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2011 US Open Cup FC Dallas bracket preview: Orlando City at Charleston Battery

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SECOND ROUND

Orlando City SC at Charleston Battery
Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C. – 7:30 p.m.
Broadcast: USLLive.com

THIRD ROUND

Orlando City SC / Charleston Battery at FC Dallas
June 28, 9 p.m. ET  Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas

Charleston Battery

Founded in 1993, the club has been one of the most successful USL clubs. The Battery joined the professional third division in 1995 and won the championship the following year, moving to the second division in 1997. The club never missed the postseason until 2004, the year following its first second division title. It returned to the third division in 2010, winning its third league championship. The club is also well known for Blackbaud Stadium, the first privately-financed soccer stadium, which debuted in 1999. Blackbaud has been a fortress for the club in the Open Cup, as the stadium that has hosted the most US Open Cup games (24) in the Professional Era (1995-present). The Battery are 18-4-3 (2-1 in PKs) on their home field in the tournament since they first entered the tournament in 1999.

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

First Round: Charleston Battery (USL Pro) 2:0 Regals FC (USASA)
The amateur Texas club Regals FC gave Charleston a tough time in the first half before a penalty three minutes into the second half from Nicki Paterson broke the deadlock in the First Round contest. Dane Kelly added the second in the 76th and Regals were unable to mount a comeback losing a player to a red card two minutes later and the game finished with a 2-0 result.

League Form: Charleston was back in action Friday evening with a 1-0 victory over visiting Dayton with Levi Coleman scoring in the 77th minute. They are currently in fourth place in the American Division with a 6-5-3 record, seven points behind first place Orlando City.

Open Cup History: One of the most successful lower division teams in the Pro Era of the tournament, the club has failed to qualify only once in the last 12 years, missing the tournament ironically in the same year it won the 2003 second division championship. The Battery have reached the semifinals on three occasions and advanced to the 2008 Open Cup Final amidst a run of four straight quarterfinal trips coming into this year. The 2008 Battery eliminated the MLS Houston Dynamo in penalties after a Third Round 1-1 draw and then stunned FC Dallas on the road, 3-1, to reach their third Semifinal. They took another penalty decision after a 1-1 draw against league foe Seattle Sounders in the final four before falling in a narrow 2-1 contest to DC United in the final. The two MLS upsets raised the tally to six, having upset DC United in overtime, 4-3, in the 1999 Third Round and New York twice, the first in the 2001 Second Round (4-1) and second in the 2004 Fourth Round (1-0). They also previously beat Houston in overtime, 1-0, in the Round 3 of the 2007 competition. They added a seventh MLS upset by defeating Chivas USA 3-1 in the 2009 Third Round before Houston finally got the better of them in the Quarterfinals, 4-0. Last year, they made it eight with a penalty kick decision against the Chicago Fire after a scoreless draw, falling 3-0 in Columbus the following round.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 22-9-4 (3-1 in PKs) overall | 15-10-4 vs. professional teams (0-0-0 vs. USL Pro)

Orlando City

An expansion club, essentially, off the field, the team itself is the former Austin Aztex side that played in the professional second division the previous two seasons. However, despite their connections to the Austin franchise, the Orlando City team is a completely new club.

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

First Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 4:0 ASC New Stars (USASA)
A lightning delay of nearly 90 minutes itself stretched the First Round match into a late night, but Orlando, the host side, enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 victory over the ASC New Stars. Devorn Jorsling scored twice with Kevin Molino and Dennis Chin each adding to the tally.

League Form: Orlando City played host to Wilmington Saturday night in league play, settling for a 1-1 draw on a late Hammerheads equalizer after Open Cup hero Jorsling had given them the lead. Orlando City is currently in first place in the American Division with an 8-2-4 record.
Open Cup History (Austin Aztex): This is officially the first appearance in the US Open Cup for Orlando City, but with such close ties to the Austin Aztex franchise, it’s worth mentioning that the Aztex reached the Third Round the last two years. In 2009, the Aztex downed PDL sides Mississippi Brilla, 2-0, and El Paso Patriots, 2-0, before falling by the same 2-0 scoreline to the Houston Dynamo of MLS. Last year the team blanked the PDL’s DFW Tornados, 3-0, and downed the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros, 3-1, before a 1-0 loss on the road to Chivas USA of MLS in Round 3.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 1-0-0 overall | 0-0-0 vs. professional teams

FC Dallas

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: The club played their third contest of the month Saturday in Los Angeles against Chivas USA, winning 2-1 with Break Shea scoring the opener and Jackson Goncalves adding the late winner.  Dallas returns home for one more league match against the Portland Timbers June 25 before playing in the Third Round. FCD opened the month June 4 with a 1-0 win in New England on a 69th minute goal from Marvin Chavez as Kevin Hartman recorded the shutout. They returned home June 12 and were stunned 4-1 by Sporting Kansas City in which Break Shea had an equalizer in the 32nd before seeing KC strike three unanswered.
Last Five: W-L-W-D-W Season Record: 8-4-4 (5-2-2 Home), Second in Western Conference, Second Overall.

Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Poor finishes in MLS play in 2009 and 2010 left them to the mercy of MLS qualifying, where they lost both times to DC United. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. Another semifinal appearance in 1998 and two quarterfinal finishes in ’99 and 2000 were followed in 2001 by one of the biggest upsets in Pro Era history, a 3-2 sudden death extra time loss to the PDL’s Seattle Sounders Select in the Second Round. It remains the only time Dallas failed to advance past their opening match. Finals appearances in 2005 and 2007 bolstered their Open Cup resume a bit, although they will look to regain some stature after missing the last two tournaments.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 19-12-4 (4-0 in PK’s)

FIRST ROUND

ASC New Stars (USASA-South TX) 0:4 Orlando City Soccer Club (USL PRO)
University of Central Florida Soccer Complex – Oviedo, Fla. – 7:30 p.m.
Full Recap [+]

Regals FC (USASA-South TX) 0:2 Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C. – 7:30 p.m.
Full Recap [+]

ELIMINATED TEAMS

ASC New Stars

A longtime member of the Houston Football Association, Aria Soccer Club’s New Stars dominated the recent Premier Division season with a 13-4-1 record, allowing only 18 goals in as many while also scoring 58. It was the fifth consecutive title in the division for the New Stars, but marked the first time the club lost more than once in league play, having only three losses total in the previous four campaigns. || Meet the USASA Feature [+]

Path to Open Cup: The club opened with a 2-0 victory on a pair of Alex Bolan strikes against Boston Avenue on opening day of Region III group play. They then defeated Greenville Eagles 4-1 with goals from four different scorers, including Bolan, who also had an assist. They wrapped up the group with a 1-0 win against Florida Gators on another strike from Bolan in the 14th minute to secure the US Open Cup spot. The club would go on to defeat Houston rival Regals FC 2-1 in overtime on a Chuks Ndame goal in the 116th minute.

June News Updates: The team has been idle since it won the HFA Premier Division that ended in May with a 13-4-1 record.

Open Cup History: In the club’s lone previous appearance in 2008, the New Stars fell 3-0 on the road to the second division Charleston Battery. Along with Regals FC, this is the first time two amateur teams from Houston have qualified for the Open Cup in the same year during the Professional Era.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 0-1-0 overall | 0-0-0 vs. 3rd Division

Regals FC

Founded in 2010, the club was a founding member of the newly forged Southern Premier Soccer League. || Meet the USASA Feature [+]

Path to Open Cup: Drawn into the three-team group created when another club withdrew, Regals opened the event with a 2-1 loss on day two to Royal Eagles of Florida, who fell 3-0 to CASL on day one. Regals rebounded in a dramatic group finale, jumping out to a four-goal lead against CASL with two goals from Roy Hernandez. CASL came back with two strikes to force a three-way tie in the table and a two-way deadlock with Regals, sending the duo to penalty kicks to determine the Open Cup berth and finalist. Regals goalkeeper Marcos Sanchez made three saves on four CASL attempts to send Regals through. He would also play brilliantly in the final, only to fall 2-1 to Houston rival ASC New Stars in overtime.

June News Updates: Defeated Houston Hurricane 6-1 via six different goal scorers June 4 to move to 1-1 in the SPSL Summer Cup.

Open Cup History: First appearance in the tournament. Along with ASC New Stars, this is the first time two amateur teams from Houston have qualified for the Open Cup in the same year during the Professional Era.


2011 US Open Cup First Round: Charleston Battery defeat USASA’s Regals FC 2-0

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Charleston Battery Regals FC
Photo: Charleston Battery

The Charleston Battery once again turned away a USASA challenge in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 win over Houston’s Regals FC at Blackbaud Stadium. The Battery have hosted a USASA team in the first round three years in a row.

The USASA club played the Battery tough for the first 45 minutes, holding the USL PRO team to a 0-0 draw at halftime. The Battery nearly scored on a couple chances in the first half, however. In the 6th minute Nicki Patterson’s header of a Brandon Massie free kick sailed just over the crossbar. A few minutes later Mike Zaher blasted a hard shot at Regals goalkeeper Marcus Sanchez, who juggled the ball before controlling it.

Charleston put their first goal on the board two minutes into the second half when the Battery’s Levi Coleman was pushed by Regals defender Robert Hernandez. Patterson netted the penalty kick for a 1-0 Battery lead. Hernandez would later be sent off for his second yellow card of the match in the 78th minute.

It was in the 78th minute that Charleston scored their insurance goal to make it 2-0. After a string of passes, Dane Kelly received a back heel pass from Seedy Bah and Kelly scored the clinching goal.

Charleston will host Orlando City SC in the second round at Blackbaud Stadium on June 21.

Regals FC (USASA-South TX)
0:2
Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C.
RECAP: Charleston | Post and Courier (Charleston)

Scoring Summary
CHR: Nicki Patterson (PK) – 47th
CHR: Dane Kelly (Bah) – 78th
SENT OFF: Robert Hernandez (Regals) 87′

Meet the USASA: Class of 2011

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Eight teams from the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) have qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and will attempt to become the 2011 tournament’s Cinderella story.

Will we see another Dallas Roma FC run from 2006? No one knows, but once again, TheCup.us has taken the time to introduce soccer fans to these largely unknown clubs. Click below to read about each club:

NY Pancyprian Freedoms (Region I – East NY)

Phoenix SC (Region I – East PA – Feasterville, PA)

AAC Eagles (Region II – IL – Chicago)

Iowa Menace (Region II – IA – Des Moines)

Regals FC (Region III – TX-South – Houston)

ASC New Stars (Region III – TX-South – Houston)

DV8 Defenders (Region IV – CA-North – Redwood City)

Doxa Italia (Region IV – CA-South – Orange County)

2011 Meet the USASA: Regals FC from Houston

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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. Click here for more Meet the USASA stories.

Regals FC
Photo: Regals FC

The Lone Star State has become one of the dominant factions in the USASA. Since 2002, the state has had at least one representative qualify for the US Open Cup eight of the 10 tournaments for a total of 13 occurances. One more than any other state, including California’s dozen, over the same time frame.

