Paulo Araujo Jr.

2010 US Open Cup Second Round: Miami FC wins Floridian battle over Rowdies 2-1 in extra time

June 23, 2010 by Tavio Palazzolo

Miami FC was forced into extra time for the second time in the US Open Cup this year, and for the second time, they won the match to move on to the next round. This time it came at the expense of their in-state rivals, FC Tampa Bay Rowdies, winning 2-1 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Miami got off to a very quick start in the match, scoring in the second minute. A free kick was awarded just outside the Rowdies penalty box, and Christian Gomez stepped up to take it. His kick bounced off goalkeeper Josh Lambo’s chest and into traffic in front of the net. The ball landed at the feet of Miami FC striker Paulo Jr, who shot the ball into the net to give his team the 1-0 lead. The hero from the first round scored his fifth goal of the 2010 US Open Cup, matching the totals of Sebastien Le Toux in 2007 and 2008 with the USL’s Seattle Sounders and scoring the most by a player in the tournament since 2005.

Miami almost doubled their lead in the 10th minute as threatening free kick by Euzebio Neto went past traffic and out of bounds. Despite the miss, the Blues managed to keep possession for most of the first half. The Rowdies would get their own chance at goal in the 35th minute, as a Yendry Diaz header was tipped over the crossbar by Miami goalkeeper Caleb Patterson to keep the shutout intact through the end of the half.

Both teams came out at full force to start the second half, with each getting a good scoring chance within minutes of kickoff. Tampa Bay would then pressure later in the match to force the equalizer as more chances came their way. They would finally break through in the 82nd minute as Mozzi Gyorio sent in a free kick into the box, which Diaz converted to tie the match. Diaz would get his shot at a game winner in the 87th minute with a hard shot, but Patterson made a diving save to keep his team alive through regulation.

In the 97th minute, Miami FC would get their advantage by virtue of a handball. Robert Valentino was called for a handling the ball in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. Abe Thompson stepped up to the spot and converted in the 98th minute, giving the Blues the lead they would hold onto for the rest of extra time.

Miami FC has moved on to the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time since 2008, when they lost 2-1 at FC Dallas. This time they travel to face Dallas’ Texas rival, the Houston Dynamo. The game is scheduled to take place at Robertson Stadium on Tuesday, June 29 at 8:30 p.m.

FC Tampa Bay Rowdies Lineup: Josh Lambo, Kwame “JJ” Adjeman-Pamboe, Yendry Diaz, Aaron King (80′ – Chad Burt), Gordon Kljestan (102′ – Joe Donoho), Pascal Millien, Stanley Nyazamba, Long Tan, Erik Ustruck, Rob Valentino, Takuya Yamada (65′ – Mozzi Gyorio).

Miami FC Lineup: Caleb Patterson, Paulo Araujo Jr. (97′ – Bryan Dominguez), Bryan Arquez, Cristiano Dias (104′ – Sean Cameron), Christian Gomez, Zach Kirby, Neto, JP Rodrigues, Edward Santeliz (116′ – Jair Cabas), Abe Thompson, Kyle Veris.

Scoring Summary
MIA – Paulo Araujo Jr. – 2′
TB – Yendry Diaz – 82′ (Mozzi Gyorio)
MIA – Abe Thompson – 98′ (PK)

Misconduct Summary
MIA – Zach Kirby – yellow (22′)
TB – Yendry Diaz – yellow (32′)
TB – Stanley Nyazamba – yellow (58′)
MIA – Abe Thompson – yellow (61′)
TB – Rob Valentino – yellow (79′)
MIA – Bryan Arquez – yellow (85′)
TB – Chad Burt – yellow (110′)

2010 First Round: Miami FC’s Paulo Araujo Jr. scores four in overtime to win Player of the Round

June 21, 2010 by Josh Hakala

After a record-setting first round performance against the Central Florida Kraze, Miami FC’s Paulo Araujo Jr. has been voted as TheCup.us Player of the Round. Araujo Jr. came off the bench in the second half and scored four goals in under 10 minutes in overtime to lead the Blues to a 5-1 win over the Kraze.

The award is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a selected panel of members of the North American Soccer Reporters (www.soccerreporters.com).

The game was a challenge for the Blues of the USSF Second Division, as the Kraze, an amateur team from the Premier Development League, took them into extra time with the score tied 1-1.

