Red Force

2018 US Open Cup Round 1: Pros from Miami FC 2 dominate Red Force FC

May 17, 2018 by Omar Moubayed

Miami FC 2 and Red Force FC players battle for the ball in their meeting in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC 2

Article courtesy of Magic City Soccer

The Miami FC organization could not have asked for a better showing Wednesday night at FIU Soccer Stadium. Playing a goal kick away from the organization’s “home grounds”, Miami FC 2 laid out a statement match versus local qualifier Red Force FC, cruising to a 4-0 win. It seems like Miami will not sit idly by and allow this Open Cup tournament to go to waste.

The action started almost as quickly as it did Sunday night in the match against FC Miami City. The Blues were buzzing early on and dictated over 85% of the possession in the first ten minutes of the match. In the 9th minute, Jaime Chavez would get played through on goal by an excellent pass from Kris Tyrpak down the left-hand side. Former Miami FC goalkeeper Sebastian Evers, timed Chavez run perfectly and managed to save a ball that was destined for the back of the net.

The game wouldn’t remain level much longer. In the 22nd minute, Tyler Ruthven played a beautiful cross towards the back post that found Tyrpak’s head and then the back of the net. Despite a few Red Force runs into Miami’s defending half, the Blues kept Red Force penned in to their own half of the field. In the 34^th minute, Martinez almost found Tyrpak again for his 2nd goal of the night, but a crafty Red Force clearance gave Miami one of their 13 corners in the match.

Tyrpak would find another way to leave his mark on the match. In the 45^th minute, Dylan Mares would send in a cross after a Miami corner was played short. Tyrpak sailed above the Red Force defense and floated a header past the outstretched arms of Evers. The first half would end with Miami dominating possession and taking a 2-0 lead into the break.

Miami would opt to use two substitutions early in the second half replacing Don Smart and Ariel Martinez with two goal scorers from the play-in round, Dario Suarez and Jeff Michaud. Miami would never take their feet off the gas. With a relentless press that kept Red Force inside their own end, Miami picked up a turn over and broke down the right-hand flank. A cross would be fired into Mares unmarked at the six yard box. The effort would be parried away by Evers but Mares would track the rebound and fire it past Evers on a bad angle to increase Miami’s lead to three.

Despite Red Force’s best efforts to be creative and push the game into Miami’s end, their turnovers would come back to haunt them. In the 87^th minute a careless through ball would spring Miami on the counter. Using the recipe for success, Miami screamed down the right hand side before finding Chavez in the technical area. Chavez quickly found Dario Suarez on the back post unmarked and sent in a cross that was smashed home on a volley. Suarez, with a flair for the dramatic, sealed the match for Miami in his consecutive appearance for the club.

Miami’s technical ability and conditioning were vastly superior to Red Force FC. Red Force had a lot to be proud of, keeping a club of professionals off the board for twenty-odd minutes before conceding. Paul Dalglish complimented the Red Force effort by saying “I thought they did themselves proud. We were trying to score as many goals as we could and they managed to hold us to four.”

Up next for Miami FC is the third and final act of the #MagicCityClasico. The match will be hosted by Miami FC at FIU Soccer Stadium on May 16^th at 7 p.m.

2018 Meet the Underdogs: Red Force FC return to US Open Cup hoping to shed underdog title

May 9, 2018 by Omar Moubayed

Scot Gordon scored a hat trick in the first half for Red Force FC in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying against Miami Nacional. Photo: Red Force FC

Last year, TheCup.us chronicled Red Force FC for the “Meet the Underdogs” series as the club qualified after missing out the two previous years. The feature told the story of how the club was a family affair. After their success in local tournaments and qualifying for the 2018 edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the fourth time in six years, they are looking to shed the title of “underdog”.

Red Force FC is an amateur soccer team that is based out of Miami, Fla. They play in the American Premier Soccer League (APSL) that falls under the USASA umbrella. Over the past few seasons they have found themselves in the upper half of the league, finishing fourth in 2017 with 15 points in 10 matches (4-3-3).