Texas is also the only state to claim both berths from its respective region on five occasions since the tournament expanded to eight entries from the USASA. California accomplished the feat three times. With Regals FC and the ASC New Stars snaring the two Region III berths, the state grabbed both berths for the first time since its run of regional dominance from 2004-07 in which it captured all eight spots.
A handful of clubs have played a repeated roll as representatives from Texas, several of which have made a name for themselves with upsets versus professional clubs. One of those being Dallas Roma, which upset USL First Division (professional second division) Miami FC, 1-0, and edged MLS side Chivas USA in penalties after a scoreless draw in 2006.

That history has proven to be an inspiration, and Regals FC is a club born with the goal of being the next side to make a name for itself while representing Houston.

“Houston has one of the deepest talent pools in the country, so it does not surprise me to be facing the New Stars in the Final,” said Regals head coach Miguel Landaverde prior to the Region III championship versus fellow Houston side ASC New Stars.

“This team represents Houston. We are a team of the people, for the people,” said General Manager Stephen Heisler. “Texas in general, and Houston in particular, has a rich local talent pool. Aside from USASA’s Houston Football Association, there are 12 independently owned adult leagues in the metro area. Combine the level of play with a year-round competitive schedule, it’s no wonder why the area has been successful. The ASC New Stars are a fantastic team, the club has been around since 1973, so we are honored that we were able to play them four times in the last two years. We are not only the best teams in Houston, we are also the best two teams in Region III. That says a lot.”

It says even more about Regals FC, a club formed less than two years ago.

Photo: Regals FC

“We are a very young club, formed only 17 months ago, but we built this team for the US Open Cup,” said Landaverde. “We are very excited for the opportunity to showcase our players to professional teams.”

How the club came to be in its current form is kind of unique. The team was originally formed as an independent club team for players from the Kingwood and New Caney area in the northern part of the Houston metropolis. After a few games, one of the club’s players, Pedro Rodriguez, suggested the team get together with a group that played in one of the area’s Hispanic leagues.

That team turned out to be Agua Nacida. It was a club formed five years prior by Landaverde, who grew up playing in Mexico. In its first five years, Agua Nacida were incredibly successful, winning numerous events, including the 2009 Dynamo Alliance Cup.

In the early days of the club’s launch, it was slated to participate in the National Premier Soccer League, but as things failed to come together, the club took its future in its own hands. The club became part of a group that launched the Southern Premier Soccer League in 2010. The SPSL, featuring teams from Texas and Oklahoma, is kicking off its first full season of play this fall.

Regals is currently in the midst of the league’s precursor Summer Cup, which runs from the end of April to August. The side lost its opener prior to the Region III tournament, 3-0, to RGV Ocelots, a team that is now 4-0 on the season. Since finishing as runners-up in Tuscaloosa, Regals has rebounded in the SPSL Summer Cup with a 6-1 win versus Houston Hurricane FC June 4.

The team also recently played in the 2011 Verizon Copa Alianza, defeating ASC New Stars via penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Final, and the 2011 Houston Soccer Association Tournament, falling 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinals to La Escondida.

The Texas climate makes it one of the few places where outdoor soccer is a year-round sport, something Regals FC feels is a positive for the club.

“Man, we just don’t stop,” said Heisler. “The Southern Premier Soccer League is set to play its first full season in 2011-2012 with a schedule that stretches from late September to July 4th. We feel that our advantage is the fact that we are together all year long. While PDL and NPSL teams are constantly reloading for the short season, we keep chugging along.”

The proximity to Mexico is another positive for Regals and other clubs in the state, particularly for its roster.

Among the standout players on the side are Diego Ayala, who has spent time with the reserves for Monterrey – the reigning Mexico and CONCACAF club champions – and Jose Chavez, who has been with a number of Mexican clubs.

But Mexico is not the sole source of the talent. Robert Hernandez joined the team after spending time in the Chivas USA program and Jhoiner Quintana played in Spain.

“The player that I expect to see in an MLS uniform is goalkeeper Marcus Sanchez. He is fantastic and has no business playing on our team,” said Heisler. “Striker Roy Hernandez has been nursing a nagging injury, but he won the Southern Premier Soccer League’s golden boot and was on the Red Bulls radar earlier this year.”

Hernandez tallied twice in the club’s 4-2 group play victory against CASL, the defending Region III champions, in Alabama last month. The result created a three-way tie in the three-team group, leaving the two sides in a deadlock on tiebreakers as well and forcing a penalty kick shootout to determine the group winner. That is where Sanchez showed off his skills, stopping three of the four CASL attempts to send Regals through.

The penalty shootout victory moved Regals onto the Region III Final, where they fell 2-1 in overtime to their local rival. But more importantly, it propelled them to the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup where they have since learned they are facing the defending USL Pro champion Charleston Battery, who were tournament finalists just three years ago.

“This is our opportunity to show America what Houston soccer is all about, and this is my opportunity to show the Battery staff that I have what it takes to play professional soccer,” said Sanchez.

Hernandez added, “I feel very confident that we will do well. We are not traveling 18 hours to come back home without a win.”

The Battery’s league and tournament credentials of repeated success do not seem to intimidate Regals.

“We are not any more afraid of the Battery than we were of Puebla FC, FC Dallas or the New Orleans Jesters,” Landaverde said, referring to previous friendlies. “We feel that we can play with anybody. I have a lot of faith in this group and most importantly, they have a lot of faith in each other. Playing upper division teams is how we gauge our progress. This match is entirely different. This match has meaning.”