Most goals scored in a US Open Cup match
(Professional Era 1995-present)

6 – Mugurel Dimitru – San Diego Flash (vs. Arizona Sahuaros – 1999 First Round)

4 – Paulo Araujo Jr. – Miami FC (vs. Central Florida Kraze – 2010 First Round)
4 – Jorge Munoz – Jacksonville Cyclones (vs. Cocoa Expos – 1999 First Round)
4 – Welton – Miami Fusion (vs. New Jersey Stallions – 2000 Second Round)
4 – Josh Wolff – Chicago Fire (vs. Dallas Burn – 2000 Quarterfinals)
4 – Johnny Menyongar – Minnesota Thunder (vs. San Diego Gaunchos – 2002 Second Round)
4 – Melvin Tarley – Minnesota Thunder (vs. Colorado Rapids – 2005 Fourth Round)
4 – Sebastien Le Toux – Seattle Sounders (vs. Hollywood United – 2008 Second Round)

“When they tied the match, it was harder, because usually when a team scores they usually come full-attack to get the 2nd goal,” said Araujo Jr. “But I thought that took it well and eventually the game spoke for itself.”

Araujo Jr. entered the match in the 62nd minute and it wasn’t until the second overtime period until he got on the scoresheet. His first goal came in the 110th minute. “They didn’t really know anything about the match. The team has to play every game like it’s a final,” explained Araujo Jr. He was surprised the Kraze were “pretty good, and it’s always hard to play against a lower level team that’s supposedly weaker, because you never know.”

Araujo Jr.’s four goals is the most ever scored by a player in overtime since the golden goal format was dropped after the 2004 tournament. In fact, no individual team has ever scored four in extra time and only once have two teams combined for four goals in the extra session (2009 First Round: Carolina RailHawks 3:3 Wilmington Hammerheads — Match was 1-1 after full time).

Scoring four goals is not unheard of in the Professional Era, as seven other players have reached that total. One of them, Mugurel Dimitru of the San Diego Flash (A-League), surpassed that total by scoring six in a 9-2 route of the Arizona Sahuaros in the opening round of the 1999 tournament.

2009 First Round: Miami FC avoid repeat of 2006, edge USASA’s Lynch’s FC 2-1

June 9, 2009 by

TropicalPark – Miami, Fla. | 8 p.m.

Match Reports: Miami FC, Miami Herald

	2	FT	1
Paulo Araujo Jr. (Diego Serna) 64’ Diego Serna (Tim Merritt) 65’				44’ Tomas Kracinovic (PK)

Just like they did in 2006, the Miami FC Blues found themselves down 1-0 at halftime to a USASA club, but this time they battled back to win the game. Lynch’s FC, from Jacksonville, Fla., had the lead, but back-to-back second half goals kept the Blues from repeating their historic 2006 loss to Dallas Roma FC, beating Lynch’s 2-1.

Lynch’s looked on their way to the club’s first Open Cup win in three tries when they opened the scoring with a 44th minute penalty kick by Tomas Kracinovic. However, the Blues crushed their spirits with two goals in quick succession by Paulo Arajuo Jr. in the 64th and the other a minute later by Diego Serna.

Miami will host a fellow USL-1 club, the Charleston Battery, next Tuesday in the Second Round.

LINEUPS

LYN: Greg Williams; Thomas Senegal, Jacoby Goodfellow (Tony Kattreh 80), Steve Command; Patrick Gambone Michele Anai, Rammy Nikansae (Jonathan Jackson 23), Dominic Schell, Mark Rowland; Alejandro Tayloe, Tomas Kracinovic (Harris Donaldson 63)

MIA: Pat Hannigan; Tim Merritt, Chris Williams (Walter Ramirez 45), Cristiano Dias, John Traynor (Jarryd Goldberg 45); John Pulido, Edwin Miranda, Connally Edozien (Danny Vasquez 62), Paulo Araujo; Alen Marcina, Diego Serna

Shots: LYN 5, MIA 8
Fouls: LYN 14, MIA 12
Corners: LYN 5, MIA 3
Saves: LYN 4, MIA 5
Offsides: LYN 0, MIA 8

Cautions
LYN: Schell 52, Command 55
MIA: Serna 51, Marcina 82, Hannigan 90

Referees: NA