The road to the cup for Red Force began like most other amateur entrants, in the qualifying stages. On Sept. 24, 2017, the path would begin with a match against FC Ginga (UPSL) in Miami Shores on the campus of Barry University. The game would be decided by half time as Red Force went into the break with a 4-0 advantage with goals coming from Scott Gordon, John Tamayo and a pair from Sergio Van Kanten. Red Force would add another four in the half, running away with the first-round victory 8-1.

Next up for Red Force would be Miami Nacional S.C., a known foe that also plays in the APSL. In what could go down as one of the most bizarre games recent Open Cup history, Red Force quickly went up 4-0 in the first half of the second round match. The route prompted Nacional coach, David Garcia, to argue a penalty decision with the referee. After not getting the intended result, Garcia ordered his team to abandon the pitch and a 5th goal would be awarded to Red Force and the game called at the 44^th minute. (Miami Nacional was punished for this unprecedented action)

In less than a month’s time, Red Force FC would take on South Florida FC, yet another APSL club, in the final round of qualifying. In what proved to be the most difficult test for Red Force throughout the qualifying stages, both clubs would enter the half at zero a piece. In the 80^th minute South Florida FC would find the opening goal of the match. Not to be outdone, Scott Gordon would find the equalizer in the 88th minute. Stiven Salinas would find the game-winning goal early in the first half of extra time and advance Red Force into the 2018 Open Cup.

“Red Force has been able to add Matteo Mendoza, a key defender who is new to the squad. Omar Persad is another relatively new key player for us. Persad has appeared with Valencia B (Spain) and the United States Under-23 National Team, and is an effective center midfielder,” said Christian Vega from Red Force.

Another key player is Juan “Juanka” Jimenez, who tallied six goals in one contest for Red Force.

“He’s all about speed,” said Vega. “He’s a runner, and he gives us space and stretches out the field.”

According to Vega, most of Juanka’s goals come from through-balls or balls that allow him space to get past the opposing defense. Juanka has also notably spent time with the other Miami local qualifier FC Kendall.

As mentioned previously, perhaps Red Force FC are not truly underdogs anymore. The club made the finals of the Romero Cup pre-season tournament in Miami, losing to Miami United FC (NPSL). The club has qualified for the US Open cup for the second consecutive year and for the fourth time in the past six tournaments.

Another new addition for Red Force comes outside of the pitch.

“Hernan Pereyra from ESPN Deportes has come to help us out,” said Vega about his club’s new technical director. “For a long time it’s been my dad and I running our two squads and Hernan has been a close friend to us over the last couple of years. Pereyra wanted to be involved with local soccer for years and he’s been a great addition to our club.”

When asked about the future of Red Force’s club and potentially entering the NPSL, Vega noted that there were no plans at the time of making such a leap. Red Force is in the process of creating an academy team, which would expand the reach of the club and develop the next generation of players for the squad. South Florida’s local youth academies have been the building blocks for some of the world’s best footballers, something Red Force is hoping to replicate.

Last year’s first round exit to a talented South Florida Surf (PDL) team is in the rear-view mirror but this year’s first round test can prove to be even tougher. Red Force FC will have to take on the winner of the local play-in match, Miami FC 2. Miami boasts professional experience that isn’t common of an early entrant. The match may just prove once and for all that Red Force is no longer the familiar underdog, but a powerhouse in the making.

2018 US Open Cup qualifying: Miami Nacional suspended, fined for quitting match before halftime

December 4, 2017 by Josh Hakala

Trailing 4-0 in the 40th minute of a 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup qualifying match October 22, Miami Nacional SC committed a foul on a Red Force FC player in the penalty box. The referee pointed to the spot and Red Force was given a chance to add a fifth goal to the one-sided game before halftime. They would not get that chance.