2011 US Open Cup Qualifying: ASC New Stars & Regals FC claim berths at USASA Region III tournament

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The draw for the USASA Region III Open Men’s tournament to be held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama May 27-30 that will also determine the region’s two Lamar Hunt US Open Cup berths was held at the University of Alabama Recreational Center Thursday evening. The draw set the stage for the next four days of competition, which kicked off Friday morning at 10:00 am ET.

With seven teams taking part, the format was similar to that of last year with two groups playing a round robin and the winner of each group qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. While it doesn’t affect the Open Cup tournament, those two group winners played each other on Memorial Day to determine Region III’s Open Cup champion that will represent Region III at the USASA’s national tournament.

The Region III tournament took place less than a mile from the path of destruction left by an F5 tornado. The tornado, estimated to be a mile and half wide, produced winds of 190 mph winds and traveled 80 miles killing more than 35 people in Tuscaloosa while injuring more than 800 others. The tornado was on the ground for nearly one and half hours.

The two returning clubs from last year, ASC New Stars and CASL Elite, were in different groups this year. A year ago they were in the same group with CASL Elite finishing unbeaten en route to the tournament title. ASC New Stars, meanwhile, were winless. ASC had a completely different experience the second time around though, and although CASL got off to a great start, they were surprised in the end as ASC’s fellow Houston-based rival Regals FC proved to be the other stars of the event.The ASC New Stars opened the tournament with a 2-1 victory against the Boston Avenue Athletic Club Reserves, coming from behind on a pair of Alex Bolan strikes after a BAAC penalty. The club also found itself behind a goal on differential as the Greenville Eagles also opened up group play with a win, blanking Florida Gators 2-0.  The deficit became meaningless the next day when ASC thumped the South Carolina club 4-1. Four different players scored this time, but Bolan tallied his third of the event, along with an assist, giving ASC command of the group. On the final day of group play Greenville rebounded against a dispirited BAAC side, and hoping for a chance via the goal differential tiebreaker ran up a 9-0 scoreline only to see ASC post their third win. Bolan struck 14 minutes in against Florida and ASC made the goal stand for a sweep of the group, clinching a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup berth for the second time in four years as well as a spot in Monday’s Final.

“After last year’s extreme disappointment we came into this year with redemption on our mind,” said ASC head coach Majid Savadkoohi. “We just keep building positive momentum after each win along with improved chemistry and purpose.

“Now this is our second qualification for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup which is an honor; however, we are especially eager to finish the overall tournament as victors and qualify for Men’s Open National championships in Kentucky,” he added after the group finale.

“I thank all the players for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. Especially, I would like to thank the ASC Club President and co-founder Mr. Tom Khalili for all his efforts and hard work all year long.”

The defending Region III champion CASL Elite got off to a dominant start with its roster comprised of numerous former professionals, blanking the Royal Eagles, 3-0, with Stephen Nsereko scoring twice in the first half. Regals was idle as the group was reduced to three teams following the withdrawal of a club prior to the event. Regals made their debut the following day against Royal Eagles, who rebounded from the opening loss by downing Regals 2-1. The final match of the group proved to be a crazy turn of events. Regals jumped out to a stunning four-goal lead with Roy Hernandez scoring twice. CASL, though, replied with two goals as the game came to a close. The 4-2 result not only created a three-way draw with records, but also put Regals and CASL into a deadlock on tiebreakers, forcing a penalty kick tiebreaker to determine the group winner. The two clubs stepped to the spot with the Final and a berth into the US Open Cup on the line. Regals goalkeeper Marcos Sanchez became the star of the day, stopping three of CASL’s four attempts for a 4-1 tally, making the Final an all-Houston affair.

“Houston has one of the deepest talent pools in the country, so it does not surprise me to be facing the New Stars in the,” said Regals head coach Miguel Landaverde.”We are a very young club, formed only 17 months ago, but we built this team for the US Open Cup. We are very excited for the opportunity to showcase our players to professional teams.”

The club’s general manager, Stephen Heisler, added that the success of USASA entrant Dallas Roma in the 2006 tournament in which they upset USL-1 side Miami FC, 1-0, and edged MLS club Chivas USA in penalties after a scoreless draw was an inspiration.

“Getting coach Landaverde on board was the perfect foundation, and the rest is history.” Heisler commented, adding praise for those that made it possible. “This team represents Houston, we are a team of the people, for the people. Having amazing sponsors like Coors Light, Powerade, Maya Park, and  Lacho Alya Motors makes everything possible. Maya Park is an incredible home pitch, and we would not be here today if it were not for their generosity.”

In the all-Houston championship match, Savadkoohi’s New Stars did just what he was hoping, edging Regals 2-1 in overtime to claim the 2011 Region III title.

Having allowed just two goals in three group games, a defensive error left ASC trailing for the second time in the Region III tournament as Regals took the advantage in the 44th minute. The 1-0 Regals lead was also partially to the credit of keeper Marcos Sanchez, who made three spectacular saves to keep the veteran club off the board despite its domination of play.

In a more evenly played second stanza ASC would finally break through though in the 65th minute courtesy of Miko Simon to level the match. At the close of regulation the New Stars had a perfect opportunity to seal the title when Alex Bolan was fouled in the penalty area, but the attempt would fail to be converted, sending the final to overtime.

The stalemate continued, and as penalties neared for a second straight day for Regals, their city rivals found the back of the net. Four minutes from time Marco Carrizales sent a nice cross into the box that Chuks Ndame headed home for the championship-winning goal.

