Southwest FC

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Late PK lifts D’Feeters Kicks to first USOC

November 24, 2021 by Dan Vaughn

D’Feeters Kicks SC pose for a team photo before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Southwest FC. Photo: D’Feeters Kicks SC

Sebastian Mendez’s 85th minute penalty kick helped D’Feeters Kicks SC edge Southwest FC, 2-1, in a “Win & You’re In” match to advance to the 2022 US Open Cup for the first time in club history.

After its previous qualifying win, Southwest had every reason to assume that it would be clear sailing in its final match. Fresh off a 6-1 opening round win over the San Antonio Runners and a massive 7-1 win over GAM United (Colo.), the El Paso club looked ready to host their third straight home game againt D’Feeters at Eastside Soccer Complex. DKSC had a much tougher run in its previous match, winning in extra time with a penalty kick 2-1 over the Houston Hotshots-Greenspoint FC. But when Dallas-based DKSC arrived in El Paso, all bets were off.

“I’m proud of the effort of the guys that traveled to El Paso and left it all on the field,” said D’Feeters program director Edgar Hernandez Jr., who helped coach the team with his brother Dominick with their father Edgar Hernandez Sr. not available to coach the team. “We were missing our stud striker, Oscar Romero, this time through injury. We also had one of our starting center backs serving a one-game suspension. We had a lot of factors playing against us leading up to the game as we only made it to El Paso with one field player as a sub. The team knew we were up against a good squad as they had won their past two rounds by large margins, but our guys came out motivated. Our possession, passes, runs, and tactical awareness were on point. We took advantage of our opportunities and made sure we controlled the tempo of the game once we went up.”

The weather was chilly for those in the audience, but just right for those flying around the field in warmups. Under the El Paso lights, the match kicked off with both clubs throwing aggressive tackles at each other.

It seemed both clubs were intent to press and counter-press relentlessly throughout the first half. In the first 30 minutes, chances were there but no points were on the board.

That changed soon after as DKSC’s Steven Chavez put the ball past the Southwest keeper to open the scoring. The road goal was the product of consistent pressure on the El Paso backline. It wouldn’t last long, however, as Southwest FC would even up the score just five minutes later as Danny Chairez scored for the home side.

DKSC seemed to have brought just the first 11 on the trip, as the bench was empty except for coaching staff, which would have seemed to be a big detriment to their pressing approach, but you wouldn’t have guessed that in the second half. If anything, it seemed the home side seemed to slow a step or two. That was especially true on the left side as run after run would free up behind the wing for DKSC, offering chances for crosses into the box. Southwest seemed too slow in attack, not having many solutions for the visiting defense. Not enough shots were put on frame.

The match seemed destined to end in a draw until a penalty kick call was made with about five minutes remaining in regulation. Mendez stepped up to the spot and after multiple stutter steps, he buried the ball past the goalkeeper who guessed correctly but was unable to get a hand on it as he dove to his right. This would prove to be the game-winner. The win was entirely earned as DKSC was the aggressor throughout the evening and should be a tough out when the competition proper begins next spring.

“This win is very special for the program,” said Hernandez Jr., who is the brother of FC Dallas midfielder Nicky Hernandez. “This is the first Open Cup qualification for the club in our first qualifying run. These are the special moments we have been building towards. The program has received a lot of support from the local soccer community to get where we are now and we know that. We wouldn’t be where we are without that support. We are excited for this upcoming Open Cup!”

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying: FC Denver erases 3-0 deficit to beat Southwest FC in OT

April 7, 2019 by Phil Baki

FC Denver poses for a team photo after the club's 4-3 extra time win over Southwest FC in the final round of the 2019 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: FC Denver — FC Denver poses for a team photo after the club’s 4-3 extra time win over Southwest FC in the final round of the 2019 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: FC Denver

Comebacks in soccer are part of what makes this game so compelling and FC Denver accomplished one of the biggest in recent Lamar Hunt US Open Cup history against Southwest FC at Del Valle High School in El Paso, Texas to book a place in the 2019 edition of the tournament. Goals from a Peter Jacobson penalty, Lashaw Salta, Tyler Chauncey and Cesar Castillo saw FC Denver turn around a 3-0 deficit. Southwest FC had built that advantage with goals from Alexis Gomez, David Lopez, and a penalty from Joshua Morales.