Miami head coach David Garcia entered the playing field to protest the call and refused to leave. According to Nacional’s head coach and their team president, the penalty kick was one of many calls that went against them in the first half. The penalty kick was the last straw for Garcia, and after a lengthy protest, he walked his team off the field, never to return.

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced a punishment for Miami Nacional’s actions during the match. The National Soccer League club will be suspended for one year and has been fined an undisclosed amount. (Since the announcement, TheCup.us has learned that the amount of the fine is $1,000.)

This is the first time in recent memory that a team has walked off the field in the middle of a game during qualifying rounds or during the tournament proper, so this was the first time that the federation was forced to hand out a punishment for a team quitting before the end of a match.

“We were asked to send a letter to US Open Cup Adjudication and Discipline panel, after another very poor work of the referees that without my intervention could have ended with a very serious problem on the field,” said Miami Nacional president Gaston Basulto.

According to Miami’s team president Gaston Basulto, a series of bad calls by the referee led to his head coach’s on-field protest. Among his complaints about physical play, he claims that Red Force had as many as six offside plays that were not called in the opening 40 minutes. Those plays led to a pair of Red Force goals and the controversial penalty kick call that ultimately brought the game to an abrupt end.

With the win, Red Force advanced to the final round of qualifying where they would punch their ticket to the US Open Cup for the second year in a row and the fourth time in the last six years.

“I would like to thank USSF for their quick response to the action Miami Nacional took during our match,” said Red Force team president Gabriel Vega. I hope in the future they make it a bit tougher for teams to enter this prestigious tournament so that scenarios like this do not occur. But once again it is much appreciated that some form of punishment was taken to a team forfeiting and leaving the field mid-match. Red Force can now move on and look forward to represent the cup in the best way possible.”

MORE SUSPENSIONS

Along with the announcement about Miami Nacional, the USSF also announced two player suspensions. Upon further review, Sporting Kansas City’s Diego Rubio got away with kicking Felipe Martins of the New York Red Bulls in the 2017 US Open Cup Final. After the Adjudication and Discipline Panel reviewed the incident, they handed down a one-game suspension to Rubio.

Elsewhere, Cal Victory FC’s Jesus Quintero received a five-game suspension after “making deliberate contact with the referee” during the club’s second round qualifying match. The forward received a red card in the 44th minute, but according to the referee’s report, Quintero stepped on the official’s feet as he walked off the field. Cal would win the game 4-2 despite playing the game shorthanded.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying: Red Force FC advance after Miami Nacional quits before halftime

October 25, 2017 by Omar Moubayed

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Two Miami-based clubs went at it in the second round of qualifying for the 105th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Red Force FC and Miami Nacional SC faced off at Ives Estates Park on Sunday afternoon with the goal of advancing to the next round of qualifying. While players from both squads showed up, it was evident only one turned up to play.

Red Force FC of the American Soccer League is no stranger to the US Open Cup. They’ve made noise in years past and qualified for the first round of the 2017 cup. Despite being ousted by South Florida Surf, the boys in Red managed to earn a qualifying position for a 2018 cup run. As soon as the whistle blew, it was all Red Force on the scoreboard.

After an early scoring chance from Miami in the opening few minutes of the game, Red Force FC opened the scoring in the 15th minute as former Florida International Panther Mathew Treumun put one in the back of the net off a beautiful feed from Gilbert Ruiz.

After that, the crowd was welcomed to the Scott Gordon show. Gordon became a thorn in the side of Nacional as he collected a hat trick in the span of 14 minutes. Finishing up passes from Christopher Munoz, Stiven Salinas, and Daniel Gomez, the former Fort Lauderdale Striker ran Nacional off the field; literally.

Yes they did. This should be looked at by the tournament. They can’t allow teams to just quit.