USASA REGION III TOURNAMENT
*Group winners qualify for 2011 US Open Cup*

Group A P W L T Pts GF GA GD
ASC New Stars
 3 3 0 0 9 7 2 +5
Greenville Eagles 3 2 1 0 6 12 4 +8
Florida Gators 3 1 2 0 3 1 3 -2
Boston Avenue ACR 3 0 3 0 0 1 12 -11

All times Eastern

5/27 Greenville Eagles 2:0 Florida Gators A1
5/27 Boston Avenue ACR 1:2 ASC New Stars A2
5/28 Florida Gators 1:0 Boston Avenue ACR A3
5/28 ASC New Stars 4:1 Greenville Eagles A4
5/29 Greenville Eagles 9:0 Boston Avenue ACR A5
5/29 Florida Gators 0:1 ASC New Stars A6

*ASC New Stars advance

Group B P W L T Pts GF GA GD
Regals FC 2 1 1 0 3 5 4 +1
CASL Elite 2 1 1 0 3 5 4 +1
Royal Eagles 2 1 1 0 3 2 4 -2

All times Eastern

5/27 CASL Elite 3:0 Royal Eagles B1
5/27 Regals FC – BYE –
5/28 Royal Eagles 2:1 Regals FC B2
5/28 CASL Elite – BYE –
5/29 CASL Elite 2:4 Regals FC B3
5/29 Royal Eagles – BYE –

*Regals FC win tiebreaker penalty shootout 4-1 to advance

FINAL
(Both group winners qualify for 2011 US Open Cup)
5/30 ASC New Stars 2:1 (AET) Regals FC 9:00 AM

MATCH DETAILS:

A1 – Goals: GE – Chris Williams, Juan Martinez  Lineups: GE – Cody Gray, Talon Stroud, Jesse McCormick, Chris Williams, Adan Cabrera, Cesar Flores, Miguel Teos (JD Hufstetler), Sebastian Velasquez, Marvin Lemus, Keenon Copeland, Haven Bruce (Juan Martinez)  FL – Not Available
A2 – Goals: ASC – Alex Bolan (Sal Lopez) 37, Alex Bolan (Jad Masri) 92+ BA – Eric Defraites pen 25  Lineups: ASC – Aramik Allahverdian, Peter Kozlowski, Salvador Lopez, Gifford Okatah, Fatai Alabi, George Sangria, Lukas Simon, Jad Masri, Cuks Ndame, Alex Bolan, Arzgang Salahshoor subs Emilio Frias, Destiny Ohiri, Carlos Ayala, Martin Jimenez  BAAC – Jacob Rogers, Thomas Story, Jordan Gaines, Jason Rogers, Randy Randolf, Stephen Brocks, Brian McCurdy, Eric Defraites, James Dabney, Todd Goddard, Justin Cook
A3 – Goals: FL – Not Available  Lineups: BAAC – Dan Mason, Thomas Story, Jason Rogers, Greg McKenna, Randy Randolf, Stephen Brocks, Brian McCurdy, Eric Defraites, James Dabney, Todd Goddard (Dalesandro), Justin Cook
A4 – Goals: GE – Keenon Copeland 32 ASC – Lucas Simon 11, Piotr Kozlowski 15, George Sangira (Alex Bolan) 49, Alex Bolan (Aramik Allahverdian) 90  Lineups: GE – Cody Gray, Talon Stroud, Jesse McCormick, Chris Williams, Adan Cabrera (David Netz), Cesar Flores (Jeff Fulton), Miguel Teos (David Stovall), Sebastian Velasquez (Fernando Morales), Marvin Lemus (Juan Martinez), Keenon Copeland, Haven Bruce  ASC – Aramik Allahverdian, Peter Kozlowski, Salvador Lopez, Gifford Okatah, Marcos Carrizales, George Sangira, Lukas Simon, Anthony Ashiufu, Chuks Ndamed, Alex Bolan, Arzgang Salahshoor subs Emilio Frias Destiny Ohiri Carlos Ayala Martin Jimenez Jad Masri
A5 – Goals: GE – Sebastian Velasquez, Haven Bruce, Juan Martinez, JD Hufstetler, David Stovall  Lineups: GE – Cody Gray, Talon Stroud, Jesse McCormick, Chris Williams, Adan Cabrera (Marvin Lemus), David Stovall (Cesar Flores), J.D. Hufstetler, Sebastian Velasquez (Greg Fulton), Keenon Copeland, Haven Bruce, Juan Martinez (Fernando Morales)
A6 – Goals: ASC – Alex Bolan 14  Lineups: ASC – Aramik Allahverdian, Piotr Kozlowski, Salvador Lopez, Gifford Okatah, Marcos Carrizales, George Sangira, Lukas Simon, Anthony Ashiufu Chuks Ndamed, Alex Bolan, Arzgang Salahshoor subs Emilio Frias, Destiny Ohiri, Carlos Ayala, Martin Jimenez, Jad Masri
B1 – Goals: CASL – Nsereko 20, 36, Shields 80  Lineups: CASL – Akira Fitzgerald; Steven Curfman, Andre Sherard, Mike Walters, Caleb Norkus; Chris Lemons, Clint Pires, Stephen Nsereko, Aaron West, Daniel Shields; Daniel Revivo
B2 – Not Available
B3 – Goals: RFC – Jose Sibrian, Roy Hernandez, Roy Hernandez, Luis Licerio  CASL – Not Available, Not Available  Lineups: Not Available
Tiebreaker Shootout – Not Available (RFC keeper Marcos Sanchez made 3 saves on 4 attempts)