“I still don’t have words for exactly what happened,” said FC Denver player/manager Drew Melin.

With the win, FC Denver punches their ticket to the US Open Cup for the second year in a row. Last year, in their tournament debut, they defeated fellow Colorado Premier League side Azteca FC before falling on the road to the USL’s Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.

Players from FC Denver (green) and Southwest FC battle for the ball in a Fourth Round match in the Open Division Local qualifying tournament for the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: James Clifton

The match began with the home team on top of proceedings and, although it took just shy of half an hour to come, the breakthrough felt like it would only ever arrive at one end of the field. After a SWFC chance was put behind by FCD, the ensuing corner was well-delivered by Isaiah Segoviano and met thunderously by Alexis Gomez and hit the back of the net.

They scored again two minutes later when captain David Lopez latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and in a peculiarity of the game, played a pass off of the referee. The inadvertent give-and-go put Lopez through on FCD’s goal and he finished low to the keeper’s right to quickly double SWFC’s lead.

Things went from bad to worse for FCD as one minute from the end of the half, Cesar Sosa was brought down in the area and the penalty kick was professionally dispatched by Joshua Morales to give the El Paso side a commanding 3-0 lead.

Just when things looked over and done for FCD, a glimmer of hope appeared.

FCD went to the other end of the field and in stoppage time at the end of the half earned a penalty of their own for a very similar foul to the one SWFC was awarded. Peter Jacobson took his penalty with aplomb and the sides headed into halftime with two goals of separation.

The second half began much like the first, with both teams taking time to settle into the pace of the new arrangement.

“We changed formation to go a bit more narrow and tighter, and it stopped them from playing the way they wanted,” said Melin.

This change worked for FCD extremely well and eventually paid dividends in front of goal. Lashaw Salta had struggled to find joy coming in from the right but with 20 minutes to play he got his first real opportunity and took it, finishing through a crowd low to the keeper’s left.

Eight minutes later, the comeback was completed.

Tyler Chauncey, having put in an industrious shift up to that point, scored the easiest of tap ins after a great run down the right by Alex Bernhardt.

Both teams spent the next ten minutes nearly winning the game in regulation, but the clock struck 90 and it would take a further thirty minutes to separate the clubs.

It was just two minutes before the halfway point of extra time when FCD’s took the lead with a fourth unanswered goal. Cesar Castillo got hold of the ball on the edge of the area and his turn and low finish were as clinical as they come. They had come all the way back and then taken the lead in what is one of the most stunning comebacks of the 2019 qualifying tournament.

Castillo has played a big role in Denver’s success in the tournament the last two years. He scored a hat trick in last year’s Open Cup win over Azteca FC, and was a finalist for TheCup.us Player of the Round. Last December, Castillo also had a goal and assist in a win over Gam United FC that helped FCD reach Saturday’s “Win & You’re In” match.

But the match did not end there.

Things got predictably chippy as tensions flared, and after a foul in the center of the field, a spat broke out that saw both Brian Roddy for FCD and David Lopez for SWFC sent off, leaving both teams to finish with 10 men. Southwest had their numbers reduced again around the 112th minute with another red card, but they still managed one more opportunity to tie the game. Their last roll of the dice came from substitute Joel Barboza who blazed over from 18 yards out with the final chance to equalize and FC Denver had done it. The Colorado club is headed back to the US Open Cup for the second straight season and made it seven straight qualifying round wins.