— Red Force FC (@RedForceFC09) October 22, 2017

Red Force FC was awarded a penalty in the 40th minute of the match that was protested by Nacional. Their head coach David Garcia walked onto the field to argue the call with the referee and refused to leave. In the end, he ordered his team to walk off the pitch and they would not return for the match. The game would officially be called in the 44th minute. In a comment from Red Force’s Twitter account, they replied to the forfeit update posted by TheCup.us by saying “This should be looked at by the tournament. They can’t allow teams to just quit.”

“When your has two goals that were clearly offside, one penalty in your favor not called, one elbow hit to the face of one of your defenders 20 feet from where the referee was standing that ends in a penalty , something is really wrong,” said Basulto. “That’s why my coach told me ‘we cannot continue with this circus’, and we walked off.”

This is the first time that since the Vega said regardless of how the game is going, or how well you believe the officiating is, you should finish the game.

“The situation with Miami Nacional was an embarrassment for the cup,” said Red Force owner/head coach Gabriel Vega. “I talked to the owner and he told me that they were abandon the game because the refs were against them … made a decision and I hope he will pay the consequences for the future of the Open Cup.”

The US Soccer Federation is currently reviewing the incident and will make a ruling at a later date.

2017 US Open Cup Round 1: Former pros lead the way to South Florida Surf’s 4-2 win over Red Force FC

May 9, 2017 by Josh Hakala

There was plenty of offense to be had as two of South Florida’s best amateur clubs kicked off the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The South Florida Surf took a lead early and in the second half, and wrapped up a 4-2 victory over Red Force FC.

South Florida scored quickly with former Fort Lauderdale Strikers player Manny Gonzalez hitting the lower 90 on a free kick in the 10th minute. Gonzalez took the free kick from just outside the penalty area to the left of the goal. He bent the ball through the wall, past the keeper and into the back of the net to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.

The Surf missed several opportunities to add insurance in the first half, and the Red Force took advantage. In the 40th minute, Andres Ruiz received the ball on the right side of the field in the Surf’s attacking third. He cut back inside and took a shot from distance and after deflecting off a defender’s leg, the ball got past the goalkeeper to tie the score heading into halftime.

The Surf regained the lead when a pair of former Tampa Bay Rowdies players linked up. Darwin Espinal reached the end line and played the ball into the middle where Jeff Michaud took advantage of the space and beat the keeper.

The Surf would strike again with Espinal feeding a through ball into the box for Gabriel Machado, who beat his defender and found a wide open Brad Farias in front of the goal. Farias tapped it home to make it 3-1 for the visitors.

Four minutes later the Surf would put the game away after an impressive run of possession. Some crisp passing up the field led to Luiz Soupinski crossing the ball to Michaud at the top of the ‘D’. Michaud brought the ball down with his right foot, over to his left foot and volleyed it past the keeper in what was the most impressive goal of the night.

Stiven Salinas would add a late goal in the 84th minute, but the Red Force would get no closer as the Surf would advance 4-2.

With the win, the Surf were victorious in their US Open Cup debut and earn themselves a Second Round date with the NASL’s Miami FC next week.

FULL MATCH REPLAY (USSoccer.com)

Manny Gonzalez (South Florida Surf) post-game interview

2017 Meet the Underdogs: Miami’s Red Force FC is a family affair seeking to “compete with the very best”

May 7, 2017 by Harrison Huntley

When asked why his club entered the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Red Force FC president Christian Vega simply said, “we enter every year because it is the most prestigious tournament in the US, and we want to compete with the very best.”

That drive to compete with the best is what’s taken Red Force FC from a local youth club to making its third US Open Cup appearance in 2017.

After his son graduated high school, head coach Gabriel Vega started Red Force FC as a way to allow Christian and his friends to continue playing competitive soccer. But this isn’t just a high school team.

After their inception in 2009, Red Force made a name for themselves around the Florida amateur leagues. They won the SSM Premier League five times in their 10 seasons in the league, with a stretch of four in a row, before moving up to the American Premier Soccer League (APSL) in 2015, which they won the 2016 Pre-Season Tournament and reached the finals of the Fall Tournament.