FINAL – Goals: RFC – Not Available 44 ASC – Miko Simon 65, Chuks Ndame 116 Lineups: ASC – Aramik Allahverdian, Piotr Kozlowski, Anthony Ashiufu, Alex Bolan, Marco Carrizales, Sal Lopez, Jad Masri, Chuks Ndame, Giff Okatah, George Sangira, lukas Simon, Subs: Fatai Alabi, Carlos Ayala, Emilio Frias, Martin Jimenez, Arzhang Salahshoor, Destiny Ohiri

ABOUT THE TEAMS:

ASC New Stars (South Texas): Houston’s Aria Soccer Club (ASC) New Stars are on fire entering the tournament. The team boasts an impressive goal difference after scoring 58 goals and allowing only 18 through as many match’s in the Houston Football Association league. The New Stars went 0-2-1 a year ago in the tournament and finished bottom of their group, only scoring 2 goals while conceding six.

Boston Avenue Athletic Club Reserves (Oklahoma): The BAAC of North East Oklahoma are nearing the end of their 2011 league campaign. The BAAC (9-0-1) are currently undefeated in league play and have scored 75 goals while conceding only 8 in 10 matches. BAAC won the Division I Adult State Cup tournament in mid-March, beating COASL IFC 2-1 in the championship.

CASL Elite (North Carolina): The reigning Region III champions are aiming for back-to-back US Open Cup berths. CASL Elite, formed just over two years ago, was meant to be a quality training team  for high level boys teams to train and compete against. The team eventually became more than just a  “training side” and developed an identity of its own. Last year’s team had six former professionals including Scott Schweitzer, a former Rochester Rhino who won the US Open Cup in 1999. In 2010  CASL fell in the first-round 4-2 to USL-2 side Charleston Battery.

Florida Gators (Florida): The first university club team to ever submit their application to compete in the competition. Florida’s club soccer program was established in 1953, making it the oldest in the country. The Gators made it to the quarterfinals of the 2010 NCCS National Soccer Championships, losing to the University of Arizona in penalty kicks. The Gators lost 3-2 to regional foe Royal Eagles in the Florida State Cup Final. (RECAP)

Greenville Eagles (South Carolina): The Eagles defeated Sin Bandera to win the Div. I 2011 SCYSA State Cup. The SCYSA State Cup was held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Regals FC (South Texas): Regals FC is based in Houston, Texas and is a founding member of the Southern Premier Soccer League (SPSL) for the 2010-2011 season. Regals FC (16-2-2) were crowned SPSL Winter Cup Champions in April. Regals FC defeated fellow Region III competitor ASC New Stars on penalty kicks in the 2011 Copa Verizon Alianza. The Regals have gone 42-8-7 since October 2010.

Royal Eagles (Florida): The Royal Eagles are based in Lakeland, FL and were founded in the Spring of 2009. This season, the Eagles have won the FSSL Premier Championship, Florida Classic and were  finalists in the Amateur State Cup. The Eagles defeated Region III qualifying foe Florida Gators 3-2 for the state title. (RECAP)

Crossroads Alexandria (Louisiana) The team is a representative of Crossroads Soccer Association located in Alexandria. CSA operates adult, youth and indoor soccer in the area. This club withdrew in advance of the event.

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The draw for the USASA Region III Open Men’s tournament to be held in Tuscaloosa Alabama May 27-30 that will also determine the region’s two Lamar Hunt US Open Cup berths was held at the University of Alabama Recreational Center Thursday evening. The draw set the stage for the next four days of competition, which kicks off Friday morning at 10:00 am ET.

With seven teams taking part, the format will be the similar to that of last year with two groups playing a round robin and the winner of each group qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. While it doesn’t affect the Open Cup tournament, those two group winners will play each other on Memorial Day to determine Region III’s Open Cup champion that will represent Region III at the USASA’s national tournament.

The Region III tournament will take place less than a mile from the path of destruction left by an F5 tornado. The tornado, estimated to be a mile and half wide, produced winds of 190 mph winds and traveled 80 miles killing more than 35 people in Tuscaloosa while injuring more than 800 others. The tornado was on the ground for nearly one and half hours. http://thecup.us/usasa-region-iii-to-determine-us-open-cup-entries-amid-tuscaloosa-tornado-aftermath/

Group A

Greenville Eagles (SC)

Florida Gators (FL)

Boston Avenue Athletic Club Reserves (OK)

ASC New Stars (TX-S)

Friday, May 27 – 10:00 am ET

Greenville Eagles v Florida Gators

Boston Avenue ACR v ASC New Stars

Saturday, May 28 – 2:00 pm ET

Florida Gators v Boston Avenue ACR

ASC New Stars v Greenville Eagles

Sunday, May 29 – 11:00 am ET

Greenville Eagles v Boston Avenue ACR

Florida Gators v ASC Stars

Group B

CASL Elite (NC)

Royal Eagles (FL)

Regals FC (TX-S)

Friday, May 27 – 10:00 am ET

CASL Elite v Royal Eagles

Regals FC v BYE

Saturday, May 28 – 2:00 pm ET

Royal Eagles v Regals FC

CASL Elite v BYE

Sunday, May 29 – 11:00 am ET

CASL Elite v Regals FC

Royal Eagles v BYE

Monday, May 30 – 9:00 am ET – CHAMPIONSHIP

USASA Region III to determine US Open Cup entries amid Tuscaloosa tornado aftermath

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Just one month after tornadoes tore through the Southeast and brought heavy destruction to Tuscaloosa, Ala., the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (USOC) qualifying tournament for Region III is set to begin. Eight teams from the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) will compete for two slots in the first round of the US Open Cup, which begins June 14. (Update: Seven teams remain after withdrawal of Louisiana’s Crossroads Alexandria)

In a unique arrangement to Open Cup qualifying, the Region III organizers host a blind draw on Thursday, May 26, the night before the opening day of the tournament. The draw will be held at the University of Alabama Recreational Center and only then will the teams know who they will play on Friday to kick off the competition.