Melin added before heading off to celebrate the win, “The way we can come together, the core we have, the chemistry is unreal. We know what we have to do. We know the type of effort we can put in. There is no ceiling for this team”

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 3: Southwest FC’s early start sparks win over San Juan FC

November 21, 2018 by Phil Baki

Southwest FC celebrates in the locker room after the club's 3-0 win over San Juan FC in the 2019 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Southwest FC — Southwest FC celebrates in the locker room after the club’s 3-0 win over San Juan FC in the 2019 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Southwest FC

On what was a cold night in the West Texas town of El Paso, Southwest FC emerged victorious by a score of 3-0 over San Juan FC of Utah in the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. SWFC’s captain, David Lopez, set the tone with a goal and an assist from his left back position and the team’s ability to convert timely chances, if not all of their chances, put the result beyond doubt. The win could mean SWFC’s first Open Cup berth, but that celebration will be on hold for just a bit.

It is unclear, as of now, whether a Fourth Round, which is tentatively scheduled for March of 2019, will take place. Every professional team in the United States is automatically entered into the US Open Cup, and with the addition of an entirely new professional league with USL League One (Div. 3), and a number of expansion teams in the USL Championship (Div. 2), the format of next year’s tournament has yet to be finalized. Without a finalized format, it’s unclear how many Open Division teams (National Premier Soccer League, USL League Two — formerly Premier Development League — , and all of the Open Division Local teams) will be granted entry into the competition. It’s possible that ASC will have to play a Fourth Round qualifying match, but they won’t find out until January.

If Southwest FC ultimately does qualify, they would be just the third El Paso club (El Paso Patriots, El Paso Indios USA) to qualify for the tournament, but they would be the first one that wasn’t a part of the PDL or the NPSL.

Southwest FC got off to a lightning fast start for the second straight Open Cup game, opening the scoring after just two minutes through a combination of high pressure, quick passing, and a clinical finish at the end. It was Cesar Sosa, playing up top for SWFC who supplied the cool, left-footed finish.

The approach looked familiar, with their first goal against Sporting AZ in the Second Qualifying Round coming from similar early pressure.

“I think every game is different and we prepare for each differently … but the approach of Sporting and San Juan were similar so we saw it might work,” said SWFC manager Endy Gonzalez.

San Juan followed with a quick chance off a long throw, with Elias Dandi striking the post with a glancing header that nearly caught SWFC out. From there, the strategy for SWFC shifted, opting for control and looking for their opportunities to get forward and attack San Juan, who had chosen to sit back for much of the first half.

This led to a period of about 25 minutes where chances were hard to come by for either team. However, SWFC struck again in the 35th minute. A break down the right hand side eventually fed Sosa again, who was able to find David Lopez at the far post. Lopez made no mistake, smashing the ball into the upper left-hand corner and sending SWFC into the break with a two-goal advantage.

The break served San Juan well and they came out snarling in the second half. The visitors from Utah were the better side after the interval and threatened to dent SWFC’s lead.

Still it was the El Paso side that threatened first, with Alexis Gomez forcing a save from San Juan’s Juan Parente with a curling effort from the right side of the area. San Juan maintained pressure though and Dandi struck the post with the visitors best chance of the game.

As the game entered its final half hour, both teams made a few substitutions. SWFC won the tactical battle, as they earned a free kick on the left wing. The captain Lopez stepped up to take and delivered a free kick that evaded the defense and recent sub Mario Ramirez powered home the finish to give SWFC the 3-0 lead and put the game out of reach for San Juan.

The Utah club did not go quietly, as they tested Daniel Medina in the SWFC goal a number of times. The last 10 minutes was mainly San Juan knocking on the SWFC goal and then being immediately countered by the fresh substitutes down either flank. This sequence of punches and counterpunches saw the clock run to ninety minutes and SWFC claimed the well-deserved victory.

The US Open Cup has many instances where teams who are not familiar with each other have to adapt. This particular matchup was the first between these teams and SWFC was able to grab that early advantage that sent San Juan searching for solutions. This adaptability could serve SWFC well as they progress further in the competition.