Red Force made their US Open Cup debut in 2013, but it was a short-lived run, as they lost their opening match to fellow Florida club Ocala Stampede of the Premier Development League (PDL). They returned the following year and picked up their first cup win, edging the Colorado Rovers (USSSA) on the road by the score of 2-1. The cup would end in Round 2 with a rough and tumble 2-1 road loss to the PDL’s Laredo Heat. The match saw a fight break out and five red cards handed out.

Red Force FC pose for a team photo in April of 2017. Photo: Red Force FC

Many members of Red Force FC have played at the professional and international level. Stiven Salinas represented the United States in international 5 vs. 5 tournaments, David Holguin and Cesar Murrillo played professionally in Colombia, and Evandro Rachoni earned a living in England’s League Two. The club mixes former pros with a solid core that has played together since the team’s inception, giving the team great chemistry, according to Christian Vega.

“The core of our team is Colombian players, but we range everywhere from Nigeria to El Salvador, Brazil, Peru, and throughout Latin America,” said Christian Vega. “But no matter where we come from we all play the same style of soccer. Possession soccer.”

Salinas contributed one of the team’s three first half goals in the opening round of US Open Cup qualifying, as Red Force defeated Miami Nacional SC 3-0 in a weather-shortened game. In Round 2, it was a battle of two APSL teams. Red Force erased a 2-0 deficit with two goals by Alvaro Franco in the final 15 minutes. to force extra time against Uruguay Kendall, the team that eliminated in last year’s qualifying tournament. Gilbert Ruiz scored the game-winner in stoppage time to send Red Force to the US Open Cup.

“Our expectation is just to take it one round at a time,” said Christian Vega. “And to show everyone good, quality, possession-oriented soccer that Red Force has been known to play.”

Red Force will host the opening game of the tournament as they will take on the PDL’s South Florida Surf as the only matchup on Tuesday, May 9. They will face them at Tropical Park Stadium in Miami. The winner of the game will take on Miami FC of the North American Soccer League, and if Red Force wins, they will host the game on May 16.

2015 US Open Cup qualifying: North Carolina’s Triangle Brigade wins USASA Region III title over NTX Rayados

July 6, 2014 by Michael Berton

Jason Sisneros lifts the Region III Open Cup trophy — Triangle Brigade FC manager Jason Sisneros lifts the 2014 USASA Region III Open Cup trophy. Photo: Twitter @JasonMSisneros

Triangle Brigade FC was formed in January 2014 with the intention of creating an elite level of amateur soccer in North Carolina. Head coach Jason Sisneros expected to start small, earning success in his state before moving on to bigger and better things, using the 2014 USASA Region III Open Cup tournament as an opportunity just to get better.

It came as a surprise then when Triangle Brigade not only competed in the Region III tournament, but they won the championship by defeating reigning champions North Texas Rayados in the process and earning an expected berth in the 2015 US Open Cup (assuming the format remains the same as 2014).

“We’re very excited,” said Sisneros, who is also an assistant coach with the University of North Carolina women’s soccer team. “Winning the tournament was huge. It gives us all kinds of new opportunities to train for. Being able to take an amateur team from North Carolina a few wins away from facing professional teams is incredible.”

The Region III Open Cup tournament, which was held at the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex in Montgomery, Ala., featured six teams split into two groups of three. Each group winner then would earn a berth to the 2015 US Open Cup. Reigning champions North Texas Rayados were in Group A along with Lynch’s FC, one of two teams from Florida in the tournament. Lynch’s won Region III in 2003 and 2009 and have qualified for the US Open Cup three times. Rounding out Group A was CD Motagua New Orleans (LA), which rolled through an expanded Louisiana qualifying tournament, winning a state title in the process.

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Triangle Brigade was in a Group B that featured Florida’s Red Force, last year’s Region III runners-up. In the 2014 Open Cup, Red Force became the first USASA club from the sunshine state to win an Open Cup game since 2001 when it defeated Colorado Rovers of the USSSA 2-1. Group B also featured Cajun SC, the runner-up from Louisiana.

