San Nicolas

2016 US Open Cup qualifying: San Nicolas blanks Real Sociedad, 3-0, to advance to final round

November 26, 2015 by Dennis Pope

San Nicolas FC of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), is one step away from qualifying for the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after defeating Real Sociedad (SoCal Premier League), 3-0 on Sunday. at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif.

Amilcar Lopez scored midway through the first half, and Eduardo Barba added a brace with goals on either side of halftime for San Nicolas, a Pomona (Calif.)-based club who are attempting to qualify for the tournament for the first time.

“First half was intense but we took control,” San Nicolas co-owner Daniel Collazo said. “We have a team that I think can make a run at this thing.”

San Nicolas, also a quarterfinalist in this season’s UPSL playoffs (where they will play La Maquina), will wait until Jan. 7 to hear what club it’ll play in the final round of Open CUp qualifying during the first weekend of April.

“So we go back to focusing on our main season, the UPSL playoffs, and letting people know what San Nicolas is all about,” Collazo said.

Collazo said veteran forward Maykel Galindo should return from a right ankle injury in time for the match. Galindo, a former Cuban international and player for the now-defunct Chivas USA, was injured in a friendly on Oct. 23. The game was against Corinthians USA, who was supposed to be San Nicolas’ first round qualifying opponent, but they forfeited due to not having enough players registered. The two teams decided to play each other anyway, and Galindo was injured.

“It’s looking good. We’re pretty sure he’ll be ready for April,” Collazo said.

San Nicolas has been a finalist each of the last four years at the annual Las Vegas Silver Mug tournament. The club won the Silver Mug three consecutive times from 2011-13 and lost in penalty kicks last year.

2016 US Open Cup qualifying: San Nicolas plays friendly despite forfeit win, loses Maykel Galindo to injury

October 31, 2015 by Dennis Pope

San Nicolas FC of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) may have earned a berth in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup open division qualifying tournament next month, but the Chino (Calif.)-based club will likely have to play without its best player for the foreseeable future.

Maykel Galindo, a former Cuban international and MLS stalwart with the now-defunct Chivas USA, was injured early in the first half in an exhibition game against Corinthians USA Academy on Saturday night.

“He’s been with us since he left MLS (and) he’s a very good, talented player,” San Nicolas head coach Juan Hernandez said. “He probably is going to be out for the next game.”

The clubs, scheduled to face off in a US Open Cup opening round qualifier at Rialto High School, played what amounted to a friendly after Corinthians – a first-time tournament entrant — failed to register enough players and were forced to forfeit.

“We only had 10 players register and only six players here tonight,” Corinthians representative Paolo Campos said. “The coach is registered but he’s injured, and we had three players go to Brazil in the last few weeks.”

Galindo took a knock on his right ankle and was substituted for in the 24th minute. His knock quickly swelled to a large lump on the outside of his ankle and he soon changed into street clothes, limping away from the field in the second half.

“We need to keep an eye on him and see if anything needs to be done to get back on the field,” Hernandez said.

San Nicholas moves on to play Real Sociedad inner on Nov. 22.

“We had four starters missing but the will be back for November,” Hernandez said. “We expect an even tougher game.”

Amilcar Lopez scored on a penalty in the 49th minute, and Christian Alvarado added another goal as San Nicolas led, 2-0, over Corinthians before the lights at Rialto High’s stadium shut off abruptly in the 82nd minute. The match was abandoned by the referee.

“We had great expectation for this game but the problems regard timing, registration, made this a difficult moment,” Corinthians coach Robert Almeida said through Campos, who was interpreting.

“Big frustration, big frustration,” Almeida said in English.