With eight teams taking part, the format will be the same as last year with two groups of four playing a round robin and the winner of each group qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. While it doesn’t affect the Open Cup tournament, those two group winners will play each other on Memorial Day to determine Region III’s Open Cup champion that will represent at the USASA’s national tournament.

For information on how to donate to the relief effort
for all of those affected by the tornado devastation
this year, visit the Red Cross website HERE.

The Region III tournament will take place less than a mile from the path of destruction left by an F5 tornado. The tornado, estimated to be a mile and half wide, produced winds of 190 mph winds and traveled 80 miles killing more than 35 people in Tuscaloosa while injuring more than 800 others. The tornado was on the ground for nearly one and half hours.

While recovery is underway, additional revenue for the city is welcome and was a major factor in deciding not to move the tournament.

The Region III cup commissioner and director of programs for Georgia Soccer, Kim Bowen, said changing the qualification venue was never considered.

Photo: John Justice

“The thought of not going to Tuscaloosa really never crossed my mind,” said Bowen. “As long as the fields were available and the incredible staff at the University Recreational Center were available and as long as there was at least one hotel standing to house us, we were going. It was my thought that if the USASA Region 3 National Cup Championships could bring one day, if not a few days, of normalcy to the community, any economic impact at all, then we were going. Our only regret at this point is given the packed itinerary for the competition, we are not able to do more.”

The Greenville Eagles are bringing more than just the typical sports event revenue. The club has arranged, along with Tuscaloosa’s Capstone Church and Harvest Church, to assist in the relief efforts as volunteers. It’s not an easy process for a team with a busy tournament schedule as they will also have to undergo a training session in order to be credentialed to enter the disaster area as a volunteer.

Aid from people and organizations have been pouring in from across the country. The New York Yankees have donated $500,000 to the Southeast relief efforts with $250,000 going to the Red Cross and $250,000 going to the Salvation Army.

Charlie Sheen, actor and former sitcom star of the television show “Two and a Half Men,” visited Tuscaloosa and is organizing events to help fund tornado-relief efforts.

“I want to bring some money, hope, faith and healing to the area,” Sheen said.

Photo: John Justice

Sheen recently launched a relief Web site called “Torpedos Against Tornados,” where users can make tax-deductible donations using PayPal. “Torpedoes,” a term Sheen coined for his “Tornadoes of Truth” comedy tour. Any user who donates a gift of $100 or more will receive an autographed baseball by Sheen, the “Major League” star.

Sheen said he is also considering organizing a celebrity softball game to raise money and awareness for tornado victims.

The backdrop for the tournament couldn’t be farther from perfect but like the great English playwright Noël Coward said, “the show must go on.”

TEAMS:

ASC New Stars (South Texas): Houston’s Aria Soccer Club (ASC) New Stars are on fire entering the tournament. The team boasts an impressive goal difference after scoring 58 goals and allowing only 18 through as many match’s in the Houston Football Association league. The New Stars went 0-2-1 a year ago in the tournament and finished bottom of their group, only scoring 2 goals while conceding six.

Boston Avenue Athletic Club Reserves (Oklahoma): The BAAC of North East Oklahoma are nearing the end of their 2011 league campaign. The BAAC (9-0-1) are currently undefeated in league play and have scored 75 goals while conceding only 8 in 10 matches. BAAC won the Division I Adult State Cup tournament in mid-March, beating COASL IFC 2-1 in the championship.

CASL Elite (North Carolina): The reigning Region III champions are aiming for back-to-back US Open Cup berths. CASL Elite, formed just over two years ago, was meant to be a quality training team  for high level boys teams to train and compete against. The team eventually became more than just a  “training side” and developed an identity of its own. Last year’s team had six former professionals including Scott Schweitzer, a former Rochester Rhino who won the US Open Cup in 1999. In 2010  CASL fell in the first-round 4-2 to USL-2 side Charleston Battery.

Crossroads Alexandria (Louisiana) The team is a representative of Crossroads Soccer Association located in Alexandria. CSA operates adult, youth and indoor soccer in the area. This club has withdrawn in advance of the event.

Florida Gators (Florida): The first university club team to ever submit their application to compete in the competition. Florida’s club soccer program was established in 1953, making it the oldest in the country. The Gators made it to the quarterfinals of the 2010 NCCS National Soccer Championships, losing to the University of Arizona in penalty kicks. The Gators lost 3-2 to regional foe Royal Eagles in the Florida State Cup Final. (RECAP)

Greenville Eagles (South Carolina): The Eagles defeated Sin Bandera to win the Div. I 2011 SCYSA State Cup. The SCYSA State Cup was held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Regals FC (South Texas): Regals FC is based in Houston, Texas and is a founding member of the Southern Premier Soccer League (SPSL) for the 2010-2011 season. Regals FC (16-2-2) were crowned SPSL Winter Cup Champions in April. Regals FC defeated fellow Region III competitor ASC New Stars on penalty kicks in the 2011 Copa Verizon Alianza. The Regals have gone 42-8-7 since October 2010.

Head Coach Miguel Landaverde said his team has an advantage over others in the competition and  expects his team to do well in qualification.