In the first fixtures, Rayados got off to a winning start, scoring two second-half goals to beat Lynch’s. Red Force needed an 89th minute penalty kick to see off Motagua 3-2, and Triangle Brigade squeaked out a 2-1 win over Cajun SC.

Group play continued with Rayados earning 4-2 win over Cajun, Lynch’s outscoring Motagua 4-2, and Triangle Brigade earning a surprising 5-2 victory over Red Force. Sisneros said that Red Force was shorthanded, unlike Brigade, which had a full bench. According to Sisneros, his ability to use many substitutes helped immensely throughout the tournament.

Triangle Brigade was formed at the end of the UNC club season. Sisneros met and got to know the players, then decided to field an amateur team with a mix of club players and other amateurs. “These are players who potentially could have played Division I, just not at UNC. They sacrificed soccer ambition to have a very strong club team,” he said.

With Rayados and Triangle Brigade having all but wrapped up their spots in the final, the third round of games featured some wacky results. Rayados tied Motagua 3-3, and Cajun SC beat Red Force 4-3. Resting his players, Sisneros’ side lost 11-0 to Lynch’s in its final game. However, Rayados and Triangle Brigade won their groups and earned berths to the 2015 US Open Cup.

The Brigade took it one step further, however, beating Rayados 4-1 in the final. Rayados got on the board first, but two goals each from Jonathan Rivera and Brett Griffith helped Triangle Brigade win the title.

Assuming they qualify for next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, they will be the first USASA club to represent the Tar Heel State since the Raleigh CASL Elite in 2010.

Sisneros said, “A lot of my players hadn’t won anything before. They deserved it. We feel fortunate, and we’re very happy.”

2014 USASA Region III Tournament results

Group A	P	W	L	D	Pts	GF	GA	GD
NTX Rayados (NTX)	3	2	0	1	7	9	5	+4
Lynch’s FC (FL)	3	2	1	0	6	15	4	+11
CD Motagua NO (LA)	3	0	2	1	1	7	10	-3

Group B	P	W	L	D	Pts	GF	GA	GD
Triangle Brigade (NC)	3	2	1	0	6	7	14	-7
Cajun SC (LA)	3	1	2	0	3	7	9	-2
Red Force (FL)	3	1	2	0	3	8	11	-3

Schedule/Results (All times Eastern)

June 20, 7 p.m.

NTX Rayados 2:0 Lynch’s FC
Red Force 3:2 CD Motagua NO
Triangle Brigade 2:1 Cajun SC

June 21, 10 a.m.

NTX Rayados 4:2 Cajun SC
Lynch’s 4:2 CD Motagua NO
Triangle Brigade 5:2 Red Force

June 21, 6 p.m.

Lynch’s FC 11:0 Triangle Brigade
Red Force 3:4 Cajun SC
CD Motagua 3:3 North Texas Rayados

Championship

June 22, 12 p.m.

NTX Rayados 1:4 Triangle Brigade
Both teams expected to qualify for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Laredo Heat edge Red Force in match marred by fight, five red cards (video)

May 16, 2014 by Robert Wilson

The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida's Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat — The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida’s Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat

For the second Wednesday in a row, the group of amateur and former professional players that make up Red Force FC packed their bags and flew across the country, this time to Laredo, Texas, where, unfortunately for the Miami-based team, their US Open Cup dream ended in a wild 2-1 defeat to the Laredo Heat.

Heat defender Danny Garza rescued the home team by scoring in the final minutes. The victory puts the Laredo Heat into the third round with a matchup against NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers, another South Florida team and a rematch from last year’s third round.

Laredo was quick to attack and started the game with much of the possession. After consistent waves of attacks led by midfielder Greg Mulamba wingback Salvador Luna drew a penalty kick on an overlapping attack in the box. The penalty was converted by Miguel Fernandez giving Laredo the early lead 1-0.

