greek American Atlas recent Eastern NY tournament history

2010 – Will face NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the Final
2009 – Lost in the Semifinals vs. SV Olympic 76 (1-1, 5-4 PKs)
2008 – Lost 1-0 (aet) vs. NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the Final (Freedoms scored game-winner in 115th minute)
2007 – Won 2-0 vs. NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the Final
(Lost in PKs vs. Aegean Hawks in the Semifinals of the Region I tournament)
2006 – Lost 2-0 vs. NY Pancyprian Freedoms in the Final
2005 – Won the Eastern NY tournament (Advanced to the Final of the USASA Region I tournament)
2004 – Won the Eastern NY tournament (Lost in the Final of the USASA Region I tournament)
2003 – Won the Eastern NY tournament (Lost in the Semifinals of the USASA Region I tournament)

2010 Qualifying: Pancyprian Freedoms among opening round Eastern NY winners

November 6, 2009 by

New York Pancyprian Freedoms: Three-time US Open Cup champions

The New York Pancyprian Freedoms got off on the right foot in US Open Cup qualifying, defeating the Barstonworth Rovers 2-0 in the opening round of the Eastern New York Open Cup tournament.

The three-time Open Cup champions (1980, 1982, 1983) took an early lead in the 15th minute when Pete Halkidis found Tasso Polydefkis at the top of the penalty area, and Polydefkis fired it past the Rovers goalkeeper.

In the 28th minute, Polydefkis helped the Freedoms add to their lead when his corner kick found the head of Puerto Rican international Chris Megaloudis who found the back of the net.

The Freedoms controlled the majority of play on a damp night, but the Rovers continued to fight back with counter attacks. In the 55th minute, Barstonworth had a chance to cut the lead in half with a penalty kick, but New York goalkeeper Chad Calderone dove to his right to make the save to keep the clean sheet.

The Freedoms have pretty much the same team as they had from last year’s team that won the 2008 US Open Amateur Cup (USASA). They will move on to take on New York Athletic Club, who had no trouble with their opening round matchup, beating Stade Breton New York by a score of 7-0. The date has not been confirmed as of yet.

New York returns to league play in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League where they are in first place in the East group with a 3-1-2 record.

NY Pancyprian Freedoms lineup
Coach: Lukas Lukovic

Chad Calderone, Jon Simos, Chris Zisimatos, Matia Damiani, Peter Pavlakos, Stelios Andreou, Julio Cesar DoSantos (Tommy Vlahos 75th min.), Jeffrey Matteo, Pete Halkidis (Peter Antoniades 70th min.), Chris Megaloudis, Tasso Polydefkis

Fenerbahce USA 16:1 VV Nieuw Amsterdam

Fenerbahce USA scored a goal in the first five minutes of the match and never looked back in a 16-1 win over VV Nieuw Amsterdam. The term ‘mismatch’ might be a strong understatement as Fenerbahce’s Mohammad Mashriqi scored an unheard of 10 goals to send his club to the Semifinals of the Eastern New York Open Cup tournament. The score was 10-0 by the time the halftime whistle blew and their dominance continued from beginning to end in a game played at Bayville Soccer Stadium in Bayville, NY. Fenerbahce will likely be tested in their next match as they take on the New York Greek American Atlas.

Fenerbahce USA goalscorers: Mohamammed Mashriqi (10), Keith Ditell (2), Noorullah (2), Douglas Navarez (1), Ugur Kahveci (1).

Other Eastern New York First Round results:

New York Greek American Atlas 2:1 New York City Albanians
New York Athletic Club 7:0 Stade Breton NY

Eastern New York Semifinals schedule (Both games played at St. John’s University):

November 24: New York Athletic Club at New York Pancyprian Freedoms
November 25: New York Greek American Atlas at Fenerbahce USA