“I like our chances of getting out of the qualifier, most of the other clubs expected to participate are generally very competitive, but do not train like our guys do, this will give us a bit of an advantage over a three game stretch,” Landaverde said.

Royal Eagles (Florida): The Royal Eagles are based in Lakeland, FL and were founded in the Spring of 2009. This season, the Eagles have won the FSSL Premier Championship, Florida Classic and were  finalists in the Amateur State Cup. The Eagles defeated Region III qualifying foe Florida Gators 3-2 for the state title. (RECAP)

USASA Region III field set for 2011 US Open Cup qualifying

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Region III Adult Soccer of the United States Adult Soccer Association announced the field of teams that will compete in the Regional National Cup Championship, unveiling eight teams from Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Texas. The draw for the competition will take place, as it is annually, on the eve of the tournament, May 26. The tournament will be held on Memorial Day weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at the University of Alabama Recreational Center.

Returning from the competition a year ago are CASL Elite (North Carolina) and ASC New Stars (South Texas). Joining them will be Regals FC (South Texas), Greenville Eagles (South Carolina), Crossroads Alexandria (Louisiana), Boston Athletic (Oklahoma) and the Florida duo of Royal Eagles and Florida Gators.

Last year, the Region III tournament consisted of group play with the two group winners advancing not only to the Region III Championship game, but also as the two representatives in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup conducted by the US Soccer Federation.

CASL Elite are the defending champions, finishing atop their group a year ago with a 2-0-1 record and narrowly defeating Legends FC (North Texas) in the Final, 1-0, on a goal from former professional Steven Curfman.

The other returning team, ASC New Stars, had an opposite experience last year, going winless at 0-2-1. They posted a 1-1 draw against the NPSL’s Atlanta FC in the opener before falling 2-0 to FC Tulsa (NPSL) in the second game later that day as the tournament was forced to double up matches following lightning cancellations the day prior. They finished group play with a 3-1 loss to CASL Elite.

Half of the field a year ago included clubs from the National Premier Soccer League, which will have its own qu

alification process for direct berths into the US Open Cup this year. Two NPSL clubs from Alabama and Oklahoma finished runners-up in the two groups. Tournament host Alabama will not have any representatives after being the lone state with two teams last year.

“I like our chances of getting out of the qualifier, most of the other clubs expected to participate are generally very competitive, but do not train like our guys do,” said Regals FC head coach Miguel Landaverde. “This will give us a bit of an advantage over a three game stretch. We will take it one match at a time and try and force teams into our game, stretching the field with a lot of touches.”

About the Teams

ASC New Stars (South Texas): The New Stars are the top-flight side from the Houston-based Aria Soccer Club that was founded in 1974. The team was winless a year ago (0-2-1) in the Region III tournament, but qualified previously in 2008 for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, finishing runners-up in a 2-1 decision against Clearwater Galactics (FL) for the regional title. They were blanked, 3-0, by the USL First Division’s Charleston Battery (pro second division) in the First Round. They participated in the regionals in 2006, finishing second in their group after withdrawing the previous year.

Boston Athletic from Oklahoma

Boston Athletic (Oklahoma): The entrants are believed to be what the Oklahoma Soccer Association lists as the Tulsa-based BAAC Reserves, who won the Adult State Cup Division I tournament in mid March. They advanced with a 2-1 victory over COASL IFC in the championship of the three-team event, which also included Ponca City Tiburones.

CASL Elite (North Carolina): The defending tournament champions are a side developed in 2009 by the Capital Area Soccer League designed initially to provide higher caliber scrimmage opposition for its youth teams by utilizing former Premier Development League and adult CASL alumni. The team won the Region III championship in its first campaign to qualify for the US Open Cup, where it was eliminated in the First Round, 4-2, by the Charleston Battery of the USL Second Division (pro third division). CASL also previously operated a PDL team from 2002-09, reaching the US Open Cup in its first two years, exiting both times in the Second Round. (MORE: Meet the USASA CASL Elite)

Crossroads Alexandria (Louisiana): The team appears to be a representative of Crossroads Soccer Association located in Alexandria. CSA operates adult, youth and indoor soccer in the area.

Florida GatorsFlorida Gators (Florida): The team is, according to TheCup.us records, the first university to submit their club team to participate in USASA’s Open Cup qualifying process. Founded in 1953 by Alan “A.C.” Moore, Florida holds the title as the oldest university club soccer team in the country. Moore coached the club from 1953-1990, earning over 500 wins at UF. They were narrowly defeated, 3-2, by the Royal Eagles for the state championship, the lone match held.

Greenville Eagles (South Carolina): The side is largely unknown, but advanced from the South Carolina tournament, held April 9-10 in Myrtle Beach. Details of the tournament are currently unavailable, but the Eagles defeated Sin Bandera of Summerville for the state’s division one men’s title.

Regals FC (South Texas): Based in Houston, the club is a founding member of the new Southern Premier Soccer League. Aside from local league competition, Regals FC has played friendlies versus FC Dallas of MLS and Mexico’s Puebla FC. The club recently won the SPSL Winter Season title and also secured the top seed in the Houston Soccer Association championship tournament.

Royal Eagles SCRoyal Eagles (Florida): Launched in 2009 in the Lakeland area, east of Tampa, and during their brief existence, they’ve experienced nothing but success. They were undefeated in Division 3 of the Florida Suncoast Soccer Leagues (FSSL), winning the league and the Florida Classic tournament in their inaugural campaign. The following year, because of their high level of play, the FSSL approved an unprecedented jump from Division 3 to the Premier Division. They edged Florida Gators, the only other state entrant, in a thrilling 3-2 decision for the state title.

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