Madness broke out in the 39th minute when Red Force’s Kevin Nylen and Miguel Fernandez collided in air and fell to the ground. Players from both teams jumped to defend their fallen teammates. The heated scrum took a couple minutes to resolve and ended with four red cards and one yellow card issued. Kevin Nylen and Heber Hernandez from Red Force FC as well as Laredo Heat’s Joao Monteiro and Yair Hernandez were all ejected while Salvador Luna was issued the yellow card leaving the two sides with nine players each.

Shortly after half, the resilient Red Force tied the game. With plenty of field to work with Red Force’s Alejandro Hernandez found Stiven Salinas for the goal. Unlike their previous round in Colorado where Red Force dealt heartbreak it was two Laredo second half substitutes Danny Garza and Felix Garcia that ended the game with a timely goal. Former US youth international Felix Garcia sent a long pass from center midfield into the box where Garza dodged two Red Force defenders and fired the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

Moments later the referee blew the final whistle and Laredo Heat had secured the second round victory 2-1.

For the Red Force the US Open Cup was a memorable two games run across two states in a week’s time. One exciting come from behind victory in Colorado and one crushing last-minute drama packed defeat in south Texas. The team was clearly disappointed as after a week of lengthy travel if the Red Force had pulled off the upset they would have been able to play their next game in nearby Fort Lauderdale against a team that multiple team members have a history playing for and against.

Laredo Heat on the other hand is riding good form and the momentum provided by the last minute victory into the beginning of their PDL season and the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Goal scorer Danny Garza was quoted after the game saying “The team feels very confident … We are very organized. We’ve been training hard since the first day, and hopefully we win the next game.” That next game is the Third Round of the US Open Cup at Fort Lauderdale Strikers’ Lockhart Stadium on May 28.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 1: Red Force storms back to beat Colorado Rovers, earn rare Florida win

May 10, 2014 by Robert Wilson

Red Force, the USASA representative from Florida, scored a pair of second half goals to overcome the USSSA’s Colorado Rovers 2-1 in the first round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. It was a battle of amateur clubs featuring former professional players making their second consecutive trip to the tournament and a goal by David Olguin in the 81st minute was enough to send Red Force to a rare Florida victory.

With the win, the Miami-based club becomes the first USASA club from the sunshine state to win an Open Cup game since 2001 when Uruguay SC beat Miami Strike Force (PDL). Red Force have another long road trip ahead of them for their Second Round match as they will take on the PDL’s Laredo Heat on May 14 at 9:15 p.m. ET.

The match kicked off in Highlands Park, Colo. with the Rovers eager to jump on the attack. The Rovers, making their second consecutive appearance in the competition, set a tone for the game by taking the first shot of the game; ringing a hard-hit ball right off the middle of the crossbar. Minutes later, Red Force winger Andres Navas and former Ft. Lauderdale Strikers midfielder Scott Gordon connected on a series of quick passes with Navas firing a shot right at Rovers goalkeeper Mark Saxby. For the next ten minutes or so, the Red Force really found a rhythm displaying excellent ball movement. Attackers Gordon, Navas, Olguin and former Miami FC player Abiodun Adeyemi, continued to hold possession and force the Rovers into their own third.

After warding off multiple shots, the well-organized Rovers backline regained possession and sprung Marc Herschberger and former MLS player Colin Clark toward the opposite goal. The pressure resulted in a foul 22 yards from the goal. Clark took the free kick but it was inadvertently handled along the wall, giving the former Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo midfielder another chance. This time, Clark bent the free kick over the wall and past a helpless Red Force keeper Kyle Schoeder to give his team the lead in the 30th minute.

For the remainder of the first half and into the second, the Rovers enjoyed the majority of the possession and attempts on net. After the game, Red Force manager Gabriel Vega admitted that jet lag, accompanied with altitude, set in and his team struggled to keep up with the athletic Colorado team.

Just when it looked as if the Rovers were going to maintain or build on their lead, Red Force captain Richard Perdomo cut a Colin Clark run short and turned his team on the counter. Substitute Daniel Gonzalez accompanied by Navas, broke into the Rovers 18-yard box and chipped the keeper. Just before the ball rolled over the line, Rovers centerback Tyer Adam heroically cleared the ball but a penalty was called on the Rovers goalkeeper. Daniel Gomez converted the penalty and game was tied up.

Ten minutes later, all momentum that the Red Force had was quickly taken away when Gomez was sent of with his second yellow card. Just when the Rovers were once again looking to put the game away the Red Force responded with a quick counter attack and some smooth passing to set up Colombian forward Olguin with a 35-yard strike that found the top corner of Saxby’s net. Olguin’s golazo took the entire stadium by surprise and gave the Red Force the decisive edge in the back and forth affair.

After some nervy moments in stoppage time for both teams, the 2-1 result was complete, and the Red Force captured their first-ever US Open Cup victory securing their second round tie in Laredo, Texas next Wednesday.

After the game, Rovers coach Erick French was clearly disappointed to be defeated in such a shocking turn of events. For the Rovers, it was the second consecutive heartbreaking loss in Open Cup play. Last year, on the same Shea Stadium grass, Colorado was eliminated by the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution in a penalty kick shootout. Putting his emotions aside, French sounded determined to qualify once again, already thinking about the qualification process for 2015.

Vega and his Red Force players were ecstatic, yet exhausted from the incredible day they had. After the game, Vega complimented his team for pushing through the long travel, altitude, the early goal, and the difficult opposition. There was little time for celebration as the team had to hop on a plane back to Miami for a local tournament before arranging travel plans for Wednesday’s trip to Laredo.

2013 US Open Cup First Round: Ocala Stampede earn first tournament win, 4-2 over Red Force

May 17, 2013 by Michael Berton

It was a night of firsts for the Ocala Stampede of the PDL—the most important being the club’s first US Open Cup victory in the 100th incarnation of the storied tournament.

The Stampede were making their first Open Cup appearance, qualifying by winning the PDL’s Southeast Division last year. Their opponents were Red Force, the only USASA squad from Florida to enter the tournament this year. Playing at Red Force’s home field at Florida International University Stadium, the Stampede were able to pull out a 4-2 victory.

Jack Bailey scored Ocala’s first-ever Open Cup goal in the 8th minute. Controlling play early, Ocala’s Sam Duininck found Bailey with a cross, which the forward was able to convert into an early goal.

The home side would soon respond, however. In the 21st minute, Heber Hernandez took a free kick that was deflected into the Ocala net, evening the game at one apiece.

The game remained tied through the rest of the first half, but that changed early in the second. The Stampede’s Kenny Hogg was fouled in the Red Force penalty area almost immediately after the whistle to start the half. Hogg stepped up to take the penalty himself, converting in the 46th minute to give Ocala a 2-1 lead.

Red Force, which competes in the SSM Premier League, rallied a second time in front of its home fans. Hernandez was at the forefront again, hitting a rocket of a volley from twenty yards out that Stampede keeper Alex Bolowich could not save. The score was now knotted at 2-2, with momentum seemingly in Red Force’s favor. An Ocala substitution would change all of that, however.

Ocala brought in midfielder Christian Blandon in the 60th minute, and he immediately made his mark. Less than two minutes after entering the game, Blandon found Hogg, who laid the ball off to Bailey. The Ocala forward became the first Stampede player to earn a brace in Open Cup play when he calmly slid the ball past the Red Force goalie and into the net.

After a span of physical play, Hogg put the game away with his second goal of the game. Red Force did not have any more comebacks left in them, and Ocala came away with its first US Open Cup victory.

With the win, Ocala earned the right to host its first Open Cup home game. The Stampede will take on Orlando City SC of USL Pro in Round Two. Next Tuesday, they will be hoping for one more first—an upset victory over